Shamgar the third judge

The third judge is Shamgar, but his story does not come with an explanation of the judge’s cycle in the Book of Judges. Though, it is not written, it is assumed that the same cycle existed. Let’s summarize the information about Shamgar. (1) The name Shamgar is of Hurrian origin, meaning “God has given” (this name is found in the Nuzi texts). (2) He is also referred to as “the son of Anath.” Anath is the name of a Canaanite goddess (associated with war and sexuality) and is the sister of Baal. (3) Based on these facts, some scholars consider Shamgar to be a Canaanite rather than an Israelite. However, it probably should be understood that the Canaanites and its culture had deeply influenced the Israelites to this point. The Lord is able to use even individuals (like Shamgar) with names influenced by Canaanite culture.

Shamgar’s weapon

Shamgar had fought against the Philistines. The Philistines were people who lived along the Mediterranean coast and invaded the land of Israel, causing division among the twelve tribes. They also controlled strategic points of transportation and plundered travelers. (1) Shamgar struck down 600 Philistines and saved Israel. The number 600 most likely is the total count of Philistines that Shamgar killed throughout his lifetime. (2) He fought using an “oxgoad” because he had no other weapons. An oxgoad is a long pole used for prodding oxen during plowing. An excavated oxgoad was about 2.4 meters (8 feet) long, with the thicker end having a circumference of around 15 centimeters (6 inches). The thinner end has a sharp iron head. It is astonishing that such a humble stick brought about a great victory. Here lies the secret to winning the Lord’s battles. Lack of resources, possessions, space, or opportunities may indeed be the case, but these are not the determining problems. The issue is the absence of faith and vision on our part. If we put our trust in the Lord, we can achieve great victories even with a “goad of an ox.” Let us begin the fight using what we have.