tribe of Judah, an active man and of great courage. He had an
admonition from God not to overlook the Israelites in such a
distress as they were now in, but to endeavor boldly to gain them
their liberty; so when he had procured some to assist him in this
dangerous undertaking, (and few they were, who, either out of
shame at their present circumstances, or out of a desire of
changing them, could be prevailed on to assist him,) he first of
all destroyed that garrison which Chushan had set over them; but
when it was perceived that he had not failed in his first
attempt, more of the people came to his assistance; so they
joined battle with the Assyrians, and drove them entirely before
them, and compelled them to pass over Euphrates. Hereupon
Othniel, who had given such proofs of his valor, received from
the multitude authority tojudge the people; and when he had ruled
over them forty years, he died.

CHAPTER 4.

How Our People Served The Moabites Eighteen Years, And Were Then
Delivered From Slavery By One Ehud Who Retained The Dominion
Eighty Years.

1. When Othniel was dead, the affairs of the Israelites fell
again into disorder: and while they neither paid to God the honor
due to him, nor were obedient to the laws, their afflictions
increased, till Eglon, king of the Moabites, did so greatly
despise them on account of the disorders of their political
government, that he made war upon them, and overcame them in
several battles, and made the most courageous to submit, and
entirely subdued their army, and ordered them to pay him tribute.