Lion Tracks QnA -- Who are the Old Testament Judges? How long did they rule?

Judges of Israel
Who were the Old Testament Judges? Years of Persecution, Rest, Judging? What enemies did they have?

In the midst of a time when the Israelites had no earthly king (Judges 18:1, 19:1) and often choose to fall into sin and rebellion against God (Judges 21:25), He repeatedly came to their aid when they remembered Him and sought His help. To lead and rescue his people he raised up individuals who became known as the Judges of Israel (i.e. Ruth 1:1). It is likely that some of the Judges may have overlapped, having primary influence in one region of Israel. A quick add of known years of persecution, years of rest, and years judging, if all linear, arrive at a period of at least 75 years longer than that allowed for in our Bible time line. If overlapped, or if some of the minor Judges ruled during the noted times of persecution or rest, all of which the text certainly allows for, this would not be a problem².

Judge

Major or
Minor¹

Reference

Years of
Persecution

Years of Rest

Years Judging

Enemies

Othniel

Major

Judges
3:7-11

8

40 (LXX says 50)

--

Cushan-Rishathaim king of Aram Naharaim

Ehud

Major

Judges
3:12-30

18

80

--

Eglon of Moab

Shamgar

Minor

Judges
3:31

--

--

--

Philistines

Deborah

Major

Judges
4:1-5:31

20

40

--

Jabin and Sisera of Canaan

Gideon

Major

Judges
6:1-8:28

7

40

--

Midianites, Amalekites and other eastern peoples

Tola

Minor

Judges
10:1-2

--

--

23

--

Jair

Minor

Judges
10:3-5

--

--

22

--

Jephthah²

Major

Judges
10:6-12:7

18

--

6

Philistines and Ammonites

Ibzan

Minor

Judges
12:8-10

--

--

7

--

Elon

Minor

Judges
12:11-12

--

--

10

--

Abdon

Minor

Judges
12:13-15

--

--

8

--

Samson

Major

Judges
Chs 13 - 16

40

--

20

Philistines

Samuel

Major

1 Samuel
(esp. 7:15-16)

--

--

See 1 Samuel 12:2

Philistines

Notes:

1. Minor judges are those who only received brief mention in Scriptures versus major judges where more detail is provided.

2. Scriptures clearly indicate that Jephthah was about 300 years after the conquests of Joshua (Judges 11:26), which also helps to position which Judges ruled when. Certainly it lends support to the early date for the exodus (1440 B.C. versus 1270 B.C.) as it fits well with the time line established by other chronologies such as 1 Kings 6:1.

(c) 2008 Brent MacDonald/LTM. Duplication is permitted as long as the source is cited.
A courtesy email is desired, we like to know how our resources are being used.
.

Judges of Israel Who were the Old Testament Judges? Years of Persecution, Rest, Judging? What enemies did they have?
In the midst of a time when the Israelites had no earthly king (Judges 18:1, 19:1) and often choose to fall into sin and rebellion against God (Judges 21:25), He repeatedly came to their aid when they remembered Him and sought His help. To lead and rescue his people he raised up individuals who became known as the Judges of Israel (i.e. Ruth 1:1). It is likely that some of the Judges may have overlapped, having primary influence in one region of Israel. A quick add of known years of persecution, years of rest, and years judging, if all linear, arrive at a period of at least 75 years longer than that allowed for in our Bible time line. If overlapped, or if some of the minor Judges ruled during the noted times of persecution or rest, all of which the text certainly allows for, this would not be a problem².
Judge	Major or Minor¹	Reference	Years of Persecution	Years of Rest	Years Judging	Enemies
Othniel	Major	Judges 3:7-11	8	40 (LXX says 50)	--	Cushan-Rishathaim king of Aram Naharaim
Ehud	Major	Judges 3:12-30	18	80	--	Eglon of Moab
Shamgar	Minor	Judges 3:31	--	--	--	Philistines
Deborah	Major	Judges 4:1-5:31	20	40	--	Jabin and Sisera of Canaan
Gideon	Major	Judges 6:1-8:28	7	40	--	Midianites, Amalekites and other eastern peoples
Tola	Minor	Judges 10:1-2	--	--	23	--
Jair	Minor	Judges 10:3-5	--	--	22	--
Jephthah²	Major	Judges 10:6-12:7	18	--	6	Philistines and Ammonites
Ibzan	Minor	Judges 12:8-10	--	--	7	--
Elon	Minor	Judges 12:11-12	--	--	10	--
Abdon	Minor	Judges 12:13-15	--	--	8	--
Samson	Major	Judges Chs 13 - 16	40	--	20	Philistines
Samuel	Major	1 Samuel (esp. 7:15-16)	--	--	See 1 Samuel 12:2	Philistines
Notes: 1. Minor judges are those who only received brief mention in Scriptures versus major judges where more detail is provided. 2. Scriptures clearly indicate that Jephthah was about 300 years after the conquests of Joshua (Judges 11:26), which also helps to position which Judges ruled when. Certainly it lends support to the early date for the exodus (1440 B.C. versus 1270 B.C.) as it fits well with the time line established by other chronologies such as 1 Kings 6:1.
(c) 2008 Brent MacDonald/LTM. Duplication is permitted as long as the source is cited. A courtesy email is desired, we like to know how our resources are being used. .