During Joshua’s time and that of the tribal elders, Israel was dedicated to Yahweh. Not so for the next generation. They abandoned their God and forgot their history. Perhaps they were tired of war. It made sense to coexist rather than fight. They began to worship Asherah the queen of heaven1 and confuse Baal with Yahweh. Canaanite rituals replaced or supplemented Levitical requirements. All was good in the short-term. There was peace. Not for long. The true God withdrew his support and protection, and this lead to a downward spiral of oppressions and rescue. This article focuses on the first three of these episodes.
Othniel and the Assyrians (Jdg 1:12–13; 3:7–11)
A short time passed after Joshua’s death and Cushan Rishathaim rose up. There is no scholarly consensus as to who this person was or when he reigned.2 His name, Rishathaim, means double evil. The name likely was meant as a sarcastic insult to whatever his real name was. At least a half dozen proposals have been postulated in attempts to link him to historical figures. None of these are convincing. Scripture does tell us that he ruled from Aram, the land between the Euphrates and Tigris, and that he subjugated Israel for eight years. This was not a local incursion. All of Israel was subject to heavy tribute. This ruler from the north was a major oppressor.
It took eight years, but finally the people cried out to their God, Yahweh. His response was immediate, he raised Othniel (Caleb’s nephew) and God’s spirit came upon him. We don’t get details, no dialog, and no commentary. It isn’t needed. Othniel demolished the enemy and became both Israels judge, military leader, and hero for his lifetime. Israel’s apostacy was apparently stalled. A single good person can make a huge difference. We can say with reason that Othniel, anointed by God, was a man of character and was an ideal judge.
Ehud and Eglon (Jdg 3:12–30)
This section starts with the quote, “ The children of Israel again did that which was evil in Yahweh’s sight.” Another cycle of oppression begins. In addition to demanding heavy taxation from Israel, Moab conquered the areas surrounding Jericho. These were part of Benjamin’s allotment. This time it took eighteen years before the people finally cried out to Yahweh for help. As with the Othniel episode, Yahweh responded quickly.
There are clues in the book of Judges as to when the Moabite oppression began. Benjamin was almost annihilated when Phinehas, the grandson of Aaron, was alive (Jdg 19–21). That left this tribe weak and vulnerable. It is not surprising that Moab was emboldened. With help from Ammon and Amalek, Eglon, Moab’s king, attacked and prevailed.
Scripture provides lots of details this time to describe Israel’s deliverance. The account is filled with irony, sarcasm, and humor. Apparently Ehud was in charge of delivering tribute to Eglon, Moab’s king and Israel’s oppressor. He took his time to carefully formulate a precise plan. Ehud was likely among the elite left-handed Benjamite warriors described in Jdg 20:16.
Among all these soldiers there were seven hundred chosen men who were left-handed. Every one of them could sling a stone at a hair and not miss.
Eglon’s name translates to round (or fat) bull. Judges 3:17 describes him as a very fat man. Apparently, he was fattened by Israel’s tribute till he became ready for slaughter. So, begins the plot.
Ehud and a group of Israelites dutifully bring the required tribute. This was likely a large portion of the people’s agricultural produce. Then they and Ehud leave, apparently returning to their homes. So far, all is good. But then, a surprise. Ehud reaches a group of stone idols, he stops, and he turns back. As he enters the palace, he addresses the king:
“I have a secret message for you, O king (jdg 3:19).”
We don’t know for sure what Eglon was thinking. It is reasonable to believe that he expected a positive oracle from his god. In any case, he dismisses his attendants to grant Ehud a private meeting. Entering the cool upper room of the structure, Ehud approaches and says:
“I have a message from God to you.”
Eglon stands to receive the message. He thought, “Surely a good word is coming.” Ehud did not lie; it was a message from God. Unfortunately for Eglon, it was not at all what he expected. A fatal stab from an 18” double edge sword. Some translations indicate that the blade that entered the stomach came out of Eglon’s back. Others say that Eglon’s bowels relaxed and excrement flowed as he fell to his death (jdg 3:22). In my opinion, the latter fits better with the dialog. The fattened bull (Eglon) met his end in a pile of poop.
Ehud locks the door to the room from the inside and manages to escape without detection. The courtiers, perhaps smelling the odor, at first believe their king is relieving himself. It takes some time (how much we don’t know) before they eventually get keys to open the locked door. There he is, on the floor, dead. Ehud in the meantime mobilizes Ephraim. They cut off the Jordan, attack, and win a complete victory over the stout, well-fed Moabite army.
The Moabites who terrorized Israel for eighteen years fell in a day. When God delivers, he delivers indeed. The oppressors come across as a confused, incompetent, bunch of buffoons. It is no wonder that this account survived in Israel as an enduring part of their recorded history.
Scripture tells us that the land had peace for two generations afterwards. Did Ehud serve as a judge in addition to being an effective military leader? We don’t know.
Shamgar, the ox goad, and the Philistines (Jdg 3:31)
After him (Ehud) was Shamgar the son of Anath, who struck six hundred men of the Philistines with an ox goad. He also saved Israel.
Shamgar’s name having four consonants (S M G R) fits with those of Hurrian background. The designation, Son of Anath, implies that this man was devoted to this Canaanite goddess of war. Anath was integrated into the Egyptian pantheon in the nineteenth dynasty; she was considered to be a protectress of Pharaoh. The picture on the left shows a statue of Ramesses II with Anath. In light of this evidence, we can safely conclude that Shamgar certainly was not an Israelite.
The Northern Mediterranean regions experienced severe continuous droughts during the second half of the second millennium BCE. This forced the sea peoples to migrate from those areas and encroach on other lands. The Nile delta was a prime target. Egyptian wars with these sea peoples were fought first with Mernepthah (c. 1207 BCE) and again with Ramesses III (c. 1176 BCE). The arrival of the sea peoples contributed to Egyptian decline which enabled the Israelis to establish themselves in the hill country of the Promised Land.3,4
Egypt called one of these sea peoples Peleset (Philistines in the Bible). They settled along the shores of Canaan and Lebanon. These are the ones Shamgar encountered. Arrowheads that were found with the inscription, “Son of Anath” give credence to a hypothesis that Shamgar was a mercenary who led a commando group against the Philistines. He saved Israel, but his major alliance was with the Egyptians. Perhaps this is why his exploit is reduced to a single sentence in the book of Judges.
What is an Ox Goad? The picture on the left is one possibility. This is why many commentators consider Shamgar to be an amateur, a simple farmer without military training. However, the Hebrew word in the Bible is a hapax (it occurs only one time in the entire Bible). Later writings define it to be some kind of pointer. Perhaps it was a spear. If true, this is more evidence for Shamgar being a mercenary, leading an organized fighting unit with support from Egypt.
The Shamgar episode lacks description of oppression or the people crying out. Though Shamgar saved Israel, his exploits didn’t directly involve them. He put a stop to the rising power of the Philistines along the North Canaanite coast. God sometimes chooses unusual means and unexpected people to accomplish his ends.
Application
It is easy during storms of life to make choices based on what we see directly in front of us. It is easy to forget that there is a long-term plan operating behind the scenes in ways that are unexpected and surprising. Ultimately, God’s kingdom will come, and his plan will prevail on Earth as it does now in Heaven.
Thanks for listening.
References
Deanna Riddick, “The Goddess Asherah: Queen of Heaven, Mother of Creation .
Jewish Virtual Library, “Cushan-Rishathaim .”
Britannica, “Sea People .”
World History Volume, “Ramses III Defeats the Sea People (1191 BCE) .”
Barry G. Webb, The Book of Judges: New International Commentary on the Old Testament (2012), Othniel 158–161, Ehud 161–176 , Shamgar 176-178.
Daniel I. Block, The New American Commentary: Judges, Ruth , B & H Publishing (1999), Othniel 149–56, Ehud 158–172, Shamgar 172–175.
John H. Walton, Zondervan Illustrated Bible Background Commentary& Judges, Ruth, 1 & 2 Samuel , Zondervan (2009), Othniel 124–126, Ehud 125–132, Shamgar 132–133.
Dan Harvey, author of Wrestling with Faith and Experiencing the Apocalypse,
secondlooknow.com
Hi Dan,
This article is amazing; it addresses the questions of “why” individuals, the warriors who rose up and the impacts that followed their rule…
This is enlightening, and with your comments it is very encouraging.
It clarifies the “why did they do that?” questions…!
I am also encouraged to see how “GOD works with HIS people” and how we can benefit.
Viv Harvey
The bit about shamgar 8s fascinating! I love how context mskes sense of the obscure stuff.