Identity of Shamgar Son of Anath
Shamgar, son of Anath, was one of the judges of Israel, known for delivering Israel from the Philistines by slaying 600 men with an ox goad [3, 4]. His story is briefly recounted in Judges 3:31 and he is also mentioned in the Song of Deborah in Judges 5:6 [3, 8].
The name "Anath" means "an answer" or "answer to prayer" [1, 2]. While Shamgar is identified as "son of Anath," his tribal affiliation is not specified in the biblical text [7]. This lack of specific identification has led some scholars to question whether Shamgar was an Israelite, suggesting that "Anath" might refer to a Canaanite goddess or shrine, implying Shamgar could have been part of a Canaanite warrior class [6]. However, the text clearly states that "he also delivered Israel" [3].
Shamgar's act of deliverance occurred during a period when Israel was in a "most depressed condition" due to Philistine incursions [4]. The Philistines had entered the Hebrew uplands, possibly as plunderers or as a band of robbers who made travel unsafe [5, 7, 9]. Shamgar's weapon, the ox goad, was a formidable, sharp-pointed instrument, sometimes as long as ten feet [5]. This improvised weapon highlights the dire circumstances and Shamgar's resourcefulness in repelling the invasion [4, 5].
He is generally understood to have been a contemporary of Deborah and Barak, though he "lived not long, and did not much" in terms of a complete deliverance of Israel [5, 8]. The period of his judgeship is often placed around 1290 B.C. [4]. The Targum Jonathan notes that "in the days of Shamgar son of Anas and in the days of Yael, the travelers ceased that walked on proper roads and turned aside to hidden paths," emphasizing the insecurity of the time [9].
Sources
- Smith's Bible Dictionary “Smith's Bible Dictionary: Anath — (answer), father of Shamgar. (Judges 3:31; 5:6)”
- Easton's Bible Dictionary “Easton's Bible Dictionary: Anath — An answer; i.e., to "prayer", the father of Shamgar, who was one of the judges of Israel (Judg. 3:31).”
- Judges “Judges 3:31 (Geneva1599) — And after him was Shamgar the sonne of Anath, which slewe of the Philistims sixe hundreth men with an oxe goade, and he also deliuered Israel.”
- Smith's Bible Dictionary “Smith's Bible Dictionary: Shamgar — (sword), son of Anath, judge of Israel. When Israel was in a most depressed condition, Shamgar was raised up to be a deliverer. With no arms in his hand but an ox-goad, (Judges 3:31) comp. 1Sam 13:21 He made a desperate assault upon the Philistines, and slew 600 of them. (B.C. about 1290.)”
- Easton's Bible Dictionary “Easton's Bible Dictionary: Shamgar — The Philistines from the maritime plain had made incursions into the Hebrew upland for the purposes of plunder, when one of this name, the son of Anath, otherwise unknown, headed a rising for the purpose of freeing the land from this oppression. He repelled the invasion, slaying 600 men with an "ox goad" (q.v.). The goad was a formidable sharpointed instrument, sometimes ten feet long. He was probably contemporary for a time with Deborah and Barak (Judg. 3:31; 5:6).”
- Jude (Protestant academic) “Tyndale House on Jude 3:31: 3:31 Shamgar is nowhere specifically identified as an Israelite or as a judge (see 5:6-7). • son of Anath: Anath was perhaps a Canaanite goddess or shrine (cp. 1:33, “Beth-anath”); from similar references in ancient literature, some have seen him as part of a Canaanite warrior class.”
- Judges (Baptist/Reformed) “John Gill on Judges 3:30: And after him was Shamgar the son of Anath,.... That is, after the death of Ehud, when the people of Israel were in distress again from another quarter, this man was raised up of God to be a judge and deliverer of them; but who he was, and who his father, and of what tribe, we nowhere else read: which slew of the Philistines six hundred men; who invaded the land, and came in an hostile manner into it; or rather, as it seems from Jdg 5:6; they entered as a banditti of thieves and robbers, who posted themselves in the highways, and robbed travellers as they passed, so”
- Judges (Baptist/Reformed) “John Gill on Judges 5:6: In the days of Shamgar, the son of Anath,.... Of whom see Jdg 3:31; who succeeded Ehud as a judge, but lived not long, and did not much; at least wrought not a perfect deliverance of the children of Israel; but during his time till now, quite through the twenty years of Jabin's oppression, things were as they are after described: in the days of Jael; the wife of Heber the Kenite, spoken of in the preceding chapter, Jdg 4:17, who appears to be a woman of masculine spirit, and endeavoured to do what good she could to Israel, though not a judge among them, as Jarchi sug”
- Targum Jonathan (Jewish (Rabbinic)) “Targum Jonathan, Targum Jonathan on Judges 5:6: When they sinned in the days of Shamgar son of Anas and in the days of Yael, the travelers ceased that walked on proper roads and turned aside to hidden paths.”