The Book of Judges

Presentation by Eric Underwood 2002 Adapted November 2010

Judge

What is a Judge?

One Who Gives an Authoritative Opinion

What is Judgment?

Arbitration; Discerning and Deciding

Judge

Sources:

NJBC The Bible Speaks Today Series by Michael Wilcock The Great Adventure by Jeff Cavins New Catholic Encyclopedia (Second Edition)

Judge

From NJBC

: Key terms are those from the root

sapat

, which means not “to judge” in the usual restricted sense of exercising juridical authority, but “to rule.” The

sapitum

at Mari and the

suffete

at Carthage were, like the Israelite

supet

, rulers, exercising a wide variety of civil duties (including judicial functions)

The Book of Judges

Tribe

Moses & Joshua Judges

Nation

David, Solomon & Kings

Kingdom

Notes on Image of Bridge

• During the Exodus days and the monarchy, it appears that everyone knows who is in charge: • Moses: God’s friend, spoke with Him face to face, acted as His mouthpiece • Joshua: Moses’ God-appointed successor, with similar authority and “full of spirit and wisdom”

Notes on Image of Bridge

• Kings: God’s viceroys who had God-given prophets and priests to guide them.

• Rope building analogy: In the intervening years, between the authority represented by Moses and Joshua on the near side and that represented by David and Solomon on the far side, Israel seemed to walk a fragile, swaying rope-bridge slung from one great cliff to another.

The Book of Judges

Tribe

Moses & Joshua Judges

Nation

David, Solomon & Kings

Kingdom

Notes on Image of Bridge

• So then who in that period made the decisions? Small wonder that, as we are told more than once, “

every man did what was right in his own eyes

’, or that many lost their footing and fell into the abyss. And it scarcely needs to be pointed out how well that quotation describes the world today, or how sharp a lesson the book of Judges may have for the individualism and anti-authoritarianism of our own society.

Notes on Image of Bridge

• The fragility of the rope-bridge is an allusion because of God’s presence always as the judge.

Who are the Judges?

• Othniel (Maj.) •Ehud (Maj.) •Shamgar (Maj./minor?) •Deborah (Maj.) •Gideon (Maj.) •Tola (minor) •Jair (minor) •Jephthah (Maj.) •Ibzan (minor) •Elon (minor) •Abdon (minor) •Samson (Maj.)

Who are the Judges?

Major judges

: non-institutional related judges which are depicted so as to emphasize that judgment is rooted in the historical covenant; justice is God’s saving justice.

Minor judges

: a permanent institution of the tribal federation, elected officials whose function was to interpret Yahweh’s law for all Israel and to adjudicate controversial cases between clans.

Who are the Judges?

Othniel (3:7-11):

first appears as the hero who opposes the Aramean King (Cushan Double-Trouble)

Ehud (3:12-30):

Assasinates Eglon, the corrupt successor to Cushan-Double-Trouble

Shamgar (3:31):

Killed 600 philistines

Who are the Judges?

Deborah (4:1-5:31):

only female judge; Deborah’s poem is associated with her, but not certain if she authored it or was the subject of it

Gideon (6:1-8:35):

tests God over and over; makes his men seem more numerous than they actually are; 70 sons (metaphorically as political allies)

Who are the Judges?

Tola (10:1-5):

lived in Shamir and judged Israel for 23 years

Jair (10:1-5):

Gileadite who judged Israel for 22 years

Jephthah (10:6-12:7):

called to battle the Ammonites who were worshiping false gods.

Ibzan (12:8-10):

had 30 sons & 30 daughters and judged Israel for 30 years

Who are the Judges?

Elon (12:11-12):

Zebulite who judged Israel for 10 years

Abdon (12:13-15):

40 sons, 30 grandsons, 8 years judging Israel

Samson (13:1-16:31):

son of Manoah, judged Israel for 20 years; Manoah’s child is consecrated in the womb (unlike any other annunciation story previously) service as a Nazir (from Nazirite) starts at birth

Samson

•Samson’s Birth •Samson’s Marriage •Samson’s Rampage •Samson’s Loves •Samson’s Death (Judges 13:1-25) (Judges 14:1-15:8) (Judges 15:9-20) (Judges 16:1-22) (Judges 16:23-31)

Samson’s Birth

Judges 13:4-5

And the angel of the Lord appeared to the woman and said to her, “Behold, you are barren and have no children; but you shall conceive and bear a son. Therefore beware, and drink no wine or strong drink, and eat nothing unclean, for lo, you shall conceive and bear a son. No razor shall come upon his head, for the boy shall be a Nazirite to God from birth; and he shall begin to deliver Israel from the hand of the Philistines.”

Samson’s Birth

Genesis 16:11

And the angel of the Lord said to her [Hagar], “Behold, you are with child, and shall bear a son; you shall call his name Ishmael; because the Lord has given heed to your affliction. He shall be a wild ass of a man, his hand against every man and every man’s hand against him; and he shall dwell over against all his kinsmen.

Samson’s Birth...

Genesis 17:15-16

And God said to Abraham, “As for Sarai your wife, you shall not call her name Sarai, but Sarah shall be her name. I will bless her, and moreover I will give you a son by her; I will bless her, and she shall be a mother of nations; kings of peoples shall come from her.”

Samson’s Birth...

Mathew 1:20-21

But as he considered this, behold, and angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, “Joseph, son of David, do not fear to take Mary your wife, for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Spirit; she will bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins.”

Samson’s Birth...

Luke 1:11-13

And there appeared to him an angel of the Lord standing on the right side of the altar of incense. And Zechariah was troubled when he saw him, and fear fell upon him. But the angel said to him, “Do not be afraid, Zechariah, for your prayer is heard, and your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you shall call his name John.”

Samson’s Birth...

Judges 13:5

for lo, you shall conceive and bear a son. No razor shall come upon his head, for the boy shall be a Nazirite to God from birth; and he shall begin to deliver Israel from the hand of the Philisitines.

Matthew 1:21

she will bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins.