OLD TESTAMENT SURVEY:

Book of Judges
Everyone did as they saw fit. - Judg. 17:6; 21:25

Final Paper on OTS 1

Submitted by:
Paolo E. Dela Cruz
ABTh CE 2nd Year

Submitted to:
Ptr. Christian R. Valerio
Professor/Instructor

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Introduction.p. 3
I. Basic Information.p. 4
a. Historical-Geographical Background
b. Author
c. Theme
d. Date of Writing
e. Purpose of Writing
f. Overview
g. Outline
h. Key Verses

II. Literary Structure...............p. 8

a. Prologue
b. Center
c. Epilogue

III. Book Analysis................p. 13

a. Theological Message
b. Practical Application
c. Reading through New Testament

IV. Conclusion.....p. 14
a. Personal Insights

VI. References...................................................................................................................p. 15

INTRODUCTION
The period of the Judges spans about 200 years (some say as many as 400 years)
up to 1020 BC when the people of Israel chose a king for themselves traces the period between
the death of Joshua and the rise of the monarchy in Israel.. After the Israelites had settled in the
Promised Land they lost a great deal of their national identity, and became influenced by the
other peoples that they had allowed to remain in the land. They began to forget God's provision
for them, and to turn to the worship of idols. Without God's protection, they became easy prey
for the enemies round about them. Finally when the burden became too difficult for them to bear,
they remembered God, and cried to Him for help. He would then rise up a 'judge', or deliverer
who, empowered by the Holy Spirit, led the people to victory. It appears that the judge's
influence was over a small area, perhaps over one tribe, rather than over the whole nation of
Israel.
The name of the book is taken from the title of the men who dominate the
narrative. In some respects the title of the book is a bit misleading to English readers. The
judges were not primarily judicial officials; rather, they were military leaders and clan
chieftains who appeared periodically in different areas among the tribes to affect deliverance
from enemies threatening parts of Israel.
The Lord is the ultimate judge (v. 11:27), who delegates His authority to such
men and endues them with His Spirit so they can perform their task adequately. But we can see
that every reader of this book can learn that God is long-suffering and compassionate, and we
can also see aspects of our own life reflected in the characters of the Judges narrative.
The Book of Judges is named from the people God selected to provide leadership
for His people. Judges 2:16 says that God raised up judges who saved them. Twelve names are
normally included in the group. To this list sometimes are added Abimelech, Eli, and Samuel.
Abime-lech, son of Gideon, was more a renegade king than a judge. Eli and Samuel, though
spoken of as judging Israel, were more high priest and prophet.

BASIC INFORMATION
HISTORICAL-GEOGRAPHICAL BACKGROUND
The book of Judges is set against the period between the death of Joshua and the
rise of the monarchy. It is a part of Deuteronomistic history, a theologically-oriented history of
Israel from the entry into Canaan to the destruction of the Temple. The book of judges covers the
period of large ethnic migrations throughout the Near East in the second half of the second
millennium BC. It was a period that saw the demise of some great cultures (e.g., the Hittites in
Asia Minor, the Minoans, and the Myceneans), the onset of the Iron Age in the Near East, and
the arrival of the Philistines in the coastal plain.1
Although the conquest of the land under Joshua was effective, it was not
complete. Areas of land were still harbored by some Canaanite occupants. Along the seacoast,
the Philistines dominated such cities as Gaza, Ashkelon, and Ashdod. These factors contributed
greatly to the military and moral failure of Israel. Israel was also hampered by the lack of a
central government. The geography of the land tended to isolate the tribes from one another. As a
result, it was difficult to rally all segments of the land in a common cause.

AUTHOR
The Book of Judges does not specifically name its author. The Talmud identifies
the author of Judges and Samuel as the Prophet Samuel. Internal evidence indicates that the
author of Judges lived shortly after the period of the Judges. Samuel fits this qualification. Many
scholars, however, attribute it to one of his contemporaries.

An Introduction to the Old Testament; Longman/Dillard

THEME
Israel has entered into a covenant with Yahweh, under which they agree to accept
Yahweh as their God and Yahweh promises them a land where they can live in peace and
prosperity. Deuteronomy contains the laws by which Israel is to live in the promised land, Joshua
chronicles the conquest of Canaan, the promised land, and its allotment among the tribes, Judges
describes the settlement of the land, Samuel the consolidation of the land and people under
David, and Kings the destruction of kingship and loss of the land. The final tragedy described in
Kings is the result of Israel's failure to uphold its part of the covenant: faithfulness to Yahweh
brings success, economic, military and political, but unfaithfulness brings defeat and oppression.
This is the theme played out in Judges: the people are unfaithful to Yahweh
and he therefore delivers them into the hands of their enemies; the people then repent and
entreat Yahweh for mercy, which he sends in a judge; the judge delivers the Israelites from
oppression, but after a while they fall into unfaithfulness again and the cycle is repeated.
This recurring pattern in the book of Judges is often referred to as the Four S.
1. Sin: The people fall into sin, as they worship false gods or intermarry with the
Canaanites.
2. Servitude: The peoples sin brings on a period of servitude in which Israel becomes
subject to people they once controlled.
3. Supplication: After a time in servitude, Israel cries out to God in supplication.
4. Salvation: After supplication God raises up a leader to bring the people salvation.
Further themes are also present: the "Sovereignty of Yahweh", the
"Satirisation of foreign kings" (who consistently underestimate Israel and Yahweh); the
concept of the "flawed agent" (judges who are not adequate to the task before them) and the
disunity of the Israelite community (which gathers pace as the stories succeed one another).

DATE OF WRITING
The Book of Judges was likely written between 1045 and 1000 B.C. because there
is some evidence which points to a time of writing early in the monarchy, perhaps shortly after
Sauls coronation.

PURPOSE OF WRITING
The book of Judges was written to show the consequences of religious apostasy
and to point the way to a king who, if righteous, would lead the people to God. In contrast to the
serene way in which the book of Joshua endswith all Israel obeying Gods commands, for the
most partthe book of Judges shows that, in fact, Israel began to disobey God even during the
time of Joshua. This disobedience continued and grew more seriousand more corrupted
throughout the period of the Judges. Almost every time Israel turned its back on God and
embraced the gods and the ways of the Canaanites, as the introductory summary in verses 2:16
23 indicates. Israels history unfolded in this period in a cyclical or repetitive way: each cycle
took Israel further downward in its debasement and apostasy. By the end of the book, Israel had
violated its covenant with God in almost every way imaginable.
OVERVIEW
1) Chapters 1-16 which gives an account of the wars of deliverance beginning with the
Israelites' defeat of the Canaanites and ending with the defeat of the Philistines
and the death of Samson;

2) Chapters 17-21 which is referred to as an appendix and does not relate to the previous
chapters. These chapters are noted as a time when there was no king in Israel
(Judges 17:6;18:1;19:1; 21:25). The Book of Ruth was originally a part of the
Book of Judges, but in A.D. 450 it was removed to become a book of its own.

OUTLINE
Failure to conquer Canaan - Judges 1:1-3:6
Othniel - Judges 3:7-11
Ehud and Shamgar - Judges 3:12-31
Deborah and Barak - Judges 4:1-5:31
Gideon, Tola, and Jair - Judges 6:1-10:5
Jephthah, Ibzan, Elon, Abdon - Judges 10:6-12:15
Samson - Judges 13:1-16:31
Abandoning the true God - Judges 17:1-18:31
Moral wickedness, civil war and its consequences - Judges 19:1-21:25
KEY VERSES:
Judges 2:11-12
11 Then the sons of Israel did evil in the sight of the LORD and served the Baals,
12 and they forsook the LORD, the God of their fathers, who had brought them
out of the land of Egypt, and followed other gods from among the gods of the
peoples who were around them, and bowed themselves down to them; thus they
provoked the LORD to anger. (NASB)
Judges 2:18
18When the LORD raised up judges for them, the LORD was with the judge and
delivered them from the hand of their enemies all the days of the judge; for the
LORD was moved to pity by their groaning because of those who oppressed
and afflicted them. (NASB)
Judges 10:15
The sons of Israel said to the LORD, We have sinned, do to us whatever seems
good to You; only please deliver us this day. (NASB)
Judges 21:25 In those days Israel had no king; everyone did as he saw fit. (NASB)

LITERARY STRUCTURE
Most scholars are agreed that the book contains three distinct sections: a prologue
(1:12:5), a center (2:616:31), and an epilogue or appendix (17:121:25) consisting of two
main stories.2
PROLOGUE:
The book begins by recapitulating the death of Joshua recorded in Joshua 24:29
31 and reporting how the conquest continued after his death (1:136); the legacy of Joshua has
already begun to break down. The angel of the Lord announces that, because of Gods
displeasure about Israels having entered into alliances with the indigenous peoples, Israel would
be unable to drive them out of the land; these nations would remain as traps for them
(2:15; NIV thorns in [their] sides). The purpose of this prologue is to point out the limited
nature of Israel's success. There was a degree of victory (1:1-10), but there were many other
areas where they could not dislodge the inhabitants. The phrase that is constantly repeated is
"They did not drive them out" (1:19, 21, 27, 29, 31, 33). One of the reasons given is that they
were not equipped to fight in the plains where the inhabitants had superior weapons such as
chariots.
CENTER:
This section of the book is often described as having a recurring view of history
due to the predominant framework that unites the various accounts. This framework is
introduced in the preface to the accounts of the judges (2:63:6), which summarizes the pattern
of the accounts that follow. This recurring sequence of sin-servitude-supplication-salvation is
often called cyclical. A short survey of the following Judges will demonstrate this.

1. Othniel (3:7-11)
Little is said of Othniel aside from the fact that he is related to Caleb. He is empowered
by the Spirit to deliver Israel from Cushan-rishathaim. He leads Israel in successful
warfare as Joshua did.

An Introduction to the Old Testament by Longman/Dillard

2. Ehud (3:12-31)
God raised up Ehud, a left-handed Benjamite, to slay Eglon and then lead Israel in
victory over Moab. Under the pretext of delivering a message from God, he obtains a
private audience with the king and plunges a small dagger into him. This challenged
Israel to throw off the Moabite yokes altogether and brought 80 years of rest to the land.
3. Shamgar (3:31)
Son of Anath, the third judge of Israel, after Ehud and shortly before Barak, in a time of
great insecurity and distress, Jud 3:31 5:6. Scripture only says he defended Israel, and
killed six hundred Philistines with an ox-goad.
4. Deborah (4-5)
The battle involving Deborah and Barak is described in chapter 4 and is followed by a
song of victory in chapter 5. The first person is Deborah, who was a judge of Israel in the
section allotted to Ephraim. The oppression of the northern tribes is brought to her
attention, and she calls for Barak, who lived in the region of Naphtali. Barak is hesitant to
step out against Sisera, the opposing military general, without the presence of Deborah.
This may have been due to his own lack of self-confidence, or it may be that he wanted
her on hand to supply further divine directions. Barak gathers the armies and attacks,
which puts Sisera to flight. His 900 chariots were probably mired in the mud due to a
heavy thunderstorm which caused the river Kishon to overflow. Sisera flees to the tent of
Jael, where he is murdered with a tent peg put through his temple.

5. Gideon (6-8)
The story of Gideon, as with Samson later in the book, occupies more space than that of
any of the other judges. Gideon's story can be conveniently divided into three segments:
1. a man of fear (6);
2. a man of faith (7);
3. a man of failure (8).
Gideon the farmer (6:19:56) is slow to recognize and respond to Gods call for him to
lead Israel; three miracles are required to convince the reluctant Gideon. And his
obedience, when it does come, is not exactly courageous: he does tear down the Baal

altar and the Asherah pole in his community as God commandedhe is still a bit of a
coward and skepticand he does it at night (6:2527). Although Gideon earns the
name Jerub-baal he himself eventually succumbs to false worship that leads Israel astray
(8:2227). After the great battle when Gideons three hundred prevail over a far greater
number through faithful obedience, Gideon seems to forget the whole point of the
exercise (7:2) and calls up his reserves, an army of thirty-two thousand (vv. 3, 24). A
great victory once again erupts in factional rivalry and quarreling among the tribes and
clans (8:19). Beyond the victory God had promised and given, Gideon pursues a
personal campaign (vv. 1021). The story had begun with concern about the seed Israel
had sown for her crops (6:3); Gideon had sown his own seed widely and had seventy
sons, including one by a concubine from Shechem (8:31). Israel forgot God, and they
also forgot Gideon and his positive contributions. The faith of this great leader was
ultimately overshadowed by his failure.
6. Abimelech (9)
This chapter is really an appendix to the story of Gideon. Gideon, who renounced an
offer to become king, had a son who aspired to just such an office. Abimelech gathers
support from the members of his own family. Despite the warning of his brother Jotham
(9:7-20), the men of Shechem made Abimelech king. Abimelech's influence as king
appears to have been local in character. After three years his subjects revolt against him.
His subjects soon grew tired of him, and he met his death in trying to put down their
revolt.

7. Tola and Jair

Tola and Jair are not well known, but their lives made a difference for thousands of
people living in Israel in that day. Tola the son of Puah, the son of Dodo, a man of
Issachar, arose to save Israel; He judged Israel twenty-three years. After him, Jair the
Gileadite arose and judged Israel twenty-two years. He had thirty sons who rode on thirty
donkeys, and they had thirty cities in the land of Gilead that are called Havvoth-jair to
this day.

8. Jephthah (10-12)
Chapter 10 portrays the background of sin and servitude that leads to the career of
Jephthah. God uses this man, who came from a tragic home situation, to give victory over
the Ammonites. When Jephthah appears on the scene, Yahweh has retired from the scene.
Full of self-interest, Jephthah negotiates his way to power from his position as an outcast
(11:111). Although Gods Spirit had already come upon him for the battle with Ammon
(v. 29), Jephthah makes a rash and redundant vow (v. 30), as if more were needed to
secure the victory. The one who had been so calculating in his self-interest ends up
destroying that which he counted most dear, his only child (11:3440). Once again a
victory erupts into intertribal squabbling and regional rivalry (12:16).

9. Ibzan, Elon and Abdon (12)

Ibzan of Bethlehem judged Israel after Jephthah. He had thirty sons, and thirty daughters
whom he gave in marriage outside the family, and he brought in thirty daughters from
outside for his sons. And he judged Israel seven years. After Ibzan, Elon the Zebulunite
judged Israel after him; and he judged Israel ten years. Abdon the son of Hillel the
Pirathonite judged Israel after Elon. He had forty sons and thirty grandsons who rode on
seventy donkeys; and he judged Israel eight years.

10. Samson (13-16)

The narrative of this inconsistent judge is told against a background of Philistine
supremacy. The Philistines had for some time occupied part of southern Palestine, but
just prior to the time of Samson they began to penetrate farther into the interior, because
of their spreading influence over Israel God rose up Samson. His exploits were only
partially successful, but he was able to slow down the Philistine encroachment of the
land. Although, like Israel, he had been set apart to God from his birth (13:5), Samson
would not fulfill his potential. Intermarriage with the Canaanites violated the command to
drive them from the land (3:56). Samson was more successful in death than in life
(16:30). His final act involves tearing down the pillars of the prison house and killing
himself along with some of the Philistines. In so doing, he killed more Philistines in his
death than he had in his life.

10

EPILOGUE
The final chapters of Judges are not in chronological order. They are designed to
show the general conditions that resulted because of the spiritual indifference of the people
throughout the first part of the book. Spiritual leadership like that of these judges would not
secure the land for Israel. Self-interest, self-indulgence, and all the sins that provoked Gods
anger with Israel also characterized her leaders. The legacy of a unified Israel left by Joshua has
disintegrated into factional and regional rivalries. Conditions promoting religious and political
chaos call for a different kind of leadership if Israel is to secure the land.
The story found on chapter 17 centers about a young man named Micah who
builds an idolatrous shrine in his own home. The incident is a good example of the syncretism
that began to plague Israel in this period. Although his religious activities have all the
characteristics of the idolatry of the land, it incorporates many true elements of the worship of
Jehovah. Micah then hires a priest to officiate at his private shrine. A wandering group of
Danites stumbled upon his shrine and, in chapter 18, steals both his image and his priest. This
story of idolatry, syncretism, materialism, and robbery - all in the name of religion demonstrates that the spiritual life of the nation Israel is on critical level.
The story of a Levite on Chapter 19 who stops overnight at Gibeah with his
concubine shows the degraded moral standards of the country. The chapter describes the
prevalence of homosexuality as well as the brutal rape of the Levite's concubine. Finding her
corpse at the door the next morning, he hacks it in pieces and sends it to all the tribes of Israel to
create national indignation over the crime.
In chapter 20 the tribes of Israel are annoyed at the outrage. They attack Gibeah
and the Benjamites, reducing the tribe to almost nothing. The few Benjamites who are left have
no wives, and the tribe is in danger of extinction. The town of Jabesh-gilead was attacked and
400 wives are provided for the Benjamites. The rest are seized from the vicinity of Shiloh. These
events serve to portray the unstable political conditions that resulted when every man was a law
unto himself.

11

BOOK ANALYSIS
THEOLOGICAL MESSAGE3
1. Grace and law, conditionality and unconditionality. Throughout the Deuteronomistic
History (JoshuaKings), the narrator explores and probes the nature of Gods
relationship with Israel. What the book of Judges gives the reader is not a
systematic theology, but rather the history of a relationship. Judges leaves us with
a paradox: Gods relationship with Israel is at once both conditional and
unconditional. He will not remove his favor, but Israel must live in obedience and
faith to inherit the promise.
2. The administration of Gods rule over his people. God was to be Israels king and lord
(8:23). The book of Judges shows clearly that decentralized rule, even blessed
with periodic divine intervention in the nations leadership and wars, would not
produce a holy nation. Book of Judges prepares for the transition to monarchy.

3. God's irrevocable commitment to Israel is seen in his providing them with a

deliverer/champion; but his holiness requires that he not ignore their sin, and so
he brings oppressors to chasten the nation and turn them back to him.
PRACTICAL APPLICATION
1. Disobedience always brings judgment. The Israelites present a perfect example of
what we are not to do. Instead of learning from experience that God will always
punish rebellion against Him, they continued to disobey and suffer Gods
displeasure and discipline. If we continue in disobedience, we invite Gods
discipline, not because He enjoys our suffering, but because the Lord disciplines
those he loves, and he punishes everyone he accepts as a son" (Hebrews 12:6).
2. The Book of Judges is a testament to Gods faithfulness. Though we may be unfaithful
to God, as the Israelites were, still He is faithful to save us and preserve us

An Introduction to the Old Testament; Dillard/Longman

12

(1 Thessalonians 5:24) and to forgive us when we seek forgiveness (1 John 1:9).

He will keep you strong to the end, so that you will be blameless on the day of
our Lord Jesus Christ. God, who has called you into fellowship with his Son Jesus
Christ our Lord, is faithful (1 Corinthians 1:8-9).

READING THROUGH NEW TESTAMENT

A collection of imperfect human beings: a reluctant farmer, a prophetess, a lefthanded assassin, a bastard bandit, a sex-addicted Nazirite. It is easy at a distance to point out the
foibles and failures of the leading characters in this downwardly spiraling and cyclical story. But
lest we get too proud, Paul reminds us, That is what some of you were (1 Cor. 6:11). With
similar mixtures of ignorance, frail obedience, and tangled motives, we, like them, were
washed, sanctified, and justified by the grace of God. For all of their flaws, we are to learn
from their faith. For it was in faith that Gideon, Barak, Jephthah, and Samson conquered
kingdoms, administered justice, and gained what was promised (Heb. 11:3233). In spite of
their failures, their faith was not misplaced. They become a part of that great cloud of witnesses
calling for us to persevere and to fix our eyes on Jesus (Heb. 12:12).

CONCLUSION
PERSONAL INSIGHTS
Today, we live in a time that is in many ways similar to the times of the judges of
Israel. Many have strayed from their faith and trust in God; many have failed in their obedience
to God's commands, and many people live by doing what it feels right." The Book of Judges
tells of the painful consequences of rejecting God's divine authority and also speaks of the mercy
that God extends to those who return to Him in repentance and faith. Without a divine authority
we are all prone to failure. I believe that God is teaching us a very important lesson from this
book. Trust His hand, also trust His heart. We have nothing in ourselves in which to glory. All
comes from Him, and because of Him, I live, I move and I have my being. I can say that learning
from this book is essential as well as learning in our daily walk with God.

13

REFERENCES

1. An Introduction to the Old Testament

Copyright 1994, 2006 by Tremper Longman III and Raymond B. Dillard

2. The Book of Judges

Copyright 2002 by Marc Zvi Brettler

3. An Introduction To The Old Testament: Sacred Texts And Imperial Contexts Of The Hebrew
Bible
Copyright 1961 by David M. Carr

4. Old Testament Survey. by John Fok

5. The Book Of The Judges : An Integrated Reading. by Webb, Barry G.

6. www.wikipedia.com

7. www.gotquestions.org

14