Judges 3:10
in Judges 3The Spirit of the LORD came upon him, and he became Israel’s judge and went out to war. And the LORD delivered Cushan-rishathaim king of Aram into the hand of Othniel, who prevailed against him.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
And the Spirit of Jehovah came upon him, and he judged Israel; and he went out to war, and Jehovah delivered Cushan-rishathaim king of Mesopotamia into his hand: and his hand prevailed against Cushan-rishathaim.
KJV
And the Spirit of the Lord came upon him, and he judged Israel, and went out to war: and the Lord delivered Chushan–rishathaim king of Mesopotamia into his hand; and his hand prevailed against Chushan–rishathaim.
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This verse in Judges 3
Commentary
9 notes on this verseHis hand prevailed - We are not told or what nature this war was, but it was most decisive; and the consequence was an undisturbed peace of forty years, during the whole life of Othniel.
This site's exposition
when the Israelites cried out to the LORD
on Judges 3:9-10
This is the first time in Judges that Israel "cried out to the LORD". "The Spirit of the LORD" appears for the first time in Scripture. It comes seven times in this book, at 3:10, 6:34, 11:29, 13:25, 14:6, 14:19 and 15:14, and four of the seven are on Samson.
This site's exposition
went out to war
Matthew Henry notes the order, where Othniel first judges Israel, calling the people to account for their sins, and then goes out to war. He records that the Chaldee version reads the Spirit here as the spirit of prophecy. Henry calls that order the right one.
The record, by era
The Puritans and the Awakening3 voices
Came upon him - With extraordinary influence, endowing him with singular wisdom and courage, and stirring him up to this great undertaking. Judged Israel - That is, pleaded and avenged the cause of Israel against their oppressors.
The Chaldee says, The spirit of prophecy remained on him. He first judged Israel, reproved them, called them to account for their sins, and reformed them, and then went out to war. This was the right method.
And the Spirit of the Lord came upon him,....
The Nineteenth Century2 voices
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
proposed
sold them--that is, "delivered them" into the hand of Chushan-rishathaim--or, Chushan, "the wicked." This name had been probably given him from his cruel and impious character. served Chushan-rishathaim eight years--by the payment of a stipulated tribute yearly, the raising of which must have caused a great amount of labor and privation.
quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — starts-lowercase
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
proposed
After these preliminary measures, he collected a body of choice warriors to expel the foreign oppressors. the Lord delivered Chushan-rishathaim king of Mesopotamia into his hand; and his hand prevailed against Chushan-rishathaim--No details are given of this war, which, considering the resources of so potent a monarch, must have been a determined struggle.
1 more voice on this verse
The Nineteenth Century1 voice
A commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
proposed
And the Spirit of the Lord came upon him - The phrase occurs frequently in this book and in the books of Samuel and Kings. It marks the special office of the Judges. They were saviors (Jdg 3:9 margin; Neh 9:27) called and directed by the Holy Spirit, who endued them with extraordinary wisdom, courage, and strength for the work which lay before them (compare Jdg 6:34; Jdg 11:29; Jdg 13:25; Jdg 14:6, Jdg 14:19), and were in this respect types of Christ the “Judge of Israel” Mic 5:1, in whom “the Spirit of the Lord God” was “without measure” Isa 11:2; Isa 61:1; Mat 12:18-21; Job 1:32; Act 13:2.
How the passage was read
What the Jewish commentators add
The Divine spirit visited him. R' Tanchuma expounded: He studied the statement of the Holy One, blessed is He, to Moshe in Mitzrayim, "I have surely seen (lit. 'seeing, I have seen') the tribulation of my people." 1 Shemos,:7. What are the two sights? 2 ‘Seeing’ I have ‘seen’.
This section is reception history: how the passage was read and kept in the Jewish tradition. Where a reading parts from an essential of the Christian faith, the section says so at that point.
Texts and citation data: Sefaria; each excerpt follows its version’s licence. 4 further sources are cited on this chapter that carry no English text this site may quote or only restate the verse.
The words behind it
22 Hebrew wordsEvery Hebrew word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Hebrew | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| וַתְּהִ֨י | vatehi | and it was | H1961 → | 3559 times |
| עָלָ֥יו | ʾalav | on him | H5921 → | 5755 times |
| רֽוּחַ־ | ruach- | [the] spirit of | H7307 → | 378 times |
| יְהוָה֮ | yahweh | Yahweh | H3068 → | 6520 times |
| וַיִּשְׁפֹּ֣ט | vaiyishpot | and he judged | H8199 → | 202 times |
| אֶת־ | ʾet- | <obj.> | H853 → | 10935 times |
| יִשְׂרָאֵל֒ | yisrael | Israel | H3478 → | 2507 times |
| וַיֵּצֵא֙ | vaiyetze' | and he went out | H3318 → | 1067 times |
| לַמִּלְחָמָ֔ה | lamilchamah | to <the> war | H4421 → | 320 times |
| וַיִּתֵּ֤ן | vaiyiten | and he gave | H5414 → | 2011 times |
| יְהוָה֙ | yahweh | Yahweh | H3068 → | 6520 times |
| בְּיָד֔וֹ | beyado | in hand his | H3027 → | 1618 times |
| אֶת־ | ʾet- | <obj.> | H853 → | 10935 times |
| כּוּשַׁ֥ן | kushan | Cushan- | H3573 → | 8 times |
| רִשְׁעָתַ֖יִם | rishatayim | Rishathaim | H3573 → | 8 times |
| מֶ֣לֶךְ | melekh | [the] king of | H4428 → | 2525 times |
| אֲרָ֑ם | ʾaram | Aram | H758 → | |
| וַתָּ֣עָז | vataoz | and it prevailed | H5810 → | |
| יָד֔וֹ | yado | hand his | H3027 → | 1618 times |
| עַ֖ל | ʾal | over | H5921 → | 5755 times |
| כּוּשַׁ֥ן | kushan | Cushan- | H3573 → | 8 times |
| רִשְׁעָתָֽיִם׃ | rishatayim | Rishathaim | H3573 → | 8 times |
וַתְּהִ֨יand it was
vatehiH1961 →3559 times
עָלָ֥יוon him
ʾalavH5921 →5755 times
רֽוּחַ־[the] spirit of
ruach-H7307 →378 times
יְהוָה֮Yahweh
yahwehH3068 →6520 times
וַיִּשְׁפֹּ֣טand he judged
vaiyishpotH8199 →202 times
אֶת־<obj.>
ʾet-H853 →10935 times
יִשְׂרָאֵל֒Israel
yisraelH3478 →2507 times
וַיֵּצֵא֙and he went out
vaiyetze'H3318 →1067 times
לַמִּלְחָמָ֔הto <the> war
lamilchamahH4421 →320 times
וַיִּתֵּ֤ןand he gave
vaiyitenH5414 →2011 times
יְהוָה֙Yahweh
yahwehH3068 →6520 times
בְּיָד֔וֹin hand his
beyadoH3027 →1618 times
אֶת־<obj.>
ʾet-H853 →10935 times
כּוּשַׁ֥ןCushan-
kushanH3573 →8 times
רִשְׁעָתַ֖יִםRishathaim
rishatayimH3573 →8 times
מֶ֣לֶךְ[the] king of
melekhH4428 →2525 times
אֲרָ֑םAram
ʾaramH758 →
וַתָּ֣עָזand it prevailed
vataozH5810 →
יָד֔וֹhand his
yadoH3027 →1618 times
עַ֖לover
ʾalH5921 →5755 times
כּוּשַׁ֥ןCushan-
kushanH3573 →8 times
רִשְׁעָתָֽיִם׃Rishathaim
rishatayimH3573 →8 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
Judges 14:6and the Spirit of the LORD came powerfully upon him, and he tore the lion apart with his bare hands as one would tear a young goat. But he did not tell his father…
it leads to
- Judges 13:25
And the Spirit of the LORD began to stir him at Mahaneh-dan, between Zorah and Eshtaol.
Reached by 4 separate paths from here.
- Zechariah 4:6
So he said to me, “This is the word of the LORD to Zerubbabel: Not by might nor by power, but by My Spirit, says the LORD of Hosts.
- Judges 13:25
Through
Judges 14:19Then the Spirit of the LORD came mightily upon him, and he went down to Ashkelon, killed thirty of their men, took their apparel, and gave their clothes to those who had solved the…
it leads to
- 1 Samuel 11:6
When Saul heard their words, the Spirit of God rushed upon him, and he burned with great anger.
Reached by 3 separate paths from here.
- 1 Samuel 11:6
Through
1 Samuel 11:6When Saul heard their words, the Spirit of God rushed upon him, and he burned with great anger.
it leads to
- Judges 14:6
and the Spirit of the LORD came powerfully upon him, and he tore the lion apart with his bare hands as one would tear a young goat. But he did not tell his father…
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- 1 Samuel 10:10
When Saul and his servant arrived at Gibeah, a group of prophets met him. Then the Spirit of God rushed upon him, and he prophesied along with them.
- Judges 6:34
So the Spirit of the LORD came upon Gideon, who blew the ram’s horn and rallied the Abiezrites behind him.
- 1 Samuel 16:13
So Samuel took the horn of oil and anointed him in the presence of his brothers, and the Spirit of the LORD rushed upon David from that day forward. Then Samuel set out and…
- Judges 14:6
Through
Judges 11:29Then the Spirit of the LORD came upon Jephthah, and he passed through Gilead and Manasseh, then through Mizpah of Gilead. And from there he advanced against the Ammonites.
it leads to
- Numbers 11:25
Then the LORD came down in the cloud and spoke to him, and He took some of the Spirit that was on Moses and placed that Spirit on the seventy elders. As the Spirit…
- Numbers 11:25
Where this verse is studied
On this page
Studies10
About Judges
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763); John Wesley, Explanatory Notes upon the Old Testament; Keil and Delitzsch, Biblical Commentary on the Old Testament: Joshua, Judges, Ruth and Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible.