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Judges -

Bible Dictionary

Judges
The judges were temporary and special deliverers, sent by Godto deliver the Israelites from their oppressors; not suprememagistrates, succeeding to the authority of Moses and Joshua.Their power only extended over portions of the country, andsome of them were contemporaneous. Their first work was that ofdeliverers and leaders in war; they then administered justiceto the people, and their authority supplied the want of aregular government. Even while the administration of Samuelgave something like a settled government to the south, therewas scope for the irregular exploits of Samson on the bordersof the Philistines; and Samuel at last established hisauthority as judge and prophet, but still as the servant ofJehovah, only to see it so abused by his sons as to exhaust thepatience of the people, who at length demanded a king, afterthe pattern of the surrounding nations. The following is a listof judges, whose history is given under their respectivenames:-- First servitude, to Mesopotamia-- 8 years. Firstjudge: Othniel. 40 years. Second servitude, to Moab-- 18 years.Second judge: Ehud; 80 years. Third judge: Shamgar

- Thirdservitude, to Jabin and Sisera-- 20 years. Fourth judge:Deborah and Barak. 40 years. Fourth servitude, to Midian-- 7years. Fifth judge: Gideon; 40 years. Sixth judge: Abimelech; 3years. Seventh judge: Tola; 23 years. Eighth judge: Jair. 22years. Fifth servitude, to Ammon-- 18 years. Ninth judge:Jephthah; 6 years. Tenth judge: Ibzan; 7 years. Eleventh judge:Elon; 10 years. Twelfth judge: Abdon. 8 years. Sixth servitude,to the Philistines-- 40 years. Thirteenth judge: Samson 20years. Fourteenth judge: Eli; 40 years. Fifteenth judge:Samuel. More than likely some of these ruled simultaneously. Onthe chronology of the judges, see the following article.