Questions about the book of Judges.
10
votes
2answers
161 views
Did Jephthah have pets?
Judges 11:29-40 tells the story of Jephthah's victory over the Ammonites. Before the battle he promises, "whatever comes out of the door of my house to meet me when I return in triumph from the ...
15
votes
5answers
889 views
Did Jephthah actually sacrifice his daughter?
It's clear that what Jephthah intended was to sacrifice the first animal that he met when he returned home:
Then the spirit of the Lord came upon Jephthah. He marched through Gilead and Manasseh, ...
2
votes
2answers
65 views
Was Abimelech's mother an Israelite?
In Judges 8:31 we read that Gideon had a son by a slave woman from Shechem. In Judges 9 we read about him appealing to the people of Schechem to follow him, and in verse 2, he says
"Remember, I am ...
8
votes
2answers
167 views
How should the first line of Judges 5:2 be translated?
So at some point, I'm hoping to be able to answer this question. In the meantime, though, I keep running into more questions, this one concering the first line of the Song of Deborah (Judges 5:2).
It ...
4
votes
2answers
79 views
Tribe of Benjamin Elite Corps of Slingers
In the book of Judges, we learn that the tribe of Benjamin fielded a corps of slingers.
These soldiers were not mere conscripts, but rather we're informed that they were "chosen", in the sense of ...
10
votes
2answers
105 views
Does Rashi's interpretation of Jephthah's fate hold water?
When Rashi looks back on the life of Jephthah, he notes:
Jephthah was afflicted with boils and dismemberment as it is stated, (below 12:7) “And he was buried in the cities [pl.] of Gilead.” (His ...
6
votes
3answers
975 views
What is the answer to Samson's riddle or how were his companions supposed to guess it?
From the story of Samson in Judges 14 (NIV):
Now his father went down to see the woman. And there Samson held a
feast, as was customary for young men. When the people saw him,
they chose ...
7
votes
1answer
315 views
What is the significance of switching from Gideon to Jerubbaal?
Gideon got a new name in this story:
When the men of the town rose early in the morning, behold, the altar of Baal was broken down, and the Asherah beside it was cut down, and the second bull was ...
8
votes
2answers
194 views
Was there some connection between barley bread and Gideon in the mind of the Midianites?
Before attacking the Midianite camp, Gideon does a little spying:
When Gideon came, behold, a man was telling a dream to his comrade. And he said, “Behold, I dreamed a dream, and behold, a cake of ...
3
votes
2answers
97 views
Do any Hermeneutical approaches provide an explanation of the limited information on Shamgar the Judge?
Shamgar is mentioned only twice in the bible, Judges 3:31 and an oblique reference in Judges 5:6.
It is striking in that certain facts are made completely plain such as the number of Philistines he ...
2
votes
1answer
243 views
Who or where is Meroz in Judges 5:23?
We read:
“Curse Meroz!” said the angel of the Lord.
“Bitterly curse its inhabitants,
Because they came not to the aid of the Lord,
To the aid of the Lord among the warriors.”—Judges ...
2
votes
3answers
113 views
How did Manoah know his visitor was the angel of the LORD?
Judges 13 strongly parallels Genesis 18. I my question about that passage was how Abraham was able to determine that the person he was talking to was God so quickly. This time, I have the opposite ...
3
votes
1answer
67 views
Did Barak already know what he was supposed to do in Judges 4:6-7?
Since we're on a Deborah kick lately:
The ESV renders Deborah's statement to Barak in Judges 4:6-7 as a question:
Has not the LORD, the God of Israel, commanded you, "Go, gather your
men at ...
10
votes
3answers
491 views
Was Deborah considered a sub-optimal leader?
I've sometimes heard that Deborah was allowed to be a leader of Israel only because no man stepped up to the responsibility. However, when she is introduced there is no indication of that:
...
9
votes
1answer
125 views
Does the Shibboleth story help us date the book of Judges?
This story has always fascinated me:
Judges 12:4-6 (ESV)
4 Then Jephthah gathered all the men of Gilead and fought with Ephraim. And the men of Gilead struck Ephraim, because they said, “You are ...
