JUDGES, in Hebrew Shophetim. They who govern’d the Israelites from Joshua Gr. Κρίται, Judices.to Saul were called Judges. The Carthaginians, a Colony of the Tyrians, had likewise Magistrates or Governors, T. Liv. Decad. iii. l. 7. Suffetes summus erat Poenis Magistratus.whom they called Suffetes or Sophetim, with an authority like those of the Hebrews, almost equal to that of Kings. Some are of opinion that the Archontes among the Athenians, and Dictators among the Romans, were the same almost as the Judges among the Hebrews. Grotius compares the government of the Hebrews under the Judges, to that which was in Gaul, Germany, and Britain, before the Romans changed it. The Office of Judges was not hereditary among the Israelites. These Governors were no more than God’s vicegerents, for he was their only true Monarch: he it was who created the Judges, and gave them all their authority. When the Hebrews desired a King, such as other neighbouring people had, God said to Samuel, They have not rejected thee, but they have rejected me, that I should not reign over them. When the crown was offered to Gideon, and his posterity after him, his answer was, I will not rule over Judg. viii. 23.you, neither shall my son rule over you; the Lord shall rule over you.
The dignity of Judges was for life, but their succession was not always constant and without interruption. There were Anarchies from time to time, or intervals, during which, the Commonwealth was without rulers and Judges. There were likewise pretty long intervals of servitude and oppression, under which the Hebrews groan’d, while strangers had the dominion over them, and were without either Judges or any Governors. Altho God himself in a particular manner, and by some express declaration of his will, did regularly appoint those, whom he was determined to make Judges of the Israelites: nevertheless the people upon some occasions, without waiting for a particular revelation, chose him, who appeared to them most proper to deliver them from oppression. For example, when the Israelites beyond Jordan chose Jephthah to conduct them in the war against the Ammonites. As it often happened, that the oppressions, which occasioned a recourse to the assistance of Judges, were not felt over all Israel, the power of Judges likewise, who were chosen or raised up to procure deliverance from servitudes of this kind, did not extend over all the people, but over that country only which they had delivered. For example, we do not find that Jephthah exercised his authority on this side Jordan; nor that Barak, for instance, exercised his beyond this river.
The verb to Judge, and the noun Judge, sometimes signify in Scripture to reign, to exercise sovereign authority over any people. Make us a King to judge us, said the Israelites to Samuel. Solomon begs of God such a measure of understanding, as was necessary to judge Israel. Jotham the son of Azariah King of Judah governed the Palace in his father’s room, who was a leper, and judged the people of the land. And Absalom, when he was making interest for the Crown, said, Oh that I were made judge in the land! Moreover, the authority of Judges was not inferior to that of Kings: it extended to affairs of peace and war. They decided causes with an absolute authority; but they had no power to make new laws, nor to impose new burdens upon the people. They were protectors of the Laws, defenders of Religion, and the avengers of all crimes, particularly of Idolatry; in other respects they were without pomp or splendor, without guards, train, or equipage, unless their own wealth was such, as might enable them to appear in a figure answerable to their dignity. The revenue of their employment, consisted in presents which were made them; they had no regular profits, and levied nothing upon the people. The time of the continuance of Judges from the death of Joshua to the beginning of Saul’s reign, is three hundred thirty nine years. Here follows the chronological order of the Judges, and the several servitudes which the land lay under during this interval.
A list of the Judges in a
Chronological order.
Year of the world.
- THE death of Joshua. 2585. The government of the elders for about fifteen years. 2592. An Anarchy of about seven years to 2592.
The history of Micah, the conquest of the city of Laish, by part of the Tribe of Dan, and the war undertaken by the eleven Tribes against Benjamin, are all refered to this time.
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The first servitude under Chushamrishathaim King of Mesopotamia. It began in 2591, and lasted eight years to 2599. 2599. Othniel delivered Israel in the forty year after peace established in the land by Joshua.
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A peace of about sixty two years, from the deliverance procured by Othniel, in 2599, to 2662. When the second servitude under Eglon King of the Moabites happened. It lasted eighteen years.
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Ehud delivers Israel.
After him Shamgar governed, and the land was in peace till the eightieth year after the first deliverance procured by Othniel.
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The third servitude under the Canaanites, which lasted twenty years, from 2699, to 2719. 2719. Deborah and Barak deliver the Israelites: from the deliverance procured by Ehud to the end of Deborah and Barak’s government, were forty years.
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Abimelech the natural son of Gideon is acknowledged King by the Shechemites. He puts to death seventy of his brethren; he reigns three years; from 2768 to 2771.
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He died at the siege of Thebaz in Palestine. 2772. Tola after Abimelech governs for three and twenty years, from 2772 to 2795. 2795. Jair succeeds Tola, and governs two and twenty years; from 2795 to 2816. 2799. The fifth servitude under the Philistines, which lasted eighteen years from 2799 to 2817. 2817. The Death of Jair. 2817. Jephthah is chosen head of the Israelites beyond Jordan, he defeated the Ammonites, who oppressed them. Jephthah governs six years, from 2817 to 2823.
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The death of Jephthah. 2830. Ibzan governs seven years; from 2823 to 2830. 2840. Elon succeeds Ibzan. He governs from 2830 to 2840.
Abdon judges Israel, eight years, from 2840 to 2848. 2848. The sixth servitude under the Philistines, which lasted forty years, from 2848 to 2888. 2848. Eli the High Priest of the race of Ithamar governed forty years, the whole time of the servitude under the Philistines. 2849. The birth of Samson. 2887. The death of Samson, who was judge of Israel during the judicature of Eli the High Priest.
- The death of Eli, and beginning of Samuel’s government, who succeeded him. 2909. The election and anointing of Saul, first King of the Hebrews.