The book of Judges spans a period of over 325 years of Jewish history before they had kings.  After Moses led the Israelites out of Egypt, Joshua led them into Canaan, the promised land. After the death of Joshua and his generation, the Israelites’ knowledge of God also died as we read in Judges 2:10, “And also all that generation were gathered unto their fathers: and there arose another generation after them, which knew not the LORD, nor yet the works which he had done for Israel.”  We go on to read in verses 13-14, “And they forsook the LORD, and served Baal and Ashtaroth. And the anger of the LORD was hot against Israel, and he delivered them into the hands of spoilers that spoiled them, and he sold them into the hands of their enemies round about, so that they could not any longer stand before their enemies.”  Yet, God’s faithfulness and love manifests itself in verse 16, “Nevertheless the LORD raised up judges, which delivered them out of the hand of those that spoiled them.” 

While we normally think of a judge as one that presides in a civil or criminal trial, these judges were actually leaders, or governors during their times of being a judge.  There were twelve judges.  In order, their names are:

  • Othniel
  • Ehud
  • Shamgar
  • Deborah
  • Gideon
  • Tola
  • Jair
  • Jephthah
  • Ibzan
  • Elon
  • Abdon
  • Samson

Throughout the lives of these judges, we see Israel’s behavior follows a consistent pattern…the people of Israel fall into evil, God sends a leader to save them, and, once the judge dies, the people commit even greater evil.  How slow we are to learn the lessons the Lord graciously provides for us. 

You will probably recognize some of these judges, such as Ehud, Shamgar, Deborah, Gideon, and Samson.

  • Ehud is the first left-handed person mentioned in the Bible.  That is significant, because he was able to slay evil king Eglon because he was left-handed.  Read about that in Judges 3:15-26.
  • We read of Shamgar in Judges 3:31, “And after him was Shamgar the son of Anath, which SLEW OF THE PHILISTINES SIX HUNDRED MEN WITH AN OX GOAD.”
  • We read that Deborah was a prophetess in Judges 4:4, “And Deborah, a prophetess, the wife of Lapidoth, she judged Israel at that time.”
  • We read that Gideon was a timid and frightened man, but the Lord saw him as he really was…a man of valor.  Judges 6:11-12 says, “And there came an angel of the LORD, and sat under an oak which was in Ophrah, that pertained unto Joash the Abi-ezrite: and his son Gideon threshed wheat by the winepress, to hide it from the Midianites. And the angel of the LORD appeared unto him, and said unto him, The LORD is with thee, THOU MIGHTY MAN OF VALOUR.”
  • We read how Samson constantly failed the Lord and lived for his own pleasures.  After having his hair cut and his eyes cut out by the Philistines, Samson’s hair finally grew back and he was able to serve the Lord greatly in one great act as we read in Judges 16:30, “And Samson said, Let me die with the Philistines. And he bowed himself with all his might; and the house fell upon the lords, and upon all the people that were therein. So the dead which he slew at his death were more than they which he slew in his life.” 

There is so much more we can learn by studying the lives and actions of these twelve judges.  I trust you will not be satisfied by simply knowing the names of these judges.  May the Lord lead you to study more about these people and the examples we can take from them.  (CC)  (603.4)