Judges 3:12

Ehud

12 And again the {Israelites} did evil in the eyes of Yahweh. So Yahweh strengthened Eglon king of Moab against Israel, because they did evil in the eyes of Yahweh.

Judges 3:12 Meaning and Commentary

Judges 3:12

And the children of Israel did evil again in the sight of the
Lord
Fell into idolatry again, which was a great evil in the sight of God, and what they were prone to fall into:

and the Lord strengthened Eglon the king of Moab against Israel;
put it into his heart to invade them, and encouraged him to it, and gave him success; what kings reigned over Moab between Balak and this king we know not: it is a commonly received notion of the Jews, that Ruth was the daughter of Eglon; see ( Ruth 1:4 ) ; and it was about this time that Elimelech with his two sons went into Moab, and when many of those things recorded in the book of Ruth were transacted:

because they had done evil in the sight of the Lord;
which had greatly provoked him to anger, and was the cause of stirring up the king of Moab against them.

Judges 3:12 In-Context

10 And the spirit of Yahweh came upon him, and he judged Israel. He went out to war, and Yahweh gave Cushan-Rishathaim king of Aram into his hand, and {he prevailed over} Cushan-Rishathaim.

11 So the land rested forty years. Then Othniel son of Kenaz died.

12 And again the {Israelites} did evil in the eyes of Yahweh. So Yahweh strengthened Eglon king of Moab against Israel, because they did evil in the eyes of Yahweh.

13 He gathered to himself the {Ammonites and Amalekites}, and he went and defeated Israel, and they took possession of the city of palms.

14 And the {Israelites} served Eglon king of Moab eighteen years.

Footnotes

• [a]. Literally "sons/children of Israel"