Meet the Judge Prophets

Following the Patriarchal period, the nation called Israel evolved into a loose federation of tribes ruled by Judges, and held together by a common faith and a common ancestry.

While there were more than twenty judges during this period -- Samson being the most infamous -- only four were considered to have the status of Prophets. (One additional judge -- Deborah -- is included in the list of Prophetesses.)

The four Prophet-Judges are:

• Othniel ben Kenaz (aka Othoniel, ʻOtniʼel, עתניאל)
• Ehud ben Gera (aka ʾĒhûḏ, אהוד)
• Eli ben Ithamar (aka `Eli, עֵלִי)
• Gideon ben Joash (aka Gid`on, Jerubbaal, Jerubbesheth, Yerubba`al, יֶר-בַּעַל ,גדְעוֹן)

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Image: Detail from 'Prophet Samuel,' a pigment on plaster fresco at the Kiev, Russia Golden Domed Monastery