Judges 3:7-11

The Israelites did what was evil in YAHWEH’s sight. They ignored YAHWEH their God, and they served the Baal gods and the Asherah goddesses. Therefore YAHWEH’s blazing anger rose up against them. He surrendered them to Cushan-Rishathaim, the king of Mesopotamia. He kept the Israelites in bondage to him for eight years. Then the Israelites, with shattered hearts, cried out to YAHWEH for mercy, and he answered them by raising up a champion-deliverer to rescue them, Othniel. He was Caleb’s nephew, the son of his younger brother Kenaz. And the Spirit of YAHWEH was upon him and empowered him to liberate Israel from bondage. He became Israel’s champion and went out to war, and YAHWEH delivered into his hands Cushan-Rishathaim, the king of Mesopotamia. Othniel overpowered him, and after the land had peace for forty years, Othniel the son of Kenaz died.