Albert Barnes Commentary Judges 3
Albert Barnes Commentary
Judges 3
Albert Barnes Commentary
Judges 3
"Now these are the nations which Jehovah left, to prove Israel by them, even as many [of Israel] as had not known all the wars of Canaan;" — Judges 3:1 (ASV)
Even as many of Israel ... - These words show that the writer has especially in view the generation that reached adulthood immediately after the close of the wars with the Canaanites (Joshua 23:1). Compare (Judges 2:10).
"[namely], the five lords of the Philistines, and all the Canaanites, and the Sidonians, and the Hivites that dwelt in mount Lebanon, from mount Baal-hermon unto the entrance of Hamath." — Judges 3:3 (ASV)
Lords - Seranim, a title used exclusively of the princes of the five Philistine cities. The title is probably of Phoenician origin.
Joshua appears to have defeated and subdued the Hivites as far north as Baal-Gad, in the valley of Lebanon under Mount Hermon (Joshua 11:17; Joshua 12:7), but no further (Joshua 13:5).
There was an unsubdued Hivite population to the north of Baal-hermon (probably Baal-Gad under Hermon, since it is not synonymous with Hermon; see 1 Chronicles 5:23), to the entrance of Hamath: that is, in the fertile valley of Coele-Syria.
Hamath is always spoken of as the extreme northern boundary of the land of Canaan. It was the gate of approach to Canaan from Babylon, and all the north (Zechariah 9:2; Jeremiah 39:5). It formed part of the dominions of Solomon (2 Chronicles 8:4), and of the future inheritance of Israel, as described in vision by Ezekiel (Ezekiel 47:16).
"and they took their daughters to be their wives, and gave their own daughters to their sons and served their gods." — Judges 3:6 (ASV)
See Judges 2:2 note.
"And the children of Israel did that which was evil in the sight of Jehovah, and forgat Jehovah their God, and served the Baalim and the Asheroth." — Judges 3:7 (ASV)
And the groves - literally, Asheroth, images of Asherah (the goddess companion of Baal): see Deuteronomy 16:21 note.
"Therefore the anger of Jehovah was kindled against Israel, and he sold them into the hand of Cushan-rishathaim king of Mesopotamia: and the children of Israel served Cushan-rishathaim eight years." — Judges 3:8 (ASV)
Here we resume the thread of the main narrative, which seems as though it should have run as follows (Judges 1:1): Now, etc. (Judges 3:8), therefore (or “and”) etc.
Served Chushan-Rishathaim - This is the same phrase as in (Judges 3:14). From it is derived the expression, “the times of servitude,” as distinguished from “the times of rest,” in speaking of the times of the Judges.
Mesopotamia, or Aram-naharaim, was the seat of Nimrod’s kingdom, and Nimrod was the son of Cush (Genesis 10:8–12). Rishathaim is perhaps the name of a city, or a foreign word altered to a Hebrew form. Nothing is known from history, or the cuneiform inscriptions, of the political condition of Mesopotamia at this time, though Thotmes I and III in the 18th Egyptian dynasty are known to have invaded Mesopotamia.
It is, however, in accordance with such an aggressive Aramean movement toward Palestine that, as early as the time of Abraham, we find the kings of Shinar and Elam invading the south of Palestine. There is also distinct evidence in the names of the Edomite kings (Genesis 36:32), (Genesis 36:35), and (Genesis 36:37) of an Aramean dynasty in Edom around the time of the early Judges.
Compare also Job 1:17.
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