Judges 3:8Therefore the anger of Yahweh was kindled against Israel, and he sold them into the hand of Cushan Rishathaim king of Mesopotamia: and the children of Israel served Cushan Rishathaim eight years.
The setting
Northern Israel, ~1367 BC. Israelite families watch foreign soldiers march through their towns, collecting tribute. Children ask why God isn't protecting them anymore.
The emotion here: grieved at recording Israel's repeated failures
The original word
makar (מָכַר) — to sell like property, completely transfer ownership
Why it matters
Cushan-rishathaim means 'Cushan of double wickedness' - likely a throne name, not birth name
Read with care
What most readers miss in Judges 3:8
God didn't abandon them - He 'sold' them, implying He still owned them and could buy them back
Common misconceptionPeople think this shows God is vindictive, but 'selling' them was actually mercy - destroying them would have been justice.
The thread continues
Verses that echo Judges 3:8
Bible Genome reading
Judges 3:8 — Bible Genome reading
Emotional genome
Judges 3:8 comes from the book of Judges, written during the judges period. These words are attributed to Narrator. The dominant emotion in this verse is angry, with a comfort power of 20% and a tone that is prophetic. It belongs to the teaching genre of biblical literature. Key themes include divine anger, judgment, consequences. Notable phrases: anger of Yahweh was kindled; sold them.
Emotionally similar
Verses that meet the same angry
“Beat your plowshares into swords, and your pruning hooks into spears. Let the weak say, 'I am strong.'”
— Joel 3:10
“You blind guides, who strain out a gnat, and swallow a camel!”
— Matthew 23:24
“Listen to this word, you cows of Bashan, who are on the mountain of Samaria, who oppress the poor, who crush the needy, who tell their husba…”
— Amos 4:1
“I hate, I despise your feasts, and I can't stand your solemn assemblies.”
— Amos 5:21
“Your eyes shall not pity; life shall go for life, eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot.”
— Deuteronomy 19:21
Your reflection
What does Judges 3:8 mean to you, today?
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