Introduction to the book of Judges

The 7th Book of the Bible: A Book of Failure and Salvation

The Book of Judges describes the centuries following the successful conquest of the land up to the establishment of a unified monarchy in Israel.
The people lived merely in a loose confederation among the twelve tribes, with only one common spiritual center for all: the Tabernacle (Moses’ Tent of the Covenant) in Shiloh.

The Book of Judges (Hebrew: Shoftim) is the second book of the Prophets in the Hebrew Tanakh; for us, it is counted among the historical books.
Here we learn of seven successive periods of apostasy, bondage, and liberation.

A key verse in the book is mentioned four times: “In those days there was no king in Israel; everyone did what was right in their own eyes.”

Actually, this sole rule of God over Israel would have been ideal!
No king, no nobility to oppress the people—but that also meant that every single person mattered.

Although God’s commandments and regulations applied to the entire people, without an authority to enforce them, selfish human nature gained the upper hand, and soon anarchy and the tyranny of the strong prevailed.

We learn how the people repeatedly turn away from their God, begin to worship the idols of other nations, and become increasingly like those nations. It is a disturbing account of a time filled with violence, perversion, and moral depravity.

As a result of their apostasy from God, the land is invaded by various hostile forces that subjugate and exploit its people.
In response, God raised up one of the “judges”—a leader of the entire people—to save them, who eliminated the threat and for whom the administration of justice (the modern role of a judge) was only a small part of his duties.
Each time, it was God’s grace that Israel experienced when they repented and sought their God.
There is always a way back for us when we repent.

Significantly, the same events repeated themselves over and over again after the death of each judge, and Israel fell deeper than ever before.
The time of the judges did not end until the prophet Samuel, who is also considered the author of the Book of Judges, anointed Saul as the first king of Israel.

Outline of the Book of Judges:

Content of the book of Judges:

Judges chapter 1
Judges chapter 2
Judges chapter 3
Judges chapter 4
Judges chapter 5
Judges chapter 6
Judges chapter 7
Judges chapter 8
Judges chapter 9
Judges chapter 10
Judges chapter 11
Judges chapter 12
Judges chapter 13
Judges chapter 14
Judges chapter 15
Judges chapter 16
Judges chapter 17
Judges chapter 18
Judges chapter 19
Judges chapter 20
Judges chapter 21