The accounts of the minor judges fit alongside the stories of the major judges. They illustrate the moral-spiritual decline that marked the major judges. Shamgar, the first minor judge, is situated among the first three major judge stories (Othniel, Ehud, and Barak; Judges 3:7 – 5:31), who were relatively better than the rest of the judges that followed. Shamgar relates to the previous accounts, (Othniel and Ehud, as all three deliver Israel (Judges 3:9, Judges 3:15, Judges 3:31). Shamgar also connects to the following account (Barak/Deborah), with his historical circumstances coinciding with the time of Jael (Judges 5:6). Further, Shamgar’s use of a makeshift weapon is not unlike those used in the Ehud and Deborah accounts (Judges 3:31; Judges 3:16; Judges 4:21; Judges 5:26).

The second (Judges 10:1–5) and third (Judges 12:8–15) lists of minor judges are situated among the second three major judge accounts (Judges 8:33 – 16:31). These latter judge accounts share a decidedly negative portrayal of Israel’s leaders. The minor judges connect to Gideon and Jephthah, by virtue of the emphasis on royal aspirations, particularly by their having many sons (Judges 10:3; Judges 12:9, Judges 12:14; see Gideon in Judges 8:30–31). (Jephthah had only one daughter, but there is a great focus on that in the narrative.)

The stories of the minor judges illustrate the moral/spiritual decline that marked the major judges. These minor judges have a growing tendency to acquire large harems, which is a Canaanite quality. And while one could argue that the times of the minor judges were times of stability and prosperity for the people of Israel, that was not really a good thing for them. They became progressively immoral, alongside the major judges. Think of the summary description of the lives of the judges. Before Gideon, the cycle would conclude with, And the land had rest for X years. After Gideon, there is no longer any rest. The cycles instead conclude, And the judge judged Israel X years. So in place of deliverers, these men were mere politicians, or wannabe kings. This regression also becomes clear in the relative proportions of the three passages: Judges 3:31 is the shortest (24 words in Hebrew), with one leader; Judges 10:1–5 is larger (87 words), with two leaders; and Judges 12:8–15 is the largest (117 words), with three leaders.¹

From another angle, we do not know how many sons Othniel, Shamgar, Ehud, and Barak had. But we are told that Gideon had seventy sons. Gideon was followed by Jair with thirty sons. Jephthah had one daughter, yes, but there’s a great focus on that in his narrative. After him, then, is Ibzan, with thirty sons, thirty daughters. Abdon has forty sons, thirty grandsons. Royal aspirations, followed by intensified royal aspirations among the judges. And they do less and less for God’s people. They have a growing concern with their legacy.

But then they die. Over and over we hear, And he died. And strikingly, from Gideon onward, we are told where they are buried, like we usually get told regarding Israel’s kings in 1 and 2 Kings.

Is it any wonder that the Lord became increasingly silent in the book? There is no lasting rest in the time of the judges.