1. Introduction. Judges 1-2.
2. History of the Judges. Judges 3-16.
3. Details of Evil. Judges 17-21.

1. Invasion of Canaan. Judges 1:1-2:5.

A. Conquests of Judah and Simeon. Judges 1:1-21.
B. Conquest of Other Tribes. Judges 1:22-36.
C. Departure for Gilgal. Judges 2:1-5

2. The Period of the Judges. Judges 2:6-26:31.

A. Introduction. Judges 2:6-3:6.
B. Deliverance by Othniel. Judges 3:7-11.
C. Deliverance by Ehud. Judges 3:12-30.
D. Shamgar and the Philistines. Judges 3:31.
E. Deborah and Barak. Judges 4:1-5:31.
F. Story of Gideon. Judges 6:1-8:35.
G. Story of Abimelech. Judges 9:1-57.
H. Tola. Judges 10:3-5.
I. Jair. Judges 10:3-5.
J. Jephthah. Judges 10:6-12:7.
K. Ibzan. Judges 12:8-10.
L. Elon. Judges 12:11-12.
M. Abdon. Judges 12:13-15.
N. The Samson Tales. Judges 13:1-16:31.

3. Appendices. Judges 17:1-21:25.

A. Relocation of Danites. Judges 17:1-8:31.
B. Offense of Gibeah. Judges 19:1-21:25.

1. This is one of the. five Deuteronomic books, and the second book in the group of the “Former Prophets.”
2. The original book was by J and E, based on oral tradition and probably the written records of two lost books- "Jasher” and “ The Wars of the Lord".
3. All of this was thoroughly rewritten by an able and devout Deuteronomist.
4. There is very little of P in the book of Judges as we now have it.

1. The judges were both military leaders and civil rulers.
2. Judges is a collection of a large number of independent stories. It contains the “Song of Deborah,” the oldest Old Testament document.
3. The latter part of Judges may seem like pure fiction, but no doubt these tales were based on well-founded oral tradition.
4. Repetitions suggest that some parts were copied from written records. Judges 1:10-15 reads almost verbatim like Joshua 15:13-19, Judges 1:27-28, just like Joshua 17:11-13, Judges 2:6-10, like Joshua 24:28-31.
5. Every crisis is introduced by the same formula: “The people of Israel did evil in the sight of the Lord.”
6. There are five reasons given as to why the Jews did not fully exterminate the Canaanites:

A. Strong fortifications and military experience.
B. Willingness of Israel to make alliances with the Canaanites.
C. Yahweh punishing Israel for their sins.
D. Testing Israel’s faithfulness.
E. Training Israel in the art of war.

7. Most attention is paid to the six major judges.
8. The period of the judges covers a little over 400 years.

Othniel. Judges 3:7-11.
Ehud. Judges 3:12.
Barak and Deborah. Judges 4:5, 6.
Gideon. Judges 6:1-8:32.
Abimelech. Judges 8:33-9:57.
Tola. Judges 10:12.
Jair. Judges 10:3-5.
Jephthah. Judges 11:1-12:7.
Ibzan. Judges 12:8-10.
Elon. Judges 12:11, 12.
Abdon. Judges 12:13-15.
Samson. Judges 13:24-16:31.

1. Judges covers the period extending from Joshua leading the Israelites into the promised land to Saul, their first king.
2. Othniel, first judge to lead Israelite forces against their enemies, brought an end to the Moabite invasion and oppression.
3. Of Shamgar (a minor judge), we learn only that he repulsed the Philistines.
4. Deborah and Barak led the tribes in the battle against Sisera on the plain of Esdraelon.
5. Gideon repulsed the Midianite invasion. This was the first use of camels against Israel.
6. Abimelech tried to be a king for three years. He was overthrown by an internal rebellion. This was the real beginning of the Yahweh-Baal conflict.
7. Jephthah repelled the Ammonite oppression.
8. The tall tales of Samson have to do with the ever-recurrent exploits of the Philistines.
9. The Song of Deborah illustrates the dynamic zeal of the Yahwist of these times.
10. The ethics and morals of these days were not high. Men were clever and treacherous and murdered on the slightest provocation. Samson visited a harlot.
11. Whatever other attributes Yahweh may have, he is still a jealous God.
12. The philosophy of Judges is still the old Jewish concept: obey God and prosper, disobey and suffer.
(The morals of the time can be judged by the story of the concubine’s dying of mistreatment and then being cut up and the parts sent abroad in the land as a call to avenge the outrage.)

1. Death of Joshua. “And Joshua...died at the age of one hundred and ten years.” Judges 2:8.
2. Victory of Deborah and Barak. “And the Lord routed Sisera...and an his army...and Sisera alighted from his chariot and fled...And an the army of Sisera fell by the edge of the sword; not a man was left.” Judges 4:15, 16.
3. Song of Deborah. Judges 5:1-31.
4. Victory of Gideon. “And the three companies blew the trumpets and broke the jars, holding in their left hands the torches...and they cried, ‘A sword for the Lord and for Gideon!’” Judges 7:20.
5. Jephthah’s vow. “Jephthah made a vow to the Lord...’If thou wilt give the Ammonites into my hand, then whoever comes forth from the doors of my house to meet me...shan be the Lord’s, and I will offer him up for a burnt offering.’” Judges 11:30, 31.

“Then Jephthah came to his home at Mizpah; and behold, his daughter came out to meet him.” Judges 11:34.

6. Samson’s defeat. “She made him sleep upon her knees; and she called a man, and had him shave off the seven locks of his head...and his strength left him.” Judges 16:19.

“Then he bowed with all his might; and the house fell upon the lords and upon all the people that were in it.” Judges 16:30.