Discovery BoxJudges 3:8-9 
Context3:8 The Lord was furious with Israel 1 and turned them over to 2 King Cushan-Rishathaim 3 of Aram-Naharaim. They were Cushan-Rishathaim’s subjects 4 for eight years. 3:9 When the Israelites cried out for help to the Lord, he 5 raised up a deliverer for the Israelites who rescued 6 them. His name was Othniel son of Kenaz, Caleb’s younger brother. 7
Judges 3:12-15
Context3:12 The Israelites again did evil in the Lord’s sight. 8 The Lord gave King Eglon of Moab control over Israel 9 because they had done evil in the Lord’s sight. 3:13 Eglon formed alliances with 10 the Ammonites and Amalekites. He came and defeated Israel, and they seized the City of Date Palm Trees. 3:14 The Israelites were subject to 11 King Eglon of Moab for eighteen years.
3:15 When the Israelites cried out for help to the Lord, he 12 raised up a deliverer for them. His name was Ehud son of Gera the Benjaminite, a left-handed man. 13 The Israelites sent him to King Eglon of Moab with their tribute payment. 14
1 tn Or “The
2 tn Heb “sold them into the hands of.”
3 tn Or “Cushan the Doubly Wicked.”
4 tn Or “they served Cushan-Rishathaim.”
5 tn Heb “the
6 tn Or “delivered.”
7 tn “Caleb’s younger brother” may refer to Othniel or to Kenaz (in which case Othniel is Caleb’s nephew).
8 tn Heb “in the eyes of the
9 tn Heb “strengthened Eglon…against Israel.”
10 tn Heb “and he gathered to him.”
11 tn Or “the Israelites served Eglon.”
12 tn Heb “the
13 tn The phrase, which refers to Ehud, literally reads “bound/restricted in the right hand,” apparently a Hebrew idiom for a left-handed person. See Judg 20:16, where 700 Benjaminites are described in this way. Perhaps the Benjaminites purposely trained several of their young men to be left-handed warriors by restricting the use of the right hand from an early age so the left hand would become dominant. Left-handed men would have a distinct military advantage, especially when attacking city gates. See B. Halpern, “The Assassination of Eglon: The First Locked-Room Murder Mystery,” BRev 4 (1988): 35.
14 tn Heb “The Israelites sent by his hand an offering to Eglon, king of Moab.”
