Judges Intro NextIs so called because it contains the history of the deliverance and government of
Israel by the men who bore the title of the "judges." The book of Ruth originally formed part of this book, but about A.D. 450 it was separated from it and placed in the
Hebrew scriptures immediately after the Song of Solomon.
The book contains, (1.) An introduction (1-3:6), connecting it with the previous narrative in
Joshua, as a "link in the chain of books." (2.) The history of the thirteen judges (3:7-16:31) in the following order:
FIRST PERIOD (3:7-ch. 5)
I. Servitude under
Chushan-rishathaim of
Mesopotamia - 8 Years
1. OTHNIEL delivers Israel, rest - 40 Years
II. Servitude under
Eglon of Moab:
Ammon, Amalek - 18 Years
2.
EHUD'S deliverance, rest - 80 Years
3. SHAMGAR Unknown.
III. Servitude under
Jabin of Hazor in
Canaan - 20 Years
4.
DEBORAH and, 5.
BARAK - 40 Years
(206 Years)
SECOND PERIOD (6-10:5)
IV. Servitude under
Midian,
Amalek, and
children of the east - 7 Years
6. GIDEON - 40 Years
ABIMELECH, Gideon's son, reigns as king over Israel - 3 Years
7. TOLA - 23 Years
8.
JAIR - 22 Years
(95 Years)
THIRD PERIOD (10:6-ch. 12)
V. Servitude under
Ammonites with the Philistines - 18 Years
9.
JEPHTHAH - 6 Years
10.
IBZAN - 7 Years
11.
ELON - 10 Years
12. ABDON - 8 Years
(49 Years)
FOURTH PERIOD (13-16)
VI. Seritude under Philistines - 40 Years
13. SAMSON - 20 Years
(60 Years) In all 410 Years.
Samson's exploits probably synchronize with the period immediately preceding the national repentance and reformation under Samuel (1 Sam. 7:2-6).
After Samson came Eli, who was both
high priest and judge. He directed the civil and religious affairs of the people for forty years, at the close of which the Philistines again invaded the land and oppressed it for twenty years. Samuel was raised up to deliver the people from this oppression, and he judged Israel for some twelve years, when the direction of affairs fell into the hands of Saul, who was
anointed king. If Eli and Samuel are included, there were then fifteen judges. But the chronology of this whole period is uncertain.
(3.) The historic section of the book is followed by an appendix (17-21), which has no formal connection with that which goes before. It records (a) the conquest (17, 18) of
Laish by a portion of the tribe of
Dan; and (b) the almost total extinction of the tribe of
Benjamin by the other tribes, in consequence of their assisting the men of
Gibeah (19-21). This section properly belongs to the period only a few years after the death of Joshua. It shows the religious and moral degeneracy of the people.
The author of this book was most probably Samuel. The internal evidence both of the first sixteen chapters and of the appendix warrants this conclusion. It was probably composed during Saul's reign, or at the very beginning of
David's. The words in 18:30,31, imply that it was written after the taking of the
ark by the Philistines, and after it was set up at Nob (1 Sam. 21). In David's reign the ark was at
Gibeon (1 Chr. 16:39)
This entry includes text from Easton's Bible Dictionary, 1897
Source:
BibleWikiJudges Intro Next