Thematic Bible: Extraordinary Judges


Thematic Bible



There was still no king in Israel. There was a Levite who lived in the remote area of Mount Ephraim. He took for himself a concubine from Bethlehem in Judah.

In those days there was no king in Israel. Everyone did whatever he or she wanted to do.

There was no king in Israel in those days. The tribe of Dan was looking for territory to claim and settle in because they had not yet received any land of their own among the tribes of Israel.

In those days there was no king in Israel. Everyone did what was right in his own eyes.


The Israelites gathered at Mizpah. They drew some water, poured it out in front of Jehovah and fasted that day. They confessed: We have sinned against Jehovah. So Samuel judged Israel in Mizpah.

Samuel judged Israel as long as he lived. Every year he went around to Bethel, Gilgal, and Mizpah in order to judge Israel in all those places. Then he returned home to Ramah where he judged Israel. And in Ramah he built an altar to Jehovah.


His brothers and the rest of his family came to get his body. They took him back and buried him between Zorah and Eshtaol in the tomb of his father Manoah. He had been Israel's judge for twenty years.

The woman gave birth to a son and named him Samson. The child grew and Jehovah blessed him.


Gideon answered: I will not be your ruler, nor will my son. Jehovah will be your ruler!

Gideon went back to his home and lived there.


Yet they would not listen to their judges, but prostituted themselves to other gods. They worshiped them. They turned quickly, out of the way in which their fathers walked obeying the commandments of Jehovah. When Jehovah established judges he supported each judge. He delivered them out of the hand of their enemies all the days the judge lived. He had compassion for them as they groaned under those who oppressed and afflicted them. When the judge was dead they returned and corrupted themselves more than their fathers. They followed other gods to serve them, and to bow down to them. They did not give up their evil practices and stubborn ways.


The Israelites cried out to Jehovah, and he sent someone to free them. This was Othniel, the son of Caleb's younger brother Kenaz. The Spirit of Jehovah came upon him, and he became Israel's leader (judge). Othniel went to war, and Jehovah gave him the victory over the king of Mesopotamia.


When the man mentioned the Ark of God Eli fell backward from his seat beside the gate. He was so old and fat that the fall broke his neck and he died. He was a leader in Israel for forty years.


What more shall I say? For the time will fail me if I tell of Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, of David and Samuel and the prophets,


After Elon, Abdon son of Hillel from Pirathon was leader of Israel.


After Ibzan, Elon from Zebulun led Israel for ten years.


The next leader was Shamgar son of Anath. He too rescued Israel, and did so by killing six hundred Philistines with an oxgoad.


After Jephthah, Ibzan from Bethlehem led Israel.


After Abimelech died Tola, the son of Puah and grandson of Dodo, came to save Israel. He was from the tribe of Issachar and lived at Shamir in the mountains of Ephraim.


After Tola came Jair from Gilead. He judged (led) Israel for twenty-two years.


Then the Israelites cried out to Jehovah. So he sent someone to free them. This was Ehud, a left-handed man, who was the son of Gera, from the tribe of Benjamin. The people of Israel sent Ehud to King Eglon of Moab with gifts for him.


Jephthah was a brave soldier from Gilead. He was the son of a prostitute. Gilead was his father.


The angel of Jehovah came to the village of Ophrah. He sat under the oak tree that belonged to Joash, a man of the clan of Abiezer. His son Gideon was secretly threshing wheat in a wine press, so that the Midianites would not see him.


When Jehovah established judges he supported each judge. He delivered them out of the hand of their enemies all the days the judge lived. He had compassion for them as they groaned under those who oppressed and afflicted them.


Nevertheless Jehovah established judges who delivered them out of the hand of those who plundered them.


All the men of Shechem and Bethmillo got together and went to the sacred oak tree at Shechem, where they made Abimelech king.


Now Deborah, the wife of Lappidoth, was a prophet, and she was serving as a judge for the Israelites at that time.


Then he gave them judges until Samuel the prophet. This took about four hundred and fifty years.