Approaching the West — Page 62
A pproaching the West—62 king of Mesopotamia. Under the tyrannical subjugation, the Israelites cried out to the Lord, repented of their sins. God listened to their cries and raised Othniel, son of Kenaz, as their deliverer. Caleb, the contemporary of Joshua, was assigned the task to re-conquer the city of Debris. He offered a prize, the hand of his daughter Achsah, to be given in marriage to the one who would capture the city. Othniel achieved a strategic victory, conquered the city of Debir, liberated the captive Israelites, and won the prize. Othniel succeeded Joshua as the next Khal ī fah in the Mosaic dispensation. Joshua and Othniel, among others, are called ‘Judges’ in the Jewish tradition. But the term ‘Judge’ should not be confused as if it was restricted only to a member of Judiciary. The duties of a ‘Judge’ included a variety of administrative obligations, including the defense of the Israelites from their enemies and the preservation of domestic unity through maintaining law and order. A Judge was like a governor, an administrative head of a community or a tribe. As a tribal leader, administration of justice was an essential requirement; therefore, a Judge being in highest administrative position of authority had to dispense impartial justice, taking care of the widows, the orphans, and the strangers. The Biblical Judges were in fact military rulers who were raised by God to deliver Israelites from their enemies. After Joshua and Othniel, there was a chain of Judges who provided leadership to the tribes of the Israelites. Among them, some prominent figures called the “Major Judges,” were Ehud, Deborah, Gideon, Jephthah and Samson. Meanwhile, many Prophets were sent to the Children of Israel as their spiritual leaders. The Qur’ ā n says,