JUDGES
The Title
The English title “The Book of Judges” can be traced back through the Latin (Liber Judicum) and The Greek Septuagint (Kritai) to the Hebrew sopetim. The title is appropriate as long as the English concept of legal arbitration is expanded to general administrative authority including military deliverance from Israel’s enemies.
The Authorship
Though there is no internal evidence indentifying the author of Judges, The Talmud (Tractate Baba Bathra 14b) ascribes to Samuel The Book of Judges, Ruth, and Samuel. There is evidence of a later editor. Judges 8:30 reflects...
1. the Assyrian exile of the northern ten tribes in 722 B.C.
2. possibly the capture of the Ark by the Philistines in Eli’s day, 1st Samuel 1 – 7.
Jewish tradition asserts that Jeremiah and/or Ezra the scribe edited parts of the Old Testament. The formation of The Old Testament in its current form is lost to us. However, this does not affect the Divine inspiration of these Old Testament Books.
1. the Assyrian exile of the northern ten tribes in 722 B.C.
2. possibly the capture of the Ark by the Philistines in Eli’s day, 1st Samuel 1 – 7.
Jewish tradition asserts that Jeremiah and/or Ezra the scribe edited parts of the Old Testament. The formation of The Old Testament in its current form is lost to us. However, this does not affect the Divine inspiration of these Old Testament Books.
The Date
Date written: 1380 – 1050 B.C.; however, internal evidence in The Book of Judges suggests that it was written during the early days of the monarchy – after the coronation of Saul (1051 B.C.) but before the conquest of Jerusalem by David (1004 B.C.).
The Chronology
The evidence for beginning the period of The Judges about 1350 B.C. is strong. The elders who outlived Joshua (Joshua 24:31 and Judges 2:7) would have been no more than 20 years of age in 1444 B.C. when the spies entered the land (13:2 and 14:29), two years after Exodus. If they lived to about the age of 110 (Joshua’s age at his death; Joshua 24:29), the oldest of them would have died about 1354 B.C. The idolatry leading to the 1st oppression (that by Cushan-Rishathaim, Judges 3:8..."Then the anger of the LORD was kindled against Israel, so that He sold them into the hands of Cushan-rishathaim king of Mesopotamia; and the sons of Israel served Cushan-rishathaim eight years." (NASB)) seems to have begun after these elders died (Judges 2:7..."The people served the LORD all the days of Joshua, and all the days of the elders who survived Joshua, who had seen all the great work of the LORD which He had done for Israel." (NASB)).
The History and Theology
Historically, The Book of Judges is the sequel to The Book of Joshua. The 2 books are linked together by the repeated record of Joshua’s death...
Joshua 24:29 – 31..."It came about after these things that Joshua the son of Nun, the servant of the LORD, died, being one hundred and ten years old. And they buried him in the territory of his inheritance in Timnath-serah, which is in the hill country of Ephraim, on the north of Mount Gaash. Israel served the LORD all the days of Joshua and all the days of the elders who survived Joshua, and had known all the deeds of the LORD which He had done for Israel." (NASB)
Judges 2:6 – 9..."When Joshua had dismissed the people, the sons of Israel went each to his inheritance to possess the land. The people served the LORD all the days of Joshua, and all the days of the elders who survived Joshua, who had seen all the great work of the LORD which He had done for Israel. Then Joshua the son of Nun, the servant of the LORD, died at the age of one hundred and ten. And they buried him in the territory of his inheritance in Timnath-heres, in the hill country of Ephraim, north of Mount Gaash." (NASB)
Theologically the period of The Judges formed a transition between Yahweh’s mediatorial activity through Moses and Joshua and His mediatorial rule through the anointed kings of the monarchy.
Joshua 24:29 – 31..."It came about after these things that Joshua the son of Nun, the servant of the LORD, died, being one hundred and ten years old. And they buried him in the territory of his inheritance in Timnath-serah, which is in the hill country of Ephraim, on the north of Mount Gaash. Israel served the LORD all the days of Joshua and all the days of the elders who survived Joshua, and had known all the deeds of the LORD which He had done for Israel." (NASB)
Judges 2:6 – 9..."When Joshua had dismissed the people, the sons of Israel went each to his inheritance to possess the land. The people served the LORD all the days of Joshua, and all the days of the elders who survived Joshua, who had seen all the great work of the LORD which He had done for Israel. Then Joshua the son of Nun, the servant of the LORD, died at the age of one hundred and ten. And they buried him in the territory of his inheritance in Timnath-heres, in the hill country of Ephraim, north of Mount Gaash." (NASB)
Theologically the period of The Judges formed a transition between Yahweh’s mediatorial activity through Moses and Joshua and His mediatorial rule through the anointed kings of the monarchy.
The Function
The Hebrew word sopet (judge, deliverer) has a wider connotation than the English word “judge”. It was a general term for leadership combining the executive (including military) and judicial aspects of the governing.
The Purpose
The purpose of The Book of Judges was to demonstrate divine judgment on Israel’s apostasy. More particularly the book recorded Israel’s disobedience to Yahweh’s kingship as mediated through her sovereignly appointed and Spirit-empowered leaders and the subsequent need for a centralized hereditary kingship as the means through which Yahweh would continue to exercise His kingship over the nation Israel.
The Outline (Bible Knowledge Commentary on The Old Testament - Walvoord, Zuck, Cook)
Pt 1: Prologue - Causes Introducing The Days of The Judges (Judges 1 – 2:5)
A) The Political-Military Background: The Partial Conquest of Canaan by Israel (1)
B) The Religious-Spiritual Background: The Covenant of The Lord broken by Israel (2:1 – 5)
Pt 2: Documentary - Cases Exhibiting The Deeds of The Judges (Judges 2:6 – 16:31)
A) The Introduction of The History of The Judges (2:6 – 3:6)
B) The Description of The Oppressions and Deliverances (3:7 – 16:31)
Pt 3: Epilogue - Conditions Illustrating The Days of The Judges (Judges 17 – 21)
A) Religious Apostasy: The Idolatry of Micah and The Migration of The Danites (17 – 18)
B) Moral Degragation: The Atrocity of Gibeah and the war with The Benjamites (19 – 21)
A) The Political-Military Background: The Partial Conquest of Canaan by Israel (1)
B) The Religious-Spiritual Background: The Covenant of The Lord broken by Israel (2:1 – 5)
Pt 2: Documentary - Cases Exhibiting The Deeds of The Judges (Judges 2:6 – 16:31)
A) The Introduction of The History of The Judges (2:6 – 3:6)
B) The Description of The Oppressions and Deliverances (3:7 – 16:31)
Pt 3: Epilogue - Conditions Illustrating The Days of The Judges (Judges 17 – 21)
A) Religious Apostasy: The Idolatry of Micah and The Migration of The Danites (17 – 18)
B) Moral Degragation: The Atrocity of Gibeah and the war with The Benjamites (19 – 21)