Judges of Israel
Thirteen figures from the book of Judges, in canonical order. Years are stated in the text; this table does not resolve whether periods overlap or run sequentially. The column שֹׁפֵט in textindicates whether the figure's own narrative uses the Hebrew word shophet(judge) for that person — distinct from the book's framing passage (Judges 2:16-18) which applies the label to the period as a whole.
| # | Name | Oppressor | Oppression (years) | Judged (years) | Rest (years) | שֹׁפֵט in text | Reference |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Othniel First judge named in the book. Nephew of Caleb (Judg 3:9). Judges 3:10 explicitly states he 'judged Israel' (שָׁפַט אֶת-יִשְׂרָאֵל). | Cushan-rishathaim, king of Mesopotamia | 8(Judg 3:8) | — | 40(Judg 3:11) | Yes | Judges 3:7-11 |
| 2 | Ehud Son of Gera, a Benjaminite. Left-handed. Assassinated Eglon in a private audience, then led Israel against Moab. | Eglon, king of Moab (with Ammon and Amalek) | 18(Judg 3:14) | — | 80(Judg 3:30) | Noⓘ | Judges 3:12-30 |
| 3 | Shamgar Killed 600 Philistines with an oxgoad. Only one verse; no dates, no narrative cycle. | Philistines | — | — | — | Noⓘ | Judges 3:31 |
| 4 | Deborah (with Barak) Judges 4:4 explicitly names Deborah 'a prophetess' and states 'she was judging Israel (שֹׁפְטָה אֶת-יִשְׂרָאֵל) at that time.' Only judge explicitly described as already judging before a military crisis. Barak led the military campaign. Sisera was killed by Jael (Judg 4:17-22). The Song of Deborah in chapter 5 is one of the oldest Hebrew poems in the Bible. | Jabin king of Canaan / Sisera his commander | 20(Judg 4:3) | — | 40(Judg 5:31) | Yes | Judges 4-5 |
| 5 | Gideon (Jerubbaal) Also called Jerubbaal ('let Baal contend against him') after destroying his father's Baal altar (6:32). Led 300 men against the Midianite army. After the victory, made an ephod that 'became a snare to Gideon and to his family' (8:27). | Midian (with Amalek and the people of the East) | 7(Judg 6:1) | — | 40(Judg 8:28) | Noⓘ | Judges 6-8 |
| 6 | Abimelech Son of Gideon and a Shechemite concubine. Killed by a woman who dropped a millstone on his head (9:53); asked his armor-bearer to run him through so it would not be said a woman killed him (9:54). | — | — | 3(Judg 9:22) | — | Noⓘ | Judges 9 |
| 7 | Tola Son of Puah, son of Dodo. From the tribe of Issachar. One of the 'minor' judges with no military narrative. Judges 10:1 says he 'arose to save Israel' (לְהוֹשִׁיעַ אֶת-יִשְׂרָאֵל). | — | — | 23(Judg 10:2) | — | Yes | Judges 10:1-2 |
| 8 | Jair Jair the Gileadite. Had 30 sons who rode 30 donkeys and had 30 cities in Gilead. No military narrative. | — | — | 22(Judg 10:3) | — | Yes | Judges 10:3-5 |
| 9 | Jephthah Son of Gilead and a prostitute; driven out by his half-brothers. Made a vow that cost him his daughter (11:30-40). Also defeated Ephraim in a civil conflict; the 'shibboleth/sibboleth' test (12:6). One of the judges cited in Hebrews 11:32. | Ammonites | 18(Judg 10:8) | 6(Judg 12:7) | — | Yes | Judges 10:6–12:7 |
| 10 | Ibzan From Bethlehem. Had 30 sons and 30 daughters. Minor judge; no military narrative. | — | — | 7(Judg 12:9) | — | Yes | Judges 12:8-10 |
| 11 | Elon Elon the Zebulunite. No narrative beyond his years of service. | — | — | 10(Judg 12:11) | — | Yes | Judges 12:11-12 |
| 12 | Abdon Son of Hillel the Pirathonite. Had 40 sons and 30 grandsons who rode on 70 donkeys. No military narrative. | — | — | 8(Judg 12:14) | — | Yes | Judges 12:13-15 |
| 13 | Samson A Nazirite from birth (13:5). The text notes he 'judged Israel in the days of the Philistines twenty years' (15:20; repeated 16:31). His 20 years of judging overlapped with the 40-year Philistine oppression. Named in Hebrews 11:32. Died pulling down the temple of Dagon, killing more at his death than in his life (16:30). | Philistines | 40(Judg 13:1) | 20(Judg 15:20; 16:31) | — | Yes | Judges 13-16 |
שֹׁפֵט (shophet): "Yes" means the individual narrative of this figure explicitly uses the Hebrew root שָׁפַט for that person. The book's framing passage (Judges 2:16-18) provides the category label "judges" for all figures listed. Those marked "No" are deliverers, rulers, or warriors whose own narratives do not use the word.
Highlighted rows indicate figures who are not explicitly called shophet in their own narrative, or (Abimelech) are explicitly not judges.
Years of oppression and years of rest are stated in the text; this table does not resolve whether the periods are sequential or overlapping. See page note on the 480-year question.