Samson: a most complex hero

Role of a “judge”

The Chumash in Deut. 17:8 -12 states that if there is a serious or difficult matter under dispute, then the parties are to go to the high priest or the judge of that day for a decision as they are experts in Torah law. If anyone rejects that decision, he is to be executed.

This role, as adjudicator, was fulfilled by only one judge in the book of Judges, the female Deborah, a prophet and married woman (Judges 4:4-5). She was so respected that tribes came to her for arbitration and binding decisions.

ד וּדְבוֹרָה אִשָּׁה נְבִיאָה, אֵשֶׁת לַפִּידוֹת--הִיא שֹׁפְטָה אֶת-יִשְׂרָאֵל, בָּעֵת הַהִיא.	4 Now Deborah, a prophetess, the wife of Lappidoth, she judged Israel at that time.
ה וְהִיא יוֹשֶׁבֶת תַּחַת-תֹּמֶר דְּבוֹרָה, בֵּין הָרָמָה וּבֵין בֵּית-אֵל--בְּהַר אֶפְרָיִם; וַיַּעֲלוּ אֵלֶיהָ בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל, לַמִּשְׁפָּט.	5 And she sat under the palm-tree of Deborah between Ramah and Beth-el in the hill-country of Ephraim; and the children of Israel came up to her for judgment.

And when she needed to protect the tribes from an outside enemy, Jabin the Canaanite king of Hazor, she chose Barak to lead an army and defeat Jabin’s general Sisera and his army. (Judge 4: 6-24).

All the others eleven (11) ‘judges’[i] in the book of Judges were men of war, a role stated near the start of the book of Judges.

Judges 2:16

טז וַיָּקֶם יְהוָה, שֹׁפְטִים; וַיּוֹשִׁיעוּם, מִיַּד שֹׁסֵיהֶם.

16 And the LORD raised up judges, who saved them out of the hand of those that spoiled them.

Normally, they would receive a Divine call to save the people who had suffering many years of subjugation to a foreign ruler and his nation. Each would rouse the people to form an army, and using his clever strategy, defeat the enemy army in battle.

And after the great victory he continued until his death as their leader or ‘judge’.

Now Ehud was somewhat of an exception to this rule. He murdered the enemy Eglon, king of Moab when alone at the latter’s palace on a visit – having secretly brought with a sword. (Judges 3: 15- 26). Then, after fleeing the palace he mustered the tribes and led them to victory on the battlefield (Judges 3: 27 – 30).

And then there is Samson.

Samson was from the tribe of Dan (Judges 13:2), whose lands were along the Mediterranean south of Jaffa, west of Judah and touching the territoryof the Philistines.[ii]

Unlike all the other warrior judges, Samson never mustered an army but always fought alone, relying on his extra-human strength granted him by God the Eternal.

His story and feats begin with Judges ch.13 (his miraculous birth) and run an unprecedented four chapters until his heroic death: toppling to the ground a Philistine temple filled with some 3,000 Philistines noblemen and noblewomen, by pushing apart its two key support pillars with his outstretched arms. (Judges 16: 27 -30)

The Philistines were the overlord enemy who had oppressed Israel for 40 years (Judges 13:1) and Samson’s exclusive target.

But the relations between the Philistines and the Israelites were not black and white, evil vs good, but very complex as Samson’s life attests.

As children we learn the story of how Samson married a Philistine named Delilah and how she learned the secret of his strength and betrayed him.

But she was not the first Philistine female wife of Samson; only the last of three Philistine women he was attracted to.

Samson’s first wife

Samson first falls in love – ‘love at first sight’ no less – with a Philistine girl whose name is never given.

Samson cajoles his father and mother to go to the girl’s parents and arrange the marriage, and so he weds the girl. (Judges 14: 2-3)

Now the custom in those days was for the groom to host his own ‘bachelor party’ for seven (7) days and 30 young lords of the Philistines (from the bride’s side) showed up (Judges 14: 10 – 11).

Samson, out of the blue, challenges them with a riddle and if they cannot solve it in 7 days they owe him 30 linen garments[iii] and 30 other garments, but if they solve the riddle, he, Samson, would pay them the same amount (Judges 14: 12-13).

A truly unusual and very high stakes gamble.

The 30 Philistines solve the riddle as they had threated Samson’s new wife so she would get Samson to tell her the secret solution.

They had threatened to burn her to death and to do the same to her entire family. (Judges 14:15)

As Samson was not rich and had no such expensive garments, he went down to the Philistine city of Ashkelon, murdered 30 wealthy Philistines and stole all their clothing to given to the 30 young Philistines (Judges 14:19).

As for the new wife, he ‘divorces’ her and she returns to live with her father and family (See Judges 15: 1).

Now after a while, Samson had a change of heart and returned to the home of his ex-wife and again asked her father for her as his wife. However, the father tells him he had already arranged for her to marry another, but he would be very pleased if Samson takes to wife his younger, prettier daughter. (Judges 15: 1 – 2).

Instead of accepting this friendly offer, Samson goes on a rampage.

He catches 300 foxes, lights their tails on fire and unleashes them to run through – and torch - all the ripe corn fields, olive groves and vineyards[iv] of that Philistine community (Judges 15; 4 -5).

A massive and devastating blow to their annual food supply, wine production and olive tree harvest – though olive trees will regrow and easiy survive fires.[v]

In retaliation, the Philistines lock Samson’s ex-father-in-law, his ex-wife (still at home, just betrothed to another) and all their family in their home and burn them alive. (Judges 15: 6)

In turn, Samson retaliates and somehow – no details are given – kills many of the Philistines involved (Judges 15: 8).

This story ends with Samson retreating to a mountain cleft, to live as a recluse (Judges 15: 8).

Second Philistine liaison

Sometime later, Samson visits the Philistine city of Gezer and has a one night ‘romance’ with a Philistine harlot. (Judges 16:1).

News of his presence spreads quickly and the men of the city lay in wait intending to catch and kill him when he would arise and try to leave in the morning (Judges 16:2).

But Samson got out of bed at midnight and somehow left unharmed, taking the town’s two gates and their posts as a trophy: carrying them on his shoulders (and back) all the way to Hebron (Judges 16: 3) – some 56 km away![vi]

Number 3, Delilah

Samson, some time later, sees the Philistine Delilah and falls in love with her (Judges 16:5).

The details of their wedding and any negotiations beforehand are left out this time.

Samson’s parents are probably dead by now as he is in his 40’’s or early 50’s (see below), but custom is custom and so the marriage of Samson and Delilah would have followed the pattern of Samson’s first marriage.

This time, there was no riddle challenge, no threat to kill Delilah and her family if she refused to aid the Philistines.

But, in exchange for a promise of 1100 pieces of silver, she agreed to learn the secret of Samson’s strength – so he could be captured, tortured and killed by her people (Judges 16: 5).

And each time she pestered him for his secret, Samson lies to her saying that if I am tied up with such and such or if my hair is braided and pinned, I cannot escape. And each time she would herself – yes, herself – then bind him or pin his hair at night while he slept. And each time when she called out and the Philistines in wait arrive to take him, he easily breaks free and kills them. This cycle repeated itself 3 times until Samson finally gave in and told her the truth: that it was his long, never cut hair that gave him his strength.

And so, she gets him to fall asleep on her lap, has a barber cut off his hair while he slept on her lap, and turned him over to the Philistines – who paid her her blood money (Judges 16: 17 – 20).

The Philistines gouge out his eyes, bind Samson with brass handcuffs and foot chains, and throw him into a prison dungeon. (Judges 16: 21).

Then, one day many days later, the Philistines had the blind Samson brought to their temple of Dagon to mock and possibly abuse him.

He was led to the middle of the temple in front of some 3000 nobles and others – male and female – and now that his hair had grown again – and with Divine consent – his super-human strength returned one last time.

Long enough for him to push the two key support pillars out of alignment and cause the entire roof and balconies to collapse upon him and crush all the 3000 Philistines in attendance.

As the text states:

Judges 16: 30

וַיִּהְיוּ הַמֵּתִים, אֲשֶׁר הֵמִית בְּמוֹתוֹ, רַבִּים, מֵאֲשֶׁר הֵמִית בְּחַיָּיו.

30 …. So the dead that he slew at his death were more than they that he slew in his life.

Samson’s life and deeds – as recorded in the book of Judges – revolves almost entirely around these three romantic relationships with attractive Philistine women.

Both wives betraying him: the first out of fear for herself and her family (which one might understand) and Delilah who did so out of greed and the love of money.

Now one might conclude Samson was simply a romantic fool, but Judges 14:4 states that these relationships and harm they did to the Philistines, was all a Divine plan.

ד וְאָבִיו וְאִמּוֹ לֹא יָדְעוּ, כִּי מֵיְהוָה הִיא--כִּי-תֹאֲנָה הוּא-מְבַקֵּשׁ, מִפְּלִשְׁתִּים; וּבָעֵת הַהִיא, פְּלִשְׁתִּים מֹשְׁלִים בְּיִשְׂרָאֵל.

4 But his father and his mother knew not that it was of the LORD; for he sought an occasion against the Philistines. Now at that time the Philistines had rule over Israel.

The non-romance exception

Judges records one confrontation that Samson had with the Philistines which was not related to his wives or the harlot: Judges 15: 9 -17.

After he became a recluse, the Philistines overran Judah and threatened its people if they did not surrender Samson to them.

When 3,000 men of Judah approached Samson and explained the situation, he agreed to be tied up and taken to the Philistines.

Once he faced the Philistines, he easily snapped off his bonds, picked up a nearby jaw of a dead ass and, using it as a weapon, killed 1,000 Philistines.

There is also one final mini-tale in these chapters that attests to Samson’s bravery and strength.

On the way to meet the family of his future first wife, he is confronted by a young lion who attacks him. Bare handed, he grabs the lion’s open jaws and tears them apart – thereby killing the lion (Judges 14: 5– 6).

Age of Samson at his death

As to how old was Samson at his death, he must have been in his 40’s.

He was still living with his parents when marrying wife #1 came up, and the text twice notes in Judges 15:20 and at his death in Judges 16: 31, that he judged or protected the tribes of Israel for 20 years.

וְהוּא שָׁפַט אֶת-יִשְׂרָאֵל, עֶשְׂרִים שָׁנָה.	31 … And he judged Israel twenty years.

ISSUES

· The numbers

That Samson and the young Philistine nobles could have made a wager of some 60 pieces of clothing is possible -- if reckless.

But other numbers seem suspect and may have been exaggerated to make Samson appear extra powerful.

The foxes

The capture of 300 foxes would be remarkable to say the least. Could there even have been 300 foxes in a single area? Could he have captures so many quickly? And how could he physically manage to hold two at a time to set their tales aflame and do so quickly to150 pair?

3,000 and 1,000 men

According to Judges 15:11, 3,000 men of Judah came to the cleft were Samson was living. Their leaders convinced Samson to voluntarily allow himself to be bound and taken to the Philistines, otherwise the 3,000 men of Judah were all there to fight and subdue him. So, did they really need 3,000 men to overcome one Samson?

And when he came before the Philistines, Judges 15:15-16, did Samson really kill 1,000 men with the jaw of an ass?

Asses have long and strong boned jaws, but their teeth are not sharp like a shark’s nor do they have any canines like a lion or tiger the tear flesh. An ass’s teeth are all molars and flat surfaced. But the end of its jaws are pointy and hooked, and this may make it a powerful weapon.

Jaw of an ass - Bing images

But killing 1,000 Philistine warriors? Troops who would have weapons?

Even with the element of surprise, even with Divine inspiration and help (Judges 15:15) the number seems unreal and inflated.

Temple with 3,000 Philistines

The last number in the story of Samson, the 3,000 nobles and others who gathered in the great Temple of Dagon to mock the blinded Samson, is well within the realm of truth.

Greek semi-circular theatres such as the Athenian theatre of Dionysius could hold some 25,000 people.^{^[vii]} And Rome’s Colosseum could hold between 50,000 and 80,000 attendees.^{^[viii]}

So 3,000 people in a major temple – especially with balconies -- is realistic.

Ethics

Delilah

Delilah is not a very good or loyal wife. She agreed to marry Samson but at the first opportunity, she was ready and willing to betray him to the Philistines who wished him dead.

All for the sake of money.

Now 1100 pieces of silver is a fortune but a faithful wife would have resisted.

Even Samson’s first Philistine wife only gave up a secret for a bet when threatened with death for her and her family – by being burned alive.

So any movie or TV shows that portrays Delilah as anything other than a very attractive but vicious, money grubbing deceiver is distorting history and the Bible.

Samson himself

1. Delilah repetitive questioning

What do we make of Samson who stays with a wife who repeatedly pesters him for the secret of his strength -- to make him open to Philistine soldier attack?

This happens 4 times in close succession.

Samson ‘divorced’ his newlywed bride immediately after she tricked him – just once -- over a bet, so why stay with Delilah when her four efforts where to get him into Philistine hands and a brutal, torturous death?

The narrator can justify this as ‘God’s will’, but an ordinary person seeing this would conclude Samson is insanely in love with Delilah and a total fool.,

2. Two actions by Samson seem to me at least to be of questionable ethics.

Bet pay off

To pay off a bet, Samson goes down to Ashkelon and murders and robs 30 Philistines – chosen for their wealth and nothing else.

If you or I did the same, we would be arrested, charged with robbery and wanton murder – 30 times over. The sentence would be life in prison at best, and depending on the jurisdiction, death.

But Samson faces no consequences and more importantly, he robs and kills 30 people without any remorse, without any real justification for targeting them.

Put simply, in his eyes, robbing and killing any Philistine is fine.

· The foxes

Today, what Samson did to 300 foxes – setting their tails aflame – would be deemed animal cruelty, even if he did this to just one or two foxes. To do so to 300 foxes would have many people up in arms and wanting the death penalty or a minimum life in prison sentence.

But in the Bible text, Judges 15: 4-5, no criticism or punishment is mentioned. Only that it was a clever, clever plan that worked.

Consequently, the moral standard by which the text holds Samson is not what we would accept today.

They reflect a mindset that the only good Philistine is a dead one, and who cares about wild animals.

God’s Divine plan

The above ethical issues and other aspects of the life of Samson and his deeds are here and there justified by a reference to a Divine plan.

That is, Samson’s strength and what he did, is regularly ascribed in the Bible as the will of God and due to Divine involvement.

Judges ch 14

First marriage

ד וְאָבִיו וְאִמּוֹ לֹא יָדְעוּ, כִּי מֵיְהוָה הִיא--כִּי-תֹאֲנָה הוּא-מְבַקֵּשׁ, מִפְּלִשְׁתִּים; וּבָעֵת הַהִיא, פְּלִשְׁתִּים מֹשְׁלִים בְּיִשְׂרָאֵל.

4 But his father and his mother knew not that it was of the LORD; for he sought an occasion against the Philistines. Now at that time the Philistines had rule over Israel.

Judges ch. 15

Kill 1,000 Philistine troops

יד הוּא-בָא עַד-לֶחִי, וּפְלִשְׁתִּים הֵרִיעוּ לִקְרָאתוֹ; וַתִּצְלַח עָלָיו רוּחַ יְהוָה, וַתִּהְיֶינָה הָעֲבֹתִים אֲשֶׁר עַל-זְרוֹעוֹתָיו כַּפִּשְׁתִּים אֲשֶׁר בָּעֲרוּ בָאֵשׁ, וַיִּמַּסּוּ אֱסוּרָיו, מֵעַל יָדָיו.

14 When he came unto Lehi, the Philistines shouted as they met him; and the spirit of the LORD came mightily upon him, and the ropes that were upon his arms became as flax that was burnt with fire, and his bands dropped from off his hands.

Judges ch.16

Destroying the Temple and 3,000 Philistines

כח וַיִּקְרָא שִׁמְשׁוֹן אֶל-יְהוָה, וַיֹּאמַר: אֲדֹנָי יְהוִה זָכְרֵנִי נָא וְחַזְּקֵנִי נָא אַךְ הַפַּעַם הַזֶּה, הָאֱלֹהִים, וְאִנָּקְמָה נְקַם-אַחַת מִשְּׁתֵי עֵינַי, מִפְּלִשְׁתִּים.

28 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 this once avenged of the Philistines for my two eyes.'

Even his being able to kill the attacking lion is thanks to God the Eternal.

Judges ch 14

ה וַיֵּרֶד שִׁמְשׁוֹן וְאָבִיו וְאִמּוֹ, תִּמְנָתָה; וַיָּבֹאוּ, עַד-כַּרְמֵי תִמְנָתָה, וְהִנֵּה כְּפִיר אֲרָיוֹת, שֹׁאֵג לִקְרָאתוֹ.	5 Then went Samson down, and his father and his mother, to Timnah, and came to the vineyards of Timnah; and, behold, a young lion roared against him.
ו וַתִּצְלַח עָלָיו רוּחַ יְהוָה, וַיְשַׁסְּעֵהוּ כְּשַׁסַּע הַגְּדִי, וּמְאוּמָה, אֵין בְּיָדוֹ; וְלֹא הִגִּיד לְאָבִיו וּלְאִמּוֹ, אֵת אֲשֶׁר עָשָׂה.	6 And the spirit of the LORD came mightily upon him, and he rent him as one would have rent a kid, and he had nothing in his hand; but he told not his father or his mother what he had done.

CONCLUSION

Samson did not during his 20 years as ‘judge’ ever rouse and lead an army of the people. He acted alone, relying on his Divinely given super strength.

The ‘enemy' in Samson's case was the Philistines, who had been overlords of the Israelites for some 40 years already.

But during his time, unlike that of King Saul and David thereafter - when open war was the case with armies and pitched battles (with the famous David vs Goliath brief exception), no open warfare existed between the Philistines and the tribes of Israel. In fact Samson regularly visited Philistine territory and had in fact three relationships with Philistine women two of which were proper marriages.

The Philistines and Israelite -- based on the Samson chapters -- were neighbours who coexisted in a state of mutual dislike and with Philistine overlordship, but not open, organized hostilities.

In the eyes of his contemporary Israelites and later history, in the longstanding challenge of Philistine hegemony and superior military iron weaponry, Samson’s Hercules-like actions would make all of his anti-Philistine acts seem worthy and heroic -- not just his final death.

In the eyes of the Philistines, Samson was a lone wolf who had no remorse about robbing and killing wealthy Philistines to pay off a bet, and who in retaliation for the murder if his first ex-wife and her family destroyed an entire village’s harvest crops olive orchards and vineyards by setting their fields ablaze via foxes with burning tails.

This strategy -- which the writer of the Judges account lauds for its cleverness -- would today be seen by many as extreme, multiple animal cruelty.

Also, Samson had a habit of falling for beautiful Philistine women. Three of his four confrontations and struggles with Philistine men directly resulted from these romantic events.

Samson felt no regret in robbing and killing Philistines or of taking mass revenge by abusing wild foxes.

When, in the end, his third wife Delilah tried repeatedly to uncover the secret of his strength, her plot failed three times -- until his hair was cut. And he stayed with her all the while.

His final act, of pushing apart the pillars that supported the Philistine temple filled with those who came to rejoice and curse the now blinded and chained ‘thorn in the Philistine’s side’ of some 20 years, was, I suggest, his most noble, self-less act.

A most unusual and complex hero.

PS:

Samson is the last ‘judge’ described in the book of Judges, but he was not the very last one.

Four (4) others are named as ‘judges’ and all were in the Deborah model.

Eli the high priest who supervised the Tabernacle (Hebrew Mishkan) at Shiloh for decades is called a ‘judge’ in 1 Samuel 4:18. As a Kohen or priest, he was barred from military action and would have been a ‘judge’ as a respected spiritual leader and (probably) adjudicator (though no details are mentioned). He did so for 40 years (1 Samuel 4:18) until his sudden death at age 98 (1Samuel 4:15).

Eli’s protégé and servant, the prophet Samuel is also named as a ‘judge’ in 1 Samuel 7:15 and like Deborah was ‘judge’ as an adjudicator of legal disputes. While Deborah judged at one spot, Samuel travelled all over the country to give decisions. And his rulings were always accepted as he was – like Deborah – recognized as a prophet of God the Eternal (Judges 3:20).

טו וַיִּשְׁפֹּט שְׁמוּאֵל אֶת-יִשְׂרָאֵל, כֹּל יְמֵי חַיָּיו.	15 And Samuel judged Israel all the days of his life.
טז וְהָלַךְ, מִדֵּי שָׁנָה בְּשָׁנָה, וְסָבַב בֵּית-אֵל, וְהַגִּלְגָּל וְהַמִּצְפָּה; וְשָׁפַט, אֶת-יִשְׂרָאֵל--אֵת כָּל-הַמְּקוֹמוֹת, הָאֵלֶּה.	16 And he went from year to year in circuit to Beth-el, and Gilgal, and Mizpah; and he judged Israel in all those places.
יז וּתְשֻׁבָתוֹ הָרָמָתָה כִּי-שָׁם בֵּיתוֹ, וְשָׁם שָׁפָט אֶת-יִשְׂרָאֵל; וַיִּבֶן-שָׁם מִזְבֵּחַ, לַיהוָה .	17 And his return was to Ramah, for there was his house; and there he judged Israel; and he built there an altar unto the LORD

Also, like Deborah, he was not a military leader but found such men in King Saul and King David.

The two final judges were his sons, Joel and Abijah, whom he appointed in his place in old age (Judges 8: 1-2).

But they were not trusted and accused of taking bribes and “perverting justice” (1 Samuel 8:2-3).

And it was at this point that the tribes of Israel ask Samuel to find them a KING.

1 Samuel ch 8

א וַיְהִי, כַּאֲשֶׁר זָקֵן שְׁמוּאֵל; וַיָּשֶׂם אֶת-בָּנָיו שֹׁפְטִים, לְיִשְׂרָאֵל.	1 And it came to pass, when Samuel was old, that he made his sons judges over Israel.
ב וַיְהִי שֶׁם-בְּנוֹ הַבְּכוֹר יוֹאֵל, וְשֵׁם מִשְׁנֵהוּ אֲבִיָּה--שֹׁפְטִים, בִּבְאֵר שָׁבַע.	2 Now the name of his first-born was Joel; and the name of his second, Abijah; they were judges in Beer-sheba.
ג וְלֹא-הָלְכוּ בָנָיו בִּדְרָכָו, וַיִּטּוּ אַחֲרֵי הַבָּצַע; וַיִּקְחוּ-שֹׁחַד--וַיַּטּוּ, מִשְׁפָּט.	3 And his sons walked not in his ways, but turned aside after lucre, and took bribes, and perverted justice.
ד וַיִּתְקַבְּצוּ, כֹּל זִקְנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל; וַיָּבֹאוּ אֶל-שְׁמוּאֵל, הָרָמָתָה.	4 Then all the elders of Israel gathered themselves together, and came to Samuel unto Ramah.
ה וַיֹּאמְרוּ אֵלָיו, הִנֵּה אַתָּה זָקַנְתָּ, וּבָנֶיךָ, לֹא הָלְכוּ בִּדְרָכֶיךָ; עַתָּה, שִׂימָה-לָּנוּ מֶלֶךְ לְשָׁפְטֵנוּ--כְּכָל-הַגּוֹיִם.	5 And they said unto him: 'Behold, thou art old, and thy sons walk not in thy ways; now make us a king to judge us like all the nations.'

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Book of Judges:

Verse	Solo or army	Name	Enemy	How long subjugated	Peace and return to God
Ch 3:8-11	army	Othniel the son of Kenaz, Caleb's younger brother. Judge for 40 years (Ch 3: 9-11 )	king of Aram	8 years	40 years (Ch 3: 11 )
Ch 3: 15-26 27-30	Solo, then army	Ehud	Eglon the king of Moab	the children of Israel served 18 years	80 years (verse 30)
Ch 3:31	solo	Shamgar the son of Anath,	Philistines smote of the six hundred men with an ox-goad
Ch 4: all	army	Deborah, a prophetess, the wife of Lappidoth, she judged Israel at that time. · BARAK (General)	Jabin king of Canaan, that reigned in Hazor; general Sisera	20 years (verse3 )
Ch 6 -8: all	army	Gideon Judge for 40 years (Ch 8:28)	Midian Also overrun by Amalek and others (v3-4-5)	7 years (verse 11)	40 years (Ch 8:28
Ch 10: 1-2		Tola the son of Puah Judge 23 years (Ch 10:2)			23 years (Ch 10:2)
Ch 10;3		Jair, the Gileadite Judge for 22 years (Ch 10: 3)			22 years (Ch 10: 3)
Ch 10-11-12	army	Jephthah the Gileadite Judge for 6 years (ch 12:7)	PHILISTINE & Ammon 18 years Ch 10: 8 but only fight with Ammon		6 years (ch 12:7)
Ch 12:8-9		Ibzan of Beth-lehem Judge for 7 years (Ch 12:9)			7 years (Ch 12:9)
Ch 12:11		Elon the Zebulunite Judge for 10 years (Ch 12:11)			10 years (Ch 12:11)
Ch 12:13-14		Abdon the son of Hillel Judge for 8 years (Ch 12: 14)			8 years (Ch 12: 14)
Ch 13 - 16		SAMSON Judge for 20 years (Ch 16:31)			20 years (Ch 16:31)
1 Samuel
1 Samuel 4:15. 18		Eli the priest Judge for 40 years (Ch 4: 18)	Only Philistines are mentioned		40 years (Ch 4: 18)
1 Samuel 7: 15		Samuel Judge starting at Mizpeh (Ch 7:6) and thereafter all the days of his life (Ch 7: 15)	Philistines, Amalek	40 years under Philistines
1 Samuel 8:1-2		JOEL and ABIJAH - Samuels sons as corrupt judges: reside in Beer-sheba

[i] I do not consider Abimelech as a ‘judge’ as he was a brutal fratricidal leader who murder 69 of his half-brothers, was made “king” of Shechem (Judges 9: 6) and fought against other Israelite tribes to try and make himself “king of all Israel”. See Judges ch. 9.

[ii]

based on https://www.google.com/search?q=mqaop+of+tribe+of+dan+in+the+bible&rlz=1C1RAEH_enCA867CA867&sxsrf=APwXEddrybNB7CXmvY1VvLiBPlqtgYHQPQ%3A1687385214746&ei=fnSTZIqcLZWnptQP3d6YmAI&ved=0ahUKEwiK08vir9X_A

[iii] This is the standard translation both in Jewish and Christian Bible texts. However, the original KJV (`1611) had “linen (bed) sheets. See https://biblehub.com/judges/14-12.htm , Judges 14 / Hebrew - English Bible / Mechon-Mamre and Judges 14:13 with Targum Jonathan on Judges (sefaria.org)

[iv] The Hebrew text literally states “vineyard olives”. This has led to some translations interpreting it as “grape vineyard and olive grove” or just “olive tree orchard”. The ancient Targum Jonathan interpreted it as the former while the Babylonian Talmud in Berachot 35a:14 and Bava Metzia 87b:10 understood the verse’s wording as only referring to an olive grove. See right side bar at Judges 15:5 with Bava Metzia (sefaria.org)