1-2. And the Lord had another reason for letting these enemies stay. The Israelites needed to learn how to fight in war, just as their ancestors had done. Each new generation would have to learn by fighting
3. the Philistines and their five rulers, as well as the Canaanites, the Sidonians, and the Hivites who lived in the Lebanon Mountains from Mount Baal-Hermon to Hamath Pass.
4. Moses had told the Israelites what the Lord had commanded them to do, and now the Lord was using these nations to find out if Israel would obey.
5-6. But they refused. And it was because of the Canaanites, Hittites, Amorites, Perizzites, Hivites, and Jebusites who lived all around them. Some of the Israelites married the people of these nations, and that's how they started worshipping foreign gods.
7. The Israelites sinned against the Lord by forgetting him and worshipping idols of Baal and Astarte.
8. 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.
9. The Israelites begged the Lord for help, and he chose Othniel to rescue them. Othniel was the son of Caleb's younger brother Kenaz.
10. The Spirit of the Lord took control of Othniel, and he led Israel in a war against Cushan Rishathaim. The Lord gave Othniel victory,
11. and Israel was at peace until Othniel died about forty years later.
12. Once more the Israelites started disobeying the Lord. So he let them be defeated by King Eglon of Moab,
13. who had joined forces with the Ammonites and the Amalekites to attack Israel. Eglon and his army captured Jericho.
14. Then he ruled Israel for eighteen years and forced the Israelites to pay heavy taxes.