About the Book of JUDGES
The book of Judges is about the first 300 years in Canaan after the death of Joshua. The tribes settled into their own land and a new way of living. They failed to drive out pagan inhabitants. They fell into idolatry and did what was right in their own eyes. There were repeated cycles of disobedience, destruction and defeat.
The Judges
The judges in the Book of Judges were not like today's judges in the courtroom. They were military leaders who went to battle. God raised them up to deliver His people from their enemies. The judges were very wise. They were able to prepare for the future. Many judges had strong beliefs. They very much wanted the blessings that God promised. They wanted their nation to obey God’s commandments.
Israel's Tribes
Usually, Israel’s tribes only had an interest in their own affairs. The one thing that brought them together was their belief in God. They also believed that they were a nation. So they could act together to meet a common enemy. But when they stopped trusting God, selfish interests became the most important things. So they could not defeat their enemies. Their religion had two kinds of laws. Some laws were about particular events. (This is an example. ‘You may find your enemy’s animal which he has lost…’) Other laws were useful in all situations. (They were like this, for example. ‘You shall…’ or ‘You shall not...’)
Structure of the Book of Judges
There were 12 judges. Six judges had power that God gave to them. They had a part in important political events. After each judge had ruled, “the country had rest.” Some other judges were less important. They helped to make sure that people obeyed the law. The book of Judges bridges the gap after the death of Joshua until the people demanded a king.
The writer often repeats this structure in the book.
1. Israel’s people do what is wrong.
2. Israel’s people make the Lord angry.
3. Israel’s people suffer great cruelty.
4. Israel’s people cry to the Lord.
5. A judge comes to free them.
6. There is a description of the judge.
7. The judge gets power.
8. He or she makes judgments about the disagreements of Israel’s people.
9. The judge rescues Israel’s people.
10. The judge gives peace to Israel’s people.
11. The judge dies.
Writer of the Book of Judges
We do not know who wrote the book. And we do not know the date when he wrote it. Many people think that he wrote it while the kings were ruling. He repeats words like these. ‘At that time, Israel’s people had no king. If a person himself thought that something was right, he did it.
Themes
idolatry, disobedience, 7 cycle of the judges consisting of 5 steps: sin, servitude, repentance, deliverance and rest. Then the cycle was repeated seven times.
Plan of the Book
Introduction: Israel’s people did not finish the conquest and they turned away from God.
1:1–3:6 1:1-21 Enemies conquered southern Canaan
1:22-26 Enemies captured Bethel
1:27-36 Israel’s people failed to remove their enemies
Chapter 2 is a miniature of the whole book. It records transition of the godly to the ungodly generatiions, and the different cycles of the judges.
2:1-5 What happened when Israel’s people did not obey the agreement
2:6-3:6 What God did when Israel’s people refused to serve him
3:7 - 16:31 Cruel pain and trouble, then freedom
Judges in Order
3:7-11 Othniel
3:12-30 Ehud
3:31 Shamgar
4:1-5:31 Deborah and Barak
6:1-8:35 Gideon
9:1-57 Abimelech, the bad judge
10:1-2 Tola
10:3-5 Jair
10:6-12:7 Jephthah
12:8-10 Ibzan
12:11-12 Elon
12:13-15 Abdon
13:1-16:31 Samson
Extra Information
17:1-18:31 Micah and Dan’s tribe
19:1-21:25 Dan’s tribe went to live in another place.
The wrong things that the people in Gibeah did.
How God punished Benjamin’s tribe.
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