Judge Shamgar (Judges 3:31)

20 Custom

Shamgar deflected Philistine raids into Israel and slaughtered 600 of the invaders with an ox goad.

The text is very unordinary compared with the records of other judges. The reference to Shamgar has no introduction, conclusion, or relation to the length of reign. It continues directly from the previous narrative.

Shamgar is also mentioned within the Song of Deborah (Judges 5:6). 

Vocabulary

Word Meaning
וְ and
אַחַר after; behind
הוּא he
היה to be, become
שַׁמְגַּר Shamgar
בֵּן son
עֲנָת Anath
נכה strike, smite
אֵת accusative
פְּלִשְׁתִּי Philistine

Biblical text

3:31וְאַחֲרָ֤יו הָיָה֙ שַׁמְגַּ֣ר בֶּן־עֲנָ֔ת וַיַּ֤ךְ אֶת־פְּלִשְׁתִּים֙ שֵֽׁשׁ־מֵא֣וֹת אִ֔ישׁ בְּמַלְמַ֖ד הַבָּקָ֑ר וַיֹּ֥שַׁע גַּם־ה֖וּא אֶת־יִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃ ס