After him was Shamgar the son of Anath, who killed 600 of the Philistines with an oxgoad, and he also saved Israel.
English Standard Version (ESV)
The Bible doesn't just tell us Shamgar killed 600 Philistines; it highlights the tool he used – an ox-goad. This emphasizes that God can use the most ordinary, even seemingly weak, instruments and people to accomplish extraordinary feats, showcasing His power rather than the might of the weapon or the warrior.
After him was Shamgar the son of Anath, who killed 600 of the Philistines with an oxgoad, and he also saved Israel.
English Standard Version (ESV)
After Ehud’s deliverance from Moabite oppression, Israel fell back into sin and experienced further hardship. This verse introduces Shamgar, who arose to deliver them from the Philistines, a people not previously listed as oppressors, highlighting the cyclical nature of Israel’s disobedience and God’s persistent, though sometimes brief, interventions through judges. While the details are sparse, Shamgar’s extraordinary feat with an ox-goad underscores God’s power to work through unlikely individuals and humble means to bring salvation.
Ever feel like you don't have the 'right' skills or tools for the job? Shamgar's story is a powerful reminder that God often works through the seemingly insignificant.
The verse tells us Shamgar slew 600 Philistines with an ox-goad. This wasn't a sword or a spear – it was a farming tool, about 8 feet long, used to prod oxen.
The Book of Judges is a cycle of sin, oppression, and deliverance. Shamgar's story, though brief, fits this pattern and points to a greater salvation.
Shamgar appears after Ehud and before Deborah, a brief but crucial mention in the often chaotic period of the Judges.
Ask a follow-up
Understand the original words
malmad · Hebrew Noun
An implement used by farmers to goad or drive oxen, consisting of a long wooden stick with a sharp metal point at one end. In a military context, it signifies the use of an unconventional, humble, or readily available tool by God's instrument to achieve victory over a superior military force.
yasha · Hebrew Verb
A term used to describe God’s act of delivering or rescuing His people from physical enemies, oppression, or spiritual danger. It emphasizes that the ultimate source of victory is the Lord, who raises up deliverers to uphold His covenant promises.
Yisrael · Hebrew Proper Noun
The covenant people of God, descended from the patriarch Jacob, whom God chose to be a light to the nations. The name signifies their identity as those who "wrestle with God" and are the recipients of His specific promises and historical intervention.
Shamgar's incredible victory with an ox-goad highlights God's power to use the most ordinary means and humble individuals to achieve extraordinary deliverance, especially when His people are disarmed and vulnerable.
c. 1100 BC
Philistine Expansion and Dominance
Following their migration from the Aegean, the Philistines establish themselves along the southern coastal plain of Canaan, becoming a significant military and political power. They exert considerable influence and control over surrounding regions, often oppressing the Israelites.
c. 11th century BC
Israelite Disarmament Policy
The Philistines, as part of their oppressive tactics, actively disarmed the Israelites. This policy prevented the Israelites from possessing swords or spears, leaving them vulnerable and reliant on rudimentary tools for defense.
Unknown date, between Ehud and Deborah— this verse
Shamgar's Stand Against Philistines
Shamgar, a judge of Israel, confronts a Philistine incursion. Likely a farmer himself, he takes up an ox-goad, a farming implement, and miraculously slays 600 Philistines, delivering Israel from this immediate threat.
c. 1075 BC
Mention in Deborah's Song
The prophetess Deborah, in her victory song, references Shamgar's deed, noting that 'the highways were deserted' and travelers used 'byways' due to the Philistine threat, indirectly corroborating the severity of the oppression Shamgar fought against.
This passage describes Samson killing 1,000 Philistines with the jawbone of a donkey, highlighting another instance where an Israelite used an ordinary tool as a weapon to achieve a miraculous victory against oppressors.
1 Samuel 17:50This verse recounts David defeating the mighty warrior Goliath with a sling and stone, illustrating a similar theme of God empowering the seemingly weak and unarmed to achieve victory.
Judges 5:6This verse, from the Song of Deborah, mentions Shamgar and the 'highway being deserted' during his time, suggesting that oppressors were active and that travel was dangerous, providing context for Shamgar's deliverance of Israel from such threats.
2 Samuel 23:11This passage describes Shammah, one of David's mighty men, single-handedly defending a field of lentils against the Philistines, showing another example of extraordinary courage and effectiveness with seemingly humble means.
jfbJudges 3:31: "And after him was Shamgar the son of Anath, which slew of the Philistines six hundred men with an ox goad: and he also delivered Israel."
- after him was Shamgar—No notice is given of the tribe or family of this judge; and from the Philistines being the enemy that roused him into public service, the suffering seems to have been local—confined to some of the western tribes.slew … six hundred men with an oxgoad—This instrument is eight feet long and about six inches in circumferen…
bensonJudges 3:31: "And after him was Shamgar the son of Anath, which slew of the Philistines six hundred men with an ox goad: and he also delivered Israel."
Jdg 3:31 . After him was Shamgar — He was the third judge of the Israelites, and delivered them from some small oppressions which they suffered from the Philistines. The sacred text gives us no further particulars concerning him than that he slew six hundred of them with an ox-goad; or, as the Latin and Greek versions render it, with a plough-sh…
The Bible doesn't just tell us Shamgar killed 600 Philistines; it highlights the tool he used – an ox-goad. This emphasizes that God can use the most ordinary, even seemingly weak, instruments and people to accomplish extraordinary feats, showcasing His power rather than the might of the weapon or the warrior.
After Ehud’s deliverance from Moabite oppression, Israel fell back into sin and experienced further hardship. This verse introduces Shamgar, who arose to deliver them from the Philistines, a people not previously listed as oppressors, highlighting the cyclical nature of Israel’s disobedience and God’s persistent, though sometimes brief, interventions through judges. While the details are sparse, Shamgar’s extraordinary feat with an ox-goad underscores God’s power to work through unlikely individuals and humble means to bring salvation.
After Ehud’s deliverance from Moabite oppression, Israel fell back into sin and experienced further hardship. This verse introduces Shamgar, who arose to deliver them from the Philistines, a people not previously listed as oppressors, highlighting the cyclical nature of Israel’s disobedience and God’s persistent, though sometimes brief, interventions through judges. While the details are sparse, Shamgar’s extraordinary feat with an ox-goad underscores God’s power to work through unlikely individuals and humble means to bring salvation.
"After him was Shamgar the son of Anath, who killed 600 of the Philistines with an oxgoad, and he also saved Israel." — The Bible doesn't just tell us Shamgar killed 600 Philistines; it highlights the tool he used – an ox-goad. This emphasizes that God can use the most ordinary, even seemingly weak, instruments and…
Get the original Greek and Hebrew, verse-by-verse context, and related passages inside the app.
Last reviewed October 2026