Meaning
A judge is a person who makes decisions concerning disputes, justice, or right and wrong; the term can also refer to one who exercises authority or governs.
Biblical Usage
In Scripture, judge can refer to a person who determines matters of justice, settles disputes, or exercises judicial authority. The term can also describe a ruler or deliverer who exercises authority over a people.
In the period recorded in Judges, the judges were leaders whom God raised up to deliver Israel from oppression and govern the people. Elsewhere in Scripture, judges appear in courts, local communities, and positions of civil authority.
Key References
- Exodus 18:21-22
- Deuteronomy 1:16-17
- Deuteronomy 16:18-20
- Ruth 4:1-12
- Judges 2:16-19
- 1 Samuel 7:15-17
- 2 Samuel 15:2-6
- 1 Kings 3:9-12
- Psalm 82:1-4
- Isaiah 1:26
- Matthew 7:1-2
- John 5:22-30
Related Terms
- Judgment
- Ruler
- Leader
- Justice
- Deliverer
- Elder
- Authority
- Government
- Oppression