Judges 3:1-12

Judges 3:1-12 NCV

These are the nations the LORD did not force to leave. He wanted to test the Israelites who had not fought in the wars of Canaan. (The only reason the LORD left those nations in the land was to teach the descendants of the Israelites who had not fought in those wars how to fight.) These are the nations: the five rulers of the Philistines, all the Canaanites, the people of Sidon, and the Hivites who lived in the Lebanon mountains from Mount Baal Hermon to Lebo Hamath. Those nations were in the land to test the Israelites—to see if they would obey the commands the LORD had given to their ancestors by Moses. The people of Israel lived with the Canaanites, Hittites, Amorites, Perizzites, Hivites, and Jebusites. The Israelites began to marry the daughters of those people, and they allowed their daughters to marry the sons of those people. Israel also served their gods. The Israelites did what the LORD said was wrong. They forgot about the LORD their God and served the idols of Baal and Asherah. So the LORD was angry with Israel and allowed Cushan-Rishathaim king of Northwest Mesopotamia to rule over the Israelites for eight years. When Israel cried to the LORD, the LORD sent someone to save them. Othniel son of Kenaz, Caleb’s younger brother, saved the Israelites. The Spirit of the LORD entered Othniel, and he became Israel’s judge. When he went to war, the LORD handed over to him Cushan-Rishathaim king of Northwest Mesopotamia. So the land was at peace for forty years. Then Othniel son of Kenaz died. Again the people of Israel did what the LORD said was wrong. So the LORD gave Eglon king of Moab power to defeat Israel because of the evil Israel did.

Read Judges 3