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Who were the judges? -

The judges were tribal leaders who were responsible for saving the Israelites and bringing them back into God’s path. This was before a king ruled over Israel.

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Context -

After the Israelites were led out of Egypt by Moses, they were taken to the promised land by Joshua. But then, when Joshua and his generation died, the Israelites’ knowledge of God died with them and they began worshiping other gods.

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A test -

God then decided to test and discipline the Israelites by allowing their enemies to attack them. The idea was to see if this would bring them back to him. Once they cried out to him for help, he would send a "judge" to save them, leading them out of danger and back to God. 

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Never-ending cycle -

However, every time a judge died, Israel would return to its sinful ways, in a perpetual cycle of sin and deliverance.

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The meaning of the word "judge" -

A judge can be defined as someone who has the power to determine one’s guilt or innocence. However, the Hebrew word used is špṭ, which has a wider scope. So much so that some translations refer these as "leaders" instead of "judges."

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The meaning of the word "judge" -

According to the Anchor Yale Bible Dictionary, “The Hebrew root of špṭ had a much wider meaning than the idea of simply “administering justice to,” or “to pass sentence,” “settle a case,” “do justice,” and “mete out justice.” Based on the usages of this same root in other ancient languages, the basic meaning is more like “to rule,” or “to command.” In Ugaritic, a version of the word means “to do justice” and “to rule.’” Now, let’s meet the judges.

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Othniel -

Othniel was the first judge of Israel. He was responsible for freeing the Israelites from King Cushan-Rishathaim of Aram-Naharaim (Mesopotamia), who oppressed the Israelites for eight years.

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Othniel -

This judge managed to ensure peace for his people for forty years, until his death. Most of his life as a judge can be found in Judges 3:7–11.

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Ehud -

Ehud was the second judge of Israel. He is mostly known for being left-handed and for killing Eglon, the king of the Moabites.

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Ehud -

With the oppressive king dead, the Israelites attacked and conquered Moab. Moab then became subject to Israelite rule, and they were at peace for 80 years…until Ehud died.

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Shamgar -

There is only one verse that mentions Shamgar as a judge. The verse in question is Judges 3:31, which reads “After Ehud came Shamgar son of Anath, who struck down six hundred Philistines with an oxgoad. He too saved Israel.”

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Shamgar -

There is however another verse about Shamgar—in The Song of Deborah: “In the days of Shamgar son of Anath, in the days of Jael, the highways were abandoned; travelers took to winding paths.” (Judges 5:6).

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Deborah -

Deborah was the only female judge of Israel. The cycle repeats; this time, the Israelites were at the mercy of Jabin, king of Canaan and their ruthless commander Sisera. When asked to join Barak, son of Abinoam commanding the Israelite army, Deborah prophesied “Certainly I will go with you…But because of the course you are taking, the honor will not be yours, for the Lord will deliver Sisera into the hands of a woman.” (Judges 4:9).

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Deborah -

Sisera’s army was defeated and the Israelites freed themselves from King Jabin, enjoying forty years of peace. The victory over the Canaanites is celebrated in 'The Song of Deborah’ (Judges 5), which is one of the oldest texts in the Bible.

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Gideon -

Gideon is arguably the most popular judge in the Bible. During Gideon’s time, God used the Midianites to punish the Israelites for seven years for idolatry of other gods.

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Gideon -

When the Israelites asked God to save them (yet again), an angel appeared to Gideon and told him “Go in the strength you have and save Israel out of Midian’s hand. Am I not sending you?” (Judges 6:14). Then, Gideon was asked by God to destroy his father Joash’s Asherah pole (which was an idol used to worship the deity Baal). Gideon then became known as Jerubbaal, which means “let Baal contend against him.”

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Gideon -

Gideon went on to defeat the Midianites and the Israelites asked him to become their king. Gideon refused, saying: “The Lord will rule over you” (Judges 8:23). Interestingly, one of Gideon’s sons is named Abimelech, which means “my father is king.” This has led to speculations that Gideon may have in fact been the first king of Israel.

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Tola -

The Book of Judges doesn’t tell us much about Tola, other than the fact that he “saved Israel” (though we don’t know from whom) after Gideon’s son, Abimelech, died.

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Tola -

Judges 10:1–2 reads “Now after Abimelech died, Tola the son of Puah, the son of Dodo, a man of Issachar, arose to save Israel; and he lived in Shamir in the hill country of Ephraim. 2He judged Israel twenty-three years. Then he died and was buried in Shamir.”

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Jair -

Jair is yet another judge who doesn’t get a lot of airtime in the Bible. All we know about him can be found in Judges 10:3–5: “He was followed by Jair of Gilead, who led Israel twenty-two years. He had thirty sons, who rode thirty donkeys. They controlled thirty towns in Gilead, which to this day are called Havvoth Jair. When Jair died, he was buried in Kamon.”

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Jephthah -

Jephthah was the son of a prostitute and a warrior, who led a “gang of scoundrels” (Judges 11:3). At the time, the Israelites were worshiping other gods, but being oppressed by their enemies, the Israelites asked for divine intervention, yet God refused (Judges 10:11–14).

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Jephthah -

The Israelites repented and together with Jephthah, they began fighting the Ammonites. But then, Jephthah made a vow to the Lord: "If you give the Ammonites into my hands, whatever comes out of the door of my house to meet me when I return in triumph from the Ammonites will be the Lord’s, and I will sacrifice it as a burnt offering.” (Judges 11:30–31).

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Jephthah -

Indeed, God gave the Ammonites into Jephthah’s hands… But the first thing out of his house was his daughter. Tragically, two months later, Jephthah fulfilled his vow (Judges 11:39). Jephthah led the Israelites for six years.

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Ibzan -

All we know about Ibzan can be read in Judges 12:8–10: “Now Ibzan of Bethlehem judged Israel after him. He had thirty sons, and thirty daughters whom he gave in marriage outside the family, and he brought in thirty daughters from outside for his sons. And he judged Israel seven years. Then Ibzan died and was buried in Bethlehem.”

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Elon -

Some judges are not mentioned a lot in the Bible, but Elon only has two sentences about him in the Book of Judges: “After him, Elon the Zebulunite led Israel ten years. Then Elon died and was buried in Aijalon in the land of Zebulun.” (Judges 12:11–12).

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Abdon -

Abdon is also considered a “minor judge” as the Holy Book doesn’t really say much about him. Judges 12:14–15 tell us the following: “He had forty sons and thirty grandsons, who rode on seventy donkeys. He led Israel eight years. Then Abdon son of Hillel died and was buried at Pirathon in Ephraim, in the hill country of the Amalekites.”

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Samson -

Samson, on the other hand, is a well known Biblical character. He is known for his superhuman strength given to him by God. Samson’s strength lay in his hair.

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Samson -

Samson’s life story is full of violence and death, including him killing thousands of people, animals, and having his wife and father-in-law burned to death. According to Judges 16:31, Samson judged Israel for twenty years.

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Samson -

But then Samson fell in love with a woman called Delilah, to whom he revealed the secret of his strength. Delilah got someone to cut off his hair while he was asleep, and Samson was captured by the Philistines. But then Samson’s hair grew back and he got his revenge by making an entire temple collapse. Sadly, he also died as a result.

Sources: (Overview Bible) (Biblia) (Biblium)

See also: Just exactly who were the Philistines?

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