Questions tagged [judges]
Judges is the seventh book of the Hebrew Bible and the second book of the Former Prophets.
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Parallels between Samson and David?
There seems to be some alleged parallels in the following stories of Samson and David.The two figures seem to go through similar situations.All texts from the NIV.
SAMSON
Comes to prominence under ...
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1answer
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How did Samson entertain the Philistines before he died?
Judges 16:25
While they were in high spirits, they shouted, "Bring out Samson to entertain us." So they called Samson out of the prison, and he performed for them. When they stood him among ...
3
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1answer
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Was it okay for Gideon to test God with the fleece?
Deuteronomy 6:16
Do not put the LORD your God to the test as you did at Massah.
Judges 6:39
Then Gideon said to God, "Do not be angry with me. Let me make just one more request. Allow me one more ...
2
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1answer
45 views
How did the golden ephod become a snare to Gideon's family?
Judges 8:27
Gideon made the gold into an ephod, which he placed in Ophrah, his town. All Israel prostituted themselves by worshiping it there, and it became a snare to Gideon and his family.
What is ...
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1answer
53 views
What does Judges 19:24 say about the value of females in those days? [closed]
Judges 19:24
Look, here is my virgin daughter, and his concubine. I will bring them out to you now, and you can use them and do to them whatever you wish. But as for this man, don't do such an ...
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2answers
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Judges 16:19 did Delilah torment Samson?
Judges 16:19
New International Version
After putting him to sleep on her lap, she called for someone to shave off the seven braids of his hair, and so began to subdue him. And his strength left him.
...
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2answers
52 views
Why was a concubine being referred to as a “girl”? [closed]
Judges 19:3
English Standard Version
Then her husband arose and went after her, to speak kindly to her and bring her back. He had with him his servant and a couple of donkeys. And she brought him into ...
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69 views
Why did Samson's first wife cry for all seven days of the wedding feast? [closed]
Judges 14:10 Now his father went down to see the woman. And there
Samson held a feast, as was customary for young men. 11 When the people
saw him, they chose thirty men to be his companions.
12 “Let ...
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2answers
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Did Jacob and Manoah meet the same angel of the Lord?
Genesis 32:29
Jacob said, "Please tell me your name." But he replied, "Why do you ask my name?" Then he blessed him there.
Judges 13:17 Then Manoah inquired of the angel of the ...
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1answer
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Did Manoah violate Deuteronomy 12:13 by sacrificing on a rock in Judges 13:19?
Deuteronomy 12:13
Be careful not to sacrifice your burnt offerings anywhere you please.
Judges 13:19
Then Manoah took a young goat, together with the grain offering, and sacrificed it on a rock to ...
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How many sons did Jerub-Baal has?
Judges 6:32 Therefore on that day Gideon was called Jerub-Baal, that is to say, “Let Baal contend against him,” because he broke down his altar....
8:30 Now Gideon had seventy sons, his own offspring, ...
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What is this expression “burn someone with fire” in Judges 15:6?
New International Version Judges 15:6
When the Philistines asked, "Who did this?" they were told, "Samson, the Timnite's son-in-law, because his wife was given to his companion." ...
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3answers
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Who were the olive tree, fig tree, and the grapevine in Jotham’s parable?
NIV Judges 9:
7 When this was reported to Jotham, he climbed to the top of Mount Gerizim, raised his voice, and cried out:
“Listen to me, O leaders of Shechem,
and may God listen to you.
8One day the ...
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1answer
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What is the significance of Ehud hiding the sword on his right thigh in Judges 3:21?
Judges 3:21
Ehud reached with his left hand, drew the sword from his right thigh and plunged it into the king's belly.
Couldn't he have achieved the same goal by hiding it on his left thigh?
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Is the Dan in Genesis 14:14 same as the one in Judges 18:29?
Genesis 14:14
When Abram heard that his nephew Lot had been captured, he mobilized the 318 trained men who had been born into his household. Then he pursued Kedorlaomer’s army until he caught up with ...
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1answer
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What part did Barak play in the Song of Deborah?
Judges 5:1 begins with two persons:
On that day Deborah and Barak son of Abinoam sang this song:
Then verse 3 shows first person singular:
I, even I, will sing to a the Lord;
I will praise the Lord,...
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Is there a geographic riddle hidden in Judges 15:19, when God causes a donkey’s Jawbone to cry water at Lehi?
In Judges 15:14-19, Samson (Shimshon, שִׁמְשׁ֔וֹן) defeats the Philistines with an odd weapon - a donkey’s jawbone (Lehi, לְחִ֣י) - calling the place of his victory “Level-Jawbone” (רָ֥מַת לֶֽחִי).
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1answer
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(Judges 7:16) Gideon's empty pitchers
Judges 7:16 (KJV), "And he divided the three hundred men into three companies, and he put a trumpet in every man's hand, with empty pitchers, and lamps within the pitchers."
Now the Hebrew ends the ...
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2answers
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When was the Book of Ruth set?
"In the days when the judges ruled,[a] there was a famine in the land. So a man from Bethlehem in Judah, together with his wife and two sons, went to live for a while in the country of Moab."- Ruth 1:...
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Is the angel of the lord God himself? Are there verses that affirms the angel of the Lord is God Almighty?
If the angel of the Lord is God Himself, why is he called the angel of the Lord? Young's Literal Translation of Judges 6:22 says, And Gideon seeth that He is a messenger of Jehovah, and Gideon saith, '...
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What is the significance of the 700 left handed men? [duplicate]
Judges 20:16 (KJV) Among all this people there were seven hundred chosen men lefthanded: every one could sling stones at an hairbreadth, and not miss. (KJV)
What is the significance of these men ...
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Why does Manoah's wife alter the angel's words in Judges 13: 5-7?
When the angel speaks to the wife of Manoah, he says :
For, lo, thou shalt conceive, and bear a son; and no razor shall come on his head: for the child shall be a Nazarite unto God from the womb: ...
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223 views
1 Samuel 2:33-34 Prophesy about Eli's descendants seem to be Only Partially accurate(and in some ways contradicts) was acutally happens in the future
1 Samuel 2:31-34 New American Standard Bible (NASB)
31 Behold, the days are coming when I will break your [q]strength and
the [r]strength of your father’s house so that there will not be an
old man in ...
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3answers
137 views
Is the following analysis of Judges 19 & 20 Levite's intentions, character, behaviour & actions correct?
Despite the fact that the violent rape of the Levite's concubine was certainly horrific and wrong, the Levite himself has his own flaws:
Judges 19 New American Standard Bible (NASB)
2 But his ...
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3answers
494 views
Understanding Samson's feelings to avenge the Philistines, and understanding the nature of God's justice and fairness
I'm trying to understand why God accepted Samson's prayer request to avenge the Philistines for gouging out his eyes.
Judges 18:28-31
28 Then Samson called to the Lord and said, “O Lord [o]God, ...
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2answers
584 views
Samson was a Nazirite, (Judges 13:1-5) yet we read that he touched dead persons ,Judges 15:8 , Why?
One of the regulations of Naziriteship was not to go near or touch a dead person:
Numbers 6:6 NASB
6 "All the days of his separation to the Lord he shall not go near to
a dead person. 7 He ...
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2answers
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Were the Sidionians meant to be conquered?
"Now these are the nations that the Lord left, to test Israel by them, that is, all in Israel who had not experienced all the wars in Canaan. It was only in order that the generations of the people of ...
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452 views
Could Abimelech be regarded as the first king of Israel?
After Gideon had helped deliver the Israelites from the hand of the Midianites they requested that he rule over them,but he declined.
Judges 8:22 NASB
22 Then the men of Israel said to Gideon, “...
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4answers
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Why are there so many unusual weapons used in Judges?
There are a number of unusual or unconventional weapons used in the book of Judges:
Shamgar uses an oxgoad to strike down Philistines (3:31)
Jael uses a tent peg to kill Sisera (4:21)
Gideon's army ...
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In a calling narrative, is the initial demurring to be viewed positively?
The calling narratives of Moses and Gideon both follow a similar pattern that involves the called person initially demurring to the calling. In Exodus 3:10-11 we read:
"So now, go. I am sending ...
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2answers
842 views
What does Gideon's new name, Jerub-baal, mean?
In Judges 6:25, Gideon is told to destroy his father's alter to Baal and the Asherah pole next to it. When the people learn the next day that Gideon has broken it down they verbally spar with Gideon's ...
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1answer
77 views
Visible and Invisible God - Judges 6:22,23
I’m sorry if this is splitting hairs but this question is about the trinity or not.
Gideon has a visitation from an angel. He proceeds to bring him a sacrifice
“Please do not depart from here ...
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Does the story of Caleb and Aksah in Judges 1 have a pedagogical purpose?
Judges 1 tells how the people after Joshua fought to drive out the people of the land. Initially they are succeeding but by the end of the chapter they are failing at driving the people out, and this ...
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Was Deborah prophesying or judging - Judges 4:4,5
According to the Bible Deborah’s title and hence office/vocation was prophetess
“Now Deborah, a prophetess, the wife of Lappidoth, was judging Israel at that time.”
Judges 4:4 ESV
It is true ...
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2answers
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How did Jerome arrive at his Translation of Judges 15:8?
Reading Judges this morning, I came across Judges 15:8:
Judges 15:8 (DRB) And he [Samson] made a great slaughter of them, so that in astonishment they laid the calf of the leg upon the thigh.
(The ...
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1answer
50 views
Did the Angel leave and return or was it a different event in Judges?
Judges chapter 6
21 Then the Angel of the Lord put out the end of the staff that was in His hand, and touched the meat and the unleavened bread; and fire rose out of the rock and consumed the meat ...
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In Judges 8:18 what suggested royalty to Zebah and Zalmunna?
KJV Judges 8:18 Then said he unto Zebah and Zalmunna, What manner of men were they whom ye slew at Tabor? And they answered, As thou art, so were they; each one resembled the children of a king.
...
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938 views
In Judges 15:20 what does it mean that Samson “judged” Israel for twenty years?
KJV Judges 15:20 And he [Samson] judged Israel in the days of the Philistines twenty years.
To read Samson's story is to watch a man of action, always anxious to be in the action. At least in the KJV,...
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4answers
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In Judges 3:16 what is the length of a “gomed”?
In Judges 3:16, Ehud's sword or dagger was said to be a gomed in length. How long is a gomed? I'm aware some translations have cubit, but if it was a cubit, why wasn't the Hebrew word for cubit used?
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By the end of Judges (Judges 21:25) who comprised the Israelites?
This question is solely about the peoples in the document sets, not archaeological claims. Apologies if this is a bad fit: I checked the site tour; this seems to be an exegesis request in relation to ...
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1answer
470 views
In Judges 9:8-15, how did the trees talk? [closed]
In Judges 9:8-15, Jotham conveys a message about the trees speaking amongst themselves while seeking a king. Since I understand Jotham to be a prophet, he is presumably relaying a message from God. ...
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2answers
279 views
Which land were the Ammonites demanding in Judges 11:13?:
After besieging Gilead the Ammonites demanded their land which they claimed the Israelis took from them during their exodus from Egypt to Canaan.
Judges 11:4-13 KJV
4 And it came to pass in ...
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1answer
221 views
What is the purpose of the minor judges in the narrative?
After Gideon dies in Judges 8, we're given two short stories at the start of Judges 10:
After Abimelech there arose to save Israel Tola the son of Puah, son of Dodo, a man of Issachar, and he lived ...
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2answers
334 views
Is Psalm 110:6-7 an allusion to Judges 7:4-8?
BSB Psalm 110: 6He will judge the nations, heaping up the dead; He
will crush the leaders far and wide. 7He will drink from the brook
by the road; therefore He will lift up His head.
NIV ...
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4answers
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Lapping like dogs or using their hands? An inconsistency in Judges 7:5-7
In Judges 7:5-7 God tells Gideon to make a test and to decide, based on the this, who will stay with him and who will leave. This is what what we are told from verse 5 about the test:
And the LORD ...
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1answer
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How were the Danites acquainted with the young levite in Judges in 18:3?
Judges 18:2-3 (KJV)
2 And the children of Dan sent of their family five men from their coasts, men of valour, from Zorah, and from Eshtaol, to spy out the land, and to search it; and they said ...
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2answers
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Why did Samson hide from his parents the two incidents in Judges 14?
Judges 14:6 (KJV)
6 And the spirit of the LORD came mightily upon him, and he rent him as he would have rent a kid, and he had nothing in his hand: but he told not his father or his mother what he ...
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190 views
Is it the fourth or the seventh day in Judges 14?
Judges 14 NASB
[15]Then it came about on the fourth day that they said to Samson's wife, "Entice your husband, so that he will tell us the riddle, or we will burn you and your father's house with ...
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A word ending in “ti”--in archaic Hebrew, who does it refer to?
In Judges 5:7 (in the song of Deborah) we find:
חָדְלוּ פְרָזוֹן בְּיִשְׂרָאֵל, חָדֵלּוּ, עַד שַׁקַּמְתִּי דְּבוֹרָה,
שַׁקַּמְתִּי אֵם בְּיִשְׂרָאֵל
The archaic Hebrew word shakamti is ...
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When Samson refers to his wife as a “heifer”, is he doing so in a derogatory sense?
I am reading in the book of Judges at chapter 14.The passage concerns a riddle given by Samson to thirty of his companions at a feast.Please read here.
The thirty companions put pressure on Samson's ...
