Judges
The twelve judges are anointed with the Spirit to be deliverers. They rescue Israel from their enemies.
CHAPTERS: 01, 02, 03, 04, 05, 06, 07, 08, 09, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21
RESOURCES: Summary, Outline, Memorize
SUMMARY
Title
The title of “The Book of Judges” is consistent with the previous biblical languages:
- In Latin, Liber Judicum
- In the Greek Septuagint, Kritai (“Judges”)
- In Hebrew, shof’teem (“judges”)
Author
The Book of Judges does not identify its own author. However, the Talmud ascribes it to Samuel.
Date
It was probably written after the coronation of king Saul in 1051 BC, but before the conquest of Jerusalem by David in 1004 BC.
Purpose
The judges transition the nation from Moses and Joshua to the anointing of kings.
In our day we think of judges as legal arbiters. But in those days judges were also general administors as well as military leaders.
They were chosen deliverers anointed with the Spirit to rescue Israel from their enemies.
And they did need rescuing. Every time they fell into apostasy, they were oppressed by their enemies. When they repented, a judge stepped in to rescue the situation.
The Twelve Judges
- Othniel: Judges 3:7
- Ehud: Judges 3:15
- Shamgar: Judges 3:31
- Deborah: Judges 4:1
- Gideon: Judges 6:1
- Tola: Judges 10:1
- Jair: Judges 10:3
- Jephthah: Judges 11:1
- Ibzan: Judges 12:8
- Elon: Judges 12:11
- Abdon: Judges 12:13
- Samson: Judges 13:24
OUTLINE
WHY THE JUDGES
Political-military background
Judges 1:1-36. They fail to exterminate the Canaanites
The religious-spiritual background — the covenant of the Lord broken by Israel
Judges 2:1-5. An angel confronts them
THE DEEDS OF THE JUDGES
Introduction to the history of the Judges
Judges 2:10-23. A faithless generation arises
Judges 3:1-6. The remaining nations
Cycles of Oppression and Deliverance
Judges 3:7-14. The first judge is Othniel
Judges 3:15-30. The second judge is Ehud
Judges 3:31. The third judge is Shamgar
Judges 4:1-24. The fourth judge is Deborah
Judges 5:1-31. Deborah’s song of victory
Judges 6:1-40. The fifth judge is Gideon
Judges 7:1-8. Gideon’s army is reduced a hundredfold
Judges 7:9-25. Gideon defeats Midian
Judges 8:1-3. The men of Ephraim complain
Judges 8:4-9. Gideon begs for food
Judges 8:10-35. Gideon conquers the Midianites
Judges 9:1-6. Abimelech takes over
Judges 9:7-57. Jotham strikes back
Judges 10:1-2. The sixth judge is Tola
Judges 10:3-5. The seventh judge is Jair
Judges 10:6-18. The nation falls into idolatry again
Judges 11:1-10. The eighth judge is Jephthah
Judges 11:11-33. Jephthah defeats Ammon
Judges 11:34-40. Jephthah slaughters his own daughter
Judges 12:1-7. Ephraim complains against Jephthah
Judges 12:8-10. The ninth judge is Ibzan
Judges 12:11-12. The tenth judge is Elon
Judges 12:13-15. The eleventh judge is Abdon
Judges 13:1-23. Israel falls to the Philistines
Judges 13:24-25. Sampson is the twelfth judge
Judges 14:1-20. Samson almost marries a Philistine woman
Judges 15:1-20. Conflicts between Samson and the Philistines
Judges 16:1-3. Conflicts between Samson and the Philistines, continued
Judges 16:4-22. Delilah defeats Samson
Judges 16:23-31. Samson’s final act
THE CULTURAL MILIEU
Judges 17:1-6. The idolatry of Micah the Ephraimite
Judges 17:7-13. Micah the Ephraimite hires a Levitical priest
Judges 18:1-31. The tribe of Dan migrates to the north
Judges 19:1-30. The atrocity of the men of Gibeah
Judges 20:1-48. War against the tribe of Benjamin
Judges 21:1-25. They preserve the tribe of Benjamin
MEMORIZE
Judges 6:12. The angel of the LORD appeared to him and said, “The LORD is with you, O champion!” (NAB translation)
Judges 6:14b. Go in the strength you have and save Israel out of Midian’s hand. Am I not sending you? (NIV translation)
Great verses to memorize from the entire Bible
JUDGES
CHAPTERS: 01, 02, 03, 04, 05, 06, 07, 08, 09, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21
RESOURCES: Summary, Outline, Memorize