Take Abdon, for example. He succeeded Jephthah, and just as Jephthah had the unenviable task of dealing with the Ammonites, Abdon had to face the Moabites.
Imagine this: The king of Moab sends messengers, practically demanding, "You know Israel took our cities, right? Give them back!" According to Legends of the Jews, Abdon's response was epic. He basically said, "Didn't you learn anything from what happened to the Ammonites? It seems Moab's sins are piling up!" He then went out against the enemy and defeated them. Talk about a mic drop moment!
Now, let's talk about Samson. He might not have been the "most important" of the judges, but according to Ginzberg's Legends of the Jews, he was definitely the greatest hero of the period – and, Goliath aside, one of the greatest heroes of all time. His story starts with his parents, Manoah from the tribe of Dan, and his wife Zelalponit from the tribe of Judah. They had pretty much given up on having children.
Samson's birth, as the Legends tell it, is a fantastic illustration of how wrong we can be about things. There was this judge named Ibzan. He had 120 feasts for his sixty children’s weddings. Can you imagine? But he didn't invite Manoah and Zelalponit. Why? Because he figured the "sterile she-mule" – ouch! – would never be able to return the favor.
Well, guess what? Samson's parents ended up having this extraordinary son, while Ibzan? He watched all sixty of his children die during his lifetime. Sometimes, it seems the universe has a sense of humor, doesn’t it? The story of Ibzan and Samson's parents makes you wonder how many blessings we miss because we underestimate others, or write them off too soon. It's a humbling reminder to keep our hearts and minds open to the unexpected.