Guide
What Is the Book of Judges?
ca. 1200–332 BCE
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The book of Judges (better translated as “Chieftains”) describes events from the death of Joshua to the first inklings of the monarchy that would unite the people of Israel more cohesively than had the earlier loose confederation of tribes. The episodes in Judges have a distinct pattern: Israel sins, a neighboring nation attacks Israel, a tribal chieftain drives out the enemy, and a period of peace follows, lasting only until the pattern repeats again. This repeating pattern emphasizes the overall theme of the book of Judges: the welfare of Israel depends on fidelity to YHWH, Israel’s God. The book celebrates the heroism of these tribal leaders, but also plants the seeds for a new and more cohesive form of organization, the monarchy.
Related Primary Sources
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Introductory Summary of the Period
Judges 2:6–23
When Joshua dismissed the people, the Israelites went to their allotted territories and took possession of the land. The people served the Lord during the lifetime of Joshua and the lifetime of the…
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Ehud
Judges 3:12–30
[ . . . ] the Israelites again did what was offensive to the Lord. And because they did what was offensive to the Lord, the Lord let King Eglon of Moab prevail over Israel. [Eglon] brought the…
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Deborah
Judges 4
The Israelites again did what was offensive to the Lord—Ehud now being dead. And the Lord surrendered them to King Jabin of Canaan, who reigned in Hazor. His army commander was Sisera, whose base…
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Gideon
Judges 6–8
Then the Israelites did what was offensive to the Lord, and the Lord delivered them into the hands of the Midianites for seven years. The hand of the Midianites prevailed over Israel; and…
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Samson
Judges 13–16
The Israelites again did what was offensive to the Lord, and the Lord delivered them into the hands of the Philistines for forty years.
There was a certain man from Zorah, of the stock…
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The Song of Deborah
Judges 5
Scholars agree that Deborah's victory poem celebrating a military triumph is one of the oldest texts in the Bible.
Primary Source
Samson’s Riddle
Judges 14:12–19
Then Samson said to them, “Let me propound a riddle to you. If you can give me the right answer during the seven days of the feast, I shall give you thirty linen tunics and thirty sets of clothing;…
Primary Source
Jotham’s Fable
Judges 9:6–20
All the citizens of Shechem and all Beth-millo convened, and they proclaimed Abimelech king at the terebinth of the pillar at Shechem. When Jotham was informed, he went and stood on top of Mount…