And I will cut off the judge from the midst thereof, and will slay all the princes thereof with him, saith the LORD.
And I will cut off the judge - the chief magistrate (Shophet: answering to the Sufetes, or chief magistrates of Carthage),the supreme source of justice. 'The term "king" not being used, it seems likely a change of government had before this time substituted for kings supreme judges. Perhaps at the time that Jeroboam II wrested Israel's territory from Moab, the line of kings of the latter ceased, and "judges," or magistrates having the power of "princes," were substituted. So Tyre, not long after its 13 years' siege by Nebuchadnezzar, substituted judges; and received princes of their own nation sent from Babylon, Baal, Merbaal, and Hiram.' Nebuchadnezzar utterly subdued Moab; and from that time it ceased to exist as a nation. The Arabs took its place, and sometimes are called by its name.