Search the encyclopedia
650 articles found for “Judge”
Judges 19
Judges 19 tells of a Levite who, while returning from Bethlehem with his concubine, stops in Gibeah, a town of the tribe of Benjamin. There a mob abuses the concubine, and she dies. The Levite then divides her body into twelve pieces and sends them throughout all the territory of Israel.
Judges 21
Judges 21, the final chapter of the Book of Judges, records how Israel kept the tribe of Benjamin from being cut off by striking Jabesh-gilead and bringing back four hundred virgins, and then by allowing the Benjamites to seize women during the feast at Shiloh.
Judges 20
Judges 20 recounts the civil war in which the tribes of Israel assemble at Mizpah and fight against the tribe of Benjamin after the death of a Levite's concubine at Gibeah. Israel is defeated twice, then wins on the third day by means of an ambush, and only 600 Benjamites survive.
Judges 21:25
The final verse of the Book of Judges, which sums up the disorder of the period of the judges by stating that there was no king and that every man did that which was right in his own eyes. It is frequently cited in discussions of the monarchy, the rule of God, and moral relativism.
Judges 6:12
In this verse the angel of the LORD appears to Gideon, who is hiding from the Midianites, addresses him as "thou mighty man of valour," and declares that the LORD is with him. It is frequently cited as a text on divine calling and God's presence.
Minor Judges
The Minor Judges are the judges in the book of Judges whose records consist of little more than a name and a brief notice. The term usually refers to six figures: Shamgar, Tola, Jair, Ibzan, Elon, and Abdon. It does not itself appear in the biblical text.
Parable of the Unjust Judge
A parable of Jesus in Luke 18:1–8. Even an unjust judge grants the plea of a persistent widow, and God will all the more avenge his elect. The parable teaches that believers ought always to pray and not lose heart.
Period of the Judges
The period of the Judges is the era from the death of Joshua until Saul became king, when Israel lived as a confederation of tribes without a king. God repeatedly delivered the people through judges whom He raised up. The period is recorded chiefly in the Book of Judges.
Matthew 7:1
"Judge not, that ye be not judged" is a saying of Jesus. It warns against the hypocrisy of condemning others, but critics frequently point out that it is used to rule out all judgments of right and wrong.
Bedan
Bedan is a figure named by Samuel in 1 Samuel 12:11 as one of those who delivered Israel. Because Scripture records nothing else about him, interpreters have proposed several identifications.
Investigative Judgment
The investigative judgment is a doctrine of the Seventh-day Adventist Church teaching that since 1844 Christ has been conducting a judgment in the heavenly sanctuary, examining the records of believers before His Second Coming.
Samson
Samson was a judge of Israel in the Old Testament book of Judges. Born a Nazarite, he fought against the Philistines. Renowned for his great strength, he was captured after revealing his secret to Delilah, and he died when he brought down the temple of Dagon.
Gideon
Gideon is a judge of Israel whose story appears in Judges 6–8. He is best known for defeating Midian with three hundred men and is also called Jerubbaal.
Ehud
Ehud was a judge of Israel whose story appears in Judges 3. The son of Gera of the tribe of Benjamin, he killed Eglon, king of Moab, and delivered Israel from eighteen years of Moabite rule.
Othniel
Othniel is the first judge in the Old Testament Book of Judges. The son of Kenaz and a member of Caleb's family, he delivered Israel from Cushan-rishathaim, king of Mesopotamia.
Song of Deborah
The Song of Deborah is a victory song recorded in Judges 5. Deborah, a prophetess and judge, sang it to God together with Barak after they defeated the army of the Canaanite commander Sisera.
Elon
Elon was a judge from the tribe of Zebulun, mentioned in Judges 12. He succeeded Ibzan, judged Israel for ten years, and was buried at Aijalon in the land of Zebulun.
Ibzan
Ibzan was a judge of Israel in the book of Judges who succeeded Jephthah, judged Israel for seven years, and was buried in Bethlehem. He is recorded as having had thirty sons and thirty daughters.
Abdon
Abdon was a judge of Israel mentioned in Judges 12. The son of Hillel the Pirathonite from the land of Ephraim, he judged Israel for eight years. Scripture records that his forty sons and thirty grandsons rode on seventy donkey colts.
Tola
Tola was a judge from the tribe of Issachar who succeeded Abimelech and judged Israel for twenty-three years during the period of the judges. He is briefly recorded in Judges 10:1–2.