And Jephthah judged Israel six years. Then died Jephthah the Gileadite, and was buried in one of the cities of Gilead. And after him Ibzan of Bethlehem judged Israel. And he had thirty sons, and thirty daughters, whom he sent abroad, and took in thirty daughters from abroad for his sons. And he judged Israel seven years. Then died Ibzan, and was buried at Bethlehem. And after him Elon, a Zebulonite, judged Israel; and he judged Israel ten years. And Elon the Zebulonite died, and was buried in Aijalon in the country of Zebulun. And after him Abdon the son of Hillel, a Pirathonite, judged Israel. And he had forty sons and thirty nephews, that rode on threescore and ten ass colts: and he judged Israel eight years. And Abdon the son of Hillel the Pirathonite died, and was buried in Pirathon in the land of Ephraim, in the mount of the Amalekites.-Judges 12:7-15***Before Saul became the 1st king to rule over the Israelites in the Promised Land, and David became the 2nd king to rule over all of the Israelites, the Israelites were led by elders, judges or their own minds. Othniel, from the tribe of Judah, the birth tribe of David and his descendants, was the 1st judge identified in the divinely inspired Scriptures of the Holy Bible, in the Book of Judges. After Othniel served 40 years and died, Ehud, Shamgar, Deborah, Gideon, Tola, Jair, Jephthah, Ibzan, Elon, and Abdon successively led the Israelites. Samuel the priest, prophet and judge was from the tribe of Levi, descended from Abraham (Abram the Hebrew) and Sarah (Sarai), Isaac and Rebekah, Jacob (Israel) and Leah, and Jacob and Leah's 3rd born son Levi. When Samuel was elderly, and his sons Joel and Abiah (Vashni) were not obeying the commands of the Lord God, and King Nahash and his Ammonite army were preparing to attack, the Israelite elders demanded that Samuel appoint a king to lead them. The Lord God sent Samuel to anoint Saul, and the era of judges ended. Over 900 years after Solomon, the 2nd child born to David and Bathsheba, became the 3rd king to reign over all of the Israelites, Jesus the Christ, the Son of God, the Righteous Judge, was born. Jesus was conceived of the Holy Spirit in the womb of Mary, a virgin, and Jesus was born into the tribe of Judah to Mary and her husband Joseph when Mary was a virgin.-Genesis 11:26-50:26, Exodus, Numbers 20:1-29, 27:12-23, Deuteronomy 31:1-30, 32:44-52, 34:1-12, Joshua 1:1-4:24, 23:1-24:33, Judges, 1 Samuel 1:1-3:21, 8:1-31:13, 2 Samuel, 1 Kings 1:1-2:12, 1 Chronicles 1:1-34, 2:1-17, 3:1-24, 4:1-23, 6:1-81, 8:1-40, 9:35-29:30, Matthew, Mark, Luke, John, Acts 1:1-26, 2 Timothy 4:1-22
Reference Scriptures:
Then Paul stood up, and beckoning with his hand said, Men of Israel, and ye that fear God, give audience. The God of this people of Israel chose our fathers, and exalted the people when they dwelt as strangers in the land of Egypt, and with an high arm brought he them out of it.-Acts 13:16-17...And after that he gave unto them judges about the space of four hundred and fifty years, until Samuel the prophet.-Acts 13:20
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