וְגַ֤ם אֶל־שֹֽׁפְטֵיהֶם֙ לֹ֣א שָׁמֵ֔עוּ כִּ֣י זָנ֗וּ אַֽחֲרֵי֙ אֱלֹהִ֣ים אֲחֵרִ֔ים וַיִּֽשְׁתַּחֲו֖וּ לָהֶ֑ם סָ֣רוּ מַהֵ֗ר מִן־הַדֶּ֜רֶךְ אֲשֶׁ֨ר הָלְכ֧וּ אֲבוֹתָ֛ם לִשְׁמֹ֥עַ מִצְוֺת־יְהוָ֖ה לֹא־עָ֥שׂוּ כֵֽן׃
Gayunman, hindi rin sila nakinig sa kanilang mga hukom, sapagkat nakiapid sila sa ibang mga diyos at yumukod sa mga iyon; mabilis silang lumihis mula sa daang nilakaran ng kanilang mga ninuno, na nakinig sa mga utos ng Walang-Hanggan; hindi nila ginawa ang gayon.
Ruth Rabbah
“It was in the days when the judges judged, there was a famine in the land. A man of Bethlehem of Judah went to reside in the fields of Moav; he, his wife, and his two sons” (Ruth 1:1).
“It was in the days when the judges judged [shefot hashofetim].” Woe to the generation that judged their judges, and woe to the generation whose judges require judgment, as it is stated: “They also did not heed their judges” (Judges 2:17). Who were they [those judges]? Rav said: They were Barak and Deborah. Rabbi Yehosha ben Levi said: They were Shamgar and Ehud. Rav Huna said: They were Deborah, Barak, and Yael. Shefot – one, shofetim – two, hashofetim – three.
“It was in the days when the judges judged [shefot hashofetim].” Woe to the generation that judged their judges, and woe to the generation whose judges require judgment, as it is stated: “They also did not heed their judges” (Judges 2:17). Who were they [those judges]? Rav said: They were Barak and Deborah. Rabbi Yehosha ben Levi said: They were Shamgar and Ehud. Rav Huna said: They were Deborah, Barak, and Yael. Shefot – one, shofetim – two, hashofetim – three.