Judges 3:30Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

Judges were appointed by the Lord to govern the people from the moment they entered the promised land, prior to the establishment of kings in Israel. During these times, the nation faced humiliation at the hands of evil adversaries, and as recorded in the Scriptures, there were cycles of conflict interspersed with periods of tranquility. Notably, there were extended times of peace during the rule of the judges that surpassed the peaceful reign of King Solomon, who ruled for forty years. For instance, under the leadership of one judge named Ehud, the land experienced peace for an impressive eighty years.

Aod, the son of Hera and grandson of Jeminiah, ruled for 80 years, demonstrating skill with both his right and left hands. During his initial years, Israel was subjugated to Eglon, king of Moab, for a period of 18 years until Aod struck down Eglon and set them free. It was also around this time that the city of Cyrene in Libya was established. The narrative of this era

The period of Aod's leadership is recorded as lasting one hundred and ten years. During this time, the land enjoyed peace for seventy years. The Psalmist David notes that the span of a man’s life does not exceed seventy or, at most, eighty years. "The days of our years are threescore years and ten; and if by reason of strength they be fourscore years" (Psalm 89:10).