Aside from these 12, the Bible mentions Deborah, Eli, and Samuel in connection with judging. (Judges 4:4; 1 Samuel 4:16-18; 7:15,

Acts 13:20 says that “judges [were given] until Samuel the prophet.” This limits what might be known as the period of the judges, and it shows why Samuel and his sons are usually not counted among the judges either.​—1 Samuel 8:1.