Bible Question:
who were the Judges and under what circumstances did they began? |
Bible Answer: JUDGES, THE — military heroes or deliverers who led the nation of Israel against their enemies during the period between the death of Joshua and the establishment of the kingship. The stories of their exploits are found in the Book of Judges. During the period of the judges, from about 1380–1050 b.c., the government of Israel was a loose confederation of tribes gathered about their central shrine, the Ark of the Covenant. Without a human king to guide them, the people tended to rebel and fall into worship of false gods time and time again. “Everyone did what was right in his own eyes” (Judg. 17:6; 21:25) is how the Book of Judges describes these chaotic times. To punish the people, God would send foreign nations or tribes to oppress the Israelites. These judges or charismatic leaders would rally the people to defeat the enemy. As God’s agents for justice and deliverance, they would act decisively to free the nation from oppression. But the judges themselves were often weak, and their work was short-lived. The people would enter another stage of rebellion and idolatry, only to see the cycle of oppression and deliverance repeated all over again. The judges themselves were a diverse lot. Some of them received only a brief mention in the Book of Judges. These minor judges were Shamgar (3:31), Tola (10:1–2), Jair (10:3–5), Ibzan (12:8–10), Elon (12:11–12), and Abdon (12:13–15). The careers of other judges are explored in greater detail in the Book of Judges. Othniel, a nephew of Caleb (3:7–11), was a warriordeliverer who led the Israelites against the king of Mesopotamia. Ehud (3:12–30) was distinguished by left-handedness and his deftness with the dagger. Jephthah (11:1–12:7) was a harlot’s son whose devotion to God was matched only by his rashness. Gideon (6:11–8:35) needed many encouragements to act upon God’s call. But he finally led 300 Israelites to defeat the entire army of the Midianites. The most interesting of the judges, perhaps, was Samson (13:1–16:31), whose frailties of the flesh led to his capture by the hated Philistines. The most courageous of the judges was Deborah, a woman who prevailed upon Barak to attack the mighty army of the Canaanites (4:1–5:31). The stories of the judges make interesting reading because of their rugged personalities and the nature of the times in which they lived. The openness with which they are portrayed in all their weaknesses is one mark of the integrity of the Bible. Youngblood, R. F. (1995). Nelson's new illustrated Bible dictionary. Rev. ed. of: Nelson's illustrated Bible dictionary.;Includes index. Nashville: T. Nelson. For further reading read the book of Judges and I find the section on Judges in Bible History Old Testament byAlfred Edersheim, William B. Eerdmans publishing company Grand Rapids, Michigan to be very interesting. |
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Questions and/or Subjects for Judges | Author | ||
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angelface | ||
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masterreggie | ||
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H.L | ||
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pammie07 | ||
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pammie07 | ||
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KAREEM2812 | ||
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McSwain | ||
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McSwain | ||
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EdB | ||
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russianden | ||
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1way |