Final answer:
The idea that a judge in biblical times only ruled over one or two tribes of Israel is false; judges guided the entire nation. However, those judges preceded the centralized monarchy established first by Saul and then more effectively by David, who unified the kingdom and protected it from Philistines.
Step-by-step explanation:
The statement that a judge never ruled over the entire nation of Israel but only one or two tribes is false. In the biblical framework, judges were leaders who guided the entire nation of Israel through various periods, as depicted in the book of Judges. However, the Israelites were organized into twelve tribes and faced oppression from outside groups like the Philistines. It was not until the reign of the first two kings, Saul and David, that there was centralized leadership over the nation. King David notably established a more unified kingdom and successfully defended against the Philistines.