Author and dating

1. The Jebusites still live in Jerusalem (1:21). David captured the city about 1000 BC (2 Sam. 5:6-10)
2. The Canaanites still live in Gezer (1:29). This was given by Pharaoh to Solomon in about 970 B.C. (1 Kings 9:16)
3. Shiloh has been destroyed (18:31), which probably occurred in 1 Sam 4 (c. 1060 BC).
4. “In those days there was no king in Israel” (21:25) indicates that Israel has a king when it is written.
5. 18:30 refers to the Assyrian invasion in 732 or 722 BC.

Consequently, the book can be dated to sometime early in the monarchy (1050-1000 BC), under Saul or David (before David took Jerusalem). 18:30 may be a later addition. Jewish tradition says Samuel (the last judge) wrote the book late 11^th century BC.

Structure

Purpose

Show that it was apostasy that meant that Israel never took over all the land God had given them, and that they needed a king to stick to God’s ways.

Themes

• A faithful God who gives grace to unfaithful people who do not deserve it and who do not appreciate it after they have been saved by it.
• “Each man did as he saw fit,” and it didn’t go so well.
• Surprises: God uses outsiders with strange weapons
• Women

Chapter 1-2 Double intro

A continuation from Joshua

No contrast to Joshua, because Joshua 13:1-7, 15:63, 16:10, 17:12-13 also says that other peoples still lived in the land.

It seems that Israel was allowed to stay in the mountains (Joshua 13:1-6), while the Canaanites remained in the lowlands because Israel was discouraged by the iron chariots (Joshua 17:16, Judges 1:19). But Joshua says they will take the land from the Canaanites even though they have iron chariots (Joshua 17:18).

Joshua 23:1-13 says that God will drive out the rest of the nations before them if they keep the law and do not mix in and take over their gods. Then God will fight for them and no one can stand against them. But if they mix in with the nations, God will no longer drive them out before them.

The southern tribes (1:3-21)

Judah and Simeon (1:3-20)

• Much good, but they did not believe God could defeat the iron chariots (1:19, Jos 17:18).
• Achsah is the first brave (and wise) woman mentioned in this book. She knows that the land needs water. An unusually large number of details are mentioned, and a repetition from Joshua 15.

Benjamin did not drive out the Jebusites (1:21).

The northern tribes (1:22-36)

Ephraim and Manasseh took Bethel, but did not drive out the people… Neither did Zebulun drive out the Canaanites … Nor did Asher drive out … Neither did Naphtali drive out …

Dan was even worse: he was pushed up into the mountains by the Amorites

“What is happening? Why don’t they do what God said?”

The Angel of the Lord Comes (2:1-5)

We get the answer to this question when we read chapter 1. It has a reference to Numbers 33:55, and is repeated by Joshua in Jos 23:13. The agreement was not to make a covenant with the inhabitants, but to tear down their altars, for God had promised to give them the land and would always be faithful to the covenant. But they have not kept what they promised.

“Although God promised them the land as a gift, they had to take the initiative to secure it themselves. But God also promised to be with them and enable them to face any challenges. The gospel is likewise a gift, but it must be acted upon in faith that God keeps his promises and provides the strength needed to face opposition.” (Cheryl Brown)

2:6 – 3:6 (Second intro)

Dropout and cycle

2:10 — Reminiscent of Exodus 1:8. Foreshadows a break with history so far and a transition to something worse.

2:14-15: The covenant curses take effect (e.g. Deut. 28:25, 29, 33, 48)

2:16-17: The judges were raised up by God to have a military, religious, and judicial role (4:4-5)

2:18 – The Lord took pity again and again 2:19 – got worse with each generation

3:5 is the exact opposite of what the books of Moses have prepared over and over again. Something has gone terribly wrong.

Baal worship

Baal was one of the most important gods in the ancient Middle East. The name means lord/owner/husband. Also called Hadad. He was the God of fertility, storms, and rain. He was worshipped to ensure necessities such as crops and offspring. The worship involved self-mutilation, ritual prostitution—even child sacrifice (Jeremiah 19:5, 32:35). Psalm 106:34-46 comments on the time of the judges and says the Israelites sacrificed their children “to demons.”

Baal is often mentioned together with the female deities Asherah and Astarte. He was worshipped under various names, including Baal-Berit (“Lord of the covenant”), and Baal-zebul (“Baal the exalted”), which in turn was corrupted to Baal-zebub (“Lord of the flies”) (2 Kings 1:2ff). The OT therefore also speaks of the Baal gods in the plural (Hos 2:13).

Asherah was, according to Canaanite belief, the wife of Baal. Together with him, she ensured the fertility of nature. On the sacrificial mounds they erected wooden pillars, Asherah poles, which were to symbolize the goddess (Judg 6:25). Here they engaged in temple prostitution as part of the fertility rites (1 Kings 14:23f).

12 Judges (Chapters 3-16)

Ehud

Unusual (important) details:

• Ehud was left-handed
• Eglon was very fat. A sign of wealth and probably exploitation of others.
• Detailed description in v. 22. Symbolic of his greed being judged.
• Unexpected: Left-handed, used cunning. (3:12-30)

Deborah & Barak (Chapters 4-5)

• Jabin in Hazor in Naphtali (rebuilt after Josh 11, perhaps 150 years earlier).
• Sisera near Mount Tabor
• Barak in Naphtali
• Deborah in Ephraim sends a message to Barak to bring Naphtali and Zebulun and attack Jabin. Barak does not want to go alone, and Deborah joins. (Brave Woman #2)
• Barak brings Zebulun and gathers on Mount Tabor. Little strategic and involves faith in God and his prophet. (Heb 11:32 mentions Barak and not Deborah)
• God sends confusion (4:15) and probably a lot of rain that caused the river to flood (5:20-21). The iron chariots would then be useless on soft ground. Ironic when Baal was the storm god.

Jael

Brave Woman No. 3

• non-Israelite background (4:11, 17)
• unexpected weapon
• gets the honor instead of Barak (4:9)

5:14-17 says that:

• Ephraim, Naphtali, Benjamin, Manasseh (Machir), Zebulun, Issachar participated in the battle (6 tribes).
• Reuben, Gad (Gilead), Asher, and Dan never came (4 tribes)
• This happened before Dan’s migration north (5:17)
• It was expected that all tribes would show up. The people are already partially divided. Both in the north/south and internally in the north.

Unexpected: Two women play the main roles. One a judge and the other probably not an Israelite and with a strange weapon.

Gideon (Chapters 6-8)

Gideon’s call (6:1-32)

New twist: God first sends a prophet (6:8) who chastises them and explains the reason why they are oppressed.

Similarities with Moses: Does daily work while hiding from the enemy (11), is sent on a mission (14), protests (15), receives a promise that God will be with him (16) and receives a sign as confirmation (17), God’s presence in fire (21).

What does this mean? Gideon will be used to save Israel from the Midianites just as Moses was used to save Israel from the Egyptians. The same God who did great things with Moses is here again to save them. But neither Moses nor Gideon have faith in themselves. He calls his family the weakest in Manasseh, but they had at least 10 servants.

6:25-32: First task: Tear down his father’s altar to Baal and Asherah pole. He does it at night out of fear. He is nicknamed “Jerubbaal” (“let Baal fight”), and becomes a hero because it seems that Baal did not accept the challenge.

Timeless questions?

“If the Lord is with us, why has all this happened to us?” “Where are all His miracles which our fathers told us about?”

Gideon’s Battle (6:33–7:25)

6:33-35 The enemies gather and war is inevitable. The second time (after 3:10) it is clearly said that the Spirit of the Lord came upon him. With God’s help he gets relatives with him, in addition to all of Manasseh, Asher, Zebulun and Naphtali.

6:36-40 Gideon dares to test God himself after the Spirit came upon him. “If you will save Israel by my hand, as you have said…” is very on the edge. God clearly responds to the signs and helps the uncertain Gideon to become more confident.

7:1-8 Then God begins to remove people from the army. Gideon is convinced, but now he must really trust what he thinks he has been convinced of. God assures him again.

7:9-15 Gideon is still afraid, so God gives Gideon another sign now that the army has been greatly reduced. (The bread represents the Israelite farmers, while the tent symbolized the nomadic Midianites.)

7:16-25 It seems that Gideon’s 300 did not have to fight at all. (Was it correct to add “and for Gideon”?)

Gideon’s fall (?) (Ch. 8)

8:1-3 Ephraim responds that their contribution was at least as important in deciding the battle.

8:4-21 Gideon seems to have become a little proud of himself, and acts threateningly and less humbly. He mentions God, but God does not speak. The reason for the hunt is the death of his brothers (vv. 18-19). His son Jether is more reminiscent of Gideon in chapters 6-7 (“afraid” and “young”), while Gideon has changed. (Was it right to take personal revenge?)

8:22-27 The people want him as king (because he had begun to act like one?) and give Gideon the credit for the victory. Gideon refuses, but makes an ephod (priestly garment in Exod. 28:28-30). This became part of the idolatry, also for himself and his house. (What did he originally mean by this ephod?)

8:28-35 His lifestyle is more like that of a king than an ordinary man, using women to form the Bible’s first harem. Had at least one Canaanite concubine, and calls his son by her “My father is king.” Ends by mentioning the good he did. (Was it right to take many wives? Did Gideon see himself as a kind of king after all?)

Unexpected: God uses an insecure person without faith in himself. Yet mentioned in Heb 11:32 as one who did great things “by faith.” “God does not call the equipped, but he equips those he calls.”

Reflections from the story of Gideon:

1. Do you recognize yourself in Gideon’s self-image? What does this story say to you?
2. What is dangerous about success? What kind of success is most relevant to you?

Abimelech (Chapter 9)

Anonymous Brave Woman No. 4

Not raised up by God, but raises himself up by intrigue and violence. King for three years (vv. 6, 22).

Abimelech conspires (vv. 1-2)

• Abimelech kills his brothers on a stone (v. 5)
• Jotham’s parable/curse (vv. 7-21, 57)
• God sends “an evil spirit” (v. 23)
• Gaal conspiring (vv. 26-29)
• Abimelech is killed by a stone – by a woman (dispute) (v. 54)

His evil returns upon himself (vv. 56-57)

Jephthah

5 episodes with dialogue:

1. Israel’s apostasy and dialogue between God and Israel (10:6-16)
2. The recruitment of Jephthah and dialogue between him and the Gileadites (10:17 – 11:11)
3. The dialogue between Jephthah and the Ammonite king (11:12-28)
4. Struggle and dialogue between Jephthah and his daughter (11:29-38)
5. Confrontation and dialogue between Jephthah and the Ephraimites (12:1-7)

Dialogue 1-3

1. Israel’s apostasy and dialogue between God and Israel (10:6-16)

• Seems worse than before. God delivers them to two of these nations. Judah is involved for the first time since chapter 3. The Ammonites are defeated by Jephthah and the Philistines by Samson.
• God will not save them this time and says they can cry out to their new gods (continues from 6:7-10). But when they seem to actually repent, God cannot bear to look at their misery (2:18, Hos 11:8-9).

2. The recruitment of Jephthah and dialogue between him and the Gileadites (10:17 – 11:11).

• Parallel to the first dialogue. Jephthah will only do it if it is God’s will.

3. The dialogue between Jephthah and the Ammonite king (11:12-28)

• Attempts negotiations to avoid war and says (in line with Numbers 21:24) that they took this area from the Amorites and that God forbade them from taking land from the Ammonites.
• Jephthah knows that God is the real judge and that he will join the war.

Dialogue 4-5

4. Struggle and dialogue between Jephthah and his daughter (11:29-38)

• The Spirit of the Lord comes upon Jephthah, he recruits people and makes a vow to God.
• Did he really sacrifice his daughter?

A. The majority view: The negotiator Jephthah goes too far and negotiates unnecessarily with God. He does not know God and believes He wants human sacrifice. Virginity is emphasized because it was a tragedy for both the daughter and Jephthah’s family. (He says something foolish even though the Spirit of the Lord is upon him, as Gideon tested God.)

B. Small minority: Jephthah uses “burnt offering” symbolically as in Lev. 8:14-32 and means that he will give his daughter for lifelong service in the sanctuary (as in 1 Sam. 1:11, 2:22-28). Virginity is emphasized since she would not have children then. (“And she knew no man” can be read as the result.) The Spirit of God was already upon him, and he seems certain that God will be with him. Still unnecessary.

5. Confrontation and dialogue between Jephthah and the Ephraimites (12:1-7)

• As in 8:1, Ephraim is insulted (leadership complex?). Jephthah seems to be referring to 11:29 and asks why they would take him after God used him. An insult from Ephraim triggers an unnecessary civil war.

Jephthah seems like a pretty OK guy who uses dialogue, but he opens his mouth once too much. He is praised for his faith in Hebrews 11.

Unexpected: Son of a prostitute and outcast from his family. The Spirit of God comes upon him even though it was the people who chose him.

Words are important:

• “A gentle answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger.” (Proverbs 15:1)
• “The tongue has the power of life and death, and those who love it will eat its fruit.” (Proverbs 18:21)

Samson

The Birth of Samson (Chapter 13)

Samson’s Wedding (Chapter 14)

First battle against the Philistines (Chapter 15)

Samson takes Gaza (Chapter 16)

The Birth of Samson (Chapter 13)

Dan: Samson’s family was probably one of the few who remained in the south after the migration.

Must be dedicated to God as a Nazirite from birth. According to Numbers 6:1-8, a Nazirite was to:

1. Stay away from wine or strong drink
2. Don’t let a razor be used on their head.
3. Don’t come near any corpse.

“Throughout the period of their dedication, they are consecrated to the Lord.” (Numbers 6:8)

The task: “delivering Israel from the hands of the Philistines.” (v. 5) This continued with Saul and was completed by David.

The Spirit of the Lord begins the work earlier and more lastingly than with the other judges (v. 25)

“This was from the Lord” (14:4)

• Samson loves a Philistine woman (14:1-7)
• Wedding (14:8-11)
• The mystery is revealed (14:12-18)
• Samson becomes angry and kills 30 Philistines (14:19)
• Samson returns home and his wife is given to another (14:19—15:3)
• Samson burns the fields (15:4-5)
• The Philistines take revenge on the wife and her father (15:6)
• Samson beats the Philistines (15:7-8)
• The Philistines invade Judah to capture Samson (15:9-13)
• Samson kills 1,000 Philistines (15:14-20)

All along he fulfilled God’s plan without knowing it. He was chosen to do this.

Samson takes Gaza (Chapter 16)

• First woman: A prostitute. Did he follow his desires again, or is he choosing the same strategy as the spies in Jos 2:1? (same, common words)
• Removes the entire city gate as a sign that the city is to be taken
• Second woman: Delilah. Samson has a weakness for her, which she exploits.
• Samson knew that he was a Nazirite and that his strength came from God (v. 17), but he did not fully understand what this meant.
• “He shall be holy until the days are fulfilled for which he separated himself to the LORD … the mark of consecration to his God is on his head…” (Numbers 6:5 and 7)
• Irony: It looks like he is losing, but he is instead forced back into conflict with the Philistines.
• Finally admits his weakness and that his strength comes from God.

Unexpected: God uses someone who doesn’t really care about being chosen, who seems a bit uncontrollable and does as he pleases, but who still unknowingly does God’s will. Mentioned as a hero of faith in Heb 11:32. Donkey jawbone as a weapon.

Samson as a Personification of Israel (Barry Webb): He was holy to God but never understood what that meant. He went after foreign women as Israel went after foreign gods. Israel cried out to God in desperation, and so does Samson (15:18, 16:28). In Samson we see God’s struggle with Israel going astray.

Similarities with John the Baptist: Both are born to childless parents, both are Nazirites for life (Luke 1:15), women are involved in both of their deaths, and both prepare for the coming of the king.

Samson begins the battle against the Philistines that David ends, and John clears the way for Jesus.

Similarities with Jesus: Angel announcing the birth, Nazarenes/Nazarenes, saviors, the Spirit of God, betrayed for money, greatest salvation when they died, arms outstretched when they died.

Contrasts with Jesus: Samson follows the eyes (Isa 11:3), is disobedient, is self-centered, the deliverance “began,” saves randomly and through strength, dies with a cry for vengeance.

Chapter 17-21 – Double Climax Epilogue

Chapters 17-18: Religious Apostasy

17:1-6: Dishonesty, syncretism, and idolatry.

Mika is frightened when he hears his mother pronounce a curse on the one who took the money, and he admits to the theft. She may have already dedicated this money to God, thus placing a curse on the one who took it.

She turns the curse into a blessing and makes idols for “Yahweh.” She means well, but it is completely wrong.

Author’s comment: “In those days there was no king in Israel: every man did that which was right in his own eyes.” (17:6)

17:7-13: A Levite gets a job as a priest in a sanctuary that is completely wrong and in the wrong place. Only descendants of Aaron were to be priests (Numbers 8:5-26), so is he? Micah takes it as a sign from God that this Levite came to him. He means well, but it is completely wrong.

Chapters 17-18: Religious Apostasy

Ironic parallel to Numbers 13: They scout out other areas instead of taking their own (v. 2). They withdraw from the area they had been assigned. Verse 9 recalls Caleb’s Numbers 13:30.

They want what they are doing to be right (v. 5), even though they are already doing it.

The identity of the Levite is revealed late for shock effect (v. 30): Grandson of Moses! (and therefore not of Aaron’s priestly lineage)

Everything seems godly, but nothing is right. They talk about God and think they are doing the right thing, but it is still so wrong.

Chapters 19-21: Moral Apostasy

From excessive (?) hospitality in Bethlehem to no hospitality in Gibeah.

People’s definitions of “good” (v. 24) and “evil” (v. 23) are pitted against each other. The Ephraimite has “morality,” but the result is terrible.

The story from Genesis 19 repeats itself: Sodom became an expression of the worst evil in the OT and God’s judgment upon it, but Gibeah is even worse: Here a woman is actually pushed out. Israel has become even worse than Sodom!

This story is placed in the last part of the book as the bottom line to show what happens when they turn away from the Lord. Referenced in Hosea 9:9 and 10:9.

The tribes are united for once, but for questionable reasons (also 21:5).

• v. 18 is similar to the question from 1:1. Points: What is the same and what is different?
• Leadership will still come from Judah (the concubine was also from Judah)
• But the enemy is no longer the Canaanites, but their own brothers.
• They have already decided that attacking is right, but are asking how to proceed.
• In chapter 1 victory is given immediately, here it is withheld until they are completely on their knees. It seems as if God is judging the rest of Israel as well.
• From chapter 1 to chapter 20, Israel has fallen into “holy war” against its own people. They want to do the right thing, but it almost leads to the destruction of Benjamin because Benjamin does not hand over the guilty. At the same time, it is God’s judgment upon them (v. 28, 21:15), and the book has shown us that it is deserved.

Do they realize what they have done? (vv. 2-3)

They make two unnecessary oaths (vv. 1 and 5) that lead to even more misery. They use expressions from “holy war” (vv. 10-11), but it is their own attempt at a solution.

They kill everyone in Jabesh-Gilead and give 400 virgins from there to the Benjaminites.

They find a loophole from their own oaths by kidnapping 200 girls from Shiloh, but in doing so they go against Exodus 21:16. Leading to even more violence against women.

The author’s punchline in the book’s last verse: “In those days there was no king in Israel: every man did that which was right in his own eyes.”

What the structure shows us

Apostasy from God leads to a downward spiral with less and less peace, less crying out to God, the judges becoming more and more ambiguous/worse, the people behaving worse and worse until the bottom point in the climactic epilogue.

Women are treated worse and go from being heroes to having more neutral supporting roles, to becoming part of the harem and becoming victims of men’s unnecessary promises and oaths. In the end, abuse and violence occur. (Symbolic contrast between the first in chapter 1 (Aksa) who gets off the donkey, to the concubine in chapter 19 who must be lifted onto the donkey.)

The structure shows what happens when the people do not follow the Mosaic Law. It was supposed to be a guardian for the people (Gal. 3:23-24) and was supposed to teach them how to live rightly. When they break the law, sin is given free reign, and their own subjective morality becomes the authority.

What else does the book tell us?

The Judges: God uses unexpected people: left-handed people, women, insecure people with low self-esteem, outcast sons of prostitutes and those who don’t care and do as they please.

God uses cracked earthen vessels (2 Corinthians 4:7)

God’s faithfulness: God is always faithful and remains committed to his people, and through Jesus he would eventually atone for all their sins, fulfill all his promises, and include all nations in his people. He sent Jesus even though he knew that even his own people could be as vile as this. But that is precisely why Jesus came. “But where sin increased, grace increased all the more” (Romans 5:20)

No matter how hopeless you think you are, you will never be as bad as Israel in the book of Judges. God never gives up on you. He is patient and faithful no matter how many times you fail.

“I will never leave you nor forsake you.” (Deuteronomy 31:6, Joshua 1:5, Hebrews 13:5)

“if we are faithless, he remains faithful, for he cannot disown himself.” (2 Timothy 2:13)

What does the book tell us about society?

When people follow their own hearts, it easily leads to evil and oppression of others. Anarchy is unbiblical and will not work. One of the overarching values of our society is “a new moralism” (Andrew Fellows), but it is still subjective. The West has been “Christianized” throughout history, and much is good. It means well, but without God it still becomes “what we ourselves find good” and not entirely right. Therefore, the West does not have a worldview that is completely coherent.

“But we have the mind of Christ!” (1 Cor. 2:16) What is right in God’s eyes has become much more a part of what is right in our eyes since God’s Spirit dwells in us. By constantly renewing our minds so that we can judge what is God’s good will and not conform to the world (Rom. 12:2), society can be better.

Each generation needs its own experience with God. You don’t inherit your parents’ faith.

What does the book say about Jesus?

Jesus was also an unexpected savior: He was not military or political, but he saved from the underlying problem. He was born into poverty out of wedlock, hung out with “tax collectors and sinners,” looked at women in a countercultural way, performed miracles, and claimed great things about himself. His unexpected weapon was to overcome by being crucified as a criminal and rising from the dead.

The Lord is the real judge (11:27). All the judges point to the return of Jesus when He comes to judge. The judges are temporary saviors, while Jesus is an eternal savior (Heb. 5:9).

“In those days there was no king in Israel.” This points to David, which in turn points to Jesus – the Great King.