Book of Judges

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This article forms part of the series on the
The Old Testament - Septuagint
or simply "LXX", the Koine Greek version
of the Hebrew Bible.
Pentateuch or "the Law"
1.Genesis | 2.Exodus | 3.Leviticus | 4.Numbers | 5.Deuteronomy
Historical Books
6.Joshua | 7.Judges | 8.Ruth

9.I Kingdoms | 10.II Kingdoms | 11.III Kingdoms | 12.IV Kingdoms
13.I Chronicles | 14.II Chronicles | 15.I Esdras | 16.II Esdras
17.Nehemiah | 18.Tobit | 19.Judith | 20.Esther with additions
21.I Maccabees | 22.II Maccabees | 23.III Maccabees

Books of Wisdom
24.Book of Psalms | 25.Job | 26.Proverbs
27.Ecclesiastes | 28.Song of Solomon
29.Wisdom of Solomon | 30.Wisdom of Sirach
The Prophets
The Minor Prophets, or "The Twelve"

31.Hosea | 32.Amos | 33.Micah | 34.Joel | 35.Obadiah | 36.Jonah
37.Nahum | 38.Habakkuk | 39.Zephania | 40.Haggai | 41.Zachariah
42.Malachi

The Major Prophets

43.Isaiah | 44.Jeremiah | 45.Baruch | 46.Lamentations
47.Letter of Jeremiah | 48.Ezekiel | 49.Daniel with additions

Appendix
IV Maccabees


The Book of Judges, is the second of the twelve Historical books and the seventh book from the Old Testament.

Authorship and writing

The authorship of the Book of Judges is traditionally attributed to Samuel. Judges (meaning "rulers") was written in Palestine, during his early ministry, three centuries after the entry of the tribes of Israel into Canaan under Joshua. It covers the events of those centuries.

The book is named for the thirteen judges of Israel: twelve raised up by God, one a usurper.

Major Theme

God's continual deliverance of a people that had forgotten Him and the Law.


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Background

The Israelites had been settled for nearly three hundred years in Canaan. This time coincides with the beginning of the Iron Age in the Middle East. The Israelites began their apostasy after the death of Joshua. They did not drive out the Canaanites as God had commanded them to do through Moses. Instead, they intermarried with their pagan neighbors and began worshipping Baal.

The judges were to bring deliverance, protection and military leadership; to settle differences, judge lawsuits, and administer justice. Israel was a theocracy; the judges were not kings but deputies of God sent to save the people from seven different apostasies. The office was not continual; rather, judges were raised up as oppressive circumstances required.

Outline

  1. Failure to complete the Canaanite Conquest (1:1-3:6)
  2. Oppression and Deliverance: Judges vs. the Nations (3:7-16:31)
  3. Religious and Moral disorder (17:1-18:31)
  4. The War Against Benjamin (19:1-21:25)