Question 1

What does "Judge" mean in the King James Bible?

Accepted Answer

In the KJV, "Judge" means "criticize/condemn." The deliverance. The judges of Israel were not courtroom figures but military deliverers who rescued the oppressed and restored divine order. 'He comes to judge the earth' was good news -- it meant God was coming to set everything right, rescue the victimized, and restore justice. The oppressed longed for judgment.

Question 2

Why did the word "Judge" disappear from modern English?

Accepted Answer

Hebrew shaphat ('to govern/deliver/set things right/exercise authority on behalf of the oppressed') negativized into 'criticize/condemn.' The deliverer-judge became the condemner-judge. The word was at peak usage around 1611 and declined by still used but negativized (~1800).

Question 3

What modern word replaced "Judge"?

Accepted Answer

"Judge" was replaced by: "criticize" (though this negative evaluation; shaphat was primarily about delivering the oppressed and restoring order); "condemn" (though this one possible outcome; judging primarily meant governing with justice and rescuing the victimized); "evaluate" (though this detached assessment; shaphat was engaged, authoritative intervention on behalf of the wronged).

What Does “Judge” Mean in the Bible?

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