Israelites grew so indolent, and unready of taking pains, that
misfortunes came heavier upon them, which also proceeded in part from
their contempt of the Divine worship; for when they had once fallen
off from the regularity of their political government, they indulged
themselves further in living according to their own pleasure, and
according to their own will, till they were full of the evil doings that
were common among the Canaanites. God therefore was angry with them, and
they lost that their happy state which they had obtained by innumerable
labors, by their luxury; for when Chushan, king of the Assyrians, had
made war against them, they lost many of their soldiers in the battle,
and when they were besieged, they were taken by force; nay, there were
some who, out of fear, voluntarily submitted to him, and though the
tribute laid upon them was more than they could bear, yet did they pay
it, and underwent all sort of oppression for eight years; after which
thee they were freed from them in the following manner:--

3. There was one whose name was Othniel, the son of Kenaz, of the 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 to judge 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