The Book of Judges
Title
In Hebrew, Shophatim (Judges) comes from the root word ‘judge’ but it is more than judicial roles. In Greek, Kritai (Judges) comes from the root word ‘judge’ but it is more about judicial roles. Judge is a misleading title for our generation perspective. In the book of Judges, Judges mean saviors, warriors, or military leaders.
Authorship
Talmud identifies Prophet Samuel as the author of this book. Yet, there is no internal evidence to support it.
Date:
Introduction and background (1:1-3:6): 20 years; Accounts of the Judges (3:7-16:31): 260 years; Conclusion on the Judges period (17:1-21:25): 20 years So the total timeline in the book of Judges are 300 years. If so, it would be written in 1090 B.C. and it would be the beginning of Monarchy
Recipients:
The first readers of Joshua were Israelites in Canaan with him after the land conquest.
Characteristics
To deliver the people from the bondages and rule them before and after the time of deliverance.
To guide the people from unfaithfulness to faithfulness to God.
To be God’s tool for the people to experience redemption though they were weak
Purpose
To develop the historical setting between the conquest of the land to the monarchy.
To present theological perspective on the period of the judges (Jud.2:6-13)
To emphasis God’s faithfulness to His covenant in spite of the unfaithfulness of the people.
To emphasis that God is more than a judge or king but responsible for the welfare of Israel.
To emphasis that God raises leaders to guide the people to follow him rather than their own personal gain or agenda. Judges. 2:18-19
Theological Summary
Israel’s faithless disobedience under the theocracy is contrasted with God’s merciful discipline and deliverance of Israel through judges and the institution of a divinely appointed monarchy.
Key Word: Failure
Key Verse: “In those days Israel had no king. Each man did what he considered to be right” (Judg 21:25).
Outlines:
The Failure of the Tribes. Judges.1:1-3:5
1:1-2:5: Failure of the tribes to defeat the Canaanites completely
2:6-3:6: Failure of the tribes to defend their faith and follow the faith of the Canaanites.
Chapters 3:6 -16:31: The failure of the Judges(Civil Leaders). Judges.3:6-16:31
Othniel (3:7-11) – Tribe of Judah
Ehud (3:12-30) – Tribe of Benjamin
Shamgar (3:31) – Foreign Convert
Deborah and Barak (4:1-5:31) – Tribe of Ephraim
Gideon (6:1-9:57) – Tribe of Manasseh from the West side of Jordon
Tola (10:1-2) - Tribe of Issachar
Jair (10:3-5) - Tribe of Manasseh from the East side of Jordon
Jephthah (10:6-12:7) - Tribe of Manasseh from the East side of Jordon
Ibzan (12:8-10) – Tribe of Judah
Elon (12:11-12) – Tribe of Zebulun
Abdon (12:13-15) – Tribe of Ephraim
Samson (13:1-16:31) – Tribe of Dan
The failure of the Levites (Religious Leaders). Judges. 17:1-21:25:
Failure of idolatry. 17:1-18:31
Failure of immorality: 19:1-30
Failure of civil war: 20:1-21:25
Applications:
Rejecting God’s lordship (through incomplete obedience) plants the seeds for failure (Judg 1-2).
Following personal relative standards instead of God’s absolute standards leads to cycles of sin (Judg 3-16).
Replacing God’s wisdom with personal whims ultimately leads to idolatry (Judges 17-21).