Judges is named after an interesting collection of individuals who led Israel after Joshua’s death until the rise of the monarchy under Samuel (up to about 1050 B.C.). In this time of national decline, despite their promise to keep the covenant (Josh. 24:16–18) the people turned from the Lord and began to worship other gods. “Everyone did what was right in his own eyes” (17:6; 21:25). A pattern repeats throughout the book: 1) the people abandoned the Lord; 2) God punished them by raising up a foreign power to oppress them; 3) the people cried out to God for deliverance; and 4) God raised up a deliverer, or judge, for them. The author of the book is unknown, although some Jewish tradition ascribes it to Samuel. (Judges, 2001. The Holy Bible: English Standard Version, Wheaton: Standard Bible Society.)
Jdg 1.1-26; Story; The Continuing Conquest of Canaan
Jdg 1.27-36; Story; Failure to Complete the Conquest
Jdg 2.1-5; Judgment; An angel comes and judges Israel for disobedience
Jdg 2.6-10; Story; The Death of Joshua. The people who remain do not know what the LORD has done
Jdg 2.11-15; Story-Sin; The people of Israel did what was evil in the sight of the Lord and served the Baals
Jdg 2.16-23; Repeating Pattern;
1. The Lord raises up a judge,
2. The judge saves Israel,
3. Israel does not listen and disobeys the LORD,
4. The LORD sends a foreign nation to oppress Israel,
5. Israel cries out to the LORD
Jdg 3.1-6; Story; Israel to be tested by the LORD is amongst other nations and intermarries
Jdg 3.7-11; Story; The LORD raises up the judge Othniel
Jdg 3.12-30; Story; The LORD raises up the judge Ehud. Fat closes over his blade in the toilet.
Jdg 3.31; Story; The LORD raises up the judge Shamgar
Jdg 4.1-16; Story; The LORD raises up the judge Deborah vs. Barak
Jdg 4.17-24; Story; Sisera fled away on foot to the tent of Jael. Big mistake.
Jdg 5.1-31; Song; The Song of Deborah and Barak
Jdg 6.1-10; Story; Midian Oppresses Israel
Jdg 6.11-35; Story; The Call of Gideon
Jdg 6.36-40; Story; Gideon’s sign of the Fleece
Jdg 7.1-18; Story; Gideon’s Three Hundred Men
Jdg 7.19-25; Story; Gideon Defeats Midian
Jdg 8.1-21; Story; Gideon Defeats Zebah and Zalmunna
Jdg 8.22-28; Story; Gideon’s Ephod
Jdg 8.29-35; Story; The Death of Gideon
Jdg 9.1-21; Story; Abimelech’s Conspiracy
Jdg 9.22-57; Story; The Downfall of Abimelech
Jdg 10.1-5; Story; Tola and Jair
Jdg 10.6-18; Story; Further Disobedience and Oppression
Jdg 11.1-28; Story; Jephthah Delivers Israel
Jdg 11.29-40; Story; Jephthah’s Tragic Vow
Jdg 12.1-7; Story; Jephthah’s Conflict with Ephraim
Jdg 12.8-12; Story; Ibzan, Elon, and Abdon
Jdg 13.1-13; Story; The Birth of Samson
Jdg 14.1-20; Story; Samson’s Marriage
Jdg 15.1-20; Story; Samson Defeats the Philistines
Jdg 16.1-22; Story; Samson and Delilah
Jdg 16.23-31; Story; The Death of Samson
Jdg 17.1-13; Story; Micah and the Levite
Jdg 18.1-31; Story; Danites Take the Levite and the Idol
Jdg 19.1-21; Story; A Levite and His Concubine
Jdg 19.22-30; Story; Gibeah’s Crime
Jdg 20.1-48; Story; Israel’s War with the Tribe of Benjamin
Jdg 21.1-25; Story; Wives Provided for the Tribe of Benjamin