Jg. 3: Here Come the Judge...s

Judges 3:22 "Even the handle sank in after the blade, which came out his back. Ehud did not pull the sword out, and the fat closed in over it."

Several nations were left, unconquered by the Israelites, whose sole purpose was to test Israel in battle. Their entire existence was to be cannon fodder. Sad. Anyway, against better judgment, the Israelites hang out with, worship with, and intermarry with the HACPHAJ.

So who were these judges, anyway.

The first one listed is Othniel, Caleb's younger brother. Same Othniel who conquered Kiriath Arba? I guess so. I know, he married his niece. OK. Anyway, God delivered the oppressive king Cushan-Rishathaim into Othniel's hands, and there was actual peace in the land for forty years. Almost a jubilee!

Then the Israelites were naughty again.

So the LORD gave Eglon the Moabite king power over Israel for 18 years. Ehud, Israel's next deliverer, sneaked a sword past the guards in Eglon's chamber, and told him he had a secret message for the king. A message of pain, baby! Ehud stabbed the king right in the belly, and then escaped undetected. Eglon's people, wondering what the wait was, figured he was taking a dump, and let him be. Ehud goes back to Israel, rallies the troops, and they go knock Moab around and take over, since God delivered them into their hands. And then there was an 80 year peace.

Shamgar comes after Ehud, and presumably the Israelites were naughty again. Shamgar's claim to fame is that he wasted 600 Philistines with an oxgoad. That's pretty hardcore, since the Philistines probably were using swords and stuff. Must have been a farmboy.

So it's a cycle. Israel blows it, whines, God delivers, Israel gets complacent, blows it, whines...