Biblical Hermeneutics Stack Exchange
Biblical Hermeneutics Stack Exchange

Questions tagged [judges]

Judges is the seventh book of the Hebrew Bible and the second book of the Former Prophets.

Judges, Book Of

Judges is the seventh book of the Hebrew Bible and the second book of the Former Prophets. Judges is a historiography covering from the time of the conquest to the period before the monarchy in Israel. Its name comes from the twelve leaders (traditionally called judges) described in the book. While late Jewish tradition ascribes the book's authorship to Samuel, the book is anonymous, nowhere indicating any author.

One judge also has her own tag: see .

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In Judges 17:7, how could the young man be both “a Levite” and “of the family of Judah”?

In Jdg. 17:7, it is written, ז וַיְהִי נַעַר מִבֵּית לֶחֶם יְהוּדָה מִמִּשְׁפַּחַת יְהוּדָה וְהוּא לֵוִי וְהוּא גָר שָׁם which may be translated as, 7 And there was a young man of Beit-Lechem of Yehuda, of the family of Yehuda, and he was a…
user862
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Why are there so many unusual weapons used in Judges?

There are a number of unusual or unconventional weapons used in the book of Judges: Shamgar uses an oxgoad to strike down Philistines (3:31) Jael uses a tent peg to kill Sisera (4:21) Gideon's army is equipped with jars, torches, and trumpets…
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Ehud, a Left-Handed Man

When Ehud is introduced in Judges 3:15, it is mentioned that he is a left-handed man. "Again the Israelites cried out to the LORD, and he gave them a deliverer—Ehud, a left-handed man, the son of Gera the Benjamite." Handedness seems like an odd…
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Tribe of Benjamin Elite Corps of Slingers

In the book of Judges, we learn that the tribe of Benjamin fielded a corps of slingers. These soldiers were not mere conscripts, but rather we're informed that they were "chosen", in the sense of 'elite' or in some way elevated to a position of…
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What is the significance of the honey inside the lion's carcass?

In Judges 14, Samson kills a lion and leaves the body there. When he comes back to it, a swarm of bees has taken over and there is now honey there: 5 Samson went down to Timnah together with his father and mother. As they approached the vineyards…
user640
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How did Deborah (or any of the Judges) get their position?

Judges 4:4: Now Deborah, a prophet, the wife of Lappidoth, was judging Israel at that time. The text doesn't directly comment on how she came to be judging Israel. How might she have gotten such a position? How did people typically get positions…
EJoshuaS - Stand with Ukraine
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When Samson posed his riddle, how were his companions supposed to guess it?

From the story of Samson in Judges 14 (NIV): Now his father went down to see the woman. And there Samson held a feast, as was customary for young men. When the people saw him, they chose thirty men to be his companions. "Let me tell you a…
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How was Samson not in violation of his Nazirite Vow?

Very closely related: How did Numbers 6:9 apply to Samson? In Judges 13:5, Samson's mother is told: You will become pregnant and have a son whose head is never to be touched by a razor because the boy is to be a Nazirite,dedicated to God from the…
EJoshuaS - Stand with Ukraine
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Did Samson pull the door off by his own strength?

In Judges 14:6 (NASB) And the Spirit of the Lord rushed upon him, so that he tore it apart as one tears apart a young goat, though he had nothing in his hand; but he did not tell his father or mother what he had done. In Judges 15:14 (NASB) 14…
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Why did the Benjamites (in Gibeon) rape a foreigner?

In Judges 19 we read, While they were enjoying themselves, some of the wicked men of the city surrounded the house. Pounding on the door, they shouted to the old man who owned the house, “Bring out the man who came to your house so we can…
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What does Gideon's new name, Jerub-baal, mean?

In Judges 6:25, Gideon is told to destroy his father's alter to Baal and the Asherah pole next to it. When the people learn the next day that Gideon has broken it down they verbally spar with Gideon's father, Joash, who says Baal should be able to…
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Does the story of Caleb and Aksah in Judges 1 have a pedagogical purpose?

Judges 1 tells how the people after Joshua fought to drive out the people of the land. Initially they are succeeding but by the end of the chapter they are failing at driving the people out, and this sets the stage for the conflict in the rest of…
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In Judges 3:19, does the king tell his attendants to be silent or to leave his presence?

Upon the king being told there was a secret message for him to be told in silence, why would the translation have the king instead say "Silence!" and the people know to just leave? Wouldn't they have to be told by the king to leave first so that the…
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Do any Hermeneutical approaches provide an explanation of the limited information on Shamgar the Judge?

Shamgar is mentioned only twice in the bible, Judges 3:31 and an oblique reference in Judges 5:6. It is striking in that certain facts are made completely plain such as the number of Philistines he slew, his weapon of choice, and the presumable fact…
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Was the Levite a father to Micah? Was it the other way around?

Judges 17:10 “Stay with me,” Micah said to him, “and be my father and priest, and I will give you ten shekels of silver per year, a suit of clothes, and your provisions.” So the Levite went in 11 and agreed to stay with him, and the young man…
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