The Forgotten Deliverer of Israel
The Identity: A Mysterious Judge
Bedan is an enigmatic figure whose name appears in a single verse in the Old Testament, where the Prophet Samuel is recounting Israel’s history to emphasize God’s consistent provision of leadership and deliverance.
During his farewell address, Samuel reminded the people of the great deliverers God had raised up for them during the difficult period of the Judges:
“And the LORD sent Jerubbaal, and Bedan, and Jephthah, and Samuel, and delivered you out of the hand of your enemies on every side, and ye dwelled safe.” (1 Samuel 12:11, KJV)
The difficulty is that the name Bedan is not found in the Book of Judges among the list of recorded judges or deliverers of Israel. This has led to two main theories regarding his identity.
The Mystery: Who Was Bedan?
1. A Scribal Variant of a Known Judge (Barak): Many scholars believe that “Bedan” is a textual error or a variant of a more familiar name. The Septuagint (the Greek Old Testament) often substitutes the name Barak in this verse. Barak was a key figure who delivered Israel from Jabin, King of Canaan, alongside the Prophetess Deborah (Judges 4-5). This is the most widely accepted explanation, suggesting Samuel was invoking the well-known heroes: Gideon (Jerubbaal), Barak, Jephthah, and Samuel himself.
2. An Unrecorded Judge of Manasseh: Another theory holds that Bedan was a genuine, minor judge whose acts were not fully recorded in the brief summary provided in the Book of Judges.
The KJV translation is firm on the name Bedan. If we accept the KJV literally, it implies that God raised up many deliverers whom Scripture did not fully chronicle, but who were nevertheless essential to preserving Israel during that anarchic period.
The Legacy: God’s Hidden Hand
Regardless of his specific identity, Bedan’s inclusion by Samuel carries a powerful legacy that teaches us about God’s faithfulness:
- God’s Completeness: Bedan’s name, whether a variant or a separate individual, highlights that God’s redemptive work is often more extensive than the human record. Many unrecorded men and women contributed to Israel’s salvation.
- A Chain of Deliverance: Samuel’s purpose was to show the continuity of God’s grace—that He never left His people without a shepherd, whether that shepherd was famous like Gideon or obscure like Bedan.
Bedan’s legacy is one of the unseen, timely deliverance—a reminder that we owe our safety and freedom to many figures whose names we may not know, but who were mighty in their day because they were empowered by the Lord.