Several factors suggest that Shamgar's victory took place sometime during the 98 years described in the previous section (vv. 12-30). First, 4:1 refers to Ehud, not Shamgar. Second, there is no reference to Israel doing evil in Yahweh's sight in this verse. Third, the length of the Philistine oppression was long. Fourth, the writer did not mention a number of years that the land enjoyed rest. Evidently during this 98-year period the Philistines also oppressed Israel.
David Washburn argued that the phrase "after him"may indicate the beginning of a new episode. If this is so, we should place Shamgar contemporary with Deborah rather than Ehud (cf. 5:6). He acknowledged, however, that it is impossible to determine when Shamgar slew the 600 Philistines.85
The Philistines had been in Canaan since Abraham's day at least (Gen. 21:32; et al.). However during the period of the judges a major migration of the Sea Peoples from the Aegean area brought many new inhabitants into Canaan, perhaps about 1230 B.C. These peoples settled in the coastal areas of Canaan, especially in the South. They became the infamous Philistines who opposed and fought the Israelites until David finally brought them under Israel's control.
"The name Shamgaris non-Israelite and may have been of Hittite or Hurrian origin. This does not automatically infer that he was a Canaanite, although this is possible; it may witness to the intermingling of the Israelites with the native population. In any case his actions benefited Israel."86
Peter Craigie believed that Shamgar may have been a Hurrian mercenary soldier rather than a Hebrew. His name "ben (son of) Anath"suggests that he might have been a religious Canaanite since Anath was a Canaanite goddess.87It seems unlikely, however, that he was a religious Canaanite because the writer identified him as a hero through whom God delivered His people. Another suggestion is that "son of Anath"indicated that Shamgar was like Anath, namely, of a warlike character.88Shamgar could have been the son of a mixed marriage or even a foreigner whom God used. Perhaps he was a proselyte to Yahweh worship. Whatever his background and whomever he may have served, his destruction of 600 Philistines accomplished God's will, specifically the destruction of the non-Israelite occupants of the land.
The writer did not record Shamgar's home town, but some commentators connect Beth-anath (lit. house of Anath) in Naphtali or Beth-anoth in Judah (Josh. 15:59) with him. Most assume Anath was the name of Shamgar's father.
An "oxgoad"was a stout stick 8 to 10 feet long used to train and drive oxen.
"At the thin end they have a sharp point to drive the oxen, and at the other end a small hoe, to scrape off any dirt that may stick to the plough."89
Evidently Shamgar seized an opportunity to kill 600 Philistines with this unusual instrument that he used as a weapon (cf. 2 Sam. 23:11). The text does not say when he did this, all at once or one by one in guerrilla type warfare.
Though the writer did not call Shamgar a judge in the text, he was one of Israel's heroic deliverers (cf. 5:4). Few students of the book exclude him from the list of judges, though he may not have functioned in the nation as one.90
The major lesson we should learn from Shamgar is that a shady personal background and lack of proper equipment do not keep God from working through people who commit to doing His will. Many Christians think that because they do not have a good background or the best tools they cannot serve God. If we commit ourselves to executing God's will and use whatever background and equipment we have, God can accomplish a great deal through us.
In this third chapter we see that God raised up unusual people and empowered them to do great acts for His glory. Often very distinguished people rise from humble backgrounds, as these judges did. Jesus' disciples are similar illustrations. A single individual committed to executing God's revealed will is all He needs. He uses all types of people but only those committed to His will who step out in faith. In the case of the judges, the will of God was the extermination of Israel's enemies.
