Judges 3

שופטים פרק ג׳

Section: נביאים · נביאים ראשונים | Book: Judges | Chapter: 3 of 21 | Day: 27 of 742

Date: March 10, 2026

קלאוד על הנ״ך

Judges chapter 3 is one of the most structurally important chapters in the entire book, serving as both a theological prologue and the launching point for the cyclical pattern that will dominate the narrative through chapter 16. The chapter opens with a list of nations that God deliberately left unconquered in the land — the five Philistine principalities (chameshset sarnei pelishtim), the Canaanites, Sidonians, and Hivites — and offers a dual explanation for their continued presence. On one hand, these nations serve as a test (lenasot) to determine whether the post-Joshua generation will remain faithful to the covenant. On the other hand, they exist to teach Israel the realities of war, something the generation that witnessed God’s miraculous battles under Joshua never needed to learn. This tension between divine testing and practical consequence runs throughout the Book of Judges and reflects a sophisticated theology of providence.

The chapter then establishes the paradigmatic cycle that will repeat throughout the book: sin (va-ya’asu et ha-ra), divine anger and subjugation, the people’s cry to God (va-yiz’aku), and the raising of a deliverer (moshia). The first iteration of this cycle is remarkably compressed. Israel intermarries with the surrounding nations, worships the Baalim and Asherot, and is handed over to Cushan-rishathaim of Aram-naharaim for eight years. Othniel ben Kenaz, Caleb’s younger kinsman and already a figure of distinction from the conquest narrative in Joshua 15, is raised up as the first judge. The spirit of God (ruach Hashem) descends upon him, he wages war, and the land enjoys forty years of peace. This brief account serves as the template against which all subsequent judge narratives will be measured.

The heart of the chapter, however, is the vivid and deliberately detailed account of Ehud ben Gera’s assassination of Eglon king of Moab. This is the first fully developed judge narrative, and the text lingers on every tactical detail with almost cinematic precision: Ehud’s left-handedness (ish iter yad yemino), which allows him to conceal a short double-edged dagger on his right thigh where guards would never think to check; the presentation of tribute as a cover story; the claim of a “secret message” (devar seter) that persuades Eglon to dismiss his attendants; and the gruesome description of the blade disappearing entirely into Eglon’s corpulent belly. The narrative is remarkable for its use of irony and dark humor — Eglon’s name itself evokes “calf” (egel), and his obesity, noted with unusual specificity, becomes the instrument of his undoing. The servants’ assumption that their master is merely “relieving himself” (mesikh et raglav) while he lies dead on the floor creates a tragicomic delay that enables Ehud’s escape.

What elevates this chapter beyond a mere adventure tale is its theological layering. The Talmudic tradition (Sanhedrin 105b) notes that Eglon’s single act of reverence — rising from his seat when Ehud invoked God’s name — merited him the distinction of becoming an ancestor of Ruth, and through her, of King David himself. This suggests that even within the violence and chaos of the Judges period, the text recognizes moments of spiritual sensitivity in unexpected places. The chapter closes with two brief but significant notes: Ehud’s rallying of Israel from the hill country of Ephraim to seize the fords of the Jordan, cutting off the Moabite retreat and killing ten thousand warriors, and the enigmatic single verse devoted to Shamgar ben Anat, who slew six hundred Philistines with an oxgoad. Shamgar’s compressed account, lacking the full cycle structure, hints at the diversity of deliverers God raises and the varied forms that salvation takes in this turbulent era.

פרק ג׳ · Chapter 3

פסוק א׳ · Verse 1

Hebrew:

וְאֵ֤לֶּה הַגּוֹיִם֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר הִנִּ֣יחַ יְהֹוָ֔ה לְנַסּ֥וֹת בָּ֖ם אֶת־יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל אֵ֚ת כׇּל־אֲשֶׁ֣ר לֹא־יָדְע֔וּ אֵ֖ת כׇּל־מִלְחֲמ֥וֹת כְּנָֽעַן׃

English:

aThe sentence structure of vv. 1–2 is uncertain. These are the nations that GOD left in order to test the Israelites who had not known any of the wars of Canaan,

פסוק ב׳ · Verse 2

Hebrew:

רַ֗ק לְמַ֙עַן֙ דַּ֚עַ�� דֹּר֣וֹת בְּנֵֽי־יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל לְלַמְּדָ֖ם מִלְחָמָ֑ה רַ֥ק אֲשֶׁר־לְפָנִ֖ים לֹ֥א יְדָעֽוּם׃

English:

so that succeeding generations of Israelites might be made to experience war—but only those who had not known the former wars:bformer wars Lit. “them formerly.”

פסוק ג׳ · Verse 3

Hebrew:

חֲמֵ֣שֶׁת ׀ סַרְנֵ֣י פְלִשְׁתִּ֗ים וְכׇל־הַֽכְּנַעֲנִי֙ וְהַצִּ֣ידֹנִ֔י וְהַ֣חִוִּ֔י יֹשֵׁ֖ב הַ֣ר הַלְּבָנ֑וֹן מֵהַר֙ בַּ֣עַל חֶרְמ֔וֹן עַ֖ד לְב֥וֹא חֲמָֽת׃

English:

the five principalitiescprincipalities Lit. “lords.” of the Philistines and all the Canaanites, Sidonians, and Hivites who inhabited the hill country of the Lebanon from Mount Baal-hermon to Lebo-hamath.dLebo-hamath See note at Num. 13.21.

פסוק ד׳ · Verse 4

Hebrew:

וַיִּהְי֕וּ לְנַסּ֥וֹת בָּ֖ם אֶת־יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל לָדַ֗עַת הֲיִשְׁמְעוּ֙ אֶת־מִצְוֺ֣ת יְהֹוָ֔ה אֲשֶׁר־צִוָּ֥ה אֶת־אֲבוֹתָ֖ם בְּיַד־מֹשֶֽׁה׃

English:

These served as a means of testing Israel, to learn whether they would obey the commandments that GOD had enjoined upon their ancestors through Moses.

פסוק ה׳ · Verse 5

Hebrew:

וּבְנֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל יָשְׁב֖וּ בְּקֶ֣רֶב הַֽכְּנַעֲנִ֑י הַחִתִּ֤י וְהָאֱמֹרִי֙ וְהַפְּרִזִּ֔י וְהַחִוִּ֖י וְהַיְבוּסִֽי׃

English:

The Israelites settled among the Canaanites, Hittites, Amorites, Perizzites, Hivites, and Jebusites;

פסוק ו׳ · Verse 6

Hebrew:

וַיִּקְח֨וּ אֶת־בְּנוֹתֵיהֶ֤ם לָהֶם֙ לְנָשִׁ֔ים וְאֶת־בְּנוֹתֵיהֶ֖ם נָתְנ֣וּ לִבְנֵיהֶ֑ם וַיַּעַבְד֖וּ אֶת־אֱלֹהֵיהֶֽם׃ {פ}

English:

they took their daughters to wife and gave their own daughters to their sons, and they worshiped their gods.

פסוק ז׳ · Verse 7

Hebrew:

וַיַּעֲשׂ֨וּ בְנֵֽי־יִשְׂרָאֵ֤ל אֶת־הָרַע֙ בְּעֵינ��֣י יְהֹוָ֔ה וַֽיִּשְׁכְּח֖וּ אֶת־יְהֹוָ֣ה אֱלֹהֵיהֶ֑ם וַיַּעַבְד֥וּ אֶת־הַבְּעָלִ֖ים וְאֶת־הָאֲשֵׁרֽוֹת׃

English:

The Israelites did what was offensive to GOD; they ignored the ETERNAL their God and worshiped the Baalim and the Asheroth.eBaalim…Asheroth I.e., the Canaanite god Baal and goddess Asherah, in various manifestations.

פסוק ח׳ · Verse 8

Hebrew:

וַיִּחַר־אַ֤ף יְהֹוָה֙ בְּיִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל וַֽיִּמְכְּרֵ֗ם בְּיַד֙ כּוּשַׁ֣ן רִשְׁעָתַ֔יִם מֶ֖לֶךְ אֲרַ֣ם נַהֲרָ֑יִם וַיַּעַבְד֧וּ בְנֵי־יִשְׂרָאֵ֛ל אֶת־כּוּשַׁ֥ן רִשְׁעָתַ֖יִם שְׁמֹנֶ֥ה שָׁנִֽים׃

English:

GOD became incensed at Israel and surrendered them to King Cushan-rishathaim of Aram-naharaim; and the Israelites were subject to Cushan-rishathaim for eight years.

פסוק ט׳ · Verse 9

Hebrew:

וַיִּזְעֲק֤וּ בְנֵֽי־יִשְׂרָאֵל֙ אֶל־יְהֹוָ֔ה וַיָּ֨קֶם יְהֹוָ֥ה מוֹשִׁ֛יעַ לִבְנֵ֥י יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל וַיֹּשִׁיעֵ֑ם אֵ֚ת עׇתְנִיאֵ֣ל בֶּן־קְנַ֔ז אֲחִ֥י כָלֵ֖ב הַקָּטֹ֥ן מִמֶּֽנּוּ׃

English:

The Israelites cried out to GOD, and GOD raised a champion for the Israelites to deliver them: Othniel the Kenizzite, a younger kinsmanfkinsman Or “brother.” of Caleb.

פסוק י״ · Verse 10

Hebrew:

וַתְּהִ֨י עָלָ֥יו רֽוּחַ־יְהֹוָה֮ וַיִּשְׁפֹּ֣ט אֶת־יִשְׂרָאֵל֒ וַיֵּצֵא֙ לַמִּלְחָמָ֔ה וַיִּתֵּ֤ן יְהֹוָה֙ בְּיָד֔וֹ אֶת־כּוּשַׁ֥ן רִשְׁעָתַ֖יִם מֶ֣לֶךְ אֲרָ֑ם וַתָּ֣עׇז יָד֔וֹ עַ֖ל כּוּשַׁ֥ן רִשְׁעָתָֽיִם׃

English:

The spirit of GOD descended upon him and he became Israel’s chieftain. He went out to war, and GOD delivered King Cushan-rishathaim of Aram into his hands. He prevailed over Cushan-rishathaim,

פסוק י״א · Verse 11

Hebrew:

וַתִּשְׁקֹ֥ט הָאָ֖רֶץ אַרְב��ָעִ֣ים שָׁנָ֑ה וַיָּ֖מׇת עׇתְנִיאֵ֥ל בֶּן־קְנַֽז׃ {פ}

English:

and the land had peace for forty years.When Othniel the Kenizzite died,

פסוק י״ב · Verse 12

Hebrew:

וַיֹּסִ֙פוּ֙ בְּנֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל לַעֲשׂ֥וֹת הָרַ֖ע בְּעֵינֵ֣י יְהֹוָ֑ה וַיְחַזֵּ֨ק יְהֹוָ֜ה אֶת־עֶגְל֤וֹן מֶלֶךְ־מוֹאָב֙ עַל־יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל עַ֛ל כִּי־עָשׂ֥וּ אֶת־הָרַ֖ע בְּעֵינֵ֥י יְהֹוָֽה׃

English:

the Israelites again did what was offensive to GOD. And because they did what was offensive to GOD, GOD let King Eglon of Moab prevail over Israel.

פסוק י״ג · Verse 13

Hebrew:

וַיֶּאֱסֹ֣ף אֵלָ֔יו אֶת־בְּנֵ֥י עַמּ֖וֹן וַעֲמָלֵ֑ק וַיֵּ֗לֶךְ וַיַּךְ֙ אֶת־יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל וַיִּֽירְשׁ֖וּ אֶת־עִ֥יר הַתְּמָרִֽים׃

English:

[Eglon] brought the Ammonites and the Amalekites together under his command, and went and defeated Israel and occupied the City of Palms.

פסוק י״ד · Verse 14

Hebrew:

וַיַּעַבְד֤וּ בְנֵֽי־יִשְׂרָאֵל֙ אֶת־עֶגְל֣וֹן מֶלֶךְ־מוֹאָ֔ב שְׁמוֹנֶ֥ה עֶשְׂרֵ֖ה שָׁנָֽה׃

English:

The Israelites were subject to King Eglon of Moab for eighteen years.

פסוק ט״ו · Verse 15

Hebrew:

וַיִּזְעֲק֣וּ בְנֵי־יִשְׂרָאֵל֮ אֶל־יְהֹוָה֒ וַיָּ֩קֶם֩ יְהֹוָ֨ה לָהֶ֜ם מוֹשִׁ֗יעַ אֶת־אֵה֤וּד בֶּן־גֵּרָא֙ בֶּן־הַיְמִינִ֔י אִ֥ישׁ אִטֵּ֖ר יַד־יְמִינ֑וֹ וַיִּשְׁלְח֨וּ בְנֵי־יִשְׂרָאֵ֤ל בְּיָדוֹ֙ מִנְחָ֔ה לְעֶגְל֖וֹן מֶ֥לֶךְ מ��ֹאָֽב׃

English:

Then the Israelites cried out to GOD, and GOD raised up a champion for them: the Benjaminite Ehud son of Gera, a left-handed man. It happened that the Israelites sent tribute to King Eglon of Moab through him.

פסוק ט״ז · Verse 16

Hebrew:

וַיַּ֩עַשׂ֩ ל֨וֹ אֵה֜וּד חֶ֗רֶב וְלָ֛הּ שְׁנֵ֥י פֵי֖וֹת גֹּ֣מֶד אׇרְכָּ֑הּ וַיַּחְגֹּ֤ר אוֹתָהּ֙ מִתַּ֣חַת לְמַדָּ֔יו עַ֖ל יֶ֥רֶךְ יְמִינֽוֹ׃

English:

So Ehud made for himself a two-edged dagger, a gomed in length, which he girded on his right side under his cloak.

פסוק י״ז · Verse 17

Hebrew:

וַיַּקְרֵב֙ אֶת־הַמִּנְחָ֔ה לְעֶגְל֖וֹן מֶ֣לֶךְ מוֹאָ֑ב וְעֶגְל֕וֹן אִ֥ישׁ בָּרִ֖יא מְאֹֽד׃

English:

He presented the tribute to King Eglon of Moab. Now Eglon was a very stout man.

פסוק י״ח · Verse 18

Hebrew:

וַֽיְהִי֙ כַּאֲשֶׁ֣ר כִּלָּ֔ה לְהַקְרִ֖יב אֶת־הַמִּנְחָ֑ה וַיְשַׁלַּח֙ אֶת־הָעָ֔ם נֹשְׂאֵ֖י הַמִּנְחָֽה׃

English:

When [Ehud] had finished presenting the tribute, he dismissed the people who had conveyed the tribute.

פסוק י״ט · Verse 19

Hebrew:

וְה֣וּא שָׁ֗ב מִן־הַפְּסִילִים֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר אֶת־הַגִּלְגָּ֔ל וַיֹּ֕אמֶר דְּבַר־סֵ֥תֶר לִ֛י אֵלֶ֖יךָ הַמֶּ֑לֶךְ וַיֹּ֣אמֶר הָ֔ס וַיֵּֽצְאוּ֙ מֵעָלָ֔יו כׇּל־הָעֹמְדִ֖ים עָלָֽיו׃

English:

But he himself returned from Pesilim, near Gilgal, and said, “Your Majesty, I have a secret message for you.” [Eglon] thereupon commanded, “Silence!” So all those in attendance left his presence;

פסוק כ׳ · Verse 20

Hebrew:

וְאֵה֣וּד ׀ בָּ֣א אֵלָ֗יו וְהֽוּא־יֹ֠שֵׁ֠ב בַּעֲלִיַּ֨ת הַמְּקֵרָ֤ה אֲשֶׁר־לוֹ֙ לְבַדּ֔וֹ וַיֹּ֣אמֶר אֵה֔וּד דְּבַר־אֱלֹהִ֥ים לִ֖י אֵלֶ֑יךָ וַיָּ֖קׇם מֵעַ֥ל הַכִּסֵּֽא׃

English:

and when Ehud approached him, he was sitting alone in his cool upper chamber. Ehud said, “I have a message for you from God”; whereupon he rose from his seat.

פסוק כ״א · Verse 21

Hebrew:

וַיִּשְׁלַ֤ח אֵ��וּד֙ אֶת־יַ֣ד שְׂמֹאל֔וֹ וַיִּקַּח֙ אֶת־הַחֶ֔רֶב מֵעַ֖ל יֶ֣רֶךְ יְמִינ֑וֹ וַיִּתְקָעֶ֖הָ בְּבִטְנֽוֹ׃

English:

Reaching with his left hand, Ehud drew the dagger from his right side and drove it into Eglon’sgEglon’s Heb. “his.” belly.

פסוק כ״ב · Verse 22

Hebrew:

וַיָּבֹ֨א גַֽם־הַנִּצָּ֜ב אַחַ֣ר הַלַּ֗הַב וַיִּסְגֹּ֤ר הַחֵ֙לֶב֙ בְּעַ֣ד הַלַּ֔הַב כִּ֣י לֹ֥א שָׁלַ֛ף הַחֶ֖רֶב מִבִּטְנ֑וֹ וַיֵּצֵ֖א הַֽפַּרְשְׁדֹֽנָה׃

English:

The fat closed over the blade and the hilt went in after the blade—for he did not pull the dagger out of his belly—and the filthhfilth Meaning of Heb. uncertain. came out.

פסוק כ״ג · Verse 23

Hebrew:

וַיֵּצֵ֥א אֵה֖וּד הַֽמִּסְדְּר֑וֹנָה וַיִּסְגֹּ֞ר דַּלְת֧וֹת הָעֲלִיָּ֛ה בַּעֲד֖וֹ וְנָעָֽל׃

English:

Stepping out into the vestibule,ivestibule Meaning of Heb. uncertain. Ehud shut the doors of the upper chamber on him and locked them.

פסוק כ״ד · Verse 24

Hebrew:

וְה֤וּא יָצָא֙ וַעֲבָדָ֣יו בָּ֔אוּ וַיִּרְא֕וּ וְהִנֵּ֛ה דַּלְת֥וֹת הָעֲלִיָּ֖ה נְעֻל֑וֹת וַיֹּ֣אמְר֔וּ אַ֣ךְ מֵסִ֥יךְ ה֛וּא אֶת־רַגְלָ֖יו בַּחֲדַ֥ר הַמְּקֵרָֽה׃

English:

After he left, the courtiers returned. When they saw that the doors of the upper chamber were locked, they thought, “He must be relieving himself in the cool chamber.”

פסוק כ״ה · Verse 25

Hebrew:

וַיָּחִ֣ילוּ עַד־בּ֔וֹשׁ וְהִנֵּ֛ה אֵינֶ֥נּוּ פֹתֵ֖חַ דַּלְת֣וֹת הָעֲלִיָּ֑ה וַיִּקְח֤וּ אֶת־הַמַּפְתֵּ֙חַ֙ וַיִּפְתָּ֔חוּ וְהִנֵּה֙ אֲדֹ֣נֵיהֶ֔ם נֹפֵ֥ל אַ֖רְצָה מֵֽת׃

English:

They waited a long time; and when he did not open the doors of the chamber, they took the key and opened them—and there their master was lying dead on the floor!

פסוק כ״ו · Verse 26

Hebrew:

וְאֵה֥וּד נִמְלַ֖ט עַ֣ד הִֽתְמַהְמְהָ֑ם וְהוּא֙ עָבַ֣ר אֶת־הַפְּסִילִ֔ים וַיִּמָּלֵ֖ט הַשְּׂעִירָֽתָה׃

English:

But Ehud had made good his escape while they delayed; he had passed Pesilim and escaped to Seirah.

פסוק כ״ז · Verse 27

Hebrew:

וַיְהִ֣י בְּבוֹא֔וֹ וַיִּתְקַ֥ע בַּשּׁוֹפָ֖ר בְּהַ֣ר אֶפְרָ֑יִם וַיֵּרְד֨וּ עִמּ֧וֹ בְנֵי־יִשְׂרָאֵ֛ל מִן־הָהָ֖ר וְה֥וּא לִפְנֵיהֶֽם׃

English:

When he got there, he had the ram’s horn sounded through the hill country of Ephraim, and all the Israelites descended with him from the hill country; and he took the lead.

פסוק כ״ח · Verse 28

Hebrew:

וַיֹּ֤אמֶר אֲלֵהֶם֙ רִדְפ֣וּ אַחֲרַ֔י כִּֽי־נָתַ֨ן יְהֹוָ֧ה אֶת־אֹיְבֵיכֶ֛ם אֶת־מוֹאָ֖ב בְּיֶדְכֶ֑ם וַיֵּרְד֣וּ אַחֲרָ֗יו וַֽיִּלְכְּד֞וּ אֶֽת־מַעְבְּר֤וֹת הַיַּרְדֵּן֙ לְמוֹאָ֔ב וְלֹא־נָתְנ֥וּ אִ֖ישׁ לַעֲבֹֽר׃

English:

“Follow me closely,” he said, “for GOD has delivered your enemies, the Moabites, into your hands.” They followed him down and seized the fords of the Jordan against the Moabites; they let no one cross.

פסוק כ״ט · Verse 29

Hebrew:

וַיַּכּ֨וּ אֶת־מוֹאָ֜ב בָּעֵ֣ת הַהִ֗יא כַּעֲשֶׂ֤רֶת אֲלָפִים֙ אִ֔ישׁ כׇּל־שָׁמֵ֖ן וְכׇל־אִ֣ישׁ חָ֑יִל וְלֹ֥א נִמְלַ֖ט אִֽישׁ׃

English:

On that occasion they slew about 10,000 Moabites; they were all robust and brave men, yet not one of them escaped.

פסוק ל׳ · Verse 30

Hebrew:

וַתִּכָּנַ֤ע מוֹאָב֙ בַּיּ֣וֹם הַה֔וּא תַּ֖חַת יַ֣ד יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל וַתִּשְׁקֹ֥ט הָאָ֖רֶץ שְׁמוֹנִ֥ים שָׁנָֽה׃ {פ}

English:

On that day, Moab submitted to Israel; and the land was tranquil for eighty years.

פסוק ל״א · Verse 31

Hebrew:

וְאַחֲרָ֤יו הָיָה֙ שַׁמְגַּ֣ר בֶּן־��ֲנָ֔ת וַיַּ֤ךְ אֶת־פְּלִשְׁתִּים֙ שֵֽׁשׁ־מֵא֣וֹת אִ֔ישׁ בְּמַלְמַ֖ד הַבָּקָ֑ר וַיּ֥וֹשַׁע גַּם־ה֖וּא אֶת־יִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃ {פ}

English:

After him came Shamgar son of Anath,json of Anath Or “the Beth-anathite.” who slew six hundred Philistines with an oxgoad. He too was a champion of Israel.

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