The Book of Judges chronicles a period in Israel’s history after the death of Joshua when the Israelites repeatedly fell into sin, forsaking God for idols. During this time, God raised up judges—leaders who delivered the people from their enemies and called them back to Him. Judges depicts a cycle of sin, oppression, repentance, and deliverance, highlighting the consequences of disobedience to God and the need for faithful leadership. The book also points to the importance of reliance on God’s covenant and the dangers of moral compromise.

PURPOSE: The book shows the consequences of Israel’s disobedience and their need for godly leadership. It warns readers about the consequences of disobedience and moral decay while calling for faithfulness to God and emphasizing the need for righteous leadership and adherence to His commands.

AUTHOR: The author is not explicitly named in the Bible. However, as recorded in the Talmud, Jewish tradition attributes the authorship to the prophet Samuel. Samuel was a key figure during the transition from the period of the judges to the monarchy in Israel, and it’s believed he may have compiled and written the book based on oral and written traditions.

ADDRESSEE: It was written to the Israelites as a historical account of their period between Joshua’s leadership and the establishment of the monarchy in Israel.

DATE: It was likely written sometime between 1045 and 1000 BC. Scholars believe it was written during the early part of King David’s reign because it reflects a time before Israel had a king, and yet mentions that “in those days there was no king in Israel” (Judges 17:6). This suggests the author was writing after the establishment of the monarchy but reflecting on the period before it.

SETTING: The Book of Judges takes place after Joshua’s death when Israel had no unified leadership. Although the people were in the Promised Land, they had failed to completely drive out the neighboring nations, disobeying God’s command. This led to recurring sequences of sin, foreign oppression, cries to God for help, and God appointing judges to rescue them. The period spans around 300 years, characterized by moral decline, with everyone doing whatever seemed right to them (Judges 21:25).

KEY VERSES:

  1. Judges 2:10, “When all that generation had been gathered to their fathers, another generation arose after them who did not know the Lord nor the work which He had done for Israel.” This verse highlights the critical importance of passing on the knowledge of God and His works to future generations.
  2. Judges 6:12, “And the Angel of the Lord appeared to him, and said to him, ‘The Lord is with you, you mighty man of valor!’” In this verse, God’s encouragement to Gideon demonstrates that God sees potential in us that we might not see in ourselves.
  3. Judges 7:20, “Then the three companies blew the trumpets and broke the pitchers—they held the torches in their left hands and the trumpets in their right hands for blowing—and they cried, ‘The sword of the Lord and of Gideon!’” This verse shows how God used unconventional methods to bring about victory, reminding us that God’s ways often differ from human expectations.
  4. Judges 21:25, “In those days there was no king in Israel; everyone did what was right in his own eyes.” This verse underscores the need for divine guidance and leadership, illustrating the consequences of living without God’s direction.

BASIC STORYLINE

  1. Introduction to the Period of the Judges (Judges 1:1-2:10)
    1. Israel’s condition after the death of Joshua
    2. Israel’s failure to fully conquer the land
  1. Cycle of Apostasy and Deliverance (Overview) (Judges 2:11-23)
    1. Israel’s Sin: Rebellion against God, worship of idols
    2. God’s Judgment: Oppression by foreign nations
    3. Israel’s Repentance: Crying out to God for deliverance
    4. God’s Deliverance: Raising up a judge to rescue Israel
    5. Peace: The land experiences peace until the judge dies
  1. Major Judges and Their Stories
    1. Othniel (Judges 3:7-11)
      • Oppression by Mesopotamia
      • Deliverance through Othniel
    2. Ehud (Judges 3:12-30)
      • Oppression by Moab
      • Deliverance through Ehud, the left-handed judge
    3. Deborah and Barak (Judges 4-5)
      • Oppression by Canaanite king Jabin
      • Deliverance through Deborah and Barak, including the role of Jael
    4. Gideon (Judges 6-8)
      • Oppression by Midian
      • Deliverance through Gideon, including his defeat of the Midianites with a small army
    5. Jephthah (Judges 11-12)
      • Oppression by Ammon
      • Deliverance through Jephthah, including the vow he made
    6. Samson (Judges 13-16)
      • Oppression by the Philistines
      • Deliverance through Samson’s strength and final act of destruction against the Philistines
  1. The Decline of the Israelites
    1. Israel’s increasing disobedience and chaos
    2. The story of the Levite and his concubine (Judges 19)
    3. The civil war against the tribe of Benjamin (Judges 20-21)

CHAPTER CONTENT:

  1. Conquest of Canaan; Failure to drive out.
  2. Israel’s disobedience; Cycle of sin.
  3. First judges; Othniel, Ehud.
  4. Deborah and Barak; Victory over Canaanites.
  5. Song of Deborah; Celebration of victory.
  6. Gideon’s call; Midianite oppression.
  7. Gideon’s army; Victory with few.
  8. Gideon’s leadership; Ephraim’s complaint.
  9. Abimelech’s rule; Shechem’s downfall.
  10. Tola and Jair; Idolatry persists.
  11. Jephthah’s vow; Victory over Ammonites.
  12. Jephthah’s conflict; Tribes’ divisions.
  13. Birth of Samson; Nazarite vow.
  14. Samson’s marriage; Riddle and revenge.
  15. Samson’s exploits; Foxes’ tails.
  16. Samson and Delilah; Philistine capture.
  17. Micah’s idol; Priest and shrine.
  18. Danites’ migration; Idol worship.
  19. Levite’s concubine; Tribe of Benjamin.
  20. Civil war; Benjamin defeated.
  21. Women of Shiloh; Benjamite restoration.