<P> all the figures given in Judges (years of oppression, years the judges led Israel, years of peace achieved by the judges) are treated as consecutive, then the total duration of the events described in Judges is 410 years . If we accept a date of 1000 BCE for the beginning of David's reign over all Israel, which puts the beginning of Eli's leadership of Israel at about 1100 BCE, then the judges period would begin no later than 1510 BCE--impossible even for those who date the conquest to the fifteenth century BCE </P> <P> There is also doubt among some scholars about any historicity of the Book of Judges . </P> <P> In the Hebrew Bible, Moses is described as a shofet over the Israelites and appoints others to whom cases were delegated in accordance with the advice of Jethro, his Midianite father - in - law . The Book of Judges mentions twelve leaders who judged Israel: Othniel, Ehud, Shamgar, Deborah, Gideon, Tola, Jair, Jephthah, Ibzan, Elon, Abdon, and Samson . The First Book of Samuel mentions Eli and Samuel, as well as Joel and Abiah (two sons of Samuel). The First Book of Chronicles mentions Kenaniah and his sons . The Second Book of Chronicles mentions Amariah and Zebadiah (son of Ishmael). </P> <P> The biblical text does not generally describe these leaders as "a judge", but says that they "judged Israel", using the verb שָׁפַט (š - f-t). Thus, Othniel "judged Israel" (Judges 3: 10), Tola "judged Israel twenty - three years" (Judges 10: 2), and Jair judged Israel twenty - two years (Judges 10: 3). </P>

How many judges are there in the book of judges in the bible