JUDGE SHAMGAR

0. Introduction

a) The Israelites began a series of cycles of sinning, worshiping idols, being punished, crying out for help, being rescued by a judge sent from God, obeying God for a while, then falling back into idolatry. They were conquered by Syria, Moab, Canaan, Midian, Ammon, and Philistia. They even faced the threat of civil war. Just as God sent help to the people when they cried out to him, he will deliver us when we call on him.

b) Judge Shamgar
(Text: Judges 3:31; Years of judging: unrecorded)

i) 31 After Ehud came Shamgar son of Anath, who struck down six hundred Philistines with an oxgoad. He too saved Israel. (Judges 3:31 NIV)

1. What is the text all about?

a) To kill 600 Philistines with an ox goad was quite a feat. An ox goad was a long stick with a small flat piece iron on one side and a sharp point on the other. The sharp side was used to drive the oxen during the times of plowing, and the flat end was used to clean the mud off the plow. Eight-foot-long ancient ox goads have found. In times of crisis they could easily have been used as spears, as in Shamgar's case. Ox goads are still used in the Middle East to drive oxen.

2. Memorable act (s)

a) Judge Shamgar killed 600 Philistines with an ox goad. 

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