Judges and Secret Societies in the Bible

Sources

1. Smith's Bible Dictionary “Smith's Bible Dictionary: Judges — The judges were temporary and special deliverers, sent by God to deliver the Israelites from their oppressors; not supreme magistrates, succeeding to the authority of Moses and Joshua. Their power only extended over portions of the country, and some of them were contemporaneous. Their first work was that of deliverers and leaders in war; they then administered justice to the people, and their authority supplied the want of a regular government. Even while the administration of Samuel gave something like a settled government to the south, there was scope for t”
2. Hitchcock's Bible Names “Hitchcock's Bible Names: Shaphat — judge”
3. Easton's Bible Dictionary “Easton's Bible Dictionary: Judge — (Heb. shophet, pl. shophetim), properly a magistrate or ruler, rather than one who judges in the sense of trying a cause. This is the name given to those rulers who presided over the affairs of the Israelites during the interval between the death of Joshua and the accession of Saul (Judg. 2:18), a period of general anarchy and confusion. "The office of judges or regents was held during life, but it was not hereditary, neither could they appoint their successors. Their authority was limited by the law alone, and in doubtful cases they were directed to consult ”
4. Easton's Bible Dictionary “Easton's Bible Dictionary: Judges, Book of — Is so called because it contains the history of the deliverance and government of Israel by the men who bore the title of the "judges." The book of Ruth originally formed part of this book, but about A.D. 450 it was separated from it and placed in the Hebrew scriptures immediately after the Song of Solomon. The book contains, (1.) An introduction (1-3:6), connecting it with the previous narrative in Joshua, as a "link in the chain of books." (2.) The history of the thirteen judges (3:7-16:31) in the following order: | FIRST PERIOD (3:7-ch. 5) | Year”
5. Hitchcock's Bible Names “Hitchcock's Bible Names: Jehoshaphat — the Lord is judge”
6. Ecclesiastes “Ecclesiastes 12:14 (BBE) — God will be judge of every work, with every secret thing, good or evil.”
7. Project Gutenberg “Flavius Josephus, Antiquities of the Jews, CHAPTER 1, section 1: . Concerning Jehoshaphat Again; How He Constituted Judges And, By God's Assistance Overcame His Enemies. 1. When Jehoshaphat the king was come to Jerusalem, from the assistance he had afforded Ahab, the king of Israel, when he fought with Benhadad, king of Syria, the prophet Jehu met him, and accused him for assisting Ahab, a man both impious and wicked; and said to him, that God was displeased with him for so doing, but that he delivered him from the enemy, notwithstanding he had sinned, because of his own proper disposition, wh”
8. Romans “Romans 2:16 (LEB) — on the day when God judges the secret things of people, according to my gospel, through Christ Jesus.”
9. Isaiah “Isaiah 3:2 (BBE) — The strong man and the man of war; the judge and the prophet; the man who has knowledge of secret arts, and the man who is wise because of his years;”
10. Psalms “Psalms 82:1 (NASB) — God takes His stand in His own congregation; He judges in the midst of the rulers.”
11. Dead Sea Scrolls “Community Rule (Serekh ha-Yahad) (c. 100-75 BCE), section 5: allotted spirits seek the overthrow of the 25. sons of light. But the God of Israel and His Angel of Truth will succor all the sons of light. For it is He who created the spirits of Light and Darkness and founded 26. every action upon them and established every deed [upon] their [ways]. And He loves the one COL.IV 1. everlastingly and delights in its works for ever; but the counsel of the other He loathes and for ever hates its ways. 2. These are their ways in the world for the enlightenment of the heart of man, and that all the path”
12. Midrash Rabbah (Jewish (Rabbinic)) “Midrash Rabbah, Kohelet Rabbah 5:16:1: “In addition, all his days, he eats in darkness, and has much anger, illness, and rage” (Ecclesiastes 5:16). “In addition, all his days, he” walks “in darkness” – this refers to the generation of the Judges. “And has much anger” – they would anger the Holy One blessed be He with their wicked deeds. “Illness and rage”: “illness” – this is suffering; “and rage” – that they enraged the Holy One blessed be He and said: “Why, Lord, God of Israel, has this been in Israel, to have one tribe lacking in Israel today?” (Judges 21:3). Another matter: “In addition, a”
13. Romans (Protestant academic) “Tyndale House on Romans 2:16: 2:16 secret life (literally the hidden things): Scripture frequently stresses that God will judge people according to their thoughts and intentions (see 1 Sam 16:7; Ps 139:1-2; Jer 17:10).”
14. Judges (Lutheran) “Keil & Delitzsch on Judges 3:7: II. History of the People of Israel under the Judges - Judges 3:7-16:31 In order that we may be able to take a distinct survey of the development of the Israelites in the three different stages of the their history duringthe times of the judges, the first thing of importance to be done is to determine the chronology of the period of the judges, inasmuch as not only have greatly divergent opinions prevailed upon this point, but hypotheses have been set up, which endanger and to some extent directly overthrow the historical character of the accounts which the book”
15. Babylonian Talmud (Jewish (Rabbinic)) “Babylonian Talmud, Sanhedrin 16b.10: The Sages taught in a baraita : From where is it derived that society must establish judges for the Jewish people? The verse states: “You shall place judges and officers over you in all of your gates that the Lord your God gives you for your tribes, and they shall judge the people with righteous judgment” (Deuteronomy 16:18). From where is it derived that society must also establish officers for the Jewish people? The same verse states: “You shall place judges and officers.” From where is it derived that society must also establish judges not only for the e”
16. Romans (Baptist/Reformed) “John Gill on Romans 2:14: In the day when God shall judge,.... These words are to be read in connection with Rom 2:13, and express the time when both Jews and Gentiles will be judged, called a "day", both because of the clearness and evidence of the judgment that will be made, and because a certain time is fixed, though not known, which will surely come; also the matter of the judgment, which will be, the secrets of men: whether good or bad, which are only known to God and themselves, and which may have been done ignorantly by them; "for God shall bring every work into judgment with every se”
17. CCEL (Reformed) “John Calvin, Institutes of the Christian Religion, section 33: them explain to what effect Scripture declares, that “his Judgments are a great deep,” ( Ps. 36:7 ). For when Moses exclaims that the will of God “is not in heaven that thou shouldest say, Who shall go up for us to heaven, and bring it unto us? Neither is it beyond the sea that thou shouldest say, Who shall go over the sea and bring it unto us?” ( Deut. 30:12, 13 ), because it was familiarly expounded in the law, it follows that there must be another hidden will which is compared to “ a great deep.” 185 It is of this will Paul excl”
18. Judges (Presbyterian) “Jamieson, Fausset & Brown on Judges 2:16: which delivered them out of the hand of those that spoiled them--The judges who governed Israel were strictly God's vicegerents in the government of the people, He being the supreme ruler. Those who were thus elevated retained the dignity as long as they lived; but there was no regular, unbroken succession of judges. Individuals, prompted by the inward, irresistible impulse of God's Spirit when they witnessed the depressed state of their country, were roused to achieve its deliverance. It was usually accompanied by a special call, and the people seeing”