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Book of Judges

The Book of Judges (Hebrew: ספר שופטים, romanizedSefer Shoftim; Greek: Κριτές; Latin: Liber Iudicum) is the seventh book of the Hebrew Bible and the Christian Old Testament. In the narrative of the Hebrew Bible, it covers the time between the conquest described in the Book of Joshua and the establishment of a kingdom in the Books of Samuel, during which Biblical judges served as temporary leaders.[1]

This article is about the biblical book. For other uses, see Judge (disambiguation).

The stories follow a consistent pattern: the people are unfaithful to Yahweh; he therefore delivers them into the hands of their enemies; the people repent and entreat Yahweh for mercy, which he sends in the form of a leader or champion (a "judge"; see shophet); the judge delivers the Israelites from oppression and they prosper, but soon they fall again into unfaithfulness and the cycle is repeated.[2] Scholars consider many of the stories in Judges to be the oldest in the Deuteronomistic history, with their major redaction dated to the 8th century BCE and with materials such as the Song of Deborah dating from much earlier.[3][4]

(3:9–11) vs. Chushan-Rishathaim, King of Aram; Israel has 40 years of peace until the death of Othniel. (The statement that Israel has a certain period of peace after each judge is a recurrent theme.)

Othniel

(3:11–29) vs. Eglon of Moab

Ehud

directing Barak the army captain (4–5), vs. Jabin of Hazor (a city in Canaan) and Sisera, his captain (Battle of Mount Tabor)

Deborah

(6–8) vs. Midian, Amalek, and the "children of the East" (apparently desert tribes)

Gideon

(11–12:7) vs. the Ammonites

Jephthah

(13–16) vs. the Philistines

Samson

Biblical canon

History of ancient Israel and Judah

Tanakh

(Hebrew – English at Mechon-Mamre.org)

שֹּׁפְטִים – Shoftim – Judges

Original text


Christian translations


Articles


Brief introduction