Rishathaim is a biblical figure mentioned in the Book of Judges, specifically in Judges 3:8-10. He is identified as Cushan-Rishathaim, the king of Mesopotamia, who oppressed the Israelites during the period of the Judges. His name, "Rishathaim," is often interpreted to mean "double wickedness" or "twice wicked," reflecting his oppressive rule over Israel.

Biblical Context

The narrative of Rishathaim is set during a time when the Israelites repeatedly turned away from God, leading to cycles of sin, oppression, repentance, and deliverance. After the death of Joshua, the Israelites failed to fully drive out the Canaanite inhabitants of the land, leading to their spiritual and moral decline. As a result, God allowed various foreign powers to oppress them as a form of judgment and to bring them back to repentance.

Judges 3:8-10 :
"Then the anger of the LORD burned against Israel, and He sold them into the hands of Cushan-Rishathaim king of Mesopotamia. And the Israelites served him for eight years. But when the Israelites cried out to the LORD, He raised up Othniel son of Kenaz, Caleb’s younger brother, as a deliverer to save them. The Spirit of the LORD came upon him, and he judged Israel. He went out to war, and the LORD delivered Cushan-Rishathaim king of Mesopotamia into his hand, so that Othniel prevailed against him."

Historical and Theological Significance

Rishathaim's oppression of Israel marks the first of several cycles of foreign domination described in the Book of Judges. His rule over Israel lasted for eight years, a period during which the Israelites experienced significant hardship. The oppression by Rishathaim serves as a divine chastisement for Israel's idolatry and disobedience, illustrating the consequences of turning away from God.

The deliverance from Rishathaim's oppression is attributed to Othniel, the first judge of Israel. Othniel, empowered by the Spirit of the LORD, successfully leads a military campaign against Rishathaim, securing Israel's freedom. This deliverance underscores the theme of divine intervention and the importance of faithful leadership in restoring Israel's covenant relationship with God.

Cultural and Geopolitical Context

Rishathaim is described as the king of Mesopotamia, a region known for its powerful city-states and empires. The term "Mesopotamia" in the biblical context likely refers to the area between the Tigris and Euphrates rivers, which was a cradle of ancient civilization. The mention of Rishathaim as a Mesopotamian king highlights the far-reaching influence and threat posed by foreign powers during the time of the Judges.

Lessons and Applications

The account of Rishathaim serves as a reminder of the consequences of disobedience to God and the importance of repentance. It also highlights God's faithfulness in raising up leaders to deliver His people when they turn back to Him. The account of Othniel's victory over Rishathaim encourages believers to trust in God's provision and empowerment, even in the face of seemingly insurmountable challenges.3573. Kushan Rishathayim -- king of Aram-naharaim
... king of Aram-naharaim. Transliteration: Kushan Rishathayim Phonetic Spelling:
(koo-shan' rish-aw-thah'-yim) Short Definition: Cushan-rishathaim. ...
/hebrew/3573.htm - 6k

The Nations of the North-East
... Chushan-rishathaim, we learn from the Book of Judges, held Palestine in subjection
for eight years, until he was driven out by the Kenizzite Othniel, and about ...
/.../sayce/early israel and the surrounding nations/chapter iv the nations of.htm

The Historical Books.
... From the beginning of the first servitude under Cushan-rishathaim to the close of
the last under the Philistines, we have, reckoning the years of servitude and ...
/.../barrows/companion to the bible/chapter xx the historical books.htm

Appendices
... in southern Palestine cir.1230 Chushan-rishathaim of Aram-Naharaim or Mitanni conquers
Canaan cir.1225 Saul elected King of Israel cir.1020 Accession of David ...
/.../sayce/early israel and the surrounding nations/appendices.htm

The Hebrews and the Philistines --Damascus
... The episode of Othniel and Cushan-rishathaim, placed at the beginning of the history
of this period (Judges 3:8 11), is, by general consent, regarded as ...
/.../chapter iiithe hebrews and the.htm

The Jewish Institutions and Laws of Far Higher Antiquity than the ...
... [2033] polei, "city," is not in Plato. [2034] epombria. [2035] [Theog., 938.].
[2036] Chushan-rishathaim; Judges 3:8. [2037] Othniel. [2038] Eglon. [2039] Ehud. ...
/.../the stromata or miscellanies/chapter xxi the jewish institutions and.htm

Rishathaim (2 Occurrences)
... Multi-Version Concordance Rishathaim (2 Occurrences). Judges 3:8 Therefore
the anger of Yahweh was kindled against Israel, and he ...
/r/rishathaim.htm - 7k

Chushan-rishathaim (2 Occurrences)
Chushan-rishathaim. Chushanrishathaim, Chushan-rishathaim. Chusi . Easton's
Bible Dictionary Cush of double wickedness, or governor ...
/c/chushan-rishathaim.htm - 8k

Cushan-rishathaim (2 Occurrences)
Cushan-rishathaim. Cushanrishathaim, Cushan-rishathaim. Cu'shan-rishatha'
Im . Int. Standard Bible Encyclopedia CUSHAN-RISHATHAIM. ...
/c/cushan-rishathaim.htm - 8k

Chushanrishathaim (2 Occurrences)
... with the Israelitish occupation of Canaan, it is probable that the Egyptian monuments
refer to the oppression of the Israelites by Chushan-rishathaim. ...
/c/chushanrishathaim.htm - 8k

Cushan (3 Occurrences)
... poetic or prolonged name of the land of Cush, the Arabian Cush (Habakkuk 3:7). Some
have, however, supposed this to be the same as Chushan-rishathaim (Judges 3 ...
/c/cushan.htm - 8k

Othniel (7 Occurrences)
... Some thirty years after the death of Joshua, the Israelites fell under the
subjection of Chushan-rishathaim (qv), the king of Mesopotamia. ...
/o/othniel.htm - 10k

Mesopotamia (8 Occurrences)
... Judges 3:8 Therefore the anger of Yahweh was kindled against Israel, and he sold
them into the hand of Cushan Rishathaim king of Mesopotamia: and the children ...
/m/mesopotamia.htm - 11k

Aram (130 Occurrences)
... Judges 3:8 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 ...
/a/aram.htm - 40k

Cushanrishathaim
... Int. Standard Bible Encyclopedia CUSHAN-RISHATHAIM. ku'-shan-rish-a-tha'-
im (kushan rish`athayim, translated, or rather interpreted ...
/c/cushanrishathaim.htm - 7k

Naharaim (5 Occurrences)
... Judges 3:8 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 ...
/n/naharaim.htm - 8k

Who was Othniel? | GotQuestions.org

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