Juges d’Israël

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.

Chronologie de chevauchement

D’où provenaient les menaces ?

Aram-Naharaïm (Mésopotamie)

Moab

Canaan (Hatsor)

Madian

Ammon

Philistins

Oppresseur non nommé

Le cycle de délivrance

Le livre des Juges n’attribue pas à chaque juge le même rôle. Six d’entre eux font l’objet de récits complets relatant la rébellion, l’oppression et la délivrance d’Israël ; les autres sont mentionnés brièvement, se contentant souvent de donner leur nom, leur territoire et leurs années de règne.

Othniel

Aram-Naharaïm (Mésopotamie)

Péché

Oppression

Cri

Libérateur

Paix

Ehud

Moab

Péché

Oppression

Cri

Libérateur

Paix

Deborah & Barak

Canaan (Hatsor)

Péché

Oppression

Cri

Libérateur

Paix

Gideon

Madian

Péché

Oppression

Cri

Libérateur

Paix

Jephthah

Ammon

Péché

Oppression

Cri

Libérateur

Paix

Samson

Philistins

Péché

Oppression

Cri

Libérateur

Paix

13 juges

Juge	Tribu	Années	Histoire
Othniel Judah · 8 sous Aram-Naharaïm (Mésopotamie) · 40 en tant que juge 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 sous Aram-Naharaïm (Mésopotamie) 40 en tant que juge	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 sous Moab · 80 en tant que juge 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 sous Moab 80 en tant que juge	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 non précisée · aucune année précisée 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).	non spécifié	aucune année précisée	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 sous Canaan (Hatsor) · 40 en tant que juge 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 sous Canaan (Hatsor) 40 en tant que juge	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 sous Canaan (Hatsor) · 40 en tant que juge 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 sous Canaan (Hatsor) 40 en tant que juge	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 sous Madian · 40 en tant que juge 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 sous Madian 40 en tant que juge	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 en tant que juge 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 en tant que juge	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 en tant que juge 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 en tant que juge	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 sous Ammon · 6 en tant que juge 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 sous Ammon 6 en tant que juge	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 non précisée · 7 en tant que juge 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).	non spécifié	7 en tant que juge	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 en tant que juge 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 en tant que juge	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 en tant que juge 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 en tant que juge	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 sous Philistins · 20 en tant que juge 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 sous Philistins 20 en tant que juge	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 juges