The Book of Judges

Author:

Not exactly clear from Scripture, but it is presumed to be Samuel.

Setting:

Circa 1050 B.C. and covering events spanning 1375 B.C. to 1050 B. C.

Major Events:

Following Joshua's death, the Israelites failed to drive out the remaining pagan people from the Promised Land. Joshua 1:21 states: "The children of Benjamin did not drive out the Jebusites that inhabited Jerusalem". This is true of many tribes at the time, which allow idol worshipers to remain in their midst. God responds to His people by saying, "You have not obeyed my voice" and then by saying, "They [non-Israelites] shall be as thorns in your sides, and their gods shall be a snare unto you (2:2-3). During this time, the Israelites begin worshiping idols, suffering punishment from their attackers, crying out to God for help, and receiving God's aid in the form of a judge who restores order among the people. The lesser known judges include Othniel, Ehud, Tola, Jair, and Jephthah, while the more familiar figures are Deborah, the only female judge, who led a military victory against the Canaanites; Gideon, who tested God's will with a fleece and defeated the armies of Midian; and Samson, who defeated the Philistines. Samson's weakness for the love of women led to his demise when he became involved with Delilah, which led to his death in a Philistine temple.

Transcendental:

The judges portrayed in the Book of Joshua had unusual families when compared to the families of today. Jair had 30 sons (10:4), Abdon had 40 sons (12:14), and Ibzan had 30 sons and 30 daughters (12:9).

Take Away:

We can take a lesson from what the Israelites did during this time and avoid the same mistakes. The Israelites found themselves in trouble when they "did that which was right in [their] own eyes" (17:6; 21:25) rather than what God wanted them to do.