Judges 3:1-11 ▼

1 These are the nations the LORD left in order to test all those in Israel who had experienced none of the wars in Canaan.

2 This was to teach the future generations of the Israelites how to fight in battle, especially those who had not fought before.

3 These nations included the five rulers of the Philistines and all of the Canaanites, the Sidonians, and the Hivites who lived in the Lebanese mountains from Mount Baal-hermon as far as the entrance to Hamath.

4 The LORD left them to test Israel, to determine if they would keep the LORD’s commands he had given their ancestors through Moses.

5 But they settled among the Canaanites, Hethites, Amorites, Perizzites, Hivites, and Jebusites.

6 The Israelites took their daughters as wives for themselves, gave their own daughters to their sons, and worshiped their gods.

7 The Israelites did what was evil in the LORD’s sight; they forgot the LORD their God and worshiped the Baals and the Asherahs.

8 The LORD’s anger burned against Israel, and he sold them to King Cushan-rishathaim of Aram-naharaim, and the Israelites served him eight years.

9 The Israelites cried out to the LORD. So the LORD raised up Othniel son of Kenaz, Caleb’s youngest brother, as a deliverer to save the Israelites.

10 The Spirit of the LORD came on him, and he judged Israel. Othniel went out to battle, and the LORD handed over King Cushan-rishathaim of Aram to him, so that Othniel overpowered him.

11 Then the land had peace for forty years, and Othniel son of Kenaz died.