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

  1. Othniel: Judges 3:7
  2. Ehud: Judges 3:15
  3. Shamgar: Judges 3:31
  4. Deborah: Judges 4:1
  5. Gideon: Judges 6:1
  6. Tola: Judges 10:1
  7. Jair: Judges 10:3
  8. Jephthah: Judges 11:1
  9. Ibzan: Judges 12:8
  10. Elon: Judges 12:11
  11. Abdon: Judges 12:13
  12. 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 2:6-9. Joshua dies

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