Person Old Testament
Shamgar
Shamgar, the son of Anath, was a judge of Israel who delivered the nation by killing 600 Philistines with an oxgoad. Mentioned in 2 verses across 1 book, first at Judges 3:31.
Why it matters. Judge of Israel who killed 600 Philistines
- Primary passages
- Last reviewed
- 2026-08-30 by the FaithGraph team
About Shamgar
Shamgar, mentioned in Jdg.3.31 and Jdg.5.6, was a judge of Israel during the period before the monarchy. He is described as the son of Anath, which may refer to his lineage or his place of origin. Shamgar is noted for his remarkable feat of killing 600 Philistines with an oxgoad, a long stick used for driving cattle. This achievement is particularly significant because it occurred during a time when the Philistines were oppressing Israel. Shamgar's victory provided a measure of deliverance for the nation, demonstrating his strength, courage, and leadership. In the Song of Deborah (Judges 5), Shamgar is mentioned alongside Jael as a figure who brought relief to Israel during a time of hardship and oppression. Although the text does not provide extensive details about Shamgar's life or the duration of his judgeship, his inclusion in the narrative highlights the role of judges as deliverers and leaders who fought against Israel's enemies and provided temporary respite from oppression.
Description from STEPBible TIPNR (Tyndale House, Cambridge), CC BY 4.0, lightly reformatted. This is background reference material, not Scripture and not a FaithGraph editorial claim.
Connections
No reviewed connections yet.
Family
Family links from STEPBible TIPNR (CC BY 4.0). Where the dataset marks an identification as uncertain, the mark is kept. Matthew and Luke give different genealogies for Jesus; see the Lineage page, which never merges them.
- Parents
- Anath
Appears in Scripture
Named in 2 verses across 1 book. Occurrence data from STEPBible TIPNR (CC BY 4.0); references only, no translation text.