Bible Questions Answered:
Who were Israel's judges?
Larry C./ Springfield, Massachusetts
Bible Answers:
In Patriarchal times, all were judged by civil magistrates, who were heads of families and elders, and there were eighteen such Judges of Israel.
Othniel
Judges 3:9-10 KJV
[9] And when the children of Israel cried unto the LORD, the LORD raised up a deliverer to the children of Israel, who delivered them, even Othniel the son of Kenaz, Caleb's younger brother.
Ehud
Judges 3:15-30 KJV
[15] But when the children of Israel cried unto the LORD, the LORD raised them up a deliverer, Ehud the son of Gera, a Benjamite, a man lefthanded:..”
Shamgar
Judges 3:31 KJV
“And after him was Shamgar the son of Anath, which slew of the Philistines six hundred men with an ox goad: and he also delivered Israel.”
Deborah
Judges 4:3,4 KJV
[3] And the children of Israel cried unto the LORD: for he had nine hundred chariots of iron; and twenty years he mightily oppressed the children of Israel.
[4] And Deborah, a prophetess, the wife of Lapidoth, she judged Israel at that time.
Barak
Judges 4:6
“And she (Deborah) sent and called Barak the son of Abinoam out of Kedesh-naphtali,...”
Gideon
Judges 6,7,8 KJV
Judges 6:11,12 KJV
[11] 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.
[12] And the angel of the LORD appeared unto him (Gideon), and said unto him, The LORD is with thee, thou mighty man of valour.
Abimelech
Judges 8:30-9:5 KJV
Judges 8:30,31 KJV
[30] And Gideon had threescore and ten sons of his body begotten: for he had many wives.
[31] And his concubine that was in Shechem, she also bare him a son, whose name he called Abimelech.
Tola
Judges 10:1,2 KJV
[1] And after Abimelech there arose to defend Israel Tola the son of Puah, the son of Dodo, a man of Issachar; and he dwelt in Shamir in mount Ephraim.
[2] And he judged Israel twenty and three years, and died, and was buried in Shamir.
Jair
Judges 10:3 KJV
“And after him arose Jair, a Gileadite, and judged Israel twenty and two years.”
Jephtah
Judges 11/ 121-7 KJV
Judges 11:1 KJV “Now Jephthah the Gileadite was a mighty man of valour,...”
Ibzan
Judges 12:8,9 KJV
“And after him Ibzan of Bethlehem judged Israel.”
Elon
Judges 12:11 KJV
“And after him Elon, a Zebulonite, judged Israel; and he judged Israel ten years.”
Abdon
Judges 13-16: KJV
“And after him Abdon the son of Hillel, a Pirathonite, judged Israel.”
Samson
Judges 13-16 KJV
Judges 13:24 KJV
“And the woman bare a son, and called his name Samson: and the child grew, and the LORD blessed him.”
Eli
I Samuel 4:18 KJV
“And it came to pass, when he (a messenger) made mention of the ark of God, that he (Judge Eli) fell from off the seat backward by the side of the gate, and his neck brake, and he died: for he was an old man, and heavy. And he had judged Israel forty years.
Samuel
I Samuel 7:15-17 KJV
I Samuel 3:19-21 KJV
[19] And Samuel grew, and the LORD was with him, and did let none of his words fall to the ground.
[20] And all Israel from Dan even to Beer-sheba knew that Samuel was established to be a prophet of the LORD.
[21] And the LORD appeared again in Shiloh: for the LORD revealed himself to Samuel in Shiloh by the word of the LORD.
Joel
I Samuel 8:1,2 KJV
[1] And it came to pass, when Samuel was old, that he made his sons judges over Israel.
[2] Now the name of his firstborn was Joel; ...”
Abiah
I Samuel 8:1,2 KJV
[1] And it came to pass, when Samuel was old, that he made his sons judges over Israel.
[2] Now the name of his firstborn was Joel; and the name of his second, Abiah: they were judges in Beer-sheba.
