What Do We Do with Deborah as a Judge?

by Perry Hall Deborah is a conundrum. And we shouldn’t be surprised because she is a woman! Joking aside, there is still the fact that Deborah is an aberration when it comes to judges because she is a woman. So much so is this true, that proponents on both sides of the debate concerning women’s…

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Should Abimelech be counted as a judge of Israel?

Question: I am teaching the Judges to the children. My question was Abimelech really a judge? I have read both sides, and am interested to hear what your evaluation is. Thank you for your input, Jeff. Answer: “After Abimelech had reigned over Israel three years, God sent a spirit of ill will between Abimelech and…

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Why aren’t Samuel’s sons counted among the judges?

Question: Concerning your post recently about whether Abimelech was a judge or not: I remember a passage concerning the people wanting a king because of the evil of Samuel’s sons, whom he appointed to be judges over the people in I Samuel 8:1-5. I’m not sure if this would help your answer, but I remembered them…

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Who had seen the great works of God in Judges 2:7?

Question: I would like to ask a question about the who’s who of a biblical passage. Regarding the “who” in Judges 2:7, who are they in this passage? Are they the same people who served the Lord in the days of Joshua and in the days of the elders who outlived Joshua? Or are they…

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Could you explain Jotham’s parable of the trees?

Question: Would you please give your understanding of the story of the trees in Judges 9:7-15? Thank you. Answer: “Now when they told Jotham, he went and stood on top of Mount Gerizim, and lifted his voice and cried out. And he said to them: “Listen to me, you men of Shechem, that God may listen…

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Were the man’s actions in Judges 19:22-24 wrong?

Question: Were the man’s actions in Judges 19:22-24 wrong? I’m sure it’s addressed on the website, but I searched for it and I think I just couldn’t think of the best way to search for it. Was it wrong for the man to offer his daughter like that? The passage doesn’t seem to say anything…

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Samson

https://www.lavistachurchofchrist.org/cms/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/Samson.mp3 by Jeffrey W. Hamilton  Text: Hebrews 11:32-40 I.         Heb 11:32-34             A.        Many wonder why Samson is listed among these greats.             B.        True, his great strength was a wonder, but his life was not one many of us would want to imitate.             C.        How is it that Samson, with his many sins, has come to be listed with greats…

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Was Jael morally right in killing Sisera?

Question: I was wondering about Jael. Was what she did right? It’s shocking to our modern sensibilities (or at least to mine) to read the story as presented in Judges 4. And yet Deborah and Barak (who seem to be relatively moral people?) praise her for everything she did in Judges 5.24-27. Just curious how…

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What was Jephthah’s sin?

Question: What was Jephthah’s sin? Answer: If someone wanted to give a short answer to that question, his flaw was his rashness. “Do not be rash with your mouth, and let not your heart utter anything hastily before God. For God is in heaven, and you on earth; therefore let your words be few” (Ecclesiastes…

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How Long Did the Judges Rule Israel?

by Jeffrey W. Hamilton A passage that has given scholars difficulty over the years is Acts 13:17-20. The New American Standard renders it thus: “The God of this people Israel chose our fathers and made the people great during their stay in the land of Egypt, and with an uplifted arm He led them out from…

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Why did Jael give Sisera milk and not water as he requested?

Question: Why did Jael give Sisera milk and not water as he requested? Answer: “However, Sisera had fled away on foot to the tent of Jael, the wife of Heber the Kenite; for there was peace between Jabin king of Hazor and the house of Heber the Kenite. And Jael went out to meet Sisera,…

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Just Justices

https://www.lavistachurchofchrist.org/cms/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/JustJustices.mp3 by Jeffrey W. Hamilton Text: John 10:22-38   I.         Many times Jesus faced a mob set to stone him for his words.             A.        In our reading, the thing which upset them was Jesus’ claim to be the Son of God.             B.        They understood that this was not a light claim, but one of a direct relationship. They…

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What does “Who is Abimelech, and who is Shechem?” mean?

Question: I am teaching the book of Judges this evening and am not sure about one thing I read in 9:28 and hope you can help me. It is my understanding that Shechem is a city. This is a figure of speech called metonymy – where one thing represents another. Examples: I have 300 head…

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How long did Jephthah rule Israel?

Question: How long did Jephthah rule Israel? Answer: “And Jephthah judged Israel six years. Then Jephthah the Gileadite died and was buried in among the cities of Gilead” (Judges 12:7).

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Jephthah’s Daughter

by Jeffrey W. Hamilton The story of Jephthah recorded in Judges 11:29-40 has caused difficulties for Bible students. Jephthah, by the Lord’s leading, is about to wage a major battle against the Ammonites. Before going off to battle, Jephthah makes a vow to God. The first thing that greets him from his home when he…

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Who were the judges and kings of Israel?

Question: What were the names of the kings of Israel? How many judges were there that ruled over Israel? Answer: The judges of Israel were: Othniel Ehud Shamgar Deborah Gideon Abimelech (Not a true judge. He was merely a corrupt ruler during the period of the Judges. Judges 9:22) Tola Jair Jephthah Ibzan Elon Abdon Samson…

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