Othniel - Ehud - Shamgar

(JUDGES 3:5-31)

THE first scene presented in the history of the Judges is that of Israel's intermarriage with the heathen

around, and their doing "evil in the sight of Jehovah," forgetting Him, and serving "Baalim and the groves."

And the first "judgment" on their apostasy is, that they are "sold" by the Lord into the hand of

"Chushan-rishathaim, king of Mesopotamia," or rather of "Aram-naharaim," "the highland by the two

streams" (Euphrates and Tigris). Curiously enough, there is an ancient Persian tradition, according to which

the monarchs of Iran, who held dominion "by the streams," waged war against Egypt, Syria, and Asia

Minor. Of their heroes, who are described as Cushan, or from the land of Chusistan (= Scythians,

Parthians?), the most notable is Rustan or Rastam, a name evidently akin to Rishathaim.  186 And so ancient

heathen re cords once more throw unexpected light upon the historical narratives of the Old Testament. The

oppression had lasted full eight years when Israel "cried187 unto Jehovah." The deliverer raised up for them

was Othniel, the younger brother of Caleb, whose bravery had formerly gained him the hand of his wife

(1:12-15). But his success now was not due to personal prowess.

"The Spirit of Jehovah was  188 upon him, and he judged Israel, and went out to war." For the first time in the

Book of Judges we meet here the s tatement, that "the Spirit of Jehovah" "was upon," or "clothed," or else

"came upon" a person.

We naturally connect the expression with what we read of "the manifold gifts of the Spirit" as these are

detailed in Isaiah 11:2, which were distributed to each as God pleased, and according to the necessity of the

time (1 Corinthians 12:11). But, in thinking of these influences, we ought to bear two things in mind. First:

although, in each case, the influence came straight from above - from the Spirit of God - for the

accomplishment of a special purpose, it was not necessarily, as under the New Testament dispensation, a

sanctifying influence. Secondly: this influence must not be regarded as the same with the abiding presence

of the Holy Spirit in the heart. This also belongs to the New Testament dispensation. In short, these gifts of

the Holy Spirit were miraculous, rather than gracious - like the gifts in the early Church, rather than as "the

promise of the Father." In the case of Othniel, however, we note that the Spirit of God "was upon" him, and

that, under His influence, "he judged" Israel, even "before he went out to war." And so, while ancient

Jewish tradition in all other instances paraphrases the expression, "the Spirit of the Lord," by "the spirit of

strength," in the case of Othniel - "the lion of God"  189 - it renders it: "the spirit of prophecy." A war so

undertaken must have been successful, and "the land had rest forty years."  190

The next judgment to rebellious Israel came likewise from the east. Qu ite on the eastern boundary of Reuben

and of Gad lay the land of Moab. One of the chieftains of its tribes, Eglon,191 now allied himself with the old

enemies of Israel, Ammon and Amalek, the former occupying the territory south of Reuben, the latter the

districts in the far south-west, below Philistia. Eglon swept over the possessions of the trans-Jordanic

tribes, crossed the river, and made Jericho, which was probably rebuilt as a town, though not as a fortress,

his capital. Having thus cut the land, as it were, into two, and occupied its center and garden, Eglon reduced

Israel for eighteen years to servitude. At the end of that period the people once more "cried unto the Lord,"

and "the Lord raised them up a deliverer," although Holy Scripture does not say that in his mode of

deliverance he acted under the influence of the Spirit of the Lord. In the peculiar circumstances of the case

this silence is most significant.

The "deliverer" was "Ehud (probably, the praised one), the son of Gera, a Benjamite, a man left-handed," or,

as the original has it, "shut up"  192 or "weak" "as to his right hand." The conspiracy against Eglon was well

planned. Ehud placed himself at the head of a deputation charged to bring Eglon "a present," or, more

probably, the regular tribute, as we gather from the similar use of the word in 2 Samuel 8:2, 6; 17:3, 4. But