וַתְּהִ֨י עָלָ֥יו רֽוּחַ־יְהוָה֮ וַיִּשְׁפֹּ֣ט אֶת־יִשְׂרָאֵל֒ וַיֵּצֵא֙ לַמִּלְחָמָ֔ה וַיִּתֵּ֤ן יְהוָה֙ בְּיָד֔וֹ אֶת־כּוּשַׁ֥ן רִשְׁעָתַ֖יִם מֶ֣לֶךְ אֲרָ֑ם וַתָּ֣עָז יָד֔וֹ עַ֖ל כּוּשַׁ֥ן רִשְׁעָתָֽיִם׃
Der Geist des Herrn kam über ihn, und er richtete Israel und zog aus in den Streit, und der Herr gab in seine Hand den Kusan Risatajim, König von Aram, und siegreich war seine Hand über Kusan Risatajim.
Rashi on Judges
The Divine spirit visited him. R' Tanchuma expounded: He studied the statement of the Holy One, blessed is He, to Moshe in Mitzrayim, "I have surely seen (lit. 'seeing, I have seen') the tribulation of my people."1 Shemos, 3:7. What are the two sights?2‘Seeing’ I have ‘seen’. He said to him, "I see that they are destined to err with the golden calf—nevertheless, 'I have seen the tribulation of my people.'" Asniel expounded upon this, saying, whether innocent or guilty, He is obliged to save them.3Shemos Rabah, 3:2. Accordingly, “He judged Yisroel” in our passage does not refer to Asniel’s adjudication of litigation in the courtroom, but to his exposition of “I have seen” in his prayer before Adonoy. In his “judgement”, Yisroel was to be saved. (Radal there, 5)
Metzudat David on Judges
SPIRIT OF GD: The awakening of wisdom to judge, and the courage to wage war