Who in Judges Are They? Trivia Quiz

Answer: Othniel

What a great way to start out the leadership period after Joshua died, with the first judge being a warrior who had faith in God! Joshua and Caleb had been known for their bravery and faith as some of the spies Moses sent into Canaan before the Israelites took the land. Their faith had been well respected by the next generation because they were the only ones that survived the next forty years after Israel's lack of faith for not taking the promise land the first time. When the Israelites ended their forty years of wandering and conquered the promise land, Joshua and Caleb were their leaders. However, the great time period of their leadership was coming to a close as Joshua and Caleb became older. They had to find leaders to take their place and there were still areas that were unconquered.

Othniel the son of Kenaz was actually Caleb's nephew but became his son-in-law by taking on the challenge Caleb issued!

"And Caleb said, He that smiteth Kirjathsepher, and taketh it, to him will I give Achsah my daughter to wife. And Othniel the son of Kenaz, Caleb's younger brother, took it: and he gave him Achsah his daughter to wife" (Judges 1:12-13).

Caleb's daughter was presented as a prize for victory, but Caleb had also ensured that he would fulfill his own duty as a father to his daughter. In Biblical times it was the father's duty to find his daughter a suitable husband who would take care of his daughter. Caleb's actions did result in her finding a good man, because Othniel was a brave and strong man who had faith in God.

The Bible does not give the details of how Othniel accomplished Caleb's challenge, it only says that he captured the mountain. Othniel married Caleb's daughter and became the first judge after Joshua. He led Israel for forty years.

Answer: Ehud

You don't have to be perfect to achieve something great! Ehud was another man that was not thought of much until he did something unexpected. He probably was the least expected person that would take action against the king that was oppressing Israel at that time.

Ehud was left-handed which was usually considered a handicap in Biblical times. Ehud's weakness became his greatest advantage. He designed his own knife and tied it to his right thigh. Swords were usually worn on the left, so no one probably searched Ehud for the dagger on his right side. It is believed Ehud's clothes also helped conceal his true intentions. Most scholars believe Ehud had the attire of a messenger which was usually considered peaceful. When Ehud walked in he had the appearance of being an unarmed man, coming to deliver a message, and a present for the king. The king had no reason to suspect that Ehud would murder him.

Eglon suspected no danger when Ehud came in and sent his servants away. He left himself unprotected for what would happen.

"And Ehud came unto him; and he was sitting in a summer parlour, which he had for himself alone. And Ehud said, I have a message from God unto thee. And he arose out of his seat. And Ehud put forth his left hand, and took the dagger from his right thigh, and thrust it into his belly: And the haft also went in after the blade; and the fat closed upon the blade, so that he could not draw the dagger out of his belly; and the dirt came out."
(Judges 3:20-22)

Ehud was unable to get his knife back because it was swallowed by the fat of the king. The servants did not find the king until hours later and by then Ehud was nowhere near the crime scene. After he killed Eglon, Ehud escaped and rallied Israel behind him. Together they both defeated the Midianites.

"And he said unto them, Follow after me: for the LORD hath delivered your enemies the Moabites into your hand. And they went down after him, and took the fords of Jordan toward Moab, and suffered not a man to pass over. And they slew of Moab at that time about ten thousand men, all lusty, and all men of valour; and there escaped not a man. So Moab was subdued that day under the hand of Israel. And the land had rest fourscore years."
(Judges 3:28-30)

Ehud was a judge for eighty years and was one of the longest ruling judges in Israel. Israel had peace under his leadership.

Answer: Shamgar

Little is much when God is in it! Shamgar was another hero that lived around Ehud's time. While he never became a judge of Israel, Shamgar did an act of bravery that also helped Israel defeat their enemies. His story is found in Judges 3:31. It was common for the surrounding nations to wait until harvest time and then raid the farmers of their harvest after they had already gathered it in.

The Philistines were among one of Israel's enemies that would take advantage and rob the farmers of what they had. Shamgar was a simple farmer that defended his land.

When the Philistines came to him, Shamgar defended his land with an ox goad, which is a long stick with a sharp end that was the Biblical version of a cattle prod. Farmers used it to prod the cattle to labor when they were plowing in the fields. With the help of God Shamgar defeated six hundred men with his ox goad.

Answer: Deborah

It is a huge highlight in the Bible when a woman does something for God. Women were not always respected as leaders or given positions of power. Women were often only noted for being caretakers of the house and family.

Deborah, however, was a prophetess who gave advice to the entire nation. People would come to her while she sat underneath a palm tree and gave them advice from God. She was so respected, even men took advice from her. Had Deborah not gained a reputation for hearing the voice of God, Barak may have never even gone to battle.

Deborah called Barak to lead the Israelites into war against their enemies. Israel had cried unto God for deliverance because they were being oppressed by Jabin, the king of the Canaanites. It was quite an intimidating task for Barak because the Israelites did not have the upper advantage with weapons or numbers of soldiers. The enemy had chariots of iron and Israel only had foot soldiers. One chariot could easily overpower and outrun many soldiers on foot. Even though Deborah prophesied that God would give the victory, Barak did not want to go into battle alone. He asked Deborah to go with him. Deborah told him that she would, but God would give the honor of defeating the captain of the enemy soldiers to the hands of a woman.

"And she dwelt under the palm tree of Deborah between Ramah and Bethel in mount Ephraim: and the children of Israel came up to her for judgment. And she sent and called Barak the son of Abinoam out of Kedeshnaphtali, and said unto him, Hath not the LORD God of Israel commanded, saying, Go and draw toward mount Tabor, and take with thee ten thousand men of the children of Naphtali and of the children of Zebulun? And I will draw unto thee to the river Kishon Sisera, the captain of Jabin's army, with his chariots and his multitude; and I will deliver him into thine hand. And Barak said unto her, If thou wilt go with me, then I will go: but if thou wilt not go with me, then I will not go. And she said, I will surely go with thee: notwithstanding the journey that thou takest shall not be for thine honour; for the LORD shall sell Sisera into the hand of a woman. And Deborah arose, and went with Barak to Kedesh."
(Judges 4:5-9)

Answer: Jael

Jael killed Sisera, the leader of the Canaanite armies.

When Deborah, the prophetess, had told Barak he would not have the honor of capturing or killing Sisera, it was a major consequence for his unwillingness to go to battle alone. In Biblical times, killing or capturing the leader of the opposing army was a trophy to the victorious leader.

Sisera would have had the upper advantage because he had chariots and Israel only had foot soldiers. However God changed the circumstances. Judges 4:15 says, "And the Lord discomfited Sisera, and all his chariots, and all his host, with the edge of the sword before Barak; so that Sisera lighted down off his chariot, and fled away on his feet."

Sisera went to the house of Heber because he knew he would be safe. Heber had been a man who had helped the Canaanites. He was greeted by Heber's wife Jael who invited him in. Unfortunately Sisera did not expect Heber's wife to be on the Israelites' side. Sisera asked her for something to drink because he was tired, and Jael gave him milk (which usually makes people fall asleep faster). When Sisera fell asleep, she took a tent spike and nailed it through his head. She led the Israelites to the tent and showed them the murdered Sisera. God kept his promise by allowing a woman to kill their enemy. See Judges 4:17-22.

Deborah sang about Jael in her song in Judges 5.
"She put her hand to the nail, and her right hand to the workmen's hammer; and with the hammer she smote Sisera, she smote off his head, when she had pierced and stricken through his temples. At her feet he bowed, he fell, he lay down: at her feet he bowed, he fell: where he bowed, there he fell down dead."
(Judges 5:26-27)

Answer: He gave Gideon help from surrounding nations

It appears in the Bible that God does not always look for the most confident people to do His work because He enjoys using people who will place their confidence in Him. Gideon asked God for many signs, because he considered himself unworthy. He came from a poor family and considered himself the least out of his family.

"And the LORD said unto him, Surely I will be with thee, and thou shalt smite the Midianites as one man. And he said unto him, If now I have found grace in thy sight, then shew me a sign that thou talkest with me."
(Judges 6:16-17)

The first sign that God gave Gideon was through the angel. Gideon brought food to the angel and the angel received it by making a fire that consumed even the rock.

Gideon also asked God for signs with a piece of wool and water. He first asked God to turn the wool wet and let the floor be dry. When he woke up the next morning it was as he requested. Gideon then asked God to do something harder: make the wool dry and the floor wet. God did as he asked.

Gideon got a fairly large army together, but he got nervous when God sent most of his soldiers home. God showed Gideon he would still be with him by allowing Gideon to spy and overhear the enemy soldiers being afraid.

Gideon learned to trust God for the victory.

Answer: True

God may have asked Gideon to do some things that didn't make sense to a battle leader's point of view, but God did not fail to give Gideon victory. He gave Gideon a chance to see how powerful the enemy really was by allowing Gideon to spy on them and listen to their fears. The enemy was already afraid of the Israelites because they had heard stories of their God and their armies.

Gideon learned he did not need a host of the most advanced weapons or soldiers for God to win. He gave each of his soldiers a pitcher, a trumpet, and a light. The Israelites used these to scare the enemy into believing their army was bigger than it actually was.

"So Gideon, and the hundred men that were with him, came unto the outside of the camp in the beginning of the middle watch; and they had but newly set the watch: and they blew the trumpets, and brake the pitchers that were in their hands. And the three companies blew the trumpets, and brake the pitchers, and held the lamps in their left hands, and the trumpets in their right hands to blow withal: and they cried, The sword of the LORD, and of Gideon. And they stood every man in his place round about the camp: and all the host ran, and cried, and fled. And the three hundred blew the trumpets, and the LORD set every man's sword against his fellow, even throughout all the host: and the host fled to Bethshittah in Zererath, and to the border of Abelmeholah, unto Tabbath."
(Judges 7:19-22)

When Gideon and the Israelites put their trust God, God did the work. They could have jeopardized their own lives by going into battle any other way because the Midianites were so afraid they started killing anything in their path and destroying themselves. God used what little the Israelites had to win the victory.

Answer: he was the son of a harlot

Jephthah was the son of a harlot. He was a brave hero who was known for his abilities, but he was rejected by his family for being the son of a woman who was not his father's wife. His father's sons that were born by his legal wife cast Jephthah out of the house and the inheritance because he was illegitimate.

Jephthah fled from his brothers and established himself far away from his family. He became a successful man. He did not associate with Israel unless there was a need or war. When the Ammonites made war against Israel, Israel needed a leader. The elders of Israel came to Jephthah and asked for him to be the captain of the army. Jephthah was reluctant at first but accepted after the elders agreed to make him their leader if he won the victory. (Judges 11:3-11)

Jephthath went from being rejected to being respected. He gained more than what his family took away from him because of his faith in God.

Answer: he sacrificed his daughter

Jephthah probably never expected that he would kill his daughter as a sacrifice for the victory God had given him.

"...Jephthah vowed a vow unto the Lord, and said, If thou shalt without fail deliver the children of Ammon into mine hands, then it shall be, that whatsoever cometh forth of the doors of my house to meet me, when I return in peace from the children of Ammon, shall surely be the Lord's, and I will offer it up for a burnt offering.So Jephthah passed over unto the children of Ammon to fight against them; and the Lord delivered them into his hands."
Judges 11:30-32

When Jephthah returned home the first thing that greeted him was his daughter, who came to him with the timbrel dancing. Jephthah tore his clothes and wept because she was his only child.

"And it came to pass, when he saw her, that he rent his clothes, and said, Alas, my daughter! thou hast brought me very low, and thou art one of them that trouble me: for I have opened my mouth unto the LORD, and I cannot go back. And she said unto him, My father, if thou hast opened thy mouth unto the LORD, do to me according to that which hath proceeded out of thy mouth; forasmuch as the LORD hath taken vengeance for thee of thine enemies, even of the children of Ammon."
(Judges 11:35-36)

Jephthah let his daughter go to the mountains and mourn for her death, because she was a virgin and was not married. When she returned Jephthah sacrificed her as a burnt offering as he had vowed.

Answer: Samson

Samson was the strongest man in the Bible. The Philistines hated him because of how many of their men he killed singlehandedly on many occasions. Unfortunately Samson never delivered Israel from the Philistines, because he was always falling in love with their women. He met Delilah, who tricked him into giving her the secret of his strength and cut his hair. Samson was captured and made blind. Later the Philistines brought him to a feast to make fun of the defeated Samson in their temple. Samson got the help of a boy to put his hands on the pillars, and made one last prayer and act:

"And Samson called unto the Lord, and said, O Lord God, remember me, I pray thee, and strengthen me, I pray thee, only this once, O God, that I may be at once avenged of the Philistines for my two eyes. And Samson took hold of the two middle pillars upon which the house stood, and on which it was borne up, of the one with his right hand, and of the other with his left. And Samson said, Let me die with the Philistines. And he bowed himself with all his might; and the house fell upon the lords, and upon all the people that were therein. So the dead which he slew at his death were more than they which he slew in his life." (Judges 16:28-30)

Although the ending of the story of Samson is sad, it does give an example of God taking a hopeless circumstance and turning it for good. When Samson turned his life back to God, God was willing to give him help in defeating his enemies for the last time.