I. Name

The Book of Judges rightly occupies the second place among the Former Prophets, since it continues the history of Israel from the death of Joshua. It does not profess to give a continuous history of the time, but tells of a series of distinguished leaders who governed the people during the period between Joshua and Samuel, when the affairs of Israel were in a very disorganized condition.

The Hebrew name, Shophetim, "Judges," but imperfectly describes the office occupied by these men. They were leaders appointed by God to rescue the people from the oppression of foreign nations, and their civil functions seem to have grown out of their success in battle. Hence they are called "Saviours" 3:9, as well as "Judges," 2:16. Their position was due to their personal character, and except in the case of Gideon there does not seem to have been any attempt to make the office hereditary.

II. Contents

The book opens with an introduction which tells of the incompleteness of the work of conquest begun by Joshua, and then explains why Israel remained so long in such an unenviable condition, subject to the constant inroads of their enemies, viz., their unfaithfulness to God, It then relates the work of the leaders whom God raised up when they besought His help, and concludes with two narratives of such prominence as to have seriously affected the national history.

The following outline will show the course of thought:

1. Introduction. Chs. 1:1-3:6.

Review of the work of conquest after the death of Joshua. Chs. 1:1-2:5.

The general condition during the period of the Judges. Chs. 2:6-3:6.

2. Narratives of the judges. Chs. 3:7-16:31.

Of these judges we have an account of twelve, if we reckon as one Deborah and Barak who were associated in their work, and omit Abimelech, the son of Gideon, who was regarded as a usurper. The work of six of these judges is recorded with considerable detail:

(1) Othniel, 3:7-11;

(2) Ehud, 3:12-30;

(3) Deborah and Barak, Chs. 4 and 5;

(4) Gideon, Chs. 6:1-8:32;

(5) Jephthah, 10:6-12:7;

(6) Samson, Chs. 13-16.

We are told almost nothing of the work of the remaining six:

(1) Shamgar, 3:31;

(2) Tola, 10:1, 2;

(3) Jair, 10:3-5;

(4) Ibzan, 12:8-10;

(5) Elon, 12:11, 12;

(6) Abdon, 12:13-15.

3. Two supplemental narratives. Chs. 17-21.

a. The story of the migration of a part of the tribe of Dan to the north, where they captured Laish and gave it the name of Dan and instituted a system of idolatrous worship under Micah. Chs. 17 and 18.

b. The story of the terrible slaughter of the tribe of Benjamin by the other tribes, on account of its defense of the men of Gibeah who had assaulted and murdered the concubine of a Levite, and of the measures taken to prevent the total extinction of that guilty tribe. Chs. 19-21.

III. Chronology

The fragmentary character of the book makes it almost impossible to fix the date of the different events or tell how long a period they all embrace. From 1 Kings 6:1 we learn that the period from the exodus to the fourth year of Solomon covered 480 years. If we add the figures given in our book they amount to 410 years, and this would leave only 70 years for the administration of Eli, Samuel, Saul, and David. To overcome this difficulty some have supposed the years mentioned are not intended to be exact but round numbers, and the frequent recurrence of 20, 40, 80 years would give some force to the suggestion. Others question the accuracy of 1 Kings 6:1, where the Hebrew has 480 years while the Septuagint has 440, and Josephus (Antiq. 8:3:1) gives 592. But the more general explanation is that these judges did not succeed each other, but that there was often more than one exercising the office in different parts of the country at the same time. In 10:7 we are told the Lord sold the people into the hands of the Philistines and into the hands of the children of Ammon. The Philistines were on the west, the Ammonites on the east, and the statement reads as though an invasion from both directions occurred at the same time. The same thing may have happened in regard to other judges, and thus the number of years may be reduced until it coincides with the figures given in other places. The two narratives at the end of the book are evidently placed where they are in order not to disturb the record of the judges, and not because they occurred at the end of the period. Dan is mentioned in Deborah's Song, 5:17, but nothing is said of this expedition, from which we infer that it took place after Deborah's time, although Moore (Com. on Judges, p. 372) would place it soon after the occupation of Canaan. The incident in regard to Benjamin occurred before the death of Phinehas, 20:28, but we do not know when he died.

IV. Authorship

The Talmud ascribes it to Samuel, while modern critics refer it to various persons down to the time of Ezra. We know nothing as to the authorship. The freshness and minuteness of the narratives imply they were written while yet the memory of the events was fresh, while the decided difference in the style of different parts would indicate that the book was not all written by one person. The double preface and the double appendix, have a common form, but the record of the judges is evidently by another hand. It seems likely that the book was put into its present form by some one who collected different documents and arranged them as we now find them. The expression "Unto this day," 15:19, and the fact that the Jebusites, 1:21, still occupied Jerusalem would suggest that this was done at an early date.

V. Value of the Book

As a connecting link between Joshua and the Kings the book has great value. From it we learn how the work of conquest, begun by Joshua, was carried forward; how the tribes were drawn together, both for defense against their enemies and for their own internal development, until they became a great nation and were ready for a fully-equipped government under Saul and David. It is invaluable also for the light it throws on the historical books which follow it. The career of Saul and the splendid reign of David stand out in their true color only when we see behind them the dark background of the period of the judges. As the record of a great transition period in Jewish history, both in religious and secular affairs, it has great value.

LITERATURE

Commentaries: Moore, The International Critical Commentary; Bush; Keil and Delitzsch.