John Gill's Bible Commentary Ver. 8. Therefore the anger of the Lord was hot against Israel , etc.] Because of their idolatry; (see Judges 2:14,20); and he sold them into the hand of Chushanrishathaim, king of Mesopotamia ; or Aramnaharaim; that is, Syria, between the two rivers, which were Tigris and Euphrates; hence the Greek name of this place is as here called Mesopotamia. Josephus calls him king of Assyria, and gives him the name of Chusarthus; and indeed Chushanrishathaim seems to be his whole name, though the Targum makes Rishathaim to be an epithet, and calls him Cushan, the wicked king of Syria; the word is of the dual number, and signifies two wickednesses; which, according to the mystical exposition of the Jews f46 , refers to two wicked things Syria did to Israel, one by Balaam the Syrian, and the other by this Cushan. Mr. Bedford f47 thinks it may be rendered, “Cushan, king of the two wicked kingdoms;” the Assyrian monarchy being at this time like two kingdoms, Babylon being the metropolis of the one, and Nineveh of the other; but it is question whether the monarchy was as yet in being. Hillerus makes Cushan to be an Arab Scenite, from ( Habakkuk 3:7); and Rishathaim to denote disquietudes; and it represents him as a man very turbulent, never quiet and easy, and so it seems he was; for not content with his kingdom on the other side Euphrates, he passed over that, and came into Canaan, to subject that to him, and add it to his dominions. Kimchi says that Rishathaim may be the name of a place, and some conjecture it to be the same with the Rhisina of Ptolemy f49 ; but it seems rather a part of this king’s name, who came and fought against Israel, and the Lord delivered them into his hands: and the children of Israel served Chushanrishathaim eight years ; became tributaries to him during that space of time, but when that began is not easy to say. Bishop Usher places it in A. M. 2591, and before Christ 1413.
Matthew Henry Commentary
Verses 8-11 - The first judge was Othniel: even in Joshua's time Othniel began to be famous. Soon after Israel's settlement in Canaan their purity began to be corrupted, and their peace disturbed. But affliction makes those cr to God who before would scarcely speak to him. God returned in mercy to them for their deliverance. The Spirit of the Lord came upon Othniel The Spirit of wisdom and courage to qualify him for the service, an the Spirit of power to excite him to it. He first judged Israel reproved and reformed them, and then went to war. Let sin at home be conquered, that worst of enemies, then enemies abroad will be mor easily dealt with. Thus let Christ be our Judge and Lawgiver, then he will save us.
Original Hebrew ויחר2734 אף639 יהוה3068 בישׂראל3478 וימכרם4376 ביד3027 כושׁן רשׁעתים3573 מלך4428 ארם נהרים763 ויעבדו5647 בני1121 ישׂראל3478 את853 כושׁן רשׁעתים3573 שׁמנה8083 שׁנים׃8141
