'Judge' in the Bible

Then Sarai said to Abram, “May [the responsibility for] the wrong done to me [by the arrogant behavior of Hagar] be upon you. I gave my maid into your arms, and when she realized that she had conceived, I was despised and looked on with disrespect. May the Lord judge [who has done right] between you and me.”

Far be it from You to do such a thing—to strike the righteous with the wicked, so that the righteous and the wicked are treated alike. Far be it from You! Shall not the Judge of all the earth do right [by executing just and righteous judgment]?”

But they said, “Get out of the way!” And they said, “This man (Lot) came [as an outsider] to live here temporarily, and now he is acting like a judge. Now we will treat you worse than your visitors!” So they rushed forward and pressed violently against Lot and came close to breaking down the door [of his house].

Although you have searched through all my possessions, what have you found of your household goods? Put it here before my relatives and your relatives, so that they may decide [who has done right] between the two of us.

The God of Abraham [your father] and the God of Nahor [my father], and the god [the image of worship] of their father [Terah, an idolater], judge between us.” But Jacob swore [only] by [the one true God] the Fear of his father Isaac.

“Dan shall judge his people,As one of the tribes of Israel.

But the man said, “Who made you a prince and a judge over us? Do you intend to kill me as you killed the Egyptian?” Then Moses was afraid and said, “Certainly this incident is known.”

And the foremen said to them, “May the Lord look upon you and judge you, because you have made us odious (something hated) in the sight of Pharaoh and his servants, and you have put a sword in their hand to kill us.”

Now the next day Moses sat to judge [the disputes] the people [had with one another], and the people stood around Moses from dawn to dusk.

When they have a dispute they come to me, and I judge between a man and his neighbor and I make known the statutes of God and His laws.”

They shall judge the people at all times; have them bring every major dispute to you, but let them judge every minor dispute themselves. So it will be easier for you, and they will bear the burden with you.

‘You shall not do injustice in judgment; you shall not be partial to the poor nor show a preference for the great, but judge your neighbor fairly.

then the congregation shall judge between the offender and the blood avenger according to these ordinances.

“Then I commanded your judges at that time, saying, ‘Hear the matters between your brothers [your fellow countrymen], and judge righteously and fairly between a man and his brother, or the stranger (resident alien, foreigner) who is with him.

“You shall appoint judges and officers in all your cities (gates) which the Lord your God is giving you, according to your tribes, and they shall judge the people with righteous judgment.

So you shall come to the Levitical priests or to the judge who is in office at that time, and you shall consult them and they will declare to you the verdict in the case.

The man who acts presumptuously and insolently by not listening to the priest who stands there to serve the Lord your God, nor to the judge, that man shall die; so you shall remove the evil from Israel.

then it shall be that if the guilty man deserves to be beaten, the judge shall make him lie down and be beaten in his presence with a [certain] number of stripes in proportion to his offense.

“For their rock is not like our Rock,Even our enemies themselves judge this.

When the Lord raised up judges for them, He was with the judge and He rescued them from the hand of their enemies all the days of the judge; for the Lord was moved to pity by their groaning because of those who oppressed and afflicted them.

But when the judge died, they turned back and behaved more corruptly than their fathers, in following and serving other gods, and bowing down to them. They did not abandon their practices or their stubborn ways.

So I have not sinned against you, but you are doing me wrong by making war against me; may the Lord, the [righteous] Judge, judge this day between the Israelites and the Ammonites.’”

“The adversaries of the Lord will be broken to pieces;He will thunder against them in the heavens,The Lord will judge the ends of the earth;And He will give strength to His king,And will exalt the horn (strength) of His anointed.”

Now I have told him that I am about to judge his house forever for the sinful behavior which he knew [was happening], because his sons were bringing a curse on themselves [dishonoring and blaspheming God] and he did not rebuke them.

He used to go annually on a circuit to Bethel, Gilgal, and Mizpah, and he judged Israel in all these places.

May the Lord judge between me and you; and may the Lord avenge me on you; but my hand shall not be against you.

May the Lord be the judge and render judgment between me and you; and may He see and plead my cause and vindicate me by saving me from your hand.”

Moreover Absalom would say, “Oh, that I were appointed judge in the land! Then every man who had a dispute could come to me and I would get justice for him.”

So give Your servant an understanding mind and a hearing heart [with which] to judge Your people, so that I may discern between good and evil. For who is able to judge and rule this great people of Yours?”

He made the hall for the throne where he was to judge, the Hall of Judgment; it was paneled with cedar from [one] floor to [another] floor.

then hear from heaven and act and judge Your servants, condemning the wicked by bringing his guilt on his own head, and justifying the righteous by rewarding him in accordance with his righteousness.

These men and their sons served from the Kohathites: Heman the singer, the son of Joel, the son of Samuel [the great prophet and judge],

Then the trees of the forest will sing for joy before the Lord;For He comes to judge and govern the earth.

God replied to Solomon, “Because this was in your heart and you did not ask for riches, possessions or honor and personal glory, or the life of those who hate you, nor have you even asked for long life, but you have asked for wisdom and knowledge for yourself so that you may rule and administer justice to My people over whom I have made you king,

then hear from heaven and act and judge Your servants, punishing the wicked by bringing his conduct on his own head, and providing justice to the righteous by giving to him in accordance with his righteousness (innocence).

and he said to the judges, “Be careful what you do, for you do not judge for man, but for the Lord who is with you in the matter of judgment.

“You, Ezra, are to appoint magistrates and judges in accordance with the wisdom and instruction of your God which is in your hand, so that they may judge all the people who are in the province west of the [Euphrates] River; appoint those who know the laws of your God; and you may teach anyone who does not know them.

For though I were righteous, I could not answer.I must appeal for mercy to my Opponent and Judge.

“You say, ‘What does God know [about me]?Can He judge through the thick darkness?

“There the righteous and upright could reason with Him;So I would be acquitted forever by my Judge.

What then could I do when God arises [to judge me]?When He calls me to account, what will I answer Him?

The Lord judges the peoples;Judge me, O Lord, and grant me justice according to my righteousness and according to the integrity within me.

God is a righteous judge,And a God who is indignant every day.

And He will judge the world in righteousness;He will execute judgment for the nations with fairness (equity).

Judge me, O Lord my God, according to Your righteousness and justice;And do not let them rejoice over me.

Judge and vindicate me, O God; plead my case against an ungodly nation.O rescue me from the deceitful and unjust man!

He summons the heavens above,And the earth, to judge His people:

And the heavens declare His righteousness,For God Himself is judge. Selah.

Save me, O God, by Your name;And vindicate me by Your [wondrous] power.

Do you indeed speak righteousness, O gods (heavenly beings)?Do you judge fairly, O sons of men?

Let the nations be glad and sing for joy,For You will judge the people fairlyAnd guide the nations on earth. Selah.

A father of the fatherless and a judge and protector of the widows,Is God in His holy habitation.

May he judge Your people with righteousness,And Your afflicted with justice.

May he bring justice to the poor among the people,Save the children of the needyAnd crush the oppressor,

“When I select an appointed time,I will judge with equity,” [says the Lord].

But God is the Judge;He puts down one and lifts up another.

How long will you judge unjustlyAnd show partiality to the wicked? Selah.

I said, “You are gods;Indeed, all of you are sons of the Most High.

Arise, O God, judge the earth!For to You belong all the nations.

Rise up, O Judge of the earth;Give to the proud a fitting compensation.

Say among the nations, “The Lord reigns;Indeed, the world is firmly and securely established, it shall not be moved;He will judge and rule the people with fairness.”

Before the Lord, for He is coming,For He is coming to judge the earth.He will judge the world with righteousnessAnd the peoples in His faithfulness.

Before the Lord, for He is coming to judge the earth;He will judge the world with righteousnessAnd the peoples with fairness.

Appoint a wicked man against him,And let an attacker stand at his right hand [to kill him].

How many are the days of Your servant [which he must endure]?When will You execute judgment on those who persecute me?

For the Lord will judge His peopleAnd He will have compassion on His servants [revealing His mercy].

[The judge tells the creditor], “Take the clothes of one who is surety for a stranger;And hold him in pledge [when he guarantees a loan] for foreigners.”

By patience and a calm spirit a ruler may be persuaded,And a soft and gentle tongue breaks the bone [of resistance].

[The judge tells the creditor,] “Take the garment of one who is surety (guarantees a loan) for a stranger;And hold him in pledge when he is surety for an immoral woman [for it is unlikely the debt will be repaid].”

Open your mouth, judge righteously,And administer justice for the afflicted and needy.

I said to myself, “God will judge both the righteous and the wicked,” for there is a time [appointed] for every matter and for every deed.

Your rulers are rebelsAnd companions of thieves;Everyone loves bribesAnd chases after gifts.They do not defend the fatherless,Nor does the widow’s cause come before them [instead they delay or turn a deaf ear].

And He will judge between the nations,And will mediate [disputes] for many peoples;And they will beat their swords into plowshares and their spears into pruning hooks.Nation will not lift up the sword against nation,And never again will they learn war.

The brave man and the warrior [He is also removing],The judge and the prophet,The diviner and the elder,

When a man takes hold of his brother in the house of his father, saying,“You have a robe, you shall be our judge and ruler,And this pile of ruins will be under your control,”

He will protest on that day, saying,“I will not be a governor;For in my house there is neither bread nor clothing;You should not make me a judge and ruler of the people.”

The Lord rises to contend,And stands to judge the people.

“And now, says the Lord, O inhabitants of Jerusalem and men of Judah,Judge between Me and My vineyard (My people).

And He will delight in the fear of the Lord,And He will not judge by what His eyes see,Nor make decisions by what His ears hear;

But with righteousness and justice He will judge the poor,And decide with fairness for the downtrodden of the earth;And He shall strike the earth with the rod of His mouth,And with the breath of His lips He shall slay the wicked.

For the Lord is our Judge,The Lord is our Ruler,The Lord is our King;He will save us.

‘They are fat and they are sleek (prosperous),They excel in acts of wickedness;They do not plead the cause,The cause of the orphan, so that they [the wicked] may prosper,And they do not defend the rights of the poor.

O Lord, You have seen the wrong [done to me];Judge my case.

Now the end is upon you, and I will send My anger against you and will judge you in accordance with your ways and I will bring [retribution for] all your abominations upon you.

Now I will soon pour out My wrath on you and spend My anger against you, and I will judge you in accordance with your ways and will repay you [with punishment] for all your outrageous acts.

The king [of Judah] will mourn and the prince (Zedekiah) will be clothed with [garments of] despair and anguish, and the hands of the people of the land shall tremble [in terror]. I will deal with them in accordance with their conduct, and by their judgments I will judge them. And they will know [without any doubt] that I am the Lord.’”

You will fall by the sword; I will judge and punish you [in front of your neighbors] at the border of [the land of] Israel; and you will know [without any doubt] that I am the Lord.

This city will not be a pot for you, nor will you be meat [safe] in it, but I will judge you at the border of Israel.

And I [the Lord God] will judge you like women who commit adultery or shed blood are judged; and I will bring on you the blood of wrath and jealousy.

“Therefore I will judge you, O house of Israel, each one in accordance with his conduct,” says the Lord God. “Repent (change your way of thinking) and turn away from all your transgressions, so that sin may not become a stumbling block to you.

Will you judge them, son of man, will you judge them? Then make them know [accurately] and understand fully the repulsive acts of their fathers;

Return the sword to its sheath. In the place where you were created, in the land of your origin (birth), I will judge you.

“And you, son of man [Ezekiel], will you judge, will you judge the city of bloodshed? Then make her recognize all her repulsive acts.

They will come against you with weapons, chariots, and wagons, and with a company of people (infantry) who will array themselves against you on every side with large shield and small, and helmet; and I will commit the judgment and the punishment to them, and they will judge and punish you in accordance with their [pagan] customs.

Moreover, the Lord said to me, “Son of man, will you judge Oholah (Samaria, capital of Israel) and Oholibah (Jerusalem, capital of Judah)? Then inform them of their atrocities [the detestable and vile things they do].

And they, righteous men, will judge and condemn them with the judgment (punishment) of adulteresses and with the judgment of women who shed blood, because they are adulteresses and blood is on their hands.

I the Lord have spoken; it is coming and I will act. I will not relent, and I will not have compassion and I will not be sorry; in accordance with your ways and in accordance with your deeds I will judge and punish you,” says the Lord God.’”

Yet you say, ‘The way of the Lord is not right.’ O house of Israel, I will judge you, every one [of you] in accordance with his own ways!”

“And as for you, My flock, thus says the Lord God, ‘Behold, I judge between one sheep and another, between the rams and the male goats [between the righteous and the unrighteous].

Therefore thus says the Lord God to them, “Behold, I Myself will judge between the [well-fed] fat sheep and the lean sheep.