Judges 3:14

KJV

So the children of Israel served Eglon the king of Moab eighteen years.

KJV (with Strong's)

So the children {H1121} of Israel {H3478} served {H5647} Eglon {H5700} the king {H4428} of Moab {H4124} eighteen {H8083}{H6240} years {H8141}.

Complete Jewish Bible

and the people of Isra'el served 'Eglon the king of Mo'av eighteen years.

Berean Standard Bible

The Israelites served Eglon king of Moab eighteen years.

American Standard Version

And the children of Israel served Eglon the king of Moab eighteen years.

Commentary

### SUMMARY
Judges 3:14 describes a significant and painful period in Israel's history, detailing the eighteen-year subjugation of the children of Israel under Eglon, the king of Moab. This prolonged servitude was a direct consequence of Israel's repeated disobedience and idolatry, serving as a divine judgment designed to bring them to repentance and back into covenant faithfulness with the Lord. The verse encapsulates a critical phase within the recurring cycle of apostasy, oppression, and eventual deliverance that characterizes the book of Judges, highlighting the severity of their departure from God's ways and the enduring consequences of spiritual unfaithfulness.

### CONTEXT
* **Literary Context:** Judges 3:14 is situated within the initial phase of the Judges cycle, following the forty years of peace under Othniel, Israel's first judge, as recorded in [Judges 3:11](/judges/3-11 "Judges 3:11 - Forty Years of Rest Under Othniel"). Immediately preceding this verse, [Judges 3:12](/judges/3-12 "Judges 3:12 - Israel Does Evil Again") states that "the children of Israel again did evil in the sight of the Lord," which provoked God to strengthen Eglon, the king of Moab, against them. This verse, therefore, marks the duration of the ensuing oppression, setting the stage for Israel's eventual cry for deliverance and the raising of Ehud as their next judge, as detailed in [Judges 3:15](/judges/3-15 "Judges 3:15 - Israel Cries Out to the Lord"). It is a crucial point in the narrative, illustrating the direct and prolonged consequences of their spiritual backsliding.
* **Historical & Cultural Context:** The Moabites were a Transjordanian people, descendants of Lot (Genesis 19:37), and perennial adversaries of Israel, often occupying territory east of the Dead Sea. Their relationship with Israel was historically fraught, marked by conflict and occasional periods of dominance, as seen in the Balaam narrative in Numbers 22-24. Eglon, whose name possibly means "calf-like" or "fat," is depicted as a particularly oppressive monarch who formed an alliance with the Ammonites and Amalekites to conquer Israelite territory, specifically Jericho, the "city of palm trees." The "serving" mentioned in the verse implies not just political subjugation but likely included heavy tribute payments, forced labor, and the loss of autonomy, underscoring the severe burden placed upon the Israelites by this foreign power.
* **Key Themes:** This verse powerfully illustrates several core themes prevalent throughout the book of Judges. Primarily, it exemplifies the **Cycle of Disobedience and Oppression**, a pattern explicitly outlined in [Judges 2:11-19](/judges/2-11 "Judges 2:11-19 - The Cycle of Apostasy and Deliverance"). Israel's sin leads to divine judgment in the form of foreign domination, which in turn leads to their cry for deliverance. Secondly, it underscores the **Consequences of Unfaithfulness**, demonstrating that turning away from God's covenant results in painful and prolonged suffering, loss of freedom, and forfeiture of the blessings promised for obedience. Finally, it highlights **Divine Sovereignty in Judgment**, as the narrative explicitly states that God "strengthened" Eglon ([Judges 3:12](/judges/3-12 "Judges 3:12 - God Strengthens Eglon")) as an instrument of His righteous discipline against Israel's idolatry and rebellion, reinforcing that even foreign oppressors serve God's ultimate purposes.

### EXPOSITION AND ANALYSIS
#### Key Word Analysis
* **Served (Hebrew, _ʿābad_):** The Hebrew verb עָבַד (_ʿābad_) carries a broad semantic range, meaning "to work," "to labor," "to serve," or "to be a slave." In this context, it denotes a state of forced submission, servitude, and likely economic exploitation, including the payment of tribute and potentially forced labor. It is not merely a political alliance but a burdensome and humiliating subjugation, emphasizing the heavy yoke Israel bore under Moabite rule. This term is often used in contrast to serving the Lord, highlighting Israel's misplaced allegiance.

#### Verse Breakdown
* **"So the children of Israel":** This phrase acts as a direct consequence marker, linking the present state of servitude to the preceding statement of Israel's renewed disobedience (Judges 3:12). It emphasizes that their suffering was not random but a direct result of their actions and God's righteous response.
* **"served Eglon the king of Moab":** This identifies the specific oppressor and the nature of the relationship. "Served" signifies a reversal of roles—Israel, God's chosen people, were now subservient to a pagan king, highlighting their spiritual degradation and the loss of their divinely ordained freedom. Eglon, as king, represents the full authority and oppressive power of Moab.
* **"eighteen years":** The duration of the servitude is significant. Eighteen years is a substantial period, indicating a deep and prolonged oppression. This extended suffering underscores the severity of Israel's sin and God's patience in allowing the discipline to run its course, aiming to bring about genuine repentance and a desperate cry for deliverance. It also highlights the depth of their spiritual apathy before they finally turned back to God.

#### Literary Devices
The narrative in Judges 3:14, within the broader context of the book, makes effective use of several literary devices. Most prominently, it is part of a **Cyclical Narrative Structure**, where Israel's apostasy leads to oppression, then a cry for help, followed by a deliverer (judge), and a period of peace, only for the cycle to repeat. This verse represents the "oppression" phase, reinforcing the predictable pattern. There is also an element of **Irony** present: the nation chosen by God to be free and to serve Him alone is repeatedly found serving pagan kings and their idols. Furthermore, the mention of "eighteen years" functions as a form of **Temporal Marker**, emphasizing the prolonged nature of their suffering and the depth of their spiritual decline, building anticipation for the eventual divine intervention. The entire Judges narrative, including this verse, also serves as a **Foreshadowing** of Israel's ongoing need for a righteous king to break this destructive cycle permanently, ultimately pointing to the need for a perfect, divine King.

### THEOLOGICAL AND THEMATIC CONNECTIONS
Judges 3:14 profoundly illustrates the covenantal relationship between God and Israel, where blessings were contingent upon obedience and discipline followed disobedience. This period of servitude under Eglon serves as a stark reminder that God, in His holiness and justice, holds His people accountable for their actions. While painful, this divine discipline was not punitive in a purely destructive sense, but rather redemptive, designed to turn Israel's heart back to the Lord. It underscores God's unwavering commitment to His covenant, even when it involves allowing severe consequences to bring about repentance and restoration. The verse also highlights the pervasive nature of sin, which, when left unchecked, leads to forms of spiritual and physical bondage, demonstrating that true freedom is found only in faithful allegiance to God.

* [Deuteronomy 28:15-19](/deuteronomy/28-15 "Deuteronomy 28:15-19 - Curses for Disobedience")
* [Leviticus 26:14-17](/leviticus/26-14 "Leviticus 26:14-17 - Warnings of Judgment for Disobedience")
* [Romans 6:23](/romans/6-23 "Romans 6:23 - The Wages of Sin and Gift of God")

### REFLECTION AND APPLICATION
The eighteen years of servitude under Eglon serve as a powerful historical mirror for contemporary believers and communities. Just as ancient Israel faced severe consequences for their spiritual compromise and idolatry, we too can experience forms of "bondage" or loss of peace when we drift from God's revealed will. This verse calls us to a profound self-examination: are there areas in our lives where we have "done evil in the sight of the Lord," perhaps through subtle idolatries, unconfessed sin, or a gradual drifting from spiritual disciplines? The prolonged nature of Israel's suffering reminds us that spiritual apathy and persistent disobedience can lead to enduring difficulties. However, it also implicitly points to God's patient discipline, which, though painful, is ultimately aimed at restoration and drawing us back into a vibrant relationship with Him. It encourages vigilance, prompt repentance, and a renewed commitment to walking in obedience, trusting in God's faithfulness to deliver us from any "Eglons" we may face.

#### Questions for Reflection
* **In what ways might the "cycle of disobedience and oppression" described in Judges manifest in our personal lives or in the church today?**
* **What "Eglons" or forms of spiritual or emotional bondage might we be experiencing as a result of unfaithfulness or compromise?**
* **How does understanding God's patient, disciplinary hand in Judges 3:14 encourage us to seek Him in repentance and trust in His eventual deliverance?**

### FAQ
**Why did God allow Israel to be oppressed for such a long period of eighteen years?**

Answer: God's allowance of Israel's prolonged oppression for eighteen years under Eglon was a multifaceted act of divine justice, discipline, and ultimately, a demonstration of His enduring patience and desire for repentance. It was not arbitrary but a direct consequence of Israel's repeated "doing evil in the sight of the Lord" ([Judges 3:12](/judges/3-12 "Judges 3:12 - Israel's Disobedience")). This extended period of suffering served to underscore the severity of their sin, allowing the full weight of their spiritual departure to be felt. The length of the oppression indicates that Israel's spiritual apathy was deep-seated, requiring a significant period of distress to break their self-sufficiency and compel them to cry out to God for deliverance ([Judges 3:15](/judges/3-15 "Judges 3:15 - Israel Cries Out")). God's discipline, though painful, was always redemptive, designed to lead His people back to faithfulness and to remember their covenant with Him.

### CHRIST-CENTERED FULFILLMENT
The oppressive reign of Eglon over Israel for eighteen years, as recounted in Judges 3:14, profoundly illustrates humanity's desperate need for a perfect and ultimate Deliverer, a role uniquely fulfilled by Jesus Christ. The recurring cycle of sin, oppression, and temporary deliverance in Judges highlights the inadequacy of human judges and the persistent bondage that results from spiritual unfaithfulness. Israel's servitude to Eglon is a vivid picture of humanity's universal enslavement to sin and death, a bondage that no human effort or temporary deliverer could ultimately break. Jesus, however, enters this narrative as the true and eternal King, the one who breaks the power of sin and sets the captives free. He is the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world ([John 1:29](/john/1-29 "John 1:29 - Jesus, the Lamb of God")), and the one who proclaims liberty to the captives ([Isaiah 61:1](/isaiah/61-1 "Isaiah 61:1 - The Spirit of the Lord on Me")). Unlike the temporary relief offered by the judges, Christ's deliverance is complete and everlasting. He does not merely provide a respite from oppression but fundamentally transforms the human heart, granting true freedom from the dominion of sin ([John 8:36](/john/8-36 "John 8:36 - The Son Sets You Free")) and transferring believers from the dominion of darkness into His kingdom of light ([Colossians 1:13-14](/colossians/1-13-14 "Colossians 1:13-14 - Delivered from Darkness")). Thus, Eglon's eighteen-year tyranny, while a historical reality, ultimately points to the profound spiritual bondage from which only Christ, our perfect Judge and King, can deliver us.

Note: Commentary is generated by AI with a directive for Biblical fidelity. Always rely on the Holy Spirit for discernment. The Scripture text and cross-references are from verified, non-AI sources.

Cross-References

Leviticus 26:23

And if ye will not be reformed by me by these things, but will walk contrary unto me;

Leviticus 26:25

And I will bring a sword upon you, that shall avenge the quarrel of [my] covenant: and when ye are gathered together within your cities, I will send the pestilence among you; and ye shall be delivered into the hand of the enemy.

Deuteronomy 28:40

Thou shalt have olive trees throughout all thy coasts, but thou shalt not anoint [thyself] with the oil; for thine olive shall cast [his fruit].

Deuteronomy 28:47

Because thou servedst not the LORD thy God with joyfulness, and with gladness of heart, for the abundance of all [things];

Deuteronomy 28:48

Therefore shalt thou serve thine enemies which the LORD shall send against thee, in hunger, and in thirst, and in nakedness, and in want of all [things]: and he shall put a yoke of iron upon thy neck, until he have destroyed thee.