Judges of Israel

 

Judges of Israel

 

Introduction of Israel’s Judges

 

After the death of Joshua, the nation of Israel was ruled by judges, or heroic military deliverers, for about 300 years until the united monarchy was established under King Saul.

 

The era of the judges was a time of instability and moral depravity. It was a dark period when “everyone did what was right in his own eyes” (Judges 17:6).

 

The judges tried to rally the people against their enemies, but many of the judges were morally weak and the people often turned to idolatry.

 

Along with the well-known judges, there were several minor judges whose battles are not recorded in the Bible: Abimelech, Tola, Jair, Ibzan, Elon and Abdon.

 

15 Judges We Will be Studying in This Series 

1.      Othniel

2.      Ehud

3.      Shamgar

4.      Deborah

5.      Gideon

6.      Abimelech

7.      Tola

8.      Jair

9.      Jephthah

10.  Ibzan

11.  Elon

12.  Abdom

13.  Samson

14.  Eli

15.  Samuel

THE BIBLE TIMELINE

End of Moses’ Life to Kingship of David

 

1235 B.C.		Moses ascends Mt. Nebo and views Canaan. He dies at the age of 120, and God buries his body. Deuteronomy 34
1234 B.C.		The Israelites invade Canaan under the leadership of Joshua. Joshua 3
1234 B.C.		The Israelite males are circumcised, and the people celebrate Passover for the first time since the Exodus. Joshua 3-5
1234 B.C.		The walls of Jericho miraculously fall and the Israelites take the city. Joshua 6
1234 – 1228 B.C.		Canaanite cities fall to the Israelites, but much territory remains under Canaanite control. Joshua 8-11; 12:7-24; 13:1-6
1233 B.C.		Joseph’s remains are returned to Shechem and buried on a parcel of ground which Jacob had bought for an inheritance of the children of Joseph. Joshua 24:32
1228 B.C.		Joshua divides the land of Canaan among the tribes. Joshua 14-21
1212 B.C.		Joshua leads the people in renewing their covenant with God at Shechem. Joshua 24
1211 B.C.		Joshua dies at the age of 110. Joshua 24:29
Note:		In the period of the judges, Israel has no central government. Individual judges apparently serve local areas, and their periods of service overlap. After the death of Joshua, the nation of Israel was ruled by judges, or heroic military deliverers, for about 300 years until the united monarchy was established under King Saul. The era of the judges was a time of instability and moral depravity, a dark period when “everyone did what was right in his own eyes” (Judges 17:6). The judges tried to rally the people against their enemies, but many of the judges were morally weak and the people often turned to idolatry.
1205 B.C.		Cushan-rishathaim oppresses Israelites in the South. Judges 3:8
1198 B.C.		Othniel drives out Cushan-rishathaim. Judges 3:9-11.
1196 B.C.		Eglon of Moab takes Jericho, the city of palms. Judges 3:12-14
1190 B.C.		The Philistines invade southwestern Canaan.
1178 B.C.		The Benjaminite Ehud conceals a sword and assassinates the obese Eglon and leads an attack against Moab. Judges 3:15-30
1176 B.C.		Jabin, king of Hazor, in northern Canaan uses iron chariots to dominate the northern tribes. Judges 4:2-3
1156 B.C.		Deborah, the prophetess and judge, rallies the northern tribes to defeat Jabin. Judges 4-5
1156 B.C.		Jael, a Kenite woman, assassinates Sisera, Jabin’s general, when he flees the battlefield. Judges 4:17-22
1147 B.C.		Midianites and other desert tribes harass northern Israel with destructive raids. Judges 6:1-6
1140 B.C.		Gideon leads a small band to destroy a large raiding force of the Midianites. Judges 6-7
1120 -1115 B.C.		A woman of Moab named Ruth marries an Israelite man. When her husband dies, Ruth accompanies her widowed mother-n-law back to Israel. There she marries a man of Bethlehem named Boaz. They have a son named Obed, the grandfather of King David. Ruth 1-4
1105 B.C.		Gideon’s son Abimelech kills his many brothers and tries to make himself king of Israel. He reigns in Shechem for three years. Judges 9
1102 B.C.		Tola of the tribe of Issachar is judge west of the Jordan. Judges 10:1
1101 B.C.		Jair from Gilead functions as a judge east of the Jordan. Judges 10:3
1099 B.C.		Eli becomes the principal priest at the Sanctuary at Shiloh in central Canaan. 1 Samuel 1:9
1095 B.C.		Philistine power grows in southwestern Canaan. Judges 13:1
1090 B.C.		Samson is born. He belongs to God as a Nazarite from birth. Judges 13:2-25
1086 B.C.		Samuel is born to Hannah and Elkanah in Ephraim. 1 Samuel 1:1-20
1083 B.C.		Hannah dedicates Samuel to God, and he is reared by Eli at the Sanctuary in Shiloh. 1 Samuel 1:21-2:11
1065 -1045 B.C.		Samson harasses the Philistines but is captured through his Philistine wife Delilah. He dies by pushing down the supporting columns in a Philistine temple, and the whole Temple came crashing down on him and thousands of Philistines. Judges 14-16
1060 B.C.		The Philistines expand into the heart of Israel.
1060 B.C.		Samuel’s fame as a faithful prophet grows. 1 Samuel 3:20
1057 B.C.		Jephthah, the Gileadite warrior, successfully battles Ammon. Because of a foolish vow, he offers his daughter as a sacrifice. Judges 11
1054 B.C.		Saul is born to Kish, a wealthy farmer from the Tribe of Benjamin. 1 Samuel 9:1-2
1049 B.C.		The Battle of Aphek: The Philistines attack and defeat the Israelite army in their first engagement. The Israelites, led by Eli’s sons, bring the Ark of the Covenant into battle to guarantee God’s protection. Philistines capture the Ark of the Covenant. Eli’s sons are killed. 1 Samuel 4:1-11
1049 B.C.		Eli collapses and dies at the age of 98 when he hears the news. 1 Samuel 4:12-18
1049 B.C.		The Philistines destroy the Sanctuary at Shiloh. Jeremiah 7:12-14
1049 – 1048 B.C.		Philistines set up garrisons throughout Israel. 1 Samuel 10:5; 13:3
1048 B.C.		The Philistines hold the Ark for seven months in their major cities. But when disasters, which they attributed to the presence of the Ark, befall them, they return it. 1 Samuel 5-6
1048 – 1004 B.C.		The Ark is kept in Israelite villages. 1 Samuel 6:19-7:2
1047 B.C.		Samuel assumes leadership of Israel by calling an assembly at Mizpah. Philistines try to attack, but the Israelites defeat them. 1 Samuel 7:3-11
1047 – 1007 B.C.		Samuel leads the people as judge, priest and prophet. 1 Samuel 7:15-17
1034 B.C.		David is born in Bethlehem to Jesse, the patriarch of a wealthy family in the large tribe of Judah. Ruth 4:18-22; 1 Samuel 16:10-11
1029 B.C.		Samuel appoints his two sons, Joel and Aphiah, as judges over Israel in Beersheba, but they practice bribery and perverted judgment, and alienate the people from Samuel. 1 Samuel 8:1-3
1027 B.C.		The elders of Israel are fed up with corrupt judges and weak defense and petition Samuel to appoint a king. Samuel warns the people of the dangers of a powerful king. 1 Samuel 8
APPOINTMENT OF A KING:
		Samuel is the inaugurator of the transition from what is commonly called the democracy to the monarchy.
1026 B.C.		Samuel secretly chooses Saul, son of Kish, as king. 1 Samuel 10:1-16
1025 B.C.		An Ammonite army threatens to mutilate the inhabitants of an Israelite city. Saul rallies the tribal militias (military forces) to save the city and is acclaimed king by the people. 1 Samuel 11
1025 B.C.		Samuel’s address to the Israelites: He rebukes their wickedness in asking for a king to replace the LORD ruling over them, and prays for thunder and rain on their wheat harvest as punishment. Samuel then admonishes them to serve God, v23 “Moreover as for me, God forbid that I should sin against the LORD in ceasing to pray for you: but I will teach you the good and right way: v24 Only fear the LORD, and serve Him in truth with all of your heart: for consider how great things He hath done for you.” 1 Samuel 12:1-18; 19-25
1025 – 1004 B.C.		1st KING: Saul is king of Israel. 1 Samuel 12:1,13 Note: The length of Saul’s reign is uncertain because a few words have been lost from the text of the Bible at 1 Samuel 13:1. Estimates have ranged from 12 to 40 years.
1025 –1019 B.C.		Philistines monopolize iron production and allow the Israelites no weapons. 1 Samuel 13:19-22
1024 B.C.		Saul builds a palace – a fortress near his home in Gibeah, north of Jerusalem. 1 Samuel 13:2
1023 BC		Samuel retires from active leadership as Judge, but continues as priest and prophet. 1 Samuel 12
1021 B.C.		Saul begins to challenge Philistine domination. Saul’s eldest son, Jonathan, captures a Philistine garrison at Geba near Gibean. 1 Samuel 13:3
1020 B.C.		A large Philistine army prepares to retaliate. Saul’s small force offers sacrifices in preparation for holy war, but Saul offends Samuel by not waiting for the prophet’s arrival. This act of disobedience cost Saul his kingship. God was looking for a man after His own heart. 1 Samuel 13:5-18
1020 B.C.		Saul’s army defeats the Philistines at Mich-mash and gains limited independence, including the use of iron for weapons and tools. 1 Samuel 14
1019 – 1016 B.C.		Saul wins numerous victories and brings prosperity to the Israelites. 1 Samuel 14:47-48
1018 B.C.		Saul annihilates the Amalekites, but Samuel condemns him for not killing their king and all their animals as required in holy war. Saul feared the people and obeyed their voice, not the LORD’s commandments. V26 The LORD rejected Saul from being king over Israel. 1 Samuel 15
1017 B.C.		An evil spirit begins to torment Saul, and he sinks into depression. 1 Samuel 16:14-15
1016 B.C.		Samuel secretly anoints David as Saul’s successor. David is brought to Gibeah as Saul’s musician and armor-bearer. 1 Samuel 16
1015 B.C.		Israelites began developing the Hebrew alphabet based on the earlier Canaanite alphabet.
1015 B.C.		The Philistines renew their attack on Israel, but David kills their champion, Goliath, and turns back the threat. 1 Samuel 17
1015 B.C.		David and Jonathan become close friends. 1 Samuel 18:1-4
1014 B.C.		Saul appoints David commander of the army but distrusts him as a potential rival. 1 Samuel 18:6-16
1012 B.C.		David kills 200 Philistines as the “marriage present” for Saul’s daughter Michal. 1 Samuel 18:20-29
1012 B.C.		Saul turns against David. He tries to murder David and then orders his execution. Jonathan and Michal help David escape. 1 Samuel 19-20
1011 B.C.		David becomes captain of an outlaw band of 400 men on the run from Saul. 1 Samuel 22:1-2
1006 B.C.		Samuel dies at the age of 80. 1 Samuel 25:1
1006 B.C.		Saul pursues David, who twice spares the king’s life when he could have killed him. 1 Samuel 24, 26
1005 B.C.		David gets Philistine support and raids Amalekite settlements. 1 Samuel 27
1005 B.C.		The Philistines renew war against Israel. 1 Samuel 28:1
1004 B.C.		Saul is morbidly fearful and consults a medium at Endor to talk to the spirit of Samuel. 1 Samuel 28:3-25
1004 B.C.		At Gilboa the Philistines overwhelmingly defeat the Israelites. Saul commits suicide to avoid capture. Jonathan is slain. 1 Samuel 31
1004 B.C.		David is chosen king over the tribe of Judah, the most powerful of the tribes, but Saul’s son Ish-bosheth is supported by other tribes. Civil war breaks out between north and south. 2 Samuel 2:1-41; 3:1
1004 – 965 B.C.		David reigns 40 years, first over Judah for seven years, then over all Israel.
The Bible Timeline by Thomas Robinson Published by Michael Friedman Publishing
The Conquest of Canaan
1.	Upon crossing the Jordan, Joshua camped awhile at Gilgal, then moved to take Jericho and Ai. Afterward he returned to Gilgal (Joshua 1:8).
2.	Joshua made peace with Gibeon, then moved through the Valley of Aijalon and defeated the five Amorite kings (Joshua 9-10).
3.	From Makkedah, Joshua launched a southern campaign against Lachish, Hebron, Debir, and Gaza Gob. Victorious, he returned to Gilgal (Joshua 10).
4.	In a northern thrust, Joshua moved from Gilgal all the way to Hazor (Joshua 11).

 

 

 

The Period of the Judges (1375-1050 B.C.)

 

Judge and Tribe	Scripture Refs	Major Events	Oppressors	Period of Oppression	Period of Rest
(1)   Othniel (Judah) Son of Kenaz, the younger brother of Caleb.	Judg. 1:11-15, 3:1-11; Joshua 15:16-19; 1 Chr. 4:13	(1)    Othniel was the nephew of Caleb (3:11) and became his son-n-law after the capture of Kirjath Sepher (1:12-13) (2)    Defeated Cushan-Rishathaim, king of Mesopotamia (3:10).	Cushan-Rishathaim, king of Mesopotamia (3:8).	8 years (3:8)	40 years (3:11)
(2) Ehud (Benjamin) son of Gera	Judg. 3:12-4:1	(1)    Ehud, the left-handed Benjaminite, personally slew Eglon, the obese king of Moab (3:21-22) (2)    Led in the slaying of 10,000 Moabites (3:29)	Eglon, king of Moab (3:12) Ammonites (3:13) Amalekites (3:13)	18 years (3:14)	80 years (3:30)
(3) Shamgar (perhaps foreign - son of Anath)	Judg. 3:31; 5:6	(1)    Shamgar slew 600 Philistines with an oxgoad (3:31)	Philistines (3:31)	Not given	Not given
(4) Deborah (Ephraim) and Barak (Naphtali) son of Abinoam	Judg. 4:1-5:31 Heb. 11:32	(1)    Deborah, a prophetess and judge, was the wife of Lapidoth (4:4; 5:7). (2)    Deborah and Barak defeated Sisera (with his 900 iron chariots) at the Battle of Kishon (4:13-16). (3)    Sisera killed by Jael, the wife of Heber, with a tent peg (4:21). (4)    The Song of Deborah (Ch. 5) recounts the victory of Deborah and Barak over Sisera. (5)    Barak is listed among the “Heroes of the Faith” in Heb. 11:32.	Jabin, king of Canaan (4:2); Sisera was the commander of the army (4:2)	20 years (4:3)	40 years (5:31)
(5)    Gideon (Manasseh); son of Joash the Abiezrite (also called Jerubbaal) (6:32; 7:1); Jerubbesheth (2 Sam 11:21)	Judg. 6:1-8:32 Heb. 11:32	(1)    The Angel of the Lord appeared to Gideon at Ophrah as he was beating out wheat in the winepress (6:11-18). (2)    Gideon’s offering consumed by fire (6:19-24). (3)    Gideon destroyed the altar of Baal by night (6:25-27). (4)    Gideon “put out the fleece” twice for a “sign” (6:36-40). (5)    Gideon reduced his army from 32,000 to 10,000 to 300 (7:2-8); he routed the Midianites with trumpets, pitchers and torches (7:16-22). (6)    Oreb and Zeeb killed by the Ephraimites (7:24-8:3). (7)    Gideon took revenge on the men of Succoth and Penuel for not giving his army bread (8:5-9, 14-17). (8)    Gideon killed Zebah and Zalmunna (Midianite kings) in revenge for the death of his brothers at Tabor (8:18-21). (9)    Gideon made a gold ephod which led the people into idolatry (8:24-27).	Midianites (6:1, 3, 33; 7:12)   Amalekites (6:3, 33; 7:12)   “People of the East” (6:3, 33; 7:12)	7 years (6:1)	40 years (8:28)
(6) Abimelech (Manasseh) Son of Gideon by a concubine	Judg. 8:33-9:57; 2 Sam. 11:21	(1)    Abimelech slew all of his half brothers (70), except Jotham the youngest (9:5). (2)    Abimelech defeated Gaal who conspired against him (9:26-41). (3)    Abimelech captured Shechem and razed the city (9:42-49). (4)    At Thebez a woman threw a millstone which hit Abimelech on the head; Abimelech then had his armorbearer kill him with a sword (9:50-54).	Civil War		3 years (9:22).
(7)    Tola (Issachar). Son of Puah.	Judg. 10:1-2	(1)    Tola was probably from one of the leading families of Issachar (Gen. 48:13; Num 28:23).			Judged Israel for 23 years (10:2).
(8)    Jair (Gilead-Manasseh)	Judg. 10:3-5	(1)   Jair was probably a descendant of the Jair who distinguished himself during the days of Moses and Joshua (Num 32:41; Deut 3:14; Josh 13:30; 1 Kings 4:13; 1 Chr 2:21). (2)   Jair had 30 sons who were itinerant judges (10:4).			Judged Israel 22 years (10:3).
(9)    Jephthah (Gilead-Manasseh). Son of Gilead by a harlot (11:1).	Judg. 10:6-12:7 Heb. 11:32	(1)   Jephthah was the son of Gilead by a harlot (11:1). He was driven off by his vengeful half brothers and fled to the land of Tob (11:2-3). (2)   Elders of Gilead brought Jephthah and made him their chief at Mizpah (11:4-11). (3)   Jephthah sent a message to the king of Ammon saying that the Israelites had been in possession of Gilead for 300 years – too long for the Ammonites to challenge their right to it (11:26). (4)   Jephthah subdued the Ammonites, conquering some 20 cities (11:32-33). (5)   Jephthah devoted his daughter to the service of the Lord for the rest of her life, in fulfillment of his foolish vow (11:31-40). (6)   Jephthah defeated the Ephraimites, who were offended because they had not been asked to join in the battle against the Ammonites (12:1-6).	Philistines (10:7) Ammonites (10:7) Civil War with the Ephraimites (12:4)	18 years (10:8)	Judged Israel 6 years (12:7).
(10)   Ibzan Judah or Zebulun Bethlehem-Zebulun cf Josh 19:15	Judg. 12:8-10	(1)    Ibzan had 30 sons and 30 daughters, for whom he arranged marriages. This indicates his wealth and social prominence (12:9). (2)    A Jewish tradition identifies Ibzan with Boaz of Bethlehem-Judah.			Judged Israel 7 years (12:9).
(11)  Elon (Zebulun)	Judg. 12:11-12	(1)    The only information given concerning Elon is that he was buried at the Aijalon in Zebulun, distinguishing it from the better known Aijalon in Danite territory (12:12).			Judged Israel 10 years (12:11)
(12)   Abdon (Ephraim 12:15). Son of Hillel.	Judg. 12:13-15	(1)    The wealth and prominence of Abdon is revealed by the fact that he had 40 sons and 30 grandsons, all who rode on mounts (12:14). (2)    Abdon was a native of Pirathon and was later buried there (12:13,15).			Judged Israel 8 years (12:14)
(13)  Samson (Dan) Son of Manoah (13:2).	Judg. 13:1-16:31 Heb. 11:32	(1)    Samson’s birth was announced by the Angel of the Lord; he was consecrated a Nazarite from birth (Ch. 13). (2)    Samson slew a lion barehanded (14:5-6). (3)    Samson slew 30 Philistines at Ashkelon (14:19). (4)    Samson caught 300 foxes, tied them in pairs with a torch between their tails, and turned them into the grain fields of the Philistines (15:1-8). (5)    Samson slew a thousand Philistines with the jawbone of an ass (15:14-19). (6)    Samson carried off the gate of Gaza (16:1-3). (7)    Samson was conquered by Delilah, a seductress. He was then blinded and imprisoned at Gaza (16:4-22). (8)    Samson regained his strength when his hair grew back. He pulled down the temple of Dagon, killing himself and about 3,000 Philistines (16:23-31).	Philistines (13:1)	40 years (13:1)	Judged Israel 20 years (15:20; 16:31).

Nelson’s Complete Book of Bible Maps and Charts

 

 

Judges – A Record of Failure and Defeat

 

The book of Judges is a record of failures and defeats. Yet God sent a deliverer or judge each time Israel called upon Him. Israel remained faithful during the lifetime of the judge, but after his death they lapsed into their old sins.

 

This round of experience was repeated again and again, so that Israel’s history during this period could be expressed in eight words:

 

SIN	or	REBELLION
SERVITUDE	or	REJECTION
SORROW	or	REPENTANCE
SALVATION	or	RESTORATION

 

Failure to drive out their enemies, making agreements for their continuance within their tribal borders, spelled disaster.

 

The corrupting influence of these heathen people soon became manifest. Israel intermarried with them and was led by them into idolatry.

 

As a result, they became morally, spiritually and undoubtedly physically weakened which made them the conquered instead of the conquerors.

 

The question naturally arises: Was the whole of Israel in captivity to each of the invading people at different times or only those tribes nearest to each?

 

The conclusion was that only those tribes nearest to the invaders seems to be the correct conclusion. This leads us the further conclusion that each judge ruled only over the tribes that were delivered by him from bondage and not over the whole of Israel at any one time.

 

The periods of the judges are not necessarily successive. Two or more may have been ruling at the same time over different portions of the land.

 

 

 

Note three facts concerning the judges:

 

1.        They were called of God.

2.        They were endued with power to accomplish their task.

3.        They were the obscure, the “weak things of this world” (1 Corinthians 1:27-28), and not the prominent, the influential, or the powerful.

 

 

 

Characteristics of Israel’s Judges That the Culture Would Overlook, Yet Were Chosen by God

 

 

1 Corinthians 1:27-28 says, “Isn’t it obvious that God deliberately chose men and women that the culture overlooks and exploits and abuses. He chose these “nobodies” to expose the hollow pretensions of the “somebodies”? THE MESSAGE

 

The odds were stacked against five particular judges for their seeming weaknesses, as looked upon by society. However, God used them to do great exploits.

 

EHUD (he was left handed)

In Biblical times (as in many cultures today), the respective values of the right and left hands were clearly distinguished. The right was considered the hand of power and honor; the left hand was considered weaker and less honorable.

 

DEBORAH (she was a woman)

God used a woman to lead Israel’s army and to win a battle. Normally, women were degraded, and considered to have little say-so or influence.

 

GIDEON (he came from the weakest clan of all Israel, and he was the least in his entire family).

Gideon did not know how to take it when the Lord called him a “mighty man of valor.” ‘But Lord,’ Gideon replied, ‘How can I rescue Israel? My clan is the weakest in the whole tribe of Manasseh, and I am the least in my entire family!’ The Lord said to him, ‘I will be with you, and you will destroy the Midianites as if you were fighting against one man’ (Judges 6:15-16).

 

JEPHTHAH (an illegitimate son and outcast from his family). Jephthah’s mother was a harlot and bore him out of wedlock. He was an outcast among his family and in society. Yet he won a mighty victory. A person’s background does not in the least prevent God from working greatly in his or her life (1 Corinthians 1:26-31).

 

SAMSON (had great potential, but fell short because of sin, lust and disobedience). Samson was mighty in physical strength, but was weak in resisting temptation. His life is a clear warning against the dangers of self-indulgence and lack of discipline. He did finally repent, and he killed more Philistines at his death, than in all the years previous.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Judge of Israel #1 – Othniel

 

 

Othniel’s name means “Lion of God”. He was the first judge of Israel.

 

Othniel was either the nephew or younger brother of Caleb, according to Hebrew scholars. In Joshua 3:9, the name of the first judge of the Israelites following Joshua’s death is rendered as kaaleeb ‘achiy q^anaz ben, which is translated either as:

 

1.     “The son of Kenaz and brother of Caleb” (making him Caleb’s younger brother)

2.     “The son of Kenaz, the brother of Caleb” (making him Caleb’ nephew).

 

 

Caleb promised to give his only daughter, Achsah, whom Othniel loved, to whosoever should capture the city of Kirjath Sepher (Debir).

 

Othniel risked his life and took Kirjath Sepher (Debir), located in the mountainous region of Hebron in Judah (Joshua 14:12-14). He received Achsah’s hand in marriage as a reward for his bravery in leading a successful expedition against the enemy (Joshua 15:16,17; Judges 1:13; 3:8-11).

 

Achsah’s name means: “adorned, ankle ornament, bursting the veil”.

 

Caleb gave Achsah a portion of the Negev (land in the South) as a dowry. Like her generous-hearted father, she looked for great things through faith in God’s promise of the land.

 

Dismounting from her donkey, she humbly said to her father, “Give me a blessing. Thou hast set me in the land of the South, outside the rich valley of Hebron, in the dry and barren land. Give me also springs of water as needed by the south land.”

 

Caleb gave her “the upper and nether springs”, which was a spring rising on a hill north of Wady Dilbeh (two hours southwest of Hebron) and brought down by an aqueduct to the foot of the hill (Joshua 15:19; Judges 1:11-15; 1 Chronicles 2:49).

 

Typically hereby, we are taught as children of God to ask humbly and expect confidently great blessings (Luke 11:13; 1 John 3:22). Both the upper or heavenly, and the nether or earthly, is from our Heavenly Father (Psalms 81:10; 84:11; Isaiah 33:16; John 4:13-14; John 7:37-39; John 15:7; Ephesians 3:20-21).

 

Some thirty years after the death of Joshua, the Israelites forgot the Lord and served pagan gods of Canaan. Consequently, they fell under the subjection of Chushan-rishathaim, the king of Mesopotamia, who oppressed them for eight years. When the Israelites finally repented of their evil and cried out to the Lord Jehovah for deliverance, Othniel was raised up by the Lord to be the deliverer of his people.

 

Othniel is the only judge mentioned connected with the tribe of Judah. Under him the land had rest for forty years. The Hebrews remained faithful to Jehovah their God and King, and consequently prospered (Joshua 15:16-19; Judges 1:11-15, 3:8-11; 1 Chronicles 4:13; 27:15).

 

In Judges 3:11, it is not asserted that Othniel lived to the end of the forty years of rest in the land, which would make his life unduly long as the brother of Caleb; but simply, he died at some point after restoring rest to the land.

 

It was in answer to Israel’s cry that Jehovah raised up Othniel as their “savior” (Psalms 107:13-19; 50:15). The Spirit of Jehovah came upon his human spirit, enabling him to accomplish what his natural strength could not do.

 

He judged Israel – not merely settling their internal disputes in justice as civil judge – but also restoring their right to relation to their foreign oppressor, and went out to war.

 

In Othniel’s years of serving as a judge, he also played a major role in restoring Israel to its right attitude towards Jehovah, bringing down idolatry (Judges 2:28-19; 6:25-32). All this needed the seven-fold Spirit of God to accomplish.

 

The seven (or seven-fold) Spirits of God is mentioned in Isaiah 11:2-5, as well as Revelation 1:4, 3:1, 4:5, 5:6).

 

It’s referring to seven expressions or characteristics of the Holy Spirit. There are two possible interpretations of the seven-fold Spirit of God mentioned in Isaiah 11:2-5:

 

1.   Spirit of the Lord (Jehovah)

2.   Spirit of Wisdom

3.   Spirit of Understanding

4.   Spirit of Counsel

5.   Spirit of Might

6.   Spirit of Knowledge

7.   Spirit of the Fear of the Lord

 

Kat Kerr, who has been to Heaven numerous times, says that the Seven Spirits of God are actually seven Spirit Beings.

 

Othniel was one of four judges of whom the Scripture says, “The Spirit of the Lord came upon him” (Judges 3:10). The other three were Gideon, Jephthah and Samson.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Judge of Israel #2 – Ehud

 

 

Ehud was the second judge of Israel. His name means: “I will give thanks”, “I will be praised”,”undivided”, “unity”.

 

Ehud was a left-handed Benjamite, the son of Gera, also a hereditary name in Benjamin (Genesis 46:21; 2 Samuel 16:5; 1 Chronicles 8:3).

 

After the death of Othniel, the people again fell into idolatry. Eglon, the king of Moab, united his bands with those of the Ammonites and the Amalekites, and overran the trans-Jordanic region. Then crossing the Jordan, he seized Jericho, the “city of palm trees”. Jericho by this time had been rebuilt, but left unwalled, not built as a fortress. Therefore, the city was an easy prey to the foe.

 

The city was left unwalled after Joshua had destroyed it 60 years before, and Joshua had pronounced a curse on anyone who would attempt to rebuild the walls of Jericho (Joshua 6:26; 1 Kings 16:34).

 

Eglon’s name means: the bullock, place of heifers, round. The Bible says that he was very obese. Eglon was a Chieftain or king of one of the Moabite tribes (Judges 3:12-14).

 

King Eglon subdued the Israelites beyond the Jordan, and the southern tribes on this side of the Jordan River, and made Jericho the Capital seat, or one of the seats of government and built a palace there. It is not clear whether he resided at Jericho permanently, or only during the summer months (Judges 3:20).

 

For 18 years, Eglon held that whole district in subjection, exacting from it an annual tribute. This subjection and oppression of paying tribute to a power always present for 18 years must have been more infuriating to the Israelites than any they had previously suffered.

 

King Eglon seems to have formed an acquaintance level of relationship with Ehud, a young Israelite. Ehud was the courier on behalf of Israel who delivered repeated tributes (presents) to Eglon’s monarch. Therefore, Eglon got to know Ehud personally and trusted him, allowing Ehud to have access to his presence.

 

The people “cried unto the Lord” in their distress, and He “raised them up a deliverer” in Ehud, the son of Gera, a Benjamite (Judges 3:12-33).

 

At length, they were delivered, through the instrumentality of Ehud, who slew the Moabite king.

 

Ehud devised a plan to gain private access to King Eglon.

 

Ehud gained his favor by coming to present a tribute and requested to have an appointment to see King Eglon with the pretense that he had a secret message to give to the king.

 

All weapons had been confiscated from Israel by the Philistines and Moabites. Israel had no blacksmith or iron materials to make swords and other weapons. Israel was allowed to have a limited number of their own tools for farming, such as sickles and plowshares. They also had goads for cattle, plus forks and axes, and other tools. When their tools needed to be sharpened, they had to go to the Philistine blacksmiths, and had to pay a fee.

 

Ehud could have stolen some iron or metal materials. Or he could have melted down and pounded out tools he had that were made of iron. (But Ehud would have had to have stolen or gained access to the equipment that blacksmiths have, such as the smelting pots, a mold, etc.) Ehud would have had to have hidden somewhere in a cave or somewhere private where no one would detect him to make a sword.

 

In secret, he fashioned his own two-edged dagger, which was the length of one cubit (18 inches long), Judges 3:16. Since Ehud was left-handed, he hid the dagger on his right thigh. When going through security, the dagger was not detected, as the left side was usually where the swords were carried.

 

When Ehud was admitted into the king’s reception room, he presented King Eglon with a tribute (present) and said that he had a secret message to give to the king. The king dismissed his guards and servants from the room so they could have privacy, and the king cordially welcomed Ehud into his private summer parlor (or cooling apartment) so they could talk privately.

 

Upon Ehud’s announcing “I have a message from God unto thee,” the king rose reverentially with his head bowed down to receive it. Then Ehud drew out his dagger with his left hand and instantly pierced through Eglon’s belly. His inwards came flowing out. Eglon could not remove the dagger, as his belly fat closed over the handle.

 

Ehud left the dagger in Eglon’s belly and locked the door behind him. He escaped across an upstairs porch.

 

Then the king’s servants returned and saw that the doors were locked. They waited, thinking that perhaps he was using the restroom. But when, after a long time he didn’t come out, they became concerned and got a key. When they opened the door, they found their master dead on the floor.

 

Meanwhile Ehud had escaped past the quarries to Seirath, in Mount Ephraim. He then summoned, by trumpet, the army of Israel. From the East and West they descended upon the Moabites and took the fords, not suffering one of 10,000 of their strongest and most skillful fighting men to escape. So the land of Israel had rest for 80 years following this victory (Judges 3:12-30).

 

Ehud made himself a dagger in secret. Under the Philistines (1 Samuel 13:19) and under Moab, the making of iron weapons was forbidden. He girt it on his right thigh where its presence would never be suspected (as the left side was usually the sword side as most men were right-handed). Using his left hand to draw his dagger from the right thigh would be most convenient. He may have been one of the 600 left-handed slingers who escaped to the Rock Rimmon just thirteen years before (Judges 20:16).

 

Ehud was a judge of Israel for the rest of his life. During his leadership, Israel remained faithful to God.

 

Thenceforward, the land, at least the tribe of Benjamin, enjoyed rest “for fourscore years” (Judges 3:12-30). One score in the Bible is 20 years, and so therefore, fourscore equals 80 years of peace and independence.

 

 

 

 

Key Verse:

 

“When Israel cried out to the Lord for help, the Lord raised up a man to rescue them. His name was Ehud son of Gera, of the tribe of Benjamin, who was left-handed” (Judges 3:15).

 

 

Ehud Speaks (by Wilmington’s Bible Handbook Articles)

 

Remember what Moses said about God’s right hand saving our nation at the Red Sea – “Your right hand, O Lord, is glorious in power. Your right hand, O Lord, dashes the enemy to pieces” (Exodus 15:6).

 

Well, thank God for His right hand, but I want equal time, because in our day you’ve seen a left-handed man save Israel! Think of it – for 18 years that fat, greedy Eglon ruled over us with a heavy hand. The nerve of some people! But no more. By God’s grace and a little help from a knife and a trumpet, neither Eglon nor his 10,000 warriors will ever threaten Israel again. You should have seen his surprised look when I drew my knife with my left hand! And I wish I could have seen the look on the guards’ faces when they found their king dead. They thought they had frisked me so well. Of course, by the time they found him I was long gone! I wish all those kids who used to tease me could see me now – I’ve still got my fast legs and my strong left arm! (Judges 3:12-30)

 

 

Left-Handed and Right-Handed

 

In Biblical times (as in many cultures today), the respective values of the right and left hands were clearly distinguished. The right was considered the hand of power and honor; the left hand was considered weaker and less honorable.

 

Joseph was displeased when his father Israel placed his left hand on the elder son’s head and his right hand on the younger son’s head (Genesis 48:13-19). It was a statement saying that the younger was to receive the firstborn blessing.

 

Because the Jews oriented themselves by facing the rising sun (“east”), the left hand could represent the north, and the right could represent the south.

 

The left hand could also be a symbol of folly, evil and ill fortune. Ecclesiastes 10:2 says, “A wise man’s heart inclines him toward the right, but a fool’s heart toward the left.” In Jonah 4:11, the people of Ninevah, who were spared judgment, did not know their “right hand from their left hand” (KJV). In other translations, it says they did not know right from wrong.

 

In Jesus’ parable of the last judgment, the Son of man places the sheep (i.e., the righteous) on His right hand and the goats (i.e., the godless) on His left hand (Matthew 25:33).

 

In Mark 10:37-40, both the right hands and left hands represent positions of honor and intimate association (sitting on the right hand or left hand of Jesus on His Throne). However, to be seated on the right hand side of the Throne is more exalted than being seated at the left hand.

 

While the left hand was considered to be weaker than the right, it was the hand that held the bow (Ezekiel 39:3). Because a warrior held his shield with his left hand, he was most vulnerable on his right side. Thus a left-handed or ambidextrous warrior could be especially deadly, such as Ehud the Benjamite (Judges 3:15) who assassinated Eglon, king of Moab (Judges 3:15-22).

 

The tribe of Benjamin had seven hunded left-handed warriors (Judges 20:16). These were the ambidextrous Benjamites who assisted David at Ziklag (1 Chronicles 12:2), and Joab’s treacherous slaying of Amasa (2 Samuel 20:9-10).

 

The capacity of equal action with both hands was highly prized in ancient times, especially in war. Among the Hebrews this quality seems to have been most common in the tribe of Benjamin, for all the persons noticed as being endued with it were of that tribe.

 

By comparing Judges 3:15 and 20:16, with 1 Chronicles 12:2, we may gather that the persons mentioned in the two former texts as “left-handed” were really ambidexters. That means they were both left and right handed. They had equal strength in both sides.

 

The Benjamites who joined David at Ziklag were called “mighty men, helpers of the war.” They were armed with bows, and could use both the right hand and the left in hurling (slinging) and shooting arrows out of a bow. There were 30 of them, and they appear to have been all of one family. It was a hereditary trait that ran in certain families of the Benjamite tribe.

 

It may partly have been the result of cultivation. Although the left hand is not naturally an equally strong and ready instrument as the right hand, it may doubtless be often rendered such by early and suitable training.

 

1 Corinthians 1:27 (AMP)

[No] for God selected (deliberately chose) what in the world is foolish to put the wise to shame, and what the world calls weak to put the strong to shame.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Judge of Israel #3 – Shamgar

 

 

Shamgar is the third judge of Israel after Ehud (Judges 3:31) and immediately before Barak (Judges 5:6,8) who delivered the nation from oppression by the Philistines.

 

Shamgar’s name fit who he was, as his name means “sword”.

 

Shamgar was a “son of Anath”, which may indicate he was a resident of Beth Anath (Judges 1:33), a fortified city in the territory of Naphtali. He was probably a Naphtalite. The tribe of Naphtali took a foremost part in the war with Jabin (Judges 4:6,10; 5:18).

 

It is likely that Shamgar was a contemporary during the time of Deborah and Barak (Judges 3:31; 5:6).

 

Scripture Introduction: Judges 2:23-3:3

 

23 Therefore the Lord left those nations, without driving them out hastily; neither delivered he them into the hand of Joshua.

1 Now these are the nations which the Lord left, to prove Israel by them, even as many of Israel as had not known all the wars of Canaan;

2 Only that the generations of the children of Israel might know, to teach them war, at the least such as before knew nothing thereof;

3 Namely, five lords (cities) of the Philistines, and all the Canaanites, and the Sidonians, and the Hivites that dwelt in Mount Lebanon, from Mount Baal-Hermon unto the entering in of Hamath. KJV

 

PHILISTINES

Genesis 10:13 lists the Philistines as being descended from Ham. The Bible repeatedly refers to them as “uncircumcised”, just like the Hamitic people’s, such as the Canaanites, which the Bible relates encountered the Israelites following the Exodus (1 Samuel 17:26-36; 2 Samuel 1:20; Judges 14:3).

 

 

 

History indicates there were two Philistine settlements in Canaan, one early and another later. The Philistines of Gerar, with whom Abraham dealt (Genesis 20-21), evidently were a colony of the early settlement located southeast of Gaza in southern Canaan.

 

The colony was situated outside the area occupied by the five Philistine cities. Unlike the later Philistines who were Israel’s chief foes in the settlement and monarchy period, the Gerar Philistines were peaceful.

 

The later Philistines (as in Judges 3:3) were a people who occupied the five cities of Gaza, Ashkelon, Ashdod, Ekron and Gath, along the coastal strip of southwestern Canaan, their territory being names Philistia in later contexts.

 

The Philistine pentapolis were ruled by seranim “Lords” who acted together for the common good. After their defeat by the Hebrew King David, kings replaced the seranim, governing from various cities.

 

According to the Bible, the Philistines made frequent incursions against the Israelites. There was almost perpetual war between the two peoples.

 

After the days of Shamgar son of Anath, after the days of Jael [meaning here Ehud] the caravans ceased, and travelers walked through byways (Judges 5:6).

 

The tributary Canaanites (Judges 1:33), combined with the Philistines against Israel, rendering the highways unsafe and forced Israelite travelers into byways to escape being noticed. The villages were forsaken, and as in later times the oppressors confiscated Israel of all swords and spears (Judges 4:3; 1 Samuel 13:19,22).

 

1 Samuel 13:19-21 TLB

There were no blacksmiths at all in the land of Israel in those days, for the Philistines wouldn’t allow them for fear of their making swords and spears for the Hebrews.

 

So whenever the Israelites needed to sharpen their plowshares, discs, axes, or sickles, they had to take them to a Philistine blacksmith (traveling to one of the five cities of Gaza, Ashkelon, Ashdod, Ekron and Gath).

 

        The schedule of fees was as follows:

        For sharpening a plow point, 60 cents

        For sharpening a disc, 60 cents

        For sharpening an axe, 30 cents

        For sharpening a sickle, 30 cents

        For sharpening an ox goad, 30 cents

 

So we can conclude that travel was risky, yet unavoidable in order to have farm tools sharpened or repaired.

 

 

GOAD

In Judges 3:31, the Hebrew word for goad is malmad. It was an instrument used by plowmen for guiding their oxen. The malmad was sometimes ten feet long, and has a sharp point.

 

In 1 Samuel 13:21, a different Hebrew word is used, dorban, meaning “something pointed”. The expression in Acts 9:5, “It is hard for thee to kick against the pricks”, i.e. against the goad, was proverbial for unavailing resistance to superior power.

 

Acts 9:5 And Saul said, Who art thou, Lord? And the Lord said, I am Jesus whom thou persecuteth: it is hard for thee to kick against the pricks. KJV

 

When we kick against God (a superior power), we are only hurting ourselves. We create our own wounds by our actions and cause our own pain.

 

 

SHAMGAR

The Bible only gives one Scripture to describe the battle Shamgar had with the Philistines.

 

Judges 3:31 “The next judge after Ehud was Shamgar (son of Anath). He once killed six hundred Philistines with an ox goad, thereby saving Israel from disaster.” TLB

 

Since the Bible does not give more details, then we must analyze the known facts:

 

1.    What did Shamgar do? He killed 600 Philistines.

2.    How did he do it? He used an ox goad tool.

3.    Where did he do it? Perhaps traveling to or from a Philistine city. The Philistines made the highways unsafe.

4.    Why would he be traveling? Maybe to have his ox goad sharpened. There were no blacksmiths in Israel.

5.    What time of day or night would he have attacked the Philistines? Perhaps at night, while they were sleeping. Perhaps he ambushed them one at a time by daylight. Perhaps he took the whole 600 on at once. That could take hours of non-stop fighting.

 

With an ox goad as his only weapon (compare Judges 15:15-16), he slew 600 Philistines who were terrorizing the main travel routes, thereby giving Israel deliverance from oppressors for a time. The inadequacy of the weapon Shamgar used renders Jehovah’s might even all the more evident.

 

There is spiritual significance to the weapon used:

 

2 Corinthians 10:4

        “For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God for the pulling down of strongholds.”

 

1 Corinthians 1:27-29

        27    “But God has chosen the foolish things of the world to put to shame the wise, and God has chosen the weak things of the world to put to shame the things which are mighty:

        28    and the base things of the world and the things which are despised God has chosen, and the things which are not, to bring to nothing the things that are,

        29    that no flesh should glory in His presence.”

 

With an ox goad as his only weapon, Shamgar slew 600 Philistines. God received all the glory for that victory, as it would be humanly impossible in one’s own strength to slay that many Philistines with an inferior weapon. (Shamgar was coming up against Philistines who were professionally trained warriors, who possessed sophisticated weapons, and had more advanced warfare tactics).

 

This brings to mind Joshua 23:10 (quoted in both the Amplified and Message Bible), and Psalms 91:7 (quoted in the King James Version):

 

Joshua 23:10 (Amplified)

One man of you shall (chase) put to flight a thousand, for it is the Lord your God who fights for you, as He promised you.

 

Joshua 23:10 (Message Bible)

Think of it – one of you, single-handedly, putting a thousand on the run! Because God is God, your God. Because He fights for you, just as He promised you.

 

Psalms 91:7 (King James Version)

A thousand shall fall at thy side, and ten thousand at thy right hand, but it shall not come nigh thee.

 

Shamgar prepared the way for Deborah and Barak’s more decisive blow against their enemies.

 

Word of Wisdom

Ecclesiastes 12:11 (Amplified)

The words of the wise are like prodding goads, and firmly fixed [in the mind] like nails are the collected sayings which are given [as proceeding] from one Shepherd.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Judge of Israel #4 – Deborah

 

 

Deborah was the wife of Lapidoth and the only female judge. Her home was in the hill country of Ephraim between Bethel and Ramah. The palm tree under which she sat and judged Israel was a landmark. It became known as “the palm tree of Deborah” (Judges 4:5). The children of Israel came to her for matters regarding settling legal disputes and judgments.

 

Deborah’s fame spread far and wide. Gifted with prophetic command, she became known as a “mother in Israel” (Judges 5:7) and a prophetess (Judges 4:4). She (like Miriam) gained her title of prophetess not only by speaking the word of the Lord, but also because she was an inspired poet and song writer. The “Song of Deborah” (Judges 5) is one of the finest and earliest examples of Hebrew poetry.

 

Deborah’s name means “bee”. Her name could have been her birth name, or possibly an official name applied to poets, seers and prophetesses. The bee is a symbol of a monarch or regal power in Egypt. Deborah’s name depicted that she was a honeybee to her friends and a stinging bee to her enemies.

 

Deborah was the 4^th judge of Israel. The Bible says little about her family line, except that she belonged to the tribe of Issachar. The sons of Issachar were noted as having “understanding of the times and seasons” to know what Israel should do (1 Chronicles 12:32). These were a company of prophetic people who not only understood the times and seasons, but knew what to do with that understanding so as to not miss their window of opportunity.

 

Deborah was instrumental in bringing the Israelites back to God. After Ehud (the previous judge) died, the people had begun to turn away from the Lord and do evil in His sight. Finally, God temporarily lifted His hand of protection and allowed them to fall into captivity by their enemies, until the time came when Israel would repent and turn back to God (and then He would destroy the ones whom He had allowed to oppress them).

 

For 20 years, Jabin II, king of northern Canaan, of which the city of Hazor was the capital, had oppressed the Israelites, holding them in degrading subjection and seducing them into idolatry (Judges 5:8).

 

The city of Hazor had been destroyed with King Jabin I, its king, more than a century before, under Joshua; but owing to Israel’s unfaithfulness, it had been permitted to be rebuilt and a succeeding Jabin regained the possessions taken from his forerunner.

 

Sisera was the commander of the army of Jabin. Deborah summoned Barak and told him it was God’s will that he lead Israel’s forces against the mighty warrior, Sisera, who had terrorized Israel for 20 years.

 

The spirit of patriotism had been crushed out of the nation of Israel. In this emergency, Deborah aroused the people from their lethargy and apathy.

 

Deborah was the organ of communication between God and his people, and she displayed her influence and authority of her character.

 

Preparations were made everywhere by her direction for the great effort to throw off the yoke of bondage. After Deborah summoned Barak (Judges 4; 5:1; Hebrews 11:32), he accepted on one condition: Deborah must accompany him. She agreed, but informed him that the glory of bringing down Sisera would not go to him, but go to a woman (Judges 4:8-9).

 

Deborah and Barak’s army numbered only 10,000 men, while Sisera had a multitude of fighters and 900 chariots of iron.

 

In the natural, it looked like the odds were not in Israel’s favor. But with God on their side, the Lord went before them subduing their enemies.

 

Barak, accompanied by Deborah, went up to Mt. Tabor, about 12 miles northeast of Migiddo.

 

This location was favorable to the poorly armed Israelites in warding off the danger of the well-armed enemy, for the wooded slopes protected them against the iron chariots of the Canaanites, and iron chariots could not be easily maneuvered on uneven ground. In addition, they were within striking distance should the enemy expose himself on the march.

 

Sisera, after being informed that the Israelites were positioning themselves on Mt. Tabor, mustered his troops and approached from Harosheth-ha-goiim to the brook Kishon in the Valley of Jezreel.

 

With Deborah’s assurance that Yahweh would bring them victory, she gave the signal and Barak with his army rushed down upon the Canaanites, completely defeating them.

 

The victory is attributed to Yahweh, for He fought against the Canaanites by sending a great thunderstorm. The wind and rain caused the brook Kishon to become a raging torrent overflowing the banks. Thus, the plains surrounding the battle area became a quagmire, in which Sisera’s troops found it impossible to maneuver through. Sisera’s 900 iron chariots were rendered useless in trudging through mud and swamp (Judges 5:21). With the wind blowing in the faces of the enemy, it made them more vulnerable to attack.

 

Barak pursued the Canaanite army all the way to Harosheth-ha-goiim, where Sisera lived. “And all the army of Sisera fell by the edge of the sword; not a man was left” (Judges 4:16).

 

God was on Israel’s side. When the battle ended, not a single man of Sisera’s army survived, except for Sisera himself, who abandoned his chariot and fled on foot.

 

Sisera took refuge in the tent of Heber the Kenite. Sisera asked for water to quench his thirst, but Jael (the wife of Heber), had a plan. She gave Sisera milk to drink, then covered him with a warm blanket. Sisera became drowsy and fell off to sleep. After Sisera was sound asleep, Jael took a hammer and drove a sharp tent peg through his temple and into the ground (Judges 4:21), and he died.

 

When Barak came by looking for Sisera, Jael went out to meet him and said, “Come, and I will show you the man you are looking for.” So he followed her into the tent and found Sisera lying there dead, with the tent peg through his temples (Judges 4:22).

 

Loyalty towards the cause of Israel, so closely allied with the Kenites through Moses’ father-n-law Hobab, caused Jael, to commit the treacherous murder.

 

The praise, “blessed above women in the tent (i.e. shepherdesses) shall Jael the wife of Heber the Kenite be” commends her faith, not her treachery. Some actions of faith are mixed with the corrupt motions of the flesh, as that of the midwives and Rahab’s treatment of the spies. So Jael’s act showed real faith in the case of God’s controversy with the godless Canaanites.

 

So that day, the Lord used Israel to subdue King Jabin of Canaan. From that time on, Israel became stronger and stronger against King Jabin, until he and all his people were destroyed (Judges 4:23-24).

 

Deborah’s prophecy was fulfilled that God would deliver Sisera into their hand by a woman (Judges 4:7). This completed the victory and ruination of King Jabin’s power.

 

The victory is described twice. First, in prose (style of text writing) in Judges 4. Second, in poetry and song, penned by Deborah in Judges 5. Deborah and Barak together sang the song of victory composed by Deborah the judge and prophetess (Judges 5:1). They probably led the men and women in anti-phonal singing, where one choir repeats or responds to the first choir. Anti-phonal praise, along with tambourines and dancing, was the common custom among the Hebrews in celebrating victories.

 

The song of Deborah is now recognized as an eye-witness account, and therefore of the highest value as a historical document. It begins by extolling the God revealed in all His might at Sinai. After describing the plight of the Israelite tribes, it eulogizes Deborah and Barak, the heroine and hero who came to the rescue (Judges 5:7,9,12,15), and then the brave people of Zebulun and Naphtali (5:18). They fought and won because God was on their side: “The stars in their courses fought against Sisera” (5:20).

 

After execrating (cursing) those who stayed away from the battle (Judges 5:23), Deborah blesses Jael, who killed the oppressor. Then she depicts Sisera’s mother looking out the window and waiting for Sisera to return with the spoil. “So perish all thine enemies, O Lord!” concludes the song. “But thy friends be like the sun as he rises in his might.”

 

 

 

The prophetess pours out her whole soul in thanksgiving to God for His divine aid, and in gratitude to the people of Israel for their patriotism in rising spontaneously to throw off the yoke of oppression. The wicked shall be overthrown, while the righteous shall ever triumph in Jehovah’s name.

 

Forty years of peace in the land followed this victory. After this battle, Deborah probably continued to exercise her former authority, but nothing more of her history is recorded.

 

 

Wilmington’s Bible Articles Handbook says the following about Deborah:

 

Deborah Speaks

I, Deborah, often think of her, that other Deborah (Rebekah’s nurse), whose name was given to this very palm tree under which I hold court. Perhaps I was named after her. She was a nurse; I am a prophetess. She ministered to Rebekah and Isaac; I have been called to help Barak.

 

What a sight that was, watching Barak charge down the slopes of Mt. Tabor with his 10,000 troops, utterly crushing the enemy. I found myself asking, “Is this the same timid man who only a day or so ago flatly declared he would lead no army unless I went with him?” In fact I asked him, “What in the world has transformed you?” And he smiled and said, “I assumed you would know. It had nothing to do with this world. It’s called faith!” (Hebrews 11:32-34).

 

I think we both felt bad about my prophecy at first (that the glory for winning the battle would go to a woman), but that was before we met Jael. What a woman! Probably the words in our celebration said it best: “Most blessed is Jael.” (Judges 4:9; 5:24)

 

 

Spiritual Lessons From Deborah

·       Don’t undervalue your occupation or position in life. God called an Israelite wife and mother to serve as a prophetess and to spearhead one of Israel’s great military attacks.

 

·       Though Deborah was right in helping Barak, we should not need another person’s help to obey the clearly revealed will of God. Barak’s partial obedience resulted in partial rewards.

 

Other Prophetesses Mentioned in the Bible

The role of prophets/prophetesses in the Bible usually implies more than giving prophetic words or future predictions. It usually involves the public ministry of preaching, teaching, revealing truths, and installing people into ministry. Often inspired writing and/or prophetic worship accompanied with the playing of musical instruments goes along with the role of a prophet/prophetess.

 

A prophet/prophetess is a seer, and dreams, visions and revelations are a common part of everyday life. They have to spend a lot of time behind the Veil to hear from God. A prophet or prophetess must have the gift of prophecy, plus revelation gifts of words of knowledge, words of wisdom and discerning of spirits (1 Corinthians 12).

 

A prophet or prophetess receives a word from the heart of God, and then declares what God is saying to His people. It could be through the form of prophetic words, a sermon, the arts (painting, dance), writing, singing. A prophet or prophetess hears from God in a variety of ways, including symbolism.

 

The ministry of the prophet or prophetess is closely linked to that of mighty intercessors who see into the realm of the Spirit and then make decrees.

 

Old and New Testament Prophetesses include:

 

·                   Deborah (Judges 4:4)

·                   Miriam, the sister of Moses (Exodus 15:20)

·                   Huldah (2 Kings 22:14-20)

·                   Hannah foretold how David’s dynasty would be founded (1 Samuel 2:1-10)

·                   Anna in the Temple (Luke 2:36-38)

·                   Elisabeth and Mary (Luke 1:41-55)

·                   Philip’s four virgin daughters (Acts 21:9)

·                   1 Corinthians 11:5 assumes the female role in prophesying

 

 

 

BARAK

His name means “lightning of war”. Barak is the son of Abinoam of the city of Kedesh-Naphtali, a Galilean city of refuge in the tribe of Naphtali (Judges 4:6; Joshua 19:37; 21:32).

 

Barak was the military commander for the army of Israel.

 

Israel had been suffering under the oppression of the Canaanites (Judges 4:2), and the land was in a state of anarchy. The caravan roads were in danger and traffic almost ceased. The cultivated lands were plundered. The fighting men in Israel were disarmed, and neither a shield nor a spear could be found among forty thousand in Israel (Judges 5:6-8).

 

According to the prose narrative, Barak was summoned in the name of Yahweh by the prophetess Deborah, who was judging Israel at that time, to gather an army of ten thousand on Mt. Tabor (Judges 4:3). They were to meet Jabin’s army near the brook Kishon (Judges 4:6). The brunt of the battle would be fought with few tribes participating. Barak refused to go unless Deborah would accompany him. Deborah consented to go with him, but told him that the glory of bringing down Sisera would not go to him, but to a woman.

 

Deborah’s prophecy was fulfilled when Barak pursued Sisera and found him murdered by Jael in her tent (Judges 4:22; 5:24-27).

 

Barak is mentioned in Samuel’s farewell address as one of the judges who delivered the Israelites from the hand of their enemies (1 Samuel 12:11).

 

Barak’s faith is commended in the New Testament among the heroes of faith in Hebrews 11:32.

 

Two Schools of Thought on Why Barak Needed Deborah There

 

School of Thought #1

The character of Barak, though pious, does not seem to have been heroic. Like Gideon, and in a sense Samson, he is an illustration of the words in Hebrews 11:34, “Out of weakness we are made strong.”

 

 

School of Thought #2

Nowhere in the Bible does it say that Barak was fearful, timid, or cowardly. Nowhere does it say that he expected Deborah to engage in warfare combat. The Bible does say that he and his men viciously pursued the enemy, and defeated them. Barak wanted Deborah to accompany him because she represented the Ark of God. She was a carrier of the glory and presence of God. He needed God’s presence and favor to win this battle. In other battles mentioned in the Bible, the Israelites had the priests carry the Ark of the Covenant on the frontlines out to war. This was to symbolize God’s presence and power going with them and giving them the victory. Barak did not discriminate because Deborah was a woman. He knew God spoke through her, and that she had power with God. Barak also needed her encouragement and support.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Judge #5 – Gideon

 

 

Gideon’s name means “a hewer”, i.e. warrior, or the hewer down of Baal (Isaiah 10:33), also called Jerubbaal (Judges 6:29,32) and Jerubbesheth (2 Samuel 11:21).

 

He was the youngest son of Joash, of the family of Abiezer, in the tribe of Manasseh, (Joshua 17:2; 1 Chronicles 7:18), and of the little township of Ophrah, a town probably on the western side of the Jordan (Judges 6:11,15). Coming from an obscure, undistinguished family, Gideon became the chief leader of Manasseh and the fifth recorded judge of Israel.

 

Gideon’s calling is the commencement of the second period in the history of the judges with him being the first judge whose history is circumstantially narrated (Judges 6-8; Hebrews 11:32). When we first hear of Gideon he is grown up, married and has sons (Judges 6:11; 8:20).

 

After the victory gained by Deborah and Barak over Jabin II, Israel once more sank into idolatry. The Midianites and Amalekites, with other “children of the east,” crossed the Jordan each year for seven successive years for the purpose of plundering and desolating the land.

 

 

FACTS:

Gideon received a direct call from God to undertake the task of delivering the land from these warlike invaders. First, with ten of his servants, he overthrew the altars of Baal and cut down their god (Asherah) which was upon it. Then he blew the trumpet (shofar or ram’s horn) of alarm, and the people flocked to his standard (place of formation) on the crest of Mount Gilboa to the number of thirty-two thousand men. These were, however, reduced to only three hundred men.

 

These 300, armed with torches and pitchers and trumpets, rushed in from three different points on the camp of Midian at midnight, in the valley to the north of Moreh, with the terrible war-cry, “For the Lord and for Gideon!” (Judges 7:18).

 

Terror-stricken, the Midianites were put into dire confusion, and in the darkness slew one another, so that only fifteen thousand out of the great army of one hundred and twenty thousand escaped alive.

 

The memory of this great deliverance impressed itself deeply on the mind of the nation (1 Samuel 12:11; Psalms 83:11; Isaiah 9:4, 10:26; Hebrews 11:32). The land now had rest for forty years. Gideon died in a good old age, and was buried in the sepulcher of his fathers.

 

 

HISTORY:

Midian, along with Moab, besought Balaam to curse Israel. Through his counsel, Balaam tempted Israel to whoredom with the Midianite and Moabite women. It brought a plague on Israel, and had then by God’s command been smitten sorely by Israel (Numbers 25:17-18, 31:1-16). But now after 200 years, in renewed strength, with the Amalekite and other plundering children of the East, they were used as God’s instrument to chastise His apostate people.

 

Crossing Jordan from the East they spread themselves from the plain of Jezreel to the sea coast of Gaza. Affliction led Israel to crying in prayer. Prayer brought first a prophet from Jehovah to awaken them to a sense of God’s grace in their former deliverances and of their own apostasy.

 

Next, the Angel of Jehovah came, i.e. Jehovah (Jesus) the Second Person Himself. Former judges, Othniel, Ehud and Barak had been moved by the Spirit of God to do their work; but to Gideon alone under a terebinth in Ophrah, a town belonging to Joash, Jehovah appeared in person to show that the God who had made theophanies to the patriarchs was the same Jehovah, ready to save their descendants if they would return to the covenants.

 

His second revelation was in a dream, commanding him to overthrow his father’s altar to Baal erected on the family grounds and to erect an alter to Jehovah and offer a burnt sacrifice with the wood of the Asherah (“grove”) or idol goddess of nature, probably a wooden pillar (Deuteronomy 16:21).

 

In the first revelation, Jehovah acknowledged Gideon. In the second He commanded Gideon to acknowledge Him. As God alone, Jehovah will not be worshipped along with Baal (1 Kings 18:21; Ezekiel 20:39).

 

 

DETAILS:

 

1.   Midianite Oppression.

 

The family of Joash had fallen into the prevalent idolatry of the times, which was characterized by backsliding from the true worship of Jehovah. Joash was an idolater, and sacrifices to Baal were common among the entire clan. Gideon held this worship in contempt and pondered the causes of Israel’s reverses and the injuries heaped upon his family by the Midianites (camel-riding Bedouin).

 

The Midianites under Zebah and Zalmunna, their two great chiefs, accompanied by other tribes of the eastern desert, gradually encroached on Israel’s territory in central Palestine.

 

They came first as marauders (raiders) and pillagers (like swarming locust) with the flocks. Herds consumed all their produce except what the Israelites could hide in caves and holes (Jujdges 6:2, 5-6, 11) at the time of the harvests, but later they forcibly took possession of lands, inflicting permanent injury and loss, especially upon Manasseh and Ephraim.

 

The conflicts became so numerous and the appropriation of the land so obvious, that sustenance became a serious problem and defense was difficult (Judges 6:4). The Israelites, lacking a sense of national unity, took to dens, caves, and rocky strongholds for safety (Judges 6:2). God permitted them to be brought so low that their extreme situation might be His opportunity. After seven years of such invasion and suffering, Gideon came upon the scene.

 

 

2.   Call of Gideon and his first revelation of God.

 

 

 

Probably Gideon had already distinguished himself in Israel’s resistance to the Midianites. The Angel of the LORD said, “Jehovah is with thee, thou mighty man of valor” (Judges 6:12), but he now received divine commission to assume the leadership against them.

 

Having hid his own little harvest in a secret place for threshing that it might escape the greed of the Midianites, while at work threshing grain, he was surprised by a visit from an Angel of the Lord (Judges 6:11-24).

 

Gideon was busy knocking out (habit) with a stick wheat in the winepress, sunk in the ground or hewn in the rock to make it safe for he did not dare to thresh upon an open floor or hardened area in the open field, but like poor gleaners (Ruth 2:17) knocked out the little grain with a stick.

 

The Angel of the LORD said, “Jehovah is with thee thou mighty man,” seemed to Gideon a direct opposite of what he had been experiencing with the Midianite oppression and his own occupation was factual proof of the sad contrast. He certainly did not feel very mighty, hiding from the enemy.

 

He replied to the Angel of the LORD with a question: “If Jehovah be with us why is all this befallen us?” alluding to Deuteronomy 31:17. Then My anger shall be kindled against them in that day, and I will forsake them, and I will hide My face from them, and they shall be devoured, and many evils and troubles shall befall them; so that they will say in that day, “Are not these evils come upon us, because our God is not among us” (KJV).

 

But God’s words guarantee their own accomplishment.

 

JEHOVAH replied, “Go in this thy might (the might now given thee by ME, Isaiah 40:29), and thou shalt save Israel from the hand of the Midianites: have I not sent thee?”

 

Gideon’s heart now began to take courage. To make sure that it really was a divine messenger he was dealing with, and that the commission he had received was from the LORD, he requested a sign from Heaven; and it was given him in connection with an offering, which he was allowed to present, of a goat and some unleavened cakes.

 

Then followed the requested “sign.” When the Angel of the Lord stretched forth the staff in his hand, touched Gideon’s “offering” with the tip or end of His staff, a fire presently rose out of the rock and consumed (not a strict sacrifice but a sacrificial gift), the goat and unleavened cakes (compare Genesis 18, the theophany to Abraham very similar). Compare and contrast the conduct of the angel and the acceptance of Manoah’s sacrifice in Judges 13:20. Samson was later born to Manoah.

 

Immediately the angel himself disappeared, though not until he had by a word of peace quieted the mind of Gideon, which had become agitated by the thought of having seen the face of the Lord (Exodus 20:19; Judges 13:22).

 

Gideon, in gratitude, built an altar on the spot desecrated by the idolatrous shrine, and called it “Jehovah Shalom” a pledge of “Jehovah” being now at “peace” with Israel again (Judges 6:24; Jeremiah 29:11, 33:16).

 

Judges 6:25-26 (from the Message Bible Version)

25 That night this happened. God said to him, “Take your father’s best seven-year-old bull, the prime one. Tear down your father’s Baal altar and chop down the Asherah fertility pole beside it.

26 Then build an altar to God, your God, on the top of this hill. Take the prime bull and present it as a Whole-Burnt-Offering, using firewood from the Asherah pole that you cut down.”

 

Joash’s “seven year old” bullock was appointed in the dream to Gideon as the bullock to be offered to Jehovah, corresponding to Midian’s seven years of oppression because of Israel’s apostasy (Judges 6:26).

 

Perhaps that particular bullock is specified because it had been reserved by his father to sacrifice to Baal, for Joash seems to have been a priest of that worship. The wood from the Asherah or idol goddess of nature, probably a wooden pillar (Judges 3:7) was used to burn the sacrificial offering.

 

There can be no question of the divine origin of Gideon’s call or of the authenticity of God’s voice. The brooding over the death of his brothers at Tabor (Judges 8:18) and the patriotic impulses surging in his soul cannot account for his assumption of leadership. Neither did the populace choose him as a leader.

 

The call came to him as a surprise, and found him distrustful both of himself (Judges 6:15) and of his people (Judges 6:13). Only his conviction that it was a divine command persuaded him to assume leadership.

 

 

3.   Gideon’s First Commission.

 

The call and the first commission of Gideon was closely united. He was commanded to destroy at once the altars of Baal set up by his father at Ophrah, to build an altar to Yahweh, and to offer one of his father’s best bullocks as a sacrifice there (Judges 6:25).

 

So Gideon’s call followed the usual command to God’s prophets and reformers to begin their work at home.

 

Taking ten men, under the cover of darkness, Gideon obeyed God’s instructions (Judges 6:27). He feared God more than man and took the risk of being stoned by his family and townsmen.

 

The morning revealed his work, and in their wrath the people of Ophrah demanded Gideon’s death for sacrilege. The answer of Joash his father is ironical but valid defense of Gideon. Why should the people plead for Baal? A god should be able to plead his own cause (Judges 6:28-31). This defense gained for Gideon the surname of Jerubbaal (“let Baal plead,” Judges 6:32), “let Baal fight”, vindicate his own cause on the destroyer of his altar; and as the Jews in contempt changed Baal in compounds to besheth, “Jerubbesheth,” “Let the shameful idol light.”

 

Then the Spirit of God “clothed” Gideon as his coat of mail (body armor) (Judges 6:34; 1 Chronicles 12:18; 2 Chronicles 24:20; Luke 24:49). The Spirit of the Lord came upon him and them.

 

Luke 24:49: The Message Bible

“What comes next is very important: I am sending what My Father promised to you, so stay here in the city until he arrives, until you’re equipped with power from on high.”

 

 

 

Isaiah 61:10: King James Version

“I will greatly rejoice in the Lord, my soul shall be joyful in my God; for He hath clothed me with the garments of salvation, He hath covered me with the robe of righteousness, as a bridegroom decketh himself with ornaments (decorates himself as a priest), and as a bride adorneth herself with her jewels.”

 

Ephesians 6:10-18: The Message Bible

A Fight to the Finish

10 And that about wraps it up. God is strong, and He wants you strong.

11 So take everything the Master has set out for you, well-made weapons of the best materials. And put them to use so you will be able to stand up to everything the devil throws your way.

12 This is no afternoon athletic contest that we’ll walk away from and forget about in a couple of hours. This is for keeps, a life-or-death fight to the finish against the devil and all his angels.

13 Be prepared. You’re up against far more than you can handle on your own. Take all the help you can get, every weapon God has issued, so that when it’s all over but the shouting you’ll still be on your feet.

14 Truth, righteousness

15 peace,

16 faith,

17 and salvation are more than words. Learn how to apply them. You’ll need them throughout your life. God’s Word is an indispensable weapon.

18 In the same way, prayer is essential in this ongoing warfare. Pray hard and long. Pray for your brothers and sisters. Keep your eyes open. Keep each other’s spirits up so that no one falls behind or drops out.

 

 

4.  Gideon’s Army

 

When the allied invaders encamped on the plain of Jezreel, Gideon recruited his own clan the Abiezrites, Manasseh west of Jordan, Zebulun, and Naphtali, sent messengers to the various tribes of Israel (Judges 6:34), and pitched his camp near the Midianites.

 

 

 

Locating the various camps of Gideon is difficult, and his method of recruiting the tribes raises further problems (cf. Judges 6:35 with 7:23). Evidently at the preliminary encampment, the rallying place, he further tested his commission by the dry and wet fleece (Judges 6:36-40).

 

 

THE DRY AND WET FLEECE

Going into battle is a life threatening decision for yourself and those in your command. The wrong decision could cost the lives of trusted men. It is understandable that perhaps days before going into battle, attacking, and declaring war on the enemy, there is more sensitivity, restlessness or uneasiness felt that at the moment of action. It is a time when the priest would make a burnt sacrifice before God seeking His favor.

 

Gideon needed more proof of his commission and requested two miraculous signs which, on the two nights preceding the march, were required and given as tokens of victory.

 

The first night a fleece was laid out in the middle of an open threshing-floor, and in the morning it was quite wet, while the soil was dry all around.

 

The next night the wonder was reversed, the soil being wet and the fleece perfectly dry. Strengthened by this double sign from God, Gideon advanced to the brook Harod, in the valley of Jezreel.

 

At his prayer the sign followed, the woolen fleece becoming saturated with dew while the earth around was dry, then the ground around being wet while the fleece was dry.

 

 

Dew symbolizes God’s reviving grace. Israel was heretofore the dry fleece, while the nations around were flourishing; now she is to become filled with the Lord’s vigor, while the nations around lose it. The fleece becoming afterward dry while the ground around was wet symbolizes Israel’s rejection of the Gospel while the Gentile world is receiving the gracious dew. Afterwards Israel in its turn shall be the dew to the Gentile world (Micah 5:7).

 

 

Now, convinced of God’s purpose to save Israel by his leadership, Gideon moved his camp to the southeast edge of the plain of Jezreel, pitched on a height at the foot of which fountain Harod (“the spring of trembling,” now perhaps Ain Jahlood) sprang (2 Samuel 23:25), a fine spring at the foot of Mount Gilboa, issuing blue and clear from a cavern, and forming a pool with rushy banks and a pebbly bottom, 100 yards long.

 

The water is sweet, though slightly tasting of sulphur, and there is ample space for gathering a great number of men. Midian pitched in the valley of Jezreel (Judges 6:33). From this vantage point he could look down on the tents of Midian. Neither of the tests by which he reduced his large army from 32,000 to 300 is unnatural, and the first was not unusual (cf. Deuteronomy 20:1-8). Gideon, at God’s command, first excused all the fearful.

 

Test 1: The timid were first thinned out of the army leaving himself with 10,000 men. (Deuteronomy 20:8.) In Judges 7:3. “whosoever is fearful let him return from Mount Gilead,” as they were then West of the Jordan, the mount in Eastern Palestine cannot be meant; but the phrase was a familiar designation of the Manassites.

 

Test 2: To take away still further all attribution of the victory to man not God, the army was further reduced to 300 by a test of their method of drinking water, leaving him only the courageous, eager, and discerning soldiers ready for battle (Judges 7:2-7). Gideon retained those alone whose energy was shown by their lapping (drinking) what water they lifted with their hands, not delaying to kneel and drink but like active men in haste.

 

 

5.   Defeat of the Midianites.

 

Gideon, with Phurah his servant, went under cover of darkness to the edge of the camp of his enemy, and there heard the relating and interpreting of a dream, which greatly encouraged him and led him to strike an immediate blow (Judges 7:9-22).

 

Gideon heard the Midianite’s dream of a barley cake overturning the tent, that being poor men’s food, so symbolizing despised Israel, the “tent” symbolizing Midian’s nomadic life of freedom and power. The Moabite stone shows how similar to Hebrew was the language of Moab, and the same similarity to the Midianite tongue appears from Gideon understanding them.

 

Gideon framed his plans, which were admirably adapted to strike a panic into the huge and undisciplined nomad host (Judges 8:15-18 compare to 1 Samuel 14:9,10).

 

Gideon divided the remnant of his band of 300 into three equal attacking columns, which seems to have been a common custom (1 Samuel 11:11; Genesis 14:15; Judges 9:43). Gideon then ordered that with trumpets, with lights concealed in pitchers, and with the cry, “The sword of Yahweh and of Gideon!” (He adds his own name to the war-cry, as suited both to inspire confidence in his followers and strike terror in the enemy) they should charge the Midianites simultaneously from three sides.

 

Concealed by the folds of the rolling ground, the 300 men crept down to Midian’s camp in the valley. They were to wait until the beginning of the middle watch, i.e. at midnight (this and the morning watch dividing the night into three watches in the Old Testament).

 

The signal to attack would be Gideon blowing his trumpet, followed by his 300 warriors to blow their trumpets, break the pitchers, and let the lamps in their left hand previously covered with the pitchers (a type of the Gospel light in earthen vessels, 2 Corinthians 4:6-7), suddenly flash on the foe, and to cry “the sword of Jehovah and of Gideon,” and to stand without moving round about the Midian camp.

 

A mutual slaughter arose from panic among the Midianites (a type of Christ’s final overthrow of Anti-Christ, Isaiah 9:4-7), each trumpet holder seeming to have a company at his back.

 

We know from history that large and irregular Oriental armies are especially liable to sudden outbursts of uncontrollable terror; and when the stillness and darkness of the night were, suddenly disturbed in three different directions by the flash of torches and by the reverberating echoes which the trumpets and the shouting woke among the hills, we cannot be astonished at the complete rout into which the enemy were thrown. It must be remembered, too, that the sound of 300 trumpets would make them suppose that a corresponding number of companies were attacking them.

 

 

FIRST VICTORY:

The rout was complete, and victory was ensured when the enemy turned their swords against one another in the darkness. Then the men of Asher, Naphtali, and all Manasseh, who had been dismissed, returned to join in the pursuit.

 

(This strategy of concealing his number of 300 men and terrifying the enemy with the crashing of lighted pots, like small bombs exploding, and the trumpets blasting like many warriors invading, succeeded.

 

Waking the Midianites and their confused allies with this loud noise, frightened them and they wailed out in fear into their wild peculiar cries, and fled headlong in disorder, running many directions, “down the descent to the Jordan,” to the “house of the Acacia” (Beth-shitta), and the “meadow of the dance” (Abel-meholah).

 

One part of the fleeing enemy, under Zebah and Zalmunna, evidently crossed the Jordan to Succoth. The main force followed the river farther south toward the ford (waters) of Beth-barah, but were intercepted by the Ephraimites (Judges 7:18-22).

 

Gideon sent messengers to the Ephraimites (Judges 7:24), probably before the first attack, requesting them to intercept the fleeing Midianites at the waters (tributary streams) of Beth-barah and Jordan, should they attempt to escape by the fords in Ephraim’s territory.

 

 

SECOND VICTORY:

A second fight ensued there. Ephraim defeated the enemy at Beth-barah and slew the princes Oreb (“the raven”) at a rock and Zeeb (“the wolf”) concealed in a wine press, to which their names were afterwards given as “the Raven’s Peak” and “the Wolf’s Den.”

 

As proof of their victory and valor, the Ephraimites beheaded the princes and brought the heads of the princes to Gideon “on the other side,” which amounted to an acknowledgment of his leadership, but still the haughty and jealous Ephraimites were greatly annoyed and they accused Gideon of having discounted their bravery by not calling them earlier in the fight.

 

Serious consequences might have followed but for the tact of Gideon in speaking in a lowly spirit of his own doings in comparison with theirs, became a proverb (Proverbs 15:1). But Gideon, being a diplomat and a strategist, won Ephraim’s friendship by extolling their feat in comparison with his own (Judges 8:1-3).

 

Meanwhile the higher sheiks, Zebah and Zalmunna, had already escaped, and Gideon resolved to pursue them into eastern Manasseh, on the east side of the river. The people on this side were still in great fear of the Midianites and refused even to feed his army.

 

At Succoth they complained, “Are Zebah and Zalmunna already in your hand, that we should give bread to your army?” (Judges 8:6). He met with the same refusal at Penuel (Judges 8:8). Gideon denounced vengeance upon them, but postponed its execution until his return, promising to deal with Succoth and Penuel when he had completed his present task.

 

Gideon pushed on southward in pursuit of the Midianites with his half-famished, fatigued and hungry, but courageous, stout-hearted men.

 

He learned that the Midianites had encamped with the remnant of their army in fancied security at Karkor, just without the limits of Palestine.

 

Gideon and his men received new strength and energy and made a rapid detour through the edge of the nomadic region of the Hauran, falling suddenly upon them from the east by night.

 

His surprise was successful and he overtook the Midianites, bursting upon them while they lay sleeping among the tents of their Bedouin countrymen.

 

Gideon defeated them, and captured Zebah and Zalmunna, and by sunrise was on his way to the Jordan.

 

In those days captives of distinction taken in war were almost invariably slain. Zebah and Zalmunna had made up their minds to this fate; and yet it was Gideon’s humane intention to spare them until he learned that they had put to death his own brothers under the same circumstances, upon which, as the avenger of their blood, the two kings of Midian now had to meet their fate as defeated warriors.

 

 

THIRD VICTORY:

In his third victory, Gideon avenged on the Midianitish Kings the massacre of his kingly brethren whom they had slain at Tabor. Because Gideon’s brothers had perished in battle at Tabor fighting them, Gideon commanded his oldest but young son, Jether, to slay Zebah and Zalmunna, as though they were not worthy of an honorable death at a warrior’s hand (Judges 8:20). But the youth feared the task and so Gideon slew them (Judges 8:21). Jether was slain by Abimelech after his father’s death (Judges 9:5).

 

Gideon slew the captives with his own hand. In these three battles only 15,000 out of 120,000 Midianites escaped alive.

 

Upon his triumphal return, Gideon fulfilled his promise and took vengeance on the coward and apostate towns of both Succoth and Penuel (Judges 8:7-17).

 

The memory of this splendid deliverance took deep root in the national traditions (1 Samuel 12:11; Psalms 83:11; Isaiah 9:4, 10:26; Hebrews 11:32). Thus, the power of the Midianites and of the desert hordes was broken in Canaan, and forty years of peace came to Israel.

 

Gideon’s victory over self was still greater than that over Midian. By a soft answer he turned aside Ephraim’s proud and unreasonable wrath at his not summoning them at the first: “is not the gleaning of the grapes of Ephraim (their subsequent victory over the fleeing Midianites) better than the vintage of Abiezer?” than my firsts victory over them (Judges 8:1; Proverbs 15:1, 16:32). Gideon praised the Ephraimites and made his own victory less.

 

Contrast the unyielding temper of Jephthah (Judges 12:1, etc.) a civil war.

 

Then followed the churlish unpatriotic cowardice of Succoth and Penuel, in answer to his request for provisions, through fear of Midian and disbelief of God’s power to make victorious so small and so “faint” a force as Gideon’s 300. Coming unexpectedly on the host which thought itself “secure” amidst their Bedouin countrymen at Karkor, in a third battle he defeated them and slew Zebah and Zalmunnah the two kings after battle, in just retribution for their having slain his kingly brothers in cold blood at Tabor; then he taught by corporal punishment with thorns the elders of Succoth to know their error, and beat down the tower of Penuel. Of 120,000 Midianites only 15,000 survived.

 

 

6.   Gideon’s Ephod

 

As a conquering warrior, Gideon was invited to become king. The people clamored to make Gideon king, but he refused. Yahweh was their king (Judges 8:22). He was careful not to grasp at the power and glory that belonged to God. (His son Abimelech – a usurper – did rule, however.)

 

Gideon declining the offered kingdom, he requested only the jewelry captured in the battle (Judges 8:24-27) but not for personal use. With it, Gideon made a gorgeous jeweled ephod (a sacred vestment) originally appropriate to the high priest, with the golden rings the Israelites had got as plunder, besides the ornaments (Judges 8:21, golden crescents or little moons), and collars (ear pendants), and purple raiment, and collars about their camels’ necks.

 

Exodus 28:1-4

1 And take thou unto thee Aaron thy brother, and his sons with him, from among the children of Israel, that he may minister unto me in the priest’s office, even Aaron, Nadab, Abihu, Eleazar and Ithamar, Aaron’s sons.

2 And thou shalt make holy garments for Aaron thy brother for glory and for beauty.

3 And thou shalt speak unto all that are wise hearted, whom I have filled with the spirit of wisdom, that they may make Aaron’s garments to consecrate him, that he may minister unto me in the priest’s office.

4 And these are the garments which they shall make; a breastplate, and an ephod, and a robe, and a broidered coat, a mitre, and a girdle: and they shall make holy garments for Aaron thy brother, and his sons, that he may minister unto me in the priest’s office. (KJV)

 

The ephod had the breastplate (choshen) and Urim and Thummim as worn on the breastplate of the high priest (Exodus 28:30). Meaning of choshen: (kho’-shen); from an unused root probably meaning to contain or sparkle; perhaps a pocket (as holding the Urim and Thummim), or rich (as containing gems), used only of the gorget (a piece of armor to protect the throat, a collar) of the high priest.

 

Gideon made an ephod weighing about 30 kgs. (65 lbs.), and placed it in the house of Yahweh at Ophrah.

 

Many things were done, even by good men, which the law forbade quite as positively as was the setting up of the altar by Gideon at his native Ophrah, (Judges 8:27 And Gideon made an ephod therof, and put it in his city, even in Ophrah: and all Israel went thither a whoring after it: which thing became a snare unto Gideon, and to his house). KJV

 

 

EPHOD:

A questionable act by Gideon of the irregular consecration of a jeweled ephod formed out of the rich spoils of Midian, which proved to the Israelites a temptation to idolatry although it was doubtless intended for use in the worship of Jehovah.

 

But whether Gideon intended it as a commemorative trophy, or had a Levitical priest in his house, as Micah on Mount Ephraim, and the Danites at Laish, it is difficult to determine (Judges 17:5-13; 18:15-31). The probability is that the worship rendered there was in honor of Jehovah.

 

It became, however, a snare to the Hebrews in the vicinity, who thus, having an ephod and worship in their own country, would not so readily go over to the tabernacle at Shiloh, and consequently fell into idolatry by worshipping the gods of the Phoenicians (Judges 8:33).

 

Some commentaries makes the word ephod here to mean an idol, chiefly on account of the vast amount of gold (1700 shekels) and other rich material appropriated to it.

 

Other commentaries contend the ephod was an image of Yahweh, which later led Israel to idolatry; or it probably was a substitute for an “ark” or sacred box used by the priests in divining. But it is simpler to understand it as a significant symbol of an unauthorized worship.

 

But Gideon’s unambitious spirit is praiseworthy; he, the great Baal fighter, “Jerubbaal,” instead of ambitiously accepting the crown, “went and dwelt in his own house” quietly, and died “in a good old age,” having secured for his country “quietness” for 40 years. He was buried in the sepulcher of his fathers.

 

Soon after his death a change came over the people. They again forgot Jehovah, and turned to the worship of Baalim, “neither showed they kindness to the house of Jurubbaal” (Judges 8:35).

 

Gideon left behind him seventy sons by wives, a son by a concubine, a feeble, sadly degenerated race, with one exception, that of Abimelech, who seems to have had much of the courage and energy of his father, yet doomed to be of restless and unscrupulous ambition, and as great a curse to his country as his father was a blessing.

 

Abimelech gathered around him a band who slaughtered all his half brothers (Gideon’s sons), except Jotham, upon one stone.

 

 

JOTHAM:

His name meaning Jehovah is perfect. The youngest of Gideon’s seventy legitimate sons, and the only one who escaped when the other 69 were massacred, and put to death by the order of Abimelech, his half brother, at Ophrah (Judges 9:5).

 

Although Jotham was the legitimate ruler after the death of his brothers, he never gained national leadership. The people followed Abimelech, the son of Gideon’s concubine at Shechem.

 

When the citizens of Shechem and the whole house of Millo were gathered together by the plain of the pillar (i.e., the stone set up by Joshua, 24:26: comp. Genesis 35:4) that was in Shechem, to make Abimelech king, Jotham stood from one of the heights of Mount Gerizim, which rises 800 ft. above the valley of Shechem on the South side of the city, for the purpose of lifting up a protesting voice, and of giving vent to his feelings.

 

He pronounced judgment on Abimelech and the Shechemites quoting the earliest parable of the bramble and the trees (Judges 9:7-20). His words then spoken were prophetic.

 

 

INTERPRETATION OF THE PARABLE:

The trees are represented as making choice of a king, and bestowing on the bramble the honor which the cedar, the olive, and the vine would not accept.

 

In this fable the trees request a number of useful trees to reign over them, but all decline the honor. Finally the bramble accepts.

 

The olive, fig, and vine, the most valuable products of Palestine, represent the nobler persons like Gideon, who bear fruit to God’s glory and man’s good, and wish no transference to kingly positions (to float about restless and insecure, instead of being rooted in the soil: Judges 9:9).

 

The bramble, good for nothing but to burn, represents Abimelech who can do nothing but harm.

 

The bramble’s hollow pretentiousness appears in his invitation, “trust in my shadow!” It could only scratch, not shelter from the heat. Easily catching fire, it can set on fire the noblest trees of Lebanon; the worthless can cause fatal hurt to the noblest (Exodus 22:5).

 

The obvious application must have been highly exasperating to Abimelech and his friends.

 

In fear for his life, Jotham fled to Beer for safety and remained out of reach while Abimelech continued to rule for three years (Judges 9:7-21). No more is recorded of Jotham, except that his curse was fulfilled three years later (Judges 9:57).

 

There came a recoil in the feelings of the people toward Abimelech, and then a terrible revenge, in which many were slain and the city of Shechem was destroyed by Abimelech (Judges 9:45).

 

The narrative of Gideon closes with Judges 8:28-35, which include the account of Gideon’s family and death (Judges 8:30-32). The incidents immediately subsequent to Gideon’s death (Judges 8:33-35) are probably taken from other secondary sources. It is not improbable that, like Saul, Gideon had owed a part of his popularity to his princely appearance (Judges 8:18).

 

Through the life and exploits of Gideon, God reveals much about Himself and the preparation which His leaders need for divine service.

 

1.   Gideon shows that God calls leaders from unlikely situations. Gideon was a poor farmer’s son who worked with his hands, and his father was an idol worshiper (Judges 6:15,25). Still he was an effective leader in God’s service.

 

2.   Gideon also teaches that God prefers a few dedicated and disciplined disciples to throngs of uncommitted workers. God can win victories with a fully committed minority (Judges 7:2-7).

 

3.   Another leadership lesson from Gideon is that a leader’s spiritual life is sustained by regular worship. Devout Gideon appears to have worshiped frequently in times of personal crisis as well as celebration (Judges 6:18-21; 7:15).

 

 

GIDEON SPEAKS (from Wilmington’s Bible Handbook)

Seven bitter years of oppression because of our sin, followed by 40 blessed years of peace because of His faithfulness — what a wonderful God we serve!

 

How little did I know about Jehovah-Shalom back then. But at His command, I built an altar to Him and tore down another for Him. (Judges 6:1, 24-25; 8:28) Three hundred ill-armed men pitted against 135,000 well-armed men — outnumbered 450 to one! What an uneven and unfair contest it appeared to be — and, indeed, turned out to be … for the 135,000! Courage, obedience, and faith, accompanied by trumpets, jars, torches and shouts brought our victory. (Judges 7:6-7, 16-22; 8:10,28; Hebrews 11:32).

 

Dear God, please don’t let the problems of the present overshadow those glories of the past. I was doing so well — proclaiming You our King, and refusing the crown. And then I started remembering all that gold, and human nature just got the best of me. That seemingly harmless gold image has become a snare and an idol for our whole nation. Merciful Lord, as You once saved us from our enemies, please now save us from ourselves! (Judges 8:22-27)

 

Spiritual Lessons from Gideon

 

·                   God often calls the least likely person to perform mighty acts for Him (6:11-15)

·                   It is never wise to second-guess God’s will after it has been clearly revealed (6:14-23, 36-40).

·                   The outcome of our spiritual battles is often dependent upon the overthrow of the “Baals” (false gods) in our lives (6:25-27).

·                   Even when we’re outnumbered 450 to one, God can give us the victory! (7:7; 8:10)

·                   We should be careful of what we allow into our life, lest it become a snare to ourselves and others (8:24-27; 1 Corinthians 8:9; 10:23-24, 31-33).

 

Key Verses

“But Lord,” Gideon replied, “how can I rescue Israel? My clan is the weakest in the whole tribe of Manasseh, and I am the least in my entire family!” The Lord said to him, I will be with you. And you will destroy the Midianites as if you were fighting against one man” (Judges 6:15-16; Isaiah 10:26).

 

And the angel of the Lord appeared unto him, and said unto him, The Lord is with thee, thou mighty man of valor. Judges 6:12

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Judge #6 – Abimelech

 

 

Note: (by Frank M. Boyd Old Testament Studies)

 

“The story of Abimelech is inserted in the record to reveal the history and the related spiritual lessons in the life of a man, who was personally ambitious, proud, self-sufficient, a free-booter, and who came to a dishonorable end. He was a usurper, not a divinely chosen judge.”

 

Usurpation: The unlawful or violent seizure of a throne or power.

 

Abimelech was the 6^th judge of Israel, ruling during the period of the judges (Judges 8:30-33; 9:6; 10:1). He was very evil and wicked. He was very controlling and self-appointed. When he seized the Throne, he had all of his 70 brothers slaughtered to death, with the exception of Jotham who escaped.

 

Abimelech was a son of Gideon by a concubine wife, a native of Shechem, in the tribe of Manasseh, where her family had considerable influence (Judges 9:1-4). Through that influence and recommendation of himself, he aspired to be king and was proclaimed king after the death of his father, whom had himself refused that honor when tendered to him, both for himself and his children (Judges 8:22-24). Shechem now became an independent state.

 

In order to eliminate all who might challenge his authority, one of the first acts of his reign was to destroy his brothers, seventy in number, being the first example of a system of barbarous state policy of which there have been frequent instances in the East, and which indeed has only within a recent period been discontinued.

 

They were slain “on one stone” at Ophrah, the native city of the family (Judges 9:5). Only one, the youngest, named Jotham, escaped; and he had the boldness to make his appearance on Mount Gerizim, where the Shechemites were assembled for some public purpose (perhaps to inaugurate Abimelech), and rebuke them in his famous parable of the trees in choosing a king (Judges 9:7-21).

 

 

INTERPRETATION OF THE PARABLE:

The trees are represented as making choice of a king, and bestowing on the bramble the honor which the cedar, the olive, and the vine would not accept.

 

In this fable the trees request a number of useful trees to reign over them, but all decline the honor. Finally the bramble accepts.

 

The olive, fig, and vine, the most valuable products of Palestine, represent the nobler persons like Gideon, who bear fruit to God’s glory and man’s good, and wish no transference to kingly positions (to float about restless and insecure, instead of being rooted in the soil: Judges 9:9).

 

The bramble, good for nothing but to burn, represents Abimelech who can do nothing but harm.

 

The bramble’s hollow pretentiousness appears in his invitation, “trust in my shadow!” It could only scratch, not shelter from the heat. Easily catching fire, it can set on fire the noblest trees of Lebanon; the worthless can cause fatal hurt to the noblest (Exodus 22:5).

 

The obvious application must have been highly exasperating to Abimelech and his friends.

 

After Abimelech had reigned three years (Judges 9:22), the citizens of Shechem found ample cause to repent of what they had done; they eventually revolted in Abimelech’s absence, and caused an ambush to be laid in the mountains, with the design of destroying him on his return.

 

But Zebul, his governor in Shechem, contrived to apprise him of these circumstances, so that he was enabled to avoid the snare laid for him; and having hastily assembled some troops, appeared unexpectedly before Shechem and quelled the insurrection (Judges 9:31).

 

The people of that place had meanwhile secured the assistance of Gaal, son of Ebed, and his followers, who marched out to give Abimelech battle. He was defeated, and returned into the town; and his inefficiency and misconduct in the action had been so manifest that the people were induced by Zebul to expel him and his followers (Judges 9:22-41). But the people still went out to the labors of the field.

 

This being told Abimelech, who was at Arumah, he laid an ambush in four parties in the neighborhood; and when the men came forth in the morning two of the ambushed bodies rose against them, while the other two seized the city gates to prevent their return. Afterward the whole force united against the city, which, being now deprived of its most efficient inhabitants, was easily taken. It was completely destroyed by the exasperated victor, and the ground strewn with salt symbolic of the desolation to which it was doomed.

 

The fortress, however, still remained; but the occupants, deeming it untenable, withdrew to the temple of Baal-Berith, which stood in a more commanding situation. Abimelech employed his men in collecting and piling wood against this building, which was then set on fire and destroyed, with the thousand men who were in it.

 

Shortly after he stormed and took Thebez, which had also revolted. The town was taken with little difficulty, and the defeated people (rebels) re-treated into the citadel.

 

Here Abimelech resorted to his favorite operation, and while heading a party to burn down the gate, he ventured too close to the city’s walls and was struck on the head, crushing his skull, with a fragment of a millstone, cast down by a woman from the wall above.

 

Perceiving that he had received a death-blow, Abimelech commanded his armor-bearor to thrust him through with his sword and kill him, lest it should be said that he fell by a woman’s hand (Judges 9:50-54).

 

Vainly did Abimelech seek to avoid this disgrace; for the fact of his shameful death by the hand of a woman was long after associated with his memory (2 Samuel 11:21).

 

Abimelech appears to have been a bold and able commander, but uncontrolled by religion, principle, or humanity in his ambitious enterprises.

 

His cruel treatment of the Shechemites (Judges 9:46-49), when they took refuge from him in their strong tower, was a just judgment for their acquiescence in his crimes (Judges 9:20,57), while his own miserable death was retribution for his bloody deeds (Judges 9:56).

 

His fate resembled that of Pyrrhus II, king of Epirus; and the dread of the dishonor of its being said of a warrior that he died by a woman’s hand was very general.

 

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. And he judged Israel twenty and three years, and he died, and was buried in Shamir.

 

And after him arose Jair, a Gileadite, and judged Israel twenty and two years. And Jair died and was buried in Camon (Judges 10:1-5).

 

 

 

 

 

Judge #7 – Tola

 

 

Of all the Biblical judges, the least is written about Tola, the seventh judge. None of his deeds are recorded. The entire account from Judges 10:1-2 (KJV) follows:

 

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.

 

In the succession of judges, Tola is listed between Abimelech and Jair.

 

Tola was a judge during a season of PEACETIME (for the most part). The Bible says that he defended Israel, so there would have had to be enemies. But nothing is mentioned of any major battles. He was from the tribe of Issachar; son of Puah and grandson of Dodo (Judges 10:1).

 

He lived at Shamir in the hill country of Mount Ephraim with fertile valleys inbetween. The air must have been pure and invigorating at that elevation, and the scenery spectacular to view as he sat judging Israel for 23 years, where he died and was buried (Judges 10:2).

 

Tola received the blessing of a relaxed, peaceful life from fighting battles with his enemies compared to the previous judges. The Bible says in Proverbs 16:7: “When a man’s ways please the Lord, he maketh even his enemies to be at peace with him.” (KJV)

 

For the entire span of Tola’s judgeship, the country was quiet, restful, free from fear of enemy oppression. This must have been a time when they sang, “I’ve crossed over Jordan to Canaan’s fair land, and this is like Heaven to me.”

 

However, the responsibility of the judges was not only settling internal disputes in justice as civil judge, but foremost played a major role in restoring Israel to its right attitude towards Jehovah, bringing down idolatry.

 

Tola must have been a righteous judge, but in addition to his leadership, he still needed the sevenfold Spirit of God to accomplish his assignment (Isaiah 11:2-5):

 

1.      Spirit of wisdom

2.      Spirit of understanding

3.      Spirit of counsel

4.      Spirit of might

5.      Spirit of knowledge

6.      Spirit of the fear of the Lord

7.      Righteousness in ruling the nations

 

Isaiah 26:3 “You (God) will guard him and keep him in perfect and constant peace whose mind [both its inclination and its character] is stayed on You, because he commits himself to You, leans on You, and hopes confidently in You.” AMP

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Judge #8 – Jair

 

 

Peacetime continued after the death of Tola. Both Tola and Jair had quiet and peaceable reigns. Although during a time of peace is the best years to be a judge, like Tola, none of Jair’s deeds as a judge are recorded. So such were the days of Tola and Jair, they were humble, active and useful men, rulers appointed by God (Judges 10:1-5).

 

Jair (Ya’ir) was the eighth judge of Israel. He was a man from Gilead, east of the River Jordan. He was a Gileadite which descended from both the tribes of Judah and Manasseh. On his father’s side was descended from Judah, and on his mother’s from Manasseh. He ruled for twenty-two years after the death of Tola.

 

His inheritance was in Gilead through the line of Machir, the son of Manasseh. Jair was the son of Segub, the son of Hezron the Jew through the daughter of Machir. He was brought up with his mother in Gilead, where he had possessions (1 Chronicles 2:21-24).

 

During the conquest he famed himself in an expedition against Bashan, and took the whole of the tract of Argob (Deuteronomy 3:14), and in addition possessed himself of some nomad villages in Gilead. He settled in the part of Argob on the borders of Gilead. The small towns taken by him are called Havoth-jair, i.e., “Jair’s villages” on the east of the Jordan (Numbers 32:41; Joshua 13:30; 1 Kings 4:13).

 

According to Judges 10:3-5, Jair had 30 sons who rode on thirty colts, and each had possession of thirty of the sixty cities which formed the ancient “Havoth-jair.”

 

A young colt was the most valuable beast for riding then known to the Hebrews; and that Jair had so many of them, and was able to assign a city to every one of his thirty sons, is very striking evidence of his wealth and riches.

 

His burial place was Camon, doubtless in the same region (Judges 10:5).

 

After forty-five years of comparative quiet, Israel again apostatized, and in “process of time the children of Ammon made war against Israel” (Judges 10:6 through Judges 11:5).

 

Jephthah became the ninth judge, who delivered God’s people from the Ammonites and judged Israel six years (Judges 11:1-12:7).

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Judge #9 – Jephthah

 

 

[JEF thuh] (God will set free) - the ninth judge of Israel, who delivered God's people from the Ammonites (Judges 11:1-12:7).

 

An illegitimate child, Jephthah was cast out of the family by his half-brothers, to prevent him from sharing in the inheritance. He fled to "the land of Tob," where he gathered a group of "worthless men" and soon engaged in raids throughout the surrounding countryside.

 

When Israel was threatened by the Ammonites, the elders of Gilead asked Jephthah to free them from oppression by organizing a counterattack on Ammon. Jephthah showed shrewd foresight by insisting on a position of leadership in Gilead if he should succeed against the Ammonites. After this assurance (Judges 11:10-11), he began his campaign.

 

Jephthah first tried the diplomatic approach, but Ammon wanted war. So Jephthah launched an attack through Mizpah of Gilead (Judges 11:29) and defeated the Ammonites "with a very great slaughter" (Judges 11:33). At this point, Jephthah made a rash vow, promising God that in exchange for victory in battle he would offer up as a sacrifice the first thing that should come out of his house to meet him on his return (Judges 11:31).

 

The Lord delivered Ammon's army into Jephthah's hands. When he returned home, his daughter-his only child-came out to meet him (Judges 11:34). Jephthah tore his clothing in distress as he realized the terrible rashness of his vow. The text seems to indicate that Jephthah followed through on his vow (Judges 11:39), although a few scholars believe the verse means she was kept as a virgin dedicated to special service to the Lord for the rest of her life.

 

After this incident, Jephthah punished an arrogant group of Ephraimites at the Jordan River by using a clever strategy to confuse the enemy. He asked the soldiers to say "shibboleth." If they were Ephraimites, they would not be able to pronounce the word correctly and would say "sibboleth." Their accent would betray them as the enemy.

 

Jephthah was a man with remarkable abilities of leadership. In spite of rejection by his family, he exercised his many talents and rose to a position of great authority. His greatest weakness was his rash, thoughtless behavior. After his death, he was buried in a city of Gilead. The Book of Hebrews lists him as one of the heroes of faith (Hebrews 11:32).

 

(from Nelson's Illustrated Bible Dictionary, Copyright © 1986, Thomas Nelson Publishers)

 

 

 

 

 

Judge of Israel #10 - Ibzan

 

 

·       A native of Bethlehem of Zebulun

(from Smith's Bible Dictionary)

 

·       A judge who ruled over Israel, or a portion of it (Judges 12:8-10). He had 30 sons and 30 daughters and was a man of wealth and influence. He ruled seven years.

(from Nelson’s Illustrated Bible Dictionary)

 

 

The 10th judge of Israel. His city is given as Bethlehem (whether of Judah or Zebulun is not stated). He judged Israel seven years, and when he died he was buried in his native place. The only personal details given about him in the Biblical narrative are that he had 30 sons and a like number of daughters. He sent all of his sons "abroad" for wives and brought husbands from "abroad" for all his daughters. The exact meaning of ha-chuts, "abroad," is mere matter of speculation, but the great social importance of the man and, possibly, alliances among tribes, are suggested in the brief narrative (Judges 12:8-10). Jewish tradition identifies Ibzan with Boaz of Bethlehem-Judah (Talmud, Babha', Bathra', 91 a).

 

(from International Standard Bible Encyclopaedia)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Judge of Israel #11 – Elon

 

 

The eleventh of the Hebrew judges. He held office for ten years.

(from Easton's Bible Dictionary)

 

Buried in Aijalon in Zebulon.

(from Fausset's Bible Dictionary)

 

He was a judge of Israel during a period of tranquility.

(from McClintock and Strong Encyclopedia)

 

 

 

 

 

 

Judge of Israel #12 – Abdon

 

 

The son of Hillel, a Pirathonite, the 12^th judge of Israel (Judges 12:13-15). He is probably the Bedan of 1 Samuel 12:11.

(from Easton's Bible Dictionary)

 

A son of Hillel, a native of Pirathon in the tribe of Ephraim. He judged Israel eight years (Judges 12:13-15).

(from Nelson's Illustrated Bible Dictionary)

 

The 12^th judge of Israel (Judges 12:13,15), probably the same as Bedan, 1 Samuel 12:11. Son of Hillel, of the tribe of Ephraim. He succeeded Elon, and judged Israel eight years. His rule was a peaceful one, since no oppression of Israel during his time is mentioned. The record that he had 40 sons and 30 nephews (or rather grandsons) who rode on young donkeys, implies their high dignity and consequence: compare Judges 5:9. He died in 1112 B.C. Of him Josephus (Ant. 5:7,15) writes: “He alone is recorded to have been happy in his children; for the public affairs were so peaceable and secure that he had no occasion to perform glorious actions.” A prophetical type of Israel's and the world's coming millennial blessedness (Isaiah 1:26-27). Pirathon, the city to which he belonged, is identified by Robinson with the modern Fer'ata, six miles W. of Shechem or Nablous.

(from Fausset's Bible Dictionary)

 

 

 

 

 

 

Judge of Israel #13 – Samson

 

 

SAMSON

Of the sun, the son of Manoah, born at Zorah. The narrative of his life is given in Judges 13-16. He was a "Nazarite unto God" from his birth, the first Nazarite mentioned in Scripture (Judges 13:3-5; comp. Numbers 6:1-21).

 

The first recorded event of his life was his marriage with a Philistine woman of Timnath (Judges 14:1-5). Such a marriage was not forbidden by the law of Moses, as the Philistines did not form one of the seven doomed Canaanite nations (Exodus 34:11-16; Deuteronomy 7:1-4). It was, however, an ill-assorted and unblessed marriage. His wife was soon taken from him and given "to his companion" (Judges 14:20).

 

For this Samson took revenge by burning the "standing corn of the Philistines" (15:1-8), who, in their turn, in revenge "burnt her and her father with fire." Her death he terribly avenged (15:7-19).

 

During the twenty years following this he judged Israel; but we have no record of his life. Probably these twenty years may have been simultaneous with the last twenty years of Eli's life. After this we have an account of his exploits at Gaza (16:1-3), and of his infatuation for Delilah, and her treachery (16:4-20), and then of his melancholy death (16:21-31).

 

He perished in the last terrible destruction he brought upon his enemies. "So the dead which he slew at his death were more [in social and political importance than the elite of the people] than they which he slew in his life."

(from Easton's Bible Dictionary)

 

 

 

 

Judge of Israel #14 – Eli

 

 

Eli — ascent, the high priest when the ark was at Shiloh (1 Samuel 1:3,9). He was the first of the line of Ithamar, Aaron's fourth son (1 Chronicles 24:3; comp. 2 Samuel 8:17), who held that office. The office remained in his family till the time of Abiathar (1 Kings 2:26,27), whom Solomon deposed, and appointed Zadok, of the family of Eleazar, in his stead. He acted also as a civil judge in Israel after the death of Samson (1 Samuel 4:18), and judged Israel for forty years.

 

His sons Hophni and Phinehas grossly misconducted themselves, to the great disgust of the people (1 Samuel 2:27-36). They were licentious reprobates. He failed to reprove them so sternly as he ought to have done, and so brought upon his house the judgment of God (2:22-33; 3:18).

 

The Israelites proclaimed war against the Philistines, whose army was encamped at Aphek. The battle, fought a short way beyond Mizpeh, ended in the total defeat of Israel. Four thousand of them fell in “battle array”. They now sought safety in having the “Ark of the Covenant of the Lord” among them. They fetched it from Shiloh, and Hophni and Phinehas accompanied it. This was the first time since the settlement of Israel in Canaan that the Ark had been removed from the sanctuary.

 

The Philistines put themselves again in array against Israel, and in the battle which ensued. Israel was smitten, and there was a very great slaughter. The tidings of this great disaster were speedily conveyed to Shiloh, about 20 miles distant, by a messenger, a Benjamite from the army.

 

There Eli sat outside the gate of the sanctuary by the wayside, anxiously waiting for tidings from the battle-field. The full extent of the national calamity was speedily made known to him: “Israel is fled before the Philistines, there has also been a great slaughter among the people, thy two sons Hophni and Phinehas are dead, and the Ark of God is taken” (1 Samuel 4:12-18).

 

When the old man, whose eyes were “stiffened” (i.e., fixed, as of a blind eye unaffected by the light) with age, heard this sad story of woe, he fell backward from off his seat and died, being ninety and eight years old.

(from Easton's Bible Dictionary)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Judge of Israel #15 – Samuel

 

 

Samuel — Heard of God. The peculiar circumstances connected with his birth are recorded in 1 Samuel 1:20. Hannah, one of the two wives of Elkanah, who came up to Shiloh to worship before the Lord, earnestly prayed to God that she might become the mother of a son. Her prayer was graciously granted; and after the child was weaned she brought him to Shiloh and consecrated him to the Lord as a perpetual Nazarite (1:23-2:11).

 

Here his bodily wants and training were attended to by the women who served in the tabernacle, while Eli cared for his religious culture. Thus, probably, twelve years of his life passed away.

 

"The child Samuel grew on, and was in favor both with the Lord, and also with men" (2:26; comp. Luke 2:52). It was a time of great and growing degeneracy in Israel (Judges 21:19-21; 1 Samuel 2:12-17,22). The Philistines, who of late had greatly increased in number and in power, were practically masters of the country, and kept the people in subjection (1 Samuel 10:5; 13:3).

 

At this time new communications from God began to be made to the pious child. A mysterious voice came to him in the night season, calling him by name, and, instructed by Eli, he answered, “Speak, Lord; for thy servant heareth.” The message that came from the Lord was one of woe and ruin to Eli and his profligate sons. Samuel told it all to Eli, whose only answer to the terrible denunciations (1 Samuel 3:11-18) was, “It is the Lord; let him do what seemeth him good”, the passive submission of a weak character, not, in his case, the expression of the highest trust and faith.

 

The Lord revealed himself now in divers manners to Samuel, and his fame and his influence increased throughout the land as of one divinely called to the prophetical office. A new period in the history of the kingdom of God now commenced.

 

The Philistine yoke was heavy, and the people, groaning under the wide-spread oppression, suddenly rose in revolt, and went out against the Philistines to battle. A fierce and disastrous battle was fought at Aphek, near to Ebenezer (1 Samuel 4:1,2). The Israelites were defeated, leaving 4,000 dead in the field.

 

The chiefs of the people thought to repair this great disaster by carrying with them the Ark of the Covenant as the symbol of Jehovah's presence. They accordingly, without consulting Samuel, fetched it out of Shiloh to the camp near Aphek. At the sight of the ark among them the people shouted with a great shout, so that the earth rang again. A second battle was fought, and again the Philistines defeated the Israelites, stormed their camp, slew 30,000 men, and took the sacred Ark.

 

The tidings of this fatal battle was speedily conveyed to Shiloh; and so soon as the aged Eli heard that the Ark of God was taken, he fell backward from his seat at the entrance of the sanctuary, and his neck brake, and he died.

 

The tabernacle with its furniture was probably, by the advice of Samuel, now about twenty years of age, removed from Shiloh to some place of safety, and finally to Nob, where it remained many years (21:1).

 

The Philistines followed up their advantage, and marched upon Shiloh, which they plundered and destroyed (Jeremiah 7:12; Psalms 78:59). This was a great epoch in the history of Israel. For twenty years after this fatal battle at Aphek the whole land lay under the oppression of the Philistines.

 

During all these dreary years Samuel was a spiritual power in the land. From Ramah, his native place, where he resided, his influence went forth on every side among the people. With unwearied zeal he went up and down from place to place, reproving, rebuking, and exhorting the people, endeavoring to awaken in them a sense of their sinfulness, and to lead them to repentance. His labors were so far successful that all the house of Israel lamented after the Lord.

 

Samuel summoned the people to Mizpeh, one of the loftiest hills in Central Palestine, where they fasted and prayed, and prepared themselves there, under his direction, for a great war against the Philistines, who now marched their whole force toward Mizpeh, in order to crush the Israelites once for all. At the intercession of Samuel God interposed in behalf of Israel. Samuel himself was their leader, the only occasion in which he acted as a leader in war.

 

The Philistines were utterly routed. They fled in terror before the army of Israel, and a great slaughter ensued. This battle, fought probably about 1095 B.C., put an end to the forty years of Philistine oppression. In memory of this great deliverance, and in token of gratitude for the help, Samuel set up a great stone in the battlefield, and called it “Ebenezer,” saying, “Hitherto hath the Lord helped us” (1 Samuel 7:1-12). This was the spot where, twenty years before, the Israelites had suffered a great defeat, when the Ark of God was taken.

 

This victory over the Philistines was followed by a long period of peace for Israel (1 Samuel 7:13,14), during which Samuel exercised the functions of judge, going from year to year in circuit from his home in Ramah to Bethel, thence to Gilgal (not that in the Jordan valley, but that which lay to the west of Ebal and Gerizim), and returning by Mizpeh to Ramah.

 

He established regular services at Shiloh, where he built an altar; and at Ramah he gathered a company of young men around him and established a school of the prophets. The schools of the prophets, thus originated, and afterwards established also at Gibeah, Bethel, Gilgal, and Jericho, exercised an important influence on the national character and history of the people in maintaining pure religion in the midst of growing corruption. They continued to the end of the Jewish commonwealth.

 

Many years now passed, during which Samuel exercised the functions of his judicial office, being the friend and counselor of the people in all matters of private and public interest. He was a great statesman as well as a reformer, and all regarded him with veneration as the “Seer,” the prophet of the Lord.

 

At the close of this period, when he was now an old man, the elders of Israel came to him at Ramah (1 Samuel 8:4,5,19-22); and feeling how great was the danger to which the nation was exposed from the misconduct of Samuel's sons, whom he had invested with judicial functions as his assistants, and had placed at Beersheba on the Philistine border, and also from a threatened invasion of the Ammonites, they demanded that a king should be set over them.

 

This request was very displeasing to Samuel. He tried to reason with them, and warned them of the consequences of such a step. At length, however, referring the matter to God, he acceded to their desires, and anointed Saul (q.v.) to be their king (11:15).

 

Before retiring from public life he convened an assembly of the people at Gilgal (ch. 12), and there solemnly addressed them with reference to his own relation to them as judge and prophet.

 

The remainder of his life he spent in retirement at Ramah, only occasionally and in special circumstances appearing again in public (1 Samuel 13; 15) with communications from God to king Saul.

 

While mourning over the many evils which now fell upon the nation, he is suddenly summoned (ch. 16) to go to Bethlehem and anoint David, the son of Jesse, as king over Israel instead of Saul.

 

After this little is known of him till the time of his death, which took place at Ramah when he was probably about eighty years of age.

 

“And all Israel gathered themselves together, and lamented him, and buried him in his house at Ramah” (25:1), not in the house itself, but in the court or garden of his house. (Comp. 2 Kings 21:18; 2 Chronicles 33:20; 1 Kings 2:34; John 19:41.)

 

Samuel's devotion to God, and the special favor with which God regarded him, are referred to in Jeremiah 15:1 and Psalms 99:6.

(from Easton's Bible Dictionary)

 

 It is God's will that no one should perish (end up in hell), but that ALL should come to repentance. 

For God so loved this world that He gave His only begotton Son, that whosoever believes in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life.

God did not send His Son into this world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him would be saved.

The thief (Satan the devil) comes only for to kill, steal and destroy. But Jesus has come to give us life, and life more abundantly, until it overflows.

I urge you to come to the Cross today and receive Jesus as your Savior and Lord. He will wash away all your sins and make you as clean and white as fresh snow. 

Just pray this prayer and mean it with your heart:

Dear Lord Jesus (if you are not able to call him Lord yet, then just say "Jesus")

I receive You as my Savior and Lord. I give my life over to You. I believe that You died and rose again, and that if I call on the Name of the Lord I shall be saved. 

I accept you into my heart right now, and confess that You are Lord and have risen from the dead and forever live to make intercession for me. 

Thank You for washing my heart pure and clean and making me whole, and for giving me peace and joy in the Holy Spirit. 

Thank You that now I am a new creature in Christ Jesus. The old has gone and the new has come. 

And there is no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh (carnality and sin), but walk after the Spirit.  In Jesus' Name, Amen. 

If you prayed this prayer, I believe you got born again and are now heaven bound and will be with the Lord forever and have eternal life. Your sins are now forgiven. You are accepted in the Beloved.

I would encourage you to find a good Bible based local church to help you grow in your faith, to learn the Word of God, to praise and worship Him, and to have fellowship with the saints. 

Serving Christ is the best decision you will ever make. 

God bless you!!!