Therefore the anger of the LORD was hot against Israel, and he sold them into the hand of Chushanrishathaim king of Mesopotamia: and the children of Israel served Chushanrishathaim eight years.
Because of this, the LORD became very angry with Israel and let Cushan-Rishathaim, the king of Mesopotamia, conquer them. The Israelites were forced to serve under Cushan-Rishathaim for eight years.
God allowed Israel to be conquered by a foreign king for eight years because of His anger over their disobedience.
📚 Historical Context
This verse comes during the period of the Judges, after Israel had settled in the Promised Land but before they had kings. The Israelites had fallen into a cycle of worshiping foreign gods and abandoning their covenant with God. Cushan-Rishathaim was likely an Aramean ruler from the region between the Tigris and Euphrates rivers, and his conquest represents the first major oppression mentioned in the book of Judges.
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