Richter Israels

Before Israel had kings, there was no permanent ruler sitting on a throne. When Israel was oppressed by a neighboring people, God would raise up a judge, a military leader and deliverer, to rescue them. But the book of Judges is not a simple succession of rulers. Different judges led different regions, sometimes at the same time, as Israel repeatedly fell into oppression, cried out, and was delivered.

That overlap helps explain one of the book's biggest chronological puzzles. Add up each judge's stated years of oppression and rule, and the total runs far beyond the roughly 300 years available for this period in the Old Testament's chronology. The usual explanation is that many of these events were regional and overlapping rather than one long sequence of national rulers.

Explore the judges and their oppressors below to see where these stories fit, and where their timelines overlap. Click an oppressor to filter the page.

Überlappungs-Zeitleiste

Woher die Bedrohungen kamen

Aram-Naharaim (Mesopotamien)

Moab

Kanaan (Hazor)

Midian

Ammon

Philister

Kein namentlich genannter Unterdrücker

Der Befreiungszyklus

Im Buch der Richter wird nicht jedem Richter die gleiche Rolle zugeschrieben. Sechs Richter erhalten ausführliche Berichte über Israels Rebellion, Unterdrückung und Befreiung; die anderen werden in kurzen Notizen erwähnt, die kaum mehr als ihren Namen, ihr Territorium und ihre Amtszeit angeben.

Othniel

Aram-Naharaim (Mesopotamien)

Sünde

Unterdrückung

Hilferuf

Retter

Frieden

Ehud

Moab

Sünde

Unterdrückung

Hilferuf

Retter

Frieden

Deborah & Barak

Kanaan (Hazor)

Sünde

Unterdrückung

Hilferuf

Retter

Frieden

Gideon

Midian

Sünde

Unterdrückung

Hilferuf

Retter

Frieden

Jephthah

Ammon

Sünde

Unterdrückung

Hilferuf

Retter

Frieden

Samson

Philister

Sünde

Unterdrückung

Hilferuf

Retter

Frieden

13 Richter

Richter	Stamm	Jahre	Geschichte
Othniel Judah · 8 unter Aram-Naharaim (Mesopotamien) · 40 als Richter Caleb's younger kinsman, first of the judges. Israel serves Cushan-rishathaim of Aram-Naharaim eight years before Othniel delivers them, and the land rests forty (Judg 3:8-11).	Judah	8 unter Aram-Naharaim (Mesopotamien) 40 als Richter	Caleb's younger kinsman, first of the judges. Israel serves Cushan-rishathaim of Aram-Naharaim eight years before Othniel delivers them, and the land rests forty (Judg 3:8-11).
Ehud Benjamin · 18 unter Moab · 80 als Richter A left-handed Benjamite who hides a short sword under his clothes to reach Eglon of Moab alone, then kills him in his own chamber. The rest that follows, eighty years, is the longest of any judge (Judg 3:15-30).	Benjamin	18 unter Moab 80 als Richter	A left-handed Benjamite who hides a short sword under his clothes to reach Eglon of Moab alone, then kills him in his own chamber. The rest that follows, eighty years, is the longest of any judge (Judg 3:15-30).
Shamgar Stamm nicht angegeben · Keine Jahreszahlen angegeben Gets one verse: he kills six hundred Philistines with an ox goad. No years, no tribe, no cycle of sin and cry, just the deed (Judg 3:31).	nicht angegeben	Keine Jahreszahlen angegeben	Gets one verse: he kills six hundred Philistines with an ox goad. No years, no tribe, no cycle of sin and cry, just the deed (Judg 3:31).
Deborah Ephraim · 20 unter Kanaan (Hazor) · 40 als Richter A prophetess already judging Israel when she summons Barak to face Sisera's nine hundred iron chariots. Twenty years under Jabin of Hazor end at Mount Tabor (Judg 4-5).	Ephraim	20 unter Kanaan (Hazor) 40 als Richter	A prophetess already judging Israel when she summons Barak to face Sisera's nine hundred iron chariots. Twenty years under Jabin of Hazor end at Mount Tabor (Judg 4-5).
Barak Naphtali · 20 unter Kanaan (Hazor) · 40 als Richter Won't march on Sisera without Deborah beside him, so she tells him the honor of the kill will go to a woman instead. It does: Jael drives a tent peg through Sisera's skull (Judg 4:8-9, 21).	Naphtali	20 unter Kanaan (Hazor) 40 als Richter	Won't march on Sisera without Deborah beside him, so she tells him the honor of the kill will go to a woman instead. It does: Jael drives a tent peg through Sisera's skull (Judg 4:8-9, 21).
Gideon Manasseh · 7 unter Midian · 40 als Richter Threshes wheat in a winepress, hiding from Midianite raiders, when an angel calls him a mighty man of valor. Whittles his army from 32,000 to 300 and routs Midian by night (Judg 6-8).	Manasseh	7 unter Midian 40 als Richter	Threshes wheat in a winepress, hiding from Midianite raiders, when an angel calls him a mighty man of valor. Whittles his army from 32,000 to 300 and routs Midian by night (Judg 6-8).
Tola Issachar · 23 als Richter Rises after Abimelech's brief, bloody kingship to judge Israel twenty-three years from Shamir in the hill country of Ephraim. No oppression, no enemy named, just the years (Judg 10:1-2).	Issachar	23 als Richter	Rises after Abimelech's brief, bloody kingship to judge Israel twenty-three years from Shamir in the hill country of Ephraim. No oppression, no enemy named, just the years (Judg 10:1-2).
Jair Manasseh (Gilead) · 22 als Richter Judges Israel twenty-two years; his thirty sons ride thirty donkeys and hold thirty towns in Gilead. Buried at Kamon (Judg 10:3-5).	Manasseh (Gilead)	22 als Richter	Judges Israel twenty-two years; his thirty sons ride thirty donkeys and hold thirty towns in Gilead. Buried at Kamon (Judg 10:3-5).
Jephthah Manasseh (Gilead) · 18 unter Ammon · 6 als Richter A commander's son driven out by his own half-brothers, recalled by Gilead's elders when Ammon presses in. Wins the war, then keeps a rash vow that costs him his only daughter (Judg 11).	Manasseh (Gilead)	18 unter Ammon 6 als Richter	A commander's son driven out by his own half-brothers, recalled by Gilead's elders when Ammon presses in. Wins the war, then keeps a rash vow that costs him his only daughter (Judg 11).
Ibzan Stamm nicht angegeben · 7 als Richter Judges Israel seven years from Bethlehem, marrying off thirty sons and thirty daughters outside his own clan. The text doesn't say which Bethlehem (Judg 12:8-10).	nicht angegeben	7 als Richter	Judges Israel seven years from Bethlehem, marrying off thirty sons and thirty daughters outside his own clan. The text doesn't say which Bethlehem (Judg 12:8-10).
Elon Zebulun · 10 als Richter Ten years as judge, then buried in Aijalon in his own tribe's territory. That's the whole record (Judg 12:11-12).	Zebulun	10 als Richter	Ten years as judge, then buried in Aijalon in his own tribe's territory. That's the whole record (Judg 12:11-12).
Abdon Ephraim · 8 als Richter Forty sons and thirty grandsons, each riding his own donkey. Eight years from Pirathon, the last judge before Samson (Judg 12:13-15).	Ephraim	8 als Richter	Forty sons and thirty grandsons, each riding his own donkey. Eight years from Pirathon, the last judge before Samson (Judg 12:13-15).
Samson Dan · 40 unter Philister · 20 als Richter A Nazirite from birth, strong enough to kill a lion bare-handed and carry off a city gate, undone by one haircut. Judges Israel twenty years under a forty-year Philistine oppression that outlasts him (Judg 13-16).	Dan	40 unter Philister 20 als Richter	A Nazirite from birth, strong enough to kill a lion bare-handed and carry off a city gate, undone by one haircut. Judges Israel twenty years under a forty-year Philistine oppression that outlasts him (Judg 13-16).

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