Judges 10 8

Judges 10:8 kjv

And that year they vexed and oppressed the children of Israel: eighteen years, all the children of Israel that were on the other side Jordan in the land of the Amorites, which is in Gilead.

Judges 10:8 nkjv

From that year they harassed and oppressed the children of Israel for eighteen years?all the children of Israel who were on the other side of the Jordan in the land of the Amorites, in Gilead.

Judges 10:8 niv

who that year shattered and crushed them. For eighteen years they oppressed all the Israelites on the east side of the Jordan in Gilead, the land of the Amorites.

Judges 10:8 esv

and they crushed and oppressed the people of Israel that year. For eighteen years they oppressed all the people of Israel who were beyond the Jordan in the land of the Amorites, which is in Gilead.

Judges 10:8 nlt

who began to oppress them that year. For eighteen years they oppressed all the Israelites east of the Jordan River in the land of the Amorites (that is, in Gilead).

Judges 10 verses

Judges 10 8 Meaning

Judges 10:8 details a severe and prolonged period of oppression endured by the Israelites, specifically those residing on the east side of the Jordan River. This hardship was inflicted by the Ammonites, intensifying over eighteen years. The description "oppressed and crushed" signifies the brutality and devastating impact of this foreign rule, reducing the people to a state of profound distress and subjection as a consequence of their disloyalty to the Lord.

Judges 10 8 Context

Judges chapter 10 begins by summarizing the peaceful leadership of Tola and Jair, who judged Israel for 23 and 22 years respectively. However, Judges 10:6 marks a turning point where the people of Israel again abandoned the Lord and served numerous pagan deities: the Baals and the Ashtaroth, and the gods of Syria, Sidon, Moab, Ammon, and the Philistines. This rampant idolatry incurred the Lord's anger. As a consequence, and as part of the consistent cycle documented throughout the Book of Judges, God allowed Israel to be oppressed by their enemies. Specifically, He sold them into the hands of the Philistines and the Ammonites. Judges 10:8, therefore, describes the immediate, severe outcome of this apostasy, focusing on the specific brutality and prolonged nature of the Ammonite oppression particularly targeting the Israelite tribes located east of the Jordan River. It sets the stage for the narrative concerning Jephthah's eventual call to deliver Israel. Historically, the tribes on the east bank of the Jordan (Reuben, Gad, and half of Manasseh) were often the first to face aggression from eastern powers like Moab and Ammon, due to their geographical vulnerability and strategic importance.

Judges 10 8 Word analysis

• And they oppressed: Hebrew: וַיְּרֹצְצ֥וּ (vay'rotzetz'u) from רָצַץ (ratzatz). Meaning to break, crush, oppress, shatter, or bruise. This verb implies a severe, grinding, and often violent form of subjugation, physically and psychologically breaking the spirit of the people. It denotes overwhelming force leading to powerlessness.
• and crushed: Hebrew: וַיִּדְכְּא֖וּ (vayidke'u) from דָּכָא (daka). Meaning to crush, break in pieces, bruise, oppress, abase, or humble. Similar to ratzatz but can carry an additional nuance of bringing low or causing extreme emotional and spiritual prostration. Together, these two strong verbs (a literary device known as hendiadys) emphasize the thoroughness and totality of the brutal treatment meted out by the Ammonites, ensuring that the Israelites were utterly subjugated and bereft of hope or strength.
• the people of Israel: Hebrew: בְּנֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל (b'ney Yisra'el), literally "sons of Israel." This phrase continually identifies them as God's covenant people, despite their disobedience, highlighting that their suffering is not arbitrary but a consequence within that covenant relationship.
• that year: Hebrew: בַּשָּׁנָה֙ הַהִ֔יא (ba'shana ha'hi). This specific temporal marker indicates the point at which the Ammonite oppression began its significant and crushing severity. It implies a distinct turning point in the level of affliction they experienced.
• For eighteen years: Hebrew: שְׁמוֹנֶ֣ה עֶשְׂרֵ֔ה שָׁנָ֖ה (shmoneh esre shanah). This extended duration signifies the depth and prolonged nature of the Israelites' suffering. It shows God's continued patience mixed with sustained discipline, allowing the consequences of their sin to fully impress upon them the futility of their idolatry and their dire need for Him. Such a long period highlights a deep entrenchment of sin and a delayed but severe divine response.
• they oppressed: Hebrew: יַחְפְּרוּ (yachf'ru) - a repetition of the idea, underscoring the ongoing nature of the suffering. This time the emphasis is on the duration and sustained affliction.
• all the people of Israel: While specific geographical focus follows, this emphasizes the comprehensive nature of the oppression within that region.
• who were beyond the Jordan: Hebrew: בְּעֵ֥בֶר הַיַּרְדֵּ֑ן (be'ever ha'Yarden). This precise geographical marker identifies the tribes living on the eastern bank of the Jordan River (Reuben, Gad, and the half-tribe of Manasseh) as the primary targets of this Ammonite oppression. This region was a buffer zone and frequently the first to suffer from eastern enemies.
• in the land of the Amorites: Hebrew: בְּאֶ֤רֶץ הָֽאֱמֹרִי֙ (be'eretz ha'Emori). This refers to the territory once held by Sihon and Og, Amorite kings, which Israel conquered during the Exodus and inherited. It is ironic that they are now oppressed within the land they once conquered, demonstrating how their disobedience made them vulnerable even in their divinely given inheritance.
• which is in Gilead: Hebrew: אֲשֶׁר֙ בַּגִּלְעָֽד (asher ba'Gil'ad). This further specifies the region of Transjordan, confirming the location as Gilead, known for its strategic passes and fertile lands. It was a contested territory, prone to incursions from the Ammonites and other eastern nations. This detail prepares the reader for the rise of Jephthah, who hailed from Gilead.

Words-Group Analysis:

• "oppressed and crushed": This forceful double expression serves to intensify the description of the affliction. It suggests not just political subjugation, but a brutal, relentless, and spirit-breaking form of tyranny, robbing the people of their dignity and vitality. It highlights the devastating physical and psychological toll.
• "that year... For eighteen years": The initial phrase signals the point of intensified oppression, while the following phrase clarifies the immense and grueling duration of this particular period of suffering. This prolonged timeframe emphasizes the depth of Israel's apostasy and the persistent, unyielding nature of God's disciplinary hand. It underscores the severity of the divine consequences for covenant unfaithfulness.
• "beyond the Jordan in the land of the Amorites, which is in Gilead": This highly specific geographical detailing zeroes in on the most vulnerable segment of Israel. It emphasizes the regional impact of the oppression and foreshadows the regional origin of the deliverer (Jephthah) who will rise from Gilead to confront this specific threat. It also subtly recalls the history of conquest and highlights the current reversal of fortunes in this inherited land.

Judges 10 8 Bonus section

The prolonged period of "eighteen years" of oppression in Judges 10:8 stands as a significant echo of a similar period of "eighteen years" under Moabite king Eglon, recorded in Judges 3:14. This repetition emphasizes the consistent divine pattern of long-suffering and sustained discipline for similar patterns of national idolatry and turning away from God. This timeframe is significant not as mere arbitrary duration, but as a period sufficient to humble a nation and cause them to genuinely cry out to the Lord for deliverance, moving them from defiance to despair and finally to repentance. It signifies a profound divine waiting, where the Lord allows the full consequences of unfaithfulness to manifest before raising a deliverer. The geographical specificity of the oppression also foreshadows the regional emphasis in the calling of Jephthah, a "mighty warrior" from Gilead, indicating that God raises deliverers precisely where the need is most acute.

Judges 10 8 Commentary

Judges 10:8 concisely captures a moment of severe consequence for Israel's pervasive idolatry described in the preceding verse. The dual verbs "oppressed and crushed" vividly portray the ruthless and comprehensive nature of the Ammonite tyranny. This wasn't merely a political subjugation but a brutal imposition that broke the spirit and strength of the people. The "eighteen years" underscore the prolonged and deep suffering, demonstrating the Lord's patience but also the determined discipline exacted upon His disobedient people. This extended period highlights the severity of their unfaithfulness and their dire need to repent. The specific geographical focus on "beyond the Jordan in the land of the Amorites, which is in Gilead" reveals that the Ammonites targeted the tribes most accessible to them, further indicating the tactical advantage afforded to Israel's enemies when the Lord's protective hand was withdrawn due to their apostasy. This verse illustrates the consistent divine pattern in Judges: Israel's sin leads to their being "sold" into the hands of oppressors, leading to suffering designed to turn their hearts back to the Lord.