Thematic Bible: Extraordinary Judges


Thematic Bible



And it happened in those days, no king being in Israel, there was a certain Levite residing on the far side of Mount Ephraim, who took to him a concubine out of Bethlehem-judah.

In those days there was no king in Israel, but every man did that which was right in his eyes.

In those days no king was in Israel. And in those days the tribe of the Danites looked for an inheritance for them to live in. For to that day it had not fallen to them by inheritance among the tribes of Israel.

In those days there was no king in Israel. Every man did the right in his own eyes.


And they were gathered to Mizpeh, and drew water, and poured out before Jehovah, and fasted on that day, and said there, We have sinned against Jehovah. And Samuel judged the sons of Israel in Mizpeh.

And Samuel judged Israel all the days of his life. And he went from year to year in a circuit to Bethel and Gilgal and Mizpeh, and judged Israel in all those places. And his return was to Ramah, for his house was there. And he judged Israel there. And he built an altar there to Jehovah.


Then his brothers and all the house of his father came down, and took him, and brought him up and buried him between Zorah and Eshtaol in the burying-place of Manoah his father. And he judged Israel twenty years.

And the woman bore a son and called his name Samson. And the child grew, and Jehovah blessed him.


And Gideon said to them, I will not rule over you, neither shall my son rule over you. Jehovah shall rule over you.

And Jerubbaal the son of Joash went and lived in his own house.


And yet they would not listen to their judges, but they went lusting after other gods, and bowed themselves to them. They turned quickly out of the way which their fathers walked in, for they had obeyed the commandments of Jehovah; these did not do so. And when Jehovah raised judges up for them, then Jehovah was with the judge, and delivered them out of the hand of their enemies all the days of the judge. For Jehovah took pity because of their groanings before their oppressors and their crushers. And it happened when the judge was dead, they returned and made themselves more rotten than their fathers in following other gods to serve them, and to bow down to them. They did not cease from their own doings nor from their stubborn way.


And when the sons of Israel cried to Jehovah, Jehovah raised up a deliverer to the sons of Israel, who delivered them, Othniel, the son of Caleb's younger brother Kenaz. And the spirit of Jehovah came upon him, and he judged Israel and went out to war. And Jehovah delivered Chushan-rishathaim, king of Mesopotamia, into his hand. And his hand prevailed against Chushan-rishathaim.


And it happened when he spoke of the ark of God, he fell backward off the seat, by the side of the gate. And his neck broke, and he died, for he was an old man, and heavy. And he had judged Israel forty years.


And what more shall I say? For the time would fail me to tell of Gideon and Barak and Samson and Jephthah; also David, and Samuel and the prophets,


And after him Abdon the son of Hillel, a Pirathonite, judged Israel.


And after him Elon, a Zebulonite, judged Israel. And he judged Israel ten years.


And after him was Shamgar the son of Anath, who killed six hundred men of the Philistines with an ox goad. And he also delivered Israel.


And after him Ibzan of Bethlehem judged Israel.


And after Abimelech there arose to defend Israel, Tola the son of Puah, the son of Dodo, a man of Issachar. And he lived in Shamir in Mount Ephraim.


And after him arose Jair, a Gileadite, and judged Israel twenty-two years.


But when the sons of Israel cried to Jehovah, Jehovah raised them up a deliverer, Ehud the son of Gera, a Benjamite, a left-handed man. And the sons of Israel sent a present to Eglon the king of Moab by him.


Now Jephthah, the Gileadite, was a mighty man of war. And he was the son of a harlot. And Gilead fathered Jephthah.


And the Angel of Jehovah came and sat under an oak which was in Ophrah, which belonged to Joash the Abiezrite. And his son Gideon threshed wheat by the winepress, to hide it from the Midianites.


And when Jehovah raised judges up for them, then Jehovah was with the judge, and delivered them out of the hand of their enemies all the days of the judge. For Jehovah took pity because of their groanings before their oppressors and their crushers.


But Jehovah raised up judges who delivered them out of the hand of those who spoiled them.


And all the leaders of Shechem gathered together, and all the house of Millo. And they came and made Abimelech king beside the plain of the pillar in Shechem.


And Deborah, a prophetess, the wife of Lapidoth, judged Israel at that time.


And after that He gave them judges for about four hundred and fifty years, until Samuel the prophet.