Judges 3:8
New International Version
The anger of the LORD burned against Israel so that he sold them into the hands of Cushan-Rishathaim king of Aram Naharaim, to whom the Israelites were subject for eight years.

New Living Translation
Then the LORD burned with anger against Israel, and he turned them over to King Cushan-rishathaim of Aram-naharaim. And the Israelites served Cushan-rishathaim for eight years.

English Standard Version
Therefore the anger of the LORD was kindled against Israel, and he sold them into the hand of Cushan-rishathaim king of Mesopotamia. And the people of Israel served Cushan-rishathaim eight years.

Berean Standard Bible
Then the anger of the LORD burned against Israel, and He sold them into the hand of Cushan-rishathaim king of Aram-naharaim, and the Israelites served him eight years.

King James Bible
Therefore the anger of the LORD was hot against Israel, and he sold them into the hand of Chushanrishathaim king of Mesopotamia: and the children of Israel served Chushanrishathaim eight years.

New King James Version
Therefore the anger of the LORD was hot 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.

New American Standard Bible
Then the anger of the LORD was kindled against Israel, so that He sold them into the hand of Cushan-rishathaim, king of Mesopotamia; and the sons of Israel served Cushan-rishathaim for eight years.

NASB 1995
Then the anger of the LORD was kindled against Israel, so that He sold them into the hands of Cushan-rishathaim king of Mesopotamia; and the sons of Israel served Cushan-rishathaim eight years.

NASB 1977
Then the anger of the LORD was kindled against Israel, so that He sold them into the hands of Cushan-rishathaim king of Mesopotamia; and the sons of Israel served Cushan-rishathaim eight years.

Legacy Standard Bible
Then the anger of Yahweh burned against Israel, so that He sold them into the hands of Cushan-rishathaim king of Mesopotamia; and the sons of Israel served Cushan-rishathaim eight years.

Amplified Bible
So the anger of the LORD was kindled against Israel, and He sold them into the hand of Cushan-rishathaim king of Mesopotamia; and the Israelites served Cushan-rishathaim eight years.

Christian Standard Bible
The LORD’s anger burned against Israel, and he sold them to King Cushan-rishathaim of Aram-naharaim, and the Israelites served him eight years.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
The LORD’s anger burned against Israel, and He sold them to Cushan-rishathaim king of Aram-naharaim, and the Israelites served him eight years.

American Standard Version
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.

Contemporary English Version
This made the LORD angry, so he let Israel be defeated by King Cushan Rishathaim of northern Syria, who ruled Israel eight years and made everyone pay taxes.

English Revised Version
Therefore the anger of the LORD 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.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
The LORD became angry with the people of Israel. He used King Cushan Rishathaim of Aram Naharaim to defeat them. So Israel served Cushan Rishathaim for eight years.

Good News Translation
So the LORD became angry with Israel and let King Cushan Rishathaim of Mesopotamia conquer them. They were subject to him for eight years.

International Standard Version
Then in his burning anger against Israel, the LORD delivered them to domination by King Cushan-rishathaim of Aram-naharaim. So the Israelis served Cushan-rishathaim for eight years.

Majority Standard Bible
Then the anger of the LORD burned against Israel, and He sold them into the hand of Cushan-rishathaim king of Aram-naharaim, and the Israelites served him eight years.

NET Bible
The LORD was furious with Israel and turned them over to King Cushan-Rishathaim of Aram-Naharaim. They were Cushan-Rishathaim's subjects for eight years.

New Heart English Bible
Therefore the anger of the LORD was kindled against Israel, and he sold them into the hand of Cushan Rishathaim king of Aram Naharaim; and the children of Israel served Cushan Rishathaim eight years.

Webster's Bible Translation
Therefore the anger of the LORD was hot against Israel, and he sold them into the hand of Chushan-rishathaim king of Mesopotamia: and the children of Israel served Chushan-rishathaim eight years.

World English Bible
Therefore Yahweh’s anger burned 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.
Literal Translations
Literal Standard Version
And the anger of YHWH burns against Israel, and He sells them into the hand of Chushan-Rishathaim king of Aram-Naharaim, and the sons of Israel serve Chushan-Rishathaim eight years;

Young's Literal Translation
And the anger of Jehovah burneth against Israel, and He selleth them into the hand of Chushan-Rishathaim king of Aram-Naharaim, and the sons of Israel serve Chushan-Rishathaim eight years;

Smith's Literal Translation
And the wrath of Jehovah will kindle against Israel, and he will sell them into the hand of Cushan-Rishathaim, king of Aram-Naharim: and the sons of Israel will serve Cushan-Rishathaim eight years.
Catholic Translations
Douay-Rheims Bible
And the Lord being angry with Israel, delivered them into the hands of Chusan Rasathaim king of Mesopotamia, and they served him eight years.

Catholic Public Domain Version
And the Lord, having become angry with Israel, delivered them into the hands of Cushan-Rishathaim, the king of Mesopotamia, and they served him for eight years.

New American Bible
and the anger of the LORD flared up against them. He sold them into the power of Cushan-rishathaim, king of Aram Naharaim; and the Israelites served Cushan-rishathaim for eight years.

New Revised Standard Version
Therefore the anger of the LORD was kindled against Israel, and he sold them into the hand of King Cushan-rishathaim of Aram-naharaim; and the Israelites served Cushan-rishathaim eight years.
Translations from Aramaic
Lamsa Bible
Therefore the anger of the LORD kindled against Israel, and he delivered them into the hand of Cushan the Wicked, king of Aram-nahrin (Mesopotamia); and the children of Israel served Cushan the Wicked eight years.

Peshitta Holy Bible Translated
And LORD JEHOVAH was provoked against Israel and he delivered them into the hand of Cushan, the Evil King of Aram Nahrayn, and the children of Israel worked for Cushan the Evil One for eight years
OT Translations
JPS Tanakh 1917
Therefore the anger of the LORD was kindled against Israel, and He gave them over into the hand of Cushan-rishathaim king of Aram-naharaim; and the children of Israel served Cushan-rishathaim eight years.

Brenton Septuagint Translation
And the Lord was very angry with Israel, and sold them into the hand of Chusarsathaim king of Syria of the rivers: and the children of Israel served Chusarsathaim eight years.

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
Othniel
7So the Israelites did evil in the sight of the LORD; they forgot the LORD their God and served the Baals and the Asherahs. 8Then the anger of the LORD burned against Israel, and He sold them into the hand of Cushan-rishathaim king of Aram-naharaim, and the Israelites served him eight years. 9But when the Israelites cried out to the LORD, He raised up Othniel son of Caleb’s younger brother Kenaz as a deliverer to save them.…

Cross References
Deuteronomy 28:25
The LORD will cause you to be defeated before your enemies. You will march out against them in one direction but flee from them in seven. You will be an object of horror to all the kingdoms of the earth.

2 Kings 13:3
So the anger of the LORD burned against Israel, and He delivered them continually into the hands of Hazael king of Aram and his son Ben-hadad.

Nehemiah 9:27
So You delivered them into the hands of enemies who oppressed them, and in their time of distress they cried out to You. From heaven You heard them, and in Your great compassion You gave them deliverers who saved them from the hands of their enemies.

Psalm 106:40-42
So the anger of the LORD burned against His people, and He abhorred His own inheritance. / He delivered them into the hand of the nations, and those who hated them ruled over them. / Their enemies oppressed them and subdued them under their hand.

Isaiah 10:5-6
Woe to Assyria, the rod of My anger; the staff in their hands is My wrath. / I will send him against a godless nation; I will dispatch him against a people destined for My rage, to take spoils and seize plunder, and to trample them down like clay in the streets.

Isaiah 47:6
I was angry with My people; I profaned My heritage, and I placed them under your control. You showed them no mercy; even on the elderly you laid a most heavy yoke.

Jeremiah 25:8-9
Therefore this is what the LORD of Hosts says: ‘Because you have not obeyed My words, / behold, I will summon all the families of the north, declares the LORD, and I will send for My servant Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, whom I will bring against this land, against its residents, and against all the surrounding nations. So I will devote them to destruction and make them an object of horror and contempt, an everlasting desolation.

Jeremiah 50:17
Israel is a scattered flock, chased away by lions. The first to devour him was the king of Assyria; the last to crush his bones was Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon.”

Lamentations 1:14
My transgressions are bound into a yoke, knit together by His hand; they are draped over my neck, and the Lord has broken my strength. He has delivered me into the hands of those I cannot withstand.

Ezekiel 39:23-24
And the nations will know that the house of Israel went into exile for their iniquity, because they were unfaithful to Me. So I hid My face from them and delivered them into the hands of their enemies, so that they all fell by the sword. / I dealt with them according to their uncleanness and transgressions, and I hid My face from them.

Acts 7:42-43
But God turned away from them and gave them over to the worship of the host of heaven, as it is written in the book of the prophets: ‘Did you bring Me sacrifices and offerings forty years in the wilderness, O house of Israel? / You have taken along the tabernacle of Molech and the star of your god Rephan, the idols you made to worship. Therefore I will send you into exile beyond Babylon.’

Romans 1:24
Therefore God gave them over in the desires of their hearts to impurity for the dishonoring of their bodies with one another.

Romans 11:7-10
What then? What Israel was seeking, it failed to obtain, but the elect did. The others were hardened, / as it is written: “God gave them a spirit of stupor, eyes that could not see, and ears that could not hear, to this very day.” / And David says: “May their table become a snare and a trap, a stumbling block and a retribution to them. ...

1 Corinthians 5:5
hand this man over to Satan for the destruction of the flesh, so that his spirit may be saved on the Day of the Lord.

1 Corinthians 11:32
But when we are judged by the Lord, we are being disciplined so that we will not be condemned with the world.


Treasury of Scripture

Therefore the anger of the LORD was hot against Israel, and he sold them into the hand of Chushanrishathaim king of Mesopotamia: and the children of Israel served Chushanrishathaim eight years.

Judges 2:14,20
And the anger of the LORD was hot against Israel, and he delivered them into the hands of spoilers that spoiled them, and he sold them into the hands of their enemies round about, so that they could not any longer stand before their enemies…

Exodus 22:24
And my wrath shall wax hot, and I will kill you with the sword; and your wives shall be widows, and your children fatherless.

Deuteronomy 29:20
The LORD will not spare him, but then the anger of the LORD and his jealousy shall smoke against that man, and all the curses that are written in this book shall lie upon him, and the LORD shall blot out his name from under heaven.

he sold

Judges 2:14
And the anger of the LORD was hot against Israel, and he delivered them into the hands of spoilers that spoiled them, and he sold them into the hands of their enemies round about, so that they could not any longer stand before their enemies.

Judges 4:9
And she said, I will surely go with thee: notwithstanding the journey that thou takest shall not be for thine honour; for the LORD shall sell Sisera into the hand of a woman. And Deborah arose, and went with Barak to Kedesh.

Deuteronomy 32:30
How should one chase a thousand, and two put ten thousand to flight, except their Rock had sold them, and the LORD had shut them up?

Chushan-rishathaim

Habakkuk 3:7
I saw the tents of Cushan in affliction: and the curtains of the land of Midian did tremble.

mesopotamia.

Jump to Previous
Aim Anger Aram Aram-Naharaim Burned Children Chushanrishathaim Chushan-Rishathaim Cushan Cushan-Rishathaim Cu'shan-Rishatha'im Eight Hand Hands Hot im Israel Israelites Kindled Mesopotamia Mesopota'mia Naharaim Rishathaim Served Sold Subject Wrath
Jump to Next
Aim Anger Aram Aram-Naharaim Burned Children Chushanrishathaim Chushan-Rishathaim Cushan Cushan-Rishathaim Cu'shan-Rishatha'im Eight Hand Hands Hot im Israel Israelites Kindled Mesopotamia Mesopota'mia Naharaim Rishathaim Served Sold Subject Wrath
Judges 3
1. The nations which were left to prove Israel
5. By communion with them they commit idolatry
8. Othniel delivered them from Chushan-Rishathaim
12. Ehud from Eglon
31. and Shamgar from the Philistines














Then the anger of the LORD burned
The phrase "anger of the LORD" in Hebrew is "אַף יְהוָה" (aph YHWH), which conveys a deep, righteous indignation. This is not a capricious anger but a holy response to Israel's disobedience. The imagery of "burned" suggests a consuming fire, emphasizing the intensity of God's displeasure. In the biblical narrative, God's anger is often a catalyst for corrective action, intended to bring His people back to righteousness.

against Israel
Israel, the chosen people of God, had entered into a covenant relationship with Him. Their repeated disobedience and idolatry provoked God's anger. Historically, Israel's identity was deeply tied to their covenant with God, and their failure to uphold it led to divine discipline. This phrase underscores the seriousness of their breach of faith and the consequences of turning away from God.

and He sold them
The Hebrew word "מָכַר" (makar) means to sell or hand over. This term is used metaphorically to describe God allowing Israel to fall under the control of their enemies. It signifies a relinquishing of divine protection as a result of their sin. This action is not abandonment but a form of discipline, intended to lead Israel to repentance and restoration.

into the hands of Cushan-rishathaim
Cushan-rishathaim, whose name means "Cushan of double wickedness," is a figure representing oppression and foreign domination. The mention of his name highlights the severity of Israel's subjugation. Historically, this reflects the period of the Judges, where Israel faced cycles of sin, oppression, repentance, and deliverance.

king of Aram-naharaim
Aram-naharaim, often identified with Mesopotamia, means "Aram of the two rivers," referring to the region between the Tigris and Euphrates. This geographical reference situates the narrative in a broader historical context, indicating the external threats Israel faced. It also serves as a reminder of the consequences of straying from God's protection.

to whom the Israelites were subject
The subjugation of Israel under a foreign king is a direct result of their disobedience. The Hebrew word "עָבַד" (avad) means to serve or be enslaved. This servitude is both physical and spiritual, illustrating the bondage that sin brings. It serves as a call to return to God, who alone can deliver and restore.

for eight years
The number eight in biblical numerology often signifies a new beginning or a period of renewal. The eight years of oppression can be seen as a time of testing and reflection for Israel. It is a reminder that God's discipline, though painful, is temporary and aimed at bringing about repentance and a renewed relationship with Him.

(8) Into the hand of Chushan-rishathaim.--If the reading of all the MSS. be correct, this must be a term of hatred rather than a name, for it means "Cushan of the double wickedness." Some MSS. of the LXX. have Chousarsathaim. Josephus (Antt. v. 3, ? 3) shortens it into Chousarthes; and St. Clemens of Alexandria (Strom. i. 21) into Chousachar. Syncellus (Chronogr. i. 58) says that Paphos was founded by those who fled from this Mesopotamian conqueror (Ewald). Cushan only occurs elsewhere in Habakkuk 3:7, "I saw the tents of Cushan in affliction." Cush was a son of Nimrod (Genesis 10:8), and our translators, in the margin of Habakkuk 3:11, render Cushan by Ethiopia. It is quite possible that Rishathaim may be the distorted form of the name of some town. It is always the tendency of a people to re-stamp a word which they receive into their current phraseology, because no nations like to use a term which they do not understand. Thus in our London streets, "Hangman's Gains" is a corruption of Hammes et Guynes, and Blind Chapel Court, of Blanch Appleton.

The Jews were not only accustomed thus to re-stamp (sur-frapper) the names of foreign kings, peoples, and idols, but they especially rejoiced in using terms of hatred. Thus the Romans in the Talmud are called Idumeans; Beelzebul was changed into Beelzebub; Bethel into Bethaven; Ptolemy into Talmai; Ir-Cheres into Ir-Heres (see Note on Judges 1:33), &c. In an ancient Rabbinic commentary the "two wickednesses" are supposed to be those of Balaam and Cushan, or that of Laban repeating itself in his descendants. The Targum and Syriac render it "the criminal Cushan."

King of Mesopotamia.--In the original Aram-naharian, "the highland of the two rivers" (Euphratesand Tigris), or, as the LXX. render it, "Syria of the rivers." His invasion, like that of Chedorlaomer, king of Elam, and Amraphel, king of Shinar, was from the south. Hence it is repelled by Othniel, whose inheritance was in the tribe of Judah. We find no other invaders from the far east till the close of the monarchy.

Verse 8.- Chushan-rishathaim, i.e., as usually explained, Chushan the victorious, or the wicked. His name, Chushan, or Cushan, points to Cush, the father of Nimrod (

Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
Then the anger
אַ֤ף (’ap̄)
Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's 639: The nose, nostril, the face, a person, ire

of the LORD
יְהוָה֙ (Yah·weh)
Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 3068: LORD -- the proper name of the God of Israel

burned
וַיִּֽחַר־ (way·yi·ḥar-)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 2734: To glow, grow warm, to blaze up, of anger, zeal, jealousy

against Israel,
בְּיִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל (bə·yiś·rā·’êl)
Preposition-b | Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 3478: Israel -- 'God strives', another name of Jacob and his desc

and He sold them
וַֽיִּמְכְּרֵ֗ם (way·yim·kə·rêm)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular | third person masculine plural
Strong's 4376: To sell

into the hands
בְּיַד֙ (bə·yaḏ)
Preposition-b | Noun - feminine singular construct
Strong's 3027: A hand

of
כּוּשַׁ֣ן (kū·šan)
Preposition
Strong's Hebrew

Cushan-rishathaim
רִשְׁעָתַ֔יִם (riš·‘ā·ṯa·yim)
Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 3573: Cushan-rishathaim -- king of Aram-naharaim

king
מֶ֖לֶךְ (me·leḵ)
Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's 4428: A king

of Mesopotamia,
נַהֲרָ֑יִם (na·hă·rā·yim)
Noun - proper - feminine singular
Strong's 763: Mesopotamia -- 'Aram of (the) two rivers', a district of Aram (Syria)

and the Israelites
בְנֵֽי־ (ḇə·nê-)
Noun - masculine plural construct
Strong's 1121: A son

served
וַיַּעַבְד֧וּ (way·ya·‘aḇ·ḏū)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine plural
Strong's 5647: To work, to serve, till, enslave

him
רִשְׁעָתַ֖יִם (riš·‘ā·ṯa·yim)
Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 3573: Cushan-rishathaim -- king of Aram-naharaim

eight
שְׁמֹנֶ֥ה (šə·mō·neh)
Number - feminine singular
Strong's 8083: A cardinal number, eight, eighth

years.
שָׁנִֽים׃ (šā·nîm)
Noun - feminine plural
Strong's 8141: A year


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OT History: Judges 3:8 Therefore the anger of Yahweh was kindled (Jd Judg. Jdg)
Judges 3:7
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