Jueces de Israel

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.

Línea de tiempo superpuesta

De dónde provenían las amenazas

Aram-Naharaim (Mesopotamia)

Moab

Canaán (Hazor)

Madián

Amón

Filisteos

Ningún opresor nombrado

El ciclo de liberación

El libro de los Jueces no otorga a todos los jueces el mismo papel. Seis de ellos reciben relatos completos de la rebelión, la opresión y la liberación de Israel; los demás aparecen registrados en breves menciones que apenas dan más información que su nombre, territorio y años de liderazgo.

Othniel

Aram-Naharaim (Mesopotamia)

Pecado

Opresión

Clamor

Libertador

Paz

Ehud

Moab

Pecado

Opresión

Clamor

Libertador

Paz

Deborah & Barak

Canaán (Hazor)

Pecado

Opresión

Clamor

Libertador

Paz

Gideon

Madián

Pecado

Opresión

Clamor

Libertador

Paz

Jephthah

Amón

Pecado

Opresión

Clamor

Libertador

Paz

Samson

Filisteos

Pecado

Opresión

Clamor

Libertador

Paz

13 jueces

Juez	Tribu	Años	Historia
Othniel Judah · 8 bajo Aram-Naharaim (Mesopotamia) · 40 como juez 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 bajo Aram-Naharaim (Mesopotamia) 40 como juez	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 bajo Moab · 80 como juez 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 bajo Moab 80 como juez	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 Tribu no especificada · No se dieron años 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).	No especificado	No se dieron años	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 bajo Canaán (Hazor) · 40 como juez 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 bajo Canaán (Hazor) 40 como juez	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 bajo Canaán (Hazor) · 40 como juez 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 bajo Canaán (Hazor) 40 como juez	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 bajo Madián · 40 como juez 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 bajo Madián 40 como juez	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 como juez 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 como juez	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 como juez 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 como juez	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 bajo Amón · 6 como juez 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 bajo Amón 6 como juez	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 Tribu no especificada · 7 como juez 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).	No especificado	7 como juez	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 como juez 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 como juez	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 como juez 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 como juez	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 bajo Filisteos · 20 como juez 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 bajo Filisteos 20 como juez	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).

13 de 13 jueces