Overview Article
The book of Judges tells the stories of the inspired leaders who rescued Israel from their enemies time after time. During this period, the people were frequently unfaithful to God’s covenant, and God allowed their enemies to oppress them. Israel repeatedly turned to the Lord for help, and the Lord repeatedly sent charismatic judges to deliver Israel. These powerful leaders did amazing things, but they were unable to transcend Israel’s anarchy and lawlessness. Israel needed a leader whose authority could give them national coherence and unity.
Key People, Places, and Terms
People 91
Places 136
Key Terms 58
Themes
Social Chaos in Judges 18 The book of Judges emphasizes divine rescue through heroes but also shows the problems of their current situation. During this time, personal commitment to God decreased while social problems increased. This is especi... Charismatic Leadership 15 Scripture describes some leaders as charismatic (gifted) because their authority came from God's Spirit. God's Spirit gave them special qualities. The Old Testament judges are often part of this group. These charismat... Spirit Empowerment 9 Throughout the Bible, when needed, God gives special abilities to those committed to serving him. The story of Moses and the seventy elders is an early example. It shows that God has acted in special ways among his pe... Oppression of God’s People 9 God does not want his people to suffer under oppression. From the time when God freed the Israelites from slavery in Egypt under Moses (the exodus), to when Joshua led them to conquer the promised land, and through Da... The Spirit’s Presence 7 In the Old Testament, the Spirit of the Lord came to people or groups when God gave them a task or chose them for a role. The Spirit empowered judges like Othniel, Gideon, and Jephthah for their duties ( Judges 3:10 ;... God’s Grief over Apostasy 5 The God of the universe feels sorrow when his people suffer ( Judges 10:16 ; Hosea 11:8–9 ). Even when people reject him, God's love is stronger than his justice. His compassion is greater than his judgment. Yet, this... Jerusalem 3 Jerusalem was an active city as early as four hundred years before the time of King David. The Israelites never fully captured it when they conquered Canaan or during the time of the judges ( Joshua 15:63 ; Judges 1:8...
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Holy War 2 The Israelites’ total destruction of their enemies raises difficult questions about right and wrong. What reasons made Israel invade, conquer, and destroy Canaan and its people? From a human perspective, Israel's aggr... Intermarriage and Divorce 2 God had warned his people not to marry foreigners ( Deuteronomy 7:1–6 ). The problem was not marrying someone from another country or race. The issue was marrying people who followed other gods. Moses himself married... Kingship 2 Israel wanted a king to be “like all the other nations.” By the time of Saul and David, kingship in the ancient Near East was nearly two thousand years old. This was especially true in the Egyptian and Babylonian empi... Shechem 2 Shechem was in an important location at the entrance to the passage between Mount Ebal and Mount Gerizim. It could control several important roads through the central hill country. Jacob bought land near Shechem ( Gen... Human Sexuality 1 When God created the first humans in his own image, he created them male and female ( Genesis 1:27 ). God gave them the ability to have children through their sexuality. This was so they could fill the earth with peop... Angels 1 In the Bible, angels are God's messengers who carry out his plans and tell his will to humans ( Genesis 16:7–12 ; Numbers 22:22–34 ; Judges 13:3–21 ; 2 Kings 1:3 , 15 ; Zechariah 1:4–12 ). The Hebrew Old Testament and... God as Holy Warrior 1 The Arabic term jihad, now familiar in English, refers to a "holy war" where men fight for God. Yet, the Bible describes a "holy war" differently. In the Bible, a holy war is a conflict where God fights for his people... God Works through Prayer 1 God has authority and control over all creation. But he wants people to share their concerns with him through prayer. The Bible shows examples of God responding to people's prayers. Prayer is important for living a go... God’s Change of Mind 1 The Old Testament describes God 34 times as “changing his mind” or “being sorry” (the Hebrew word nakham ). What does this mean? Does God relent, feel pity, experience sorrow, or grieve? One thing is clear: God never... God’s Faithfulness to His People 1 God made a special agreement (called a covenant) with the people of Israel. It included blessings for obedience and curses for disobedience (see Deuteronomy 28:1–68 ). Many years later, after King Solomon dedicated th... God's Rule and Power Over All Nations 1 In ancient times, most people thought each nation had its own god or gods. For example, the king of Aram thought Israel's gods were only powerful in the hills ( 1 Kings 20:23 ). When the judge Jephthah talked about th... Infertility 1 Almost all of the wives of the patriarchs suffered infertility (they were unable to have children) before eventually having children. The only possible exception was Leah, and even she could not have children for some... Music in Ancient Israel 1 The earliest people who moved from place to place (called nomads) made music. The first musician mentioned in the Bible is "Jubal," who played the harp and flute ( Genesis 4:21 ). Music was important from the beginnin...