The Other “Judges”

Unlike Deborah, the other biblical characters identified as judges save Israel through their direct involvement in battle:

Othniel, a young kinsman of Caleb, prevailed over Cushan-rishathaim of Aram in battle, bringing 40 years of peace to Israel (Judges 3:7–11).

Ehud, a sharp-witted, left-handed Benjaminite, slew the Moabite king Eglon, who had joined forces with the Ammonites and Amalekites against Israel. He then annihilated Eglon’s troops, bringing 80 years of peace to Israel (Judges 3:12–30).

Gideon led the fight against the Midianites, who ravaged Israel’s lands every year at harvest time. Before he took up the fight, however, this somewhat reluctant savior requested a special sign from above: He asked that God first moisten a wool fleece while keeping the ground around it dry and then moisten the ground while the fleece remained intact. Reassured by God, Gideon subdued the Midianites, and “the land was tranquil for forty years” (Judges 6–8:28).

Jephthah, the son of a prostitute, was thrown out of his home in Gilead by his half-brothers and became a fierce countryside bandit. But when the Ammonites attacked his hometown, the local elders called him back as their leader. After routing the Ammonites, Jephthah ruled over Israel for six years (Judges 10:6–12:7).

Samson, having been betrayed by Delilah and fettered and blinded by the Philistines, used brute force to bring down the temple in which his captors were celebrating his arrest. He died along with the 3,000 Philistines gathered at the temple (Judges 13–16).