JUDGES

The book of Judges covers about three hundred and fifty years of Israel’s history, from the death of Joshua till the time when Israel becomes a monarchy, roughly 1380-1043 BC. The writer doesn’t identify himself and there is no unanimous tradition as to who wrote it. The prophet Samuel (or maybe the prophets Nathan or Gad) are the most likely candidates for authorship.
There is a phrase repeated four times in the book (Jdg 17:6, 18:1,19:1, 21:25) that is heavy with meaning: ‘In those days there was no king in Israel, all the people did what was right in their own eyes’. It seems to imply that by the time the book of Judges is written, there indeed are kings in Israel, which puts its date to 1043 BC or later. It also suggests that the book of Judges is written precisely to instruct those kings, the leaders and Israel itself in order that the bad things that occur in Judges will not repeat themselves now during the monarchy. Samuel might well be teaching and discipling the new king Saul, then David and all Israel with it.
The book of Judges starts the same way the book of Joshua ends: with a description of Joshua’s victory over the seven nations in Canaan and the land’s subjugation before Israel. The overall victory has been won, the enemy has been defeated and driven out and the promised land is there for Israel to take. But the taking ownership of the land, the actual moving in, the settling in the abandoned towns proves harder than expected. Israel is slack about it and Canaanite inhabitants that were displaced rather than killed slowly drift back in.
Whenever Israel makes an effort to take possession of the land, they are victorious (Jdg 1:3-26), but they often don’t and many cities and villages remain inhabited or are re-inhabited by Canaanites (Jdg 1:20,21,27,29,31,33-36). In this way Israel fails to obey God’s instruction of driving the inhabitants out and not mixing with them (Deu 7:2-4). Instead precisely the opposite happens: Israel not only co-lives with the Canaanites but intermarries with them, leading to the slow descent into Canaanite idolatry that God warned against all along.
A tragic cycle starts running: Israel slips into idolatry, rejecting God and disregarding the law. They break the covenant with God, and all the consequences start setting in, exactly as predicted and warned about in Deu 28: moral decline, societal injustice and political weakness. Surrounding nations gain the upper hand and oppress, loot, defeat and control Israel time and again.
In their misery Israel repents and turns back to God, crying out for mercy. In answer God faithfully raises up a judge, who delivers them, usually by a military victory over the oppressing nation. A time of peace results. But after some years Israel relapses into idolatry and the cycle begins again, usually worse than before. The delivering judges also decrease in quality and godliness over time. It seems God is less and less able to find a worthy leader for Israel. Othniel, Deborah and Barak seem to have some real integrity, but things deteriorate quickly: Gideon is a mixed picture, Jephtah is difficult and Samson is a tragedy.
The book of Judges also contains three case studies, which deliberately exhibit the devastating effects of lawlessness. One case study is Gideon’s son Abimelech who in a bloody coup imposes himself as the local king. Another case study shows an impoverished Levite who becomes an idolatrous priest for a family and then for the violent tribe of Dan. The last case study shows the Israelite city of Gibeah harboring sexual violence very much like Sodom and the tribe of Benjamin refusing to judge it. A cowardly but revengeful Levite stirs up the whole trouble and a devastating civil war results. Israel is becoming spiritually, morally and politically corrupt. Already the Israelites resemble the Canaanites to a fearful degree.

Authorship and Date
The book of Judges covers about three hundred and fifty years of Israel’s history, from the death of Joshua till the time when Israel will become a monarchy, roughly 1380-1043 BC. The writer of the book of Judges doesn’t identify himself and there is no unanimous Jewish tradition as to who wrote it. The most likely candidate for authorship is the prophet Samuel, who has a major (though unwilling) role in setting up Israel’s monarchy. Other possibilities are the prophets Nathan or Gad. All three are described as keeping records of Israel’s history in 1 Chr 29:29.
There is a phrase repeated four times in the book (Jdg 17:6, 18:1,19:1, 21:25) that is heavy with meaning: ‘In those days there was no king in Israel, all the people did what was right in their own eyes’. It seems to imply that by the time the book of Judges is written, there indeed are kings in Israel, which puts its date at 1043 BC (Saul’s coronation) or later. It also suggests that the book of Judges is written precisely to instruct those kings (and the leaders of Israel) in order that the bad things that occur in Judges will not repeat themselves during their reign. The book of Judges might well be Samuel teaching and discipling the new king Saul; or later David. In Jdg 1:21 a detail is given about the city of Jebus, Jebusites and Benjaminites co-living there ‘to this day’. This indicates that at the time of writing of Judges David has not yet captured Jerusalem nor made it his capital. This would put the date of writing latest in the early days of David, so roughly before 1000 BC.

The situation
The book of Judges starts in the same way the book of Joshua ends: with a description of Joshua’s victory over the seven nations in Canaan and the land’s subjugation before Israel. The overall victory has been won, the enemy has been defeated or driven out and the promised land is there for Israel to take: ‘The land lay subjugated before them’ (Jos 18:1).
But the taking ownership of the land, the actual moving in, the settling in the abandoned towns proves harder than expected. Israel is slack about it (Jos 18:3) and Canaanite inhabitants slowly drift back in. It is now seen that in spite of significant killing there never was a total wipe out of the Canaanite population, more a driving out and displacing. This means that the moment Israelite pressure weakens, Canaanite people move back in.
Even after Joshua, whenever Israel makes a concentrated effort to take possession of the land, they are victorious and add to their conquests (Jdg 1:3-26). For this process of taking possession to be slow is not a problem. God already announced earlier (Ex 23:30, De 7:22): ‘The LORD your God will clear away these nations before you little by little; you will not be able to make a quick end of them, otherwise the wild animals would become too numerous for you.’ Israel only needs to be committed to the task till they have taken possession of all the promised land.
But in reality Israel does not do this and many cities and villages remain inhabited or are slowly re-inhabited by Canaanites (Jdg 1:20,21,27,29,31,33-36). In fact Israel – when all is said and done – conquers barely half the land they were promised. They largely retain the hilly areas, but lose most of the flat land as well as the North to the Canaanites (see map on the right).
Jdg 1:19 comments that ‘Judah could not drive out the inhabitants of the plain because they had chariots of iron’. Them having iron chariots is definitely a reality, and truly iron chariots develop their full threat on flat land, but already Joshua said: ‘for you shall drive out the Canaanites, though they have chariots of iron and though they are strong’ (Jos 17:18). Also later we see Barak and Deborah attack an army of nine hundred iron chariots in a plain on foot and win the battle (Jdg 4:12-16).
Israel thus fails to obey God’s instruction of driving the inhabitants (De 7:2-4). But worse: Israel not only co-lives with the Canaanites but intermarries with them, leading to the slow descent into Canaanite idolatry that God warned against all along: ‘they took their daughters as wives for themselves, and their own daughters they gave to their sons, and they worshiped their gods’ (Jdg 3:5-6).
God then changes policy: ‘now I say, I will not drive them out before you; but they shall become adversaries to you, and their gods shall be a snare to you… because this people have transgressed my covenant that I commanded… I will no longer drive out before them any of the nations’ (Jdg 2:3,20-21). God adjusts his policy to the reality humans create through sin. Now there will be no guaranteed victory, no assurance of complete possession of the promised land and no hope to keep conquering till the Euphrates.
Some redeeming aspects are given why God did this: ‘in order to test Israel, whether or not they would take care to walk in the way of the Lord … it was only that successive generations of Israelites might know war, to teach those who had no experience of it before’ (Jdg 2:22, 3:2, 3:4). With God there still and always is hope and a chance to obey. Things will be more complicated, confusing and difficult, but not impossible. And by all this God will train them, if they are willing. But is is seen that they are not.

The Judges cycle
A tragic cycle starts running: Israel slips into idolatry, rejecting God and disregarding the law. They thus break the covenant with God, and all the consequences of that start setting in, exactly as predicted and warned about in Deuteronomy 28: moral decline, societal injustice, political weakness.
Surrounding nations gain the upper hand an oppress, loot, defeat and control Israel time and again. In their misery Israel repents and turns back to God, crying out for mercy. God answers and faithfully raises up a judge who delivers them, usually by a military victory over the oppressing nation. This results in a time of peace. But after some years Israel relapses into idolatry and the cycle begins again, usually worse than before.
The time it takes for Israel to cry out to God gets longer and longer, the times of rest get shorter and shorter and the delivering judges decrease in quality and godliness over time. It seems God is less and less able to find a worthy leader for Israel. Othniel, Deborah and Barak seem to have some real integrity, but things deteriorate quickly: Gideon is a mixed picture, Jephtah is difficult and Samson is a tragedy.

Judges as a Government system
Through Moses God establishes Israel with a centralized worship (tabernacle, sacrifices, priesthood, feasts) and a decentralized government (elders, judges and officers appointed by the people in each city). God did not set Israel up with a national government, a capital city, a central administration or a standing army. Each tribe is self-governing, with its own elders appointed by the people. Israel is thus a loose federation of willing member tribes, related by blood and by a common God, worship and law, but not a centralized state, like for example Egypt. Gen 17:16 and Gen 35:11 even seems to suggest that Israel was not so much meant to be one nation as rather a friendly federation of self-administered tribal nations.
Though in modern ears this sounds very weak, disorganized and clumsy, we need to take note carefully, because this was God’s preferred system. In times of national crisis God would raise up a leader at need for a special task, but no permanent central government and definitely no political dynasty was meant to arise from this.
It is interesting to see from which tribes God raises up leaders and judges: Moses is from Levi, Joshua from Ephraim, Othniel from Judah, Ehud from Benjamin, Deborah from Ephraim, Barak from Naphtali, Gideon from West Manasseh, Jephtah from Gad and Samson from Dan. As long a God chooses, the common political leadership is short-lived, task-orientated and ever from a different tribe.

Tendency towards monarchy
Israel’s tendency away from God’s established form of government towards a monarchy (similar to the surrounding nations) is increasing throughout Judges: After Gideon’s victory the Israelites say to him (Jdg 8:22): ‘Rule over us, you and your son, and your grandson also; for you have delivered us out of the hand of Midian’. This is naive at best: once a monarchy has been in place for three generations, what force will stop the ruling dynasty’s forth generation from taking power?
Gideon’s answer shows great understanding of God and his ways (Jdg 8:23): ‘I will not rule over you, and my son will not rule over you; the Lord will rule over you’. Sadly his later idolatry and polygamy produces less worthy sons. One of his sons, Abimelech, usurps power and establishes himself as king. This promptly leads to assassinations, bloodshed, rivals attacking, mistreatment of the population and a war within the tribe of West Manasseh (Jdg 9). Thankfully Abimelech’s monarchy is short lived (three years), but it is still it lasts long enough to do major damage: This is the first time in Israel’s history
• that an army is not based on voluntary recruitment but on hiring with money
• that the army is used for a politically motivated assassination
• that God has had no involvement in the selection of a political leader
• that a leader comes to power when there is no national crisis
• that finances for government are taken from a temple, and a pagan one at that
• that political leadership is running in a family and is seen as a family inheritance
• that a civil war happens
• that an Israelite army turns on its own people
All of this is disastrous and will leave a bad precedent.

Increasing problems with disunity
In Joshua the picture is one of inter-tribal loyalty: The east-of-the-Jordan tribes cross over to help the western tribes conquer Canaan and are peacefully dismissed by Joshua (Jos 22:1-6). There is a serious misunderstanding over an altar built near the Jordan, but there is a great deal of integrity in the way the tribes solve this conflict (Jos 22:10-34).
In Judges the first rifts appear during Deborah and Barak’s deliverance war: In Jdg 5 Deborah praises the tribes that sent troops (Ephraim, Benjamin, Zebulun, Issachar) and rebukes those who did not (Reuben, Gilead, Dan, Asher).
During Gideon’s time there is the first serious conflict (Jdg 8:1). Ephraim is angry at not being called to war, though Gideon did call them in the second phase. Gideon answers their complaint humbly and respectfully, which defuses a looming inter-tribal war (Jdg 8:2-33).
Gideon’s son Abimelech, however, imposes himself as king and causes an actual civil war, though on a small scale.
With Jephtah comes the first true inter-tribal war: Again Ephraim is offended at not being called to war, which Jephtah denies. In this needless conflict more than forty thousand Ephraimites end up killed (Jdg 12:1-6).
In a very bad story at the end of Judges Israel sliders into a full scale civil war: The tribe of Benjamin refuses to be accountable about a crime committed in their territory. They precipitate a war that costs ten thousands of Israelite lives and ends up in a near genocide on the tribe of Benjamin (Jdg 19-21).

There was no king in those days
What does the repeated refrain ‘In those days there was no king in Israel; all the people did what was right in their own eyes’ really mean (Jdg 17:6, 18:1, 19:1,21:25)? It is a very powerful and suggestive phrase. Our usual interpretation is as follows:
• What is the solution to a nation drifting apart or descending into disunity? Answer: A strong, efficient, central government.
• What’s the solution to enemies attacking all around? Answer: A strong man, an efficient, central government with a powerful standing army.
• What is the solution to moral drifting? Answer: An exemplary godly leader giving morale to the country and with power to enforce the law.
When disunity, immorality, lawlessness and insecurity are rising, when outside enemies are on the horizon – Israel (and we with it) are looking for a strong man.
Upon first view, Judges seems to say just that: The judges were the problem, a king will do far better than them. And many Bible interpreters follow this line of thought, and of course, anyone likes the stories of David in the cave (1 Sam 24) far better than the horrible stories at the end of Judges (Jdg 17-21).
But is this really so? Does a strong man really achieve what we think he will achieve? Are kings the better solution? Is monarchy the better system?
• A king can inspire obedience in people only to a limited degree. Maybe the best of kings can for the shortest of time (like Josiah), but kings more often than not have lead people into idolatry (like Rehoboam, Ahab, Ahaz, Manasseh).
• Government is not really the answer to moral problems. Morality cannot be achieved by legislation. A good government will punish bad behavior, but that’s it. If good law inspired true morality, then why do counties have problems? The law of many countries is great, but the country is not.
• Centralized government and a strong administration may start out as being more efficient, but it often deteriorates into an administrative water head, into more and more infighting, into steepening hierarchies, increasing abuse of power and into severe corruption. Already at the end of the proverbially rich Solomon’s reign people are groaning under the load of taxes and forced labor (1 Kin 12:1-11).
• A large standing army is not really the solution to a country’s safety. It may help, but Gideon has to reduce his troops to three hundred men to win a decisive victory. And later in Kings there will be huge armies of two hundred thousand soldiers being decimated in no time, both Israelite and foreign. God seems to be able to save and deliver by many or few, as Jonathan rightly asserts in 1 Sam 14:6. Egypt was the most powerful empire of the time, but God soundly defeated it.
We have to bow to the fact that God prefers the political structure of Judges to the monarchy Israel demands (1 Sam 8). God considers the demand for a king as a rejection of himself (1 Sam 8:7): ‘they have not rejected you but they have rejected me from being king over them. Just as they have done to me, from the day I brought them up our of Egypt to this day, forsaking me and serving other gods’. How much more clear can it be? A monarchy is not elective, not representative, has no fresh leadership chosen by the people, no merit based selection of leaders and thus breaks God’s principles given in Deu 1:9-18.
A monarchy may seem efficient, even great for a short time, but latest in one or two generations the weaknesses will show: willful, unaccountable kings, increasing abuse of power, increasing distance between king and people, throne rivalries, assassinations (the only way to get rid of a bad king, now), rebellions and civil war.
If Israel had remained under God’s system, Saul would probably have been the next judge, and David the one after him, and maybe Jeroboam the next. God’s way seems to be: Temporary task, fresh leadership, limited authority, different tribes.

The Judges
Othniel, Caleb’s nephew, of the tribe of Judah, successfully leads the war against King Cushan-Rishataim of Syria, resulting in forty years of rest (Jdg 3:7-11).
When an alliance of Moab, Amalek and Ammon oppresses Israel for eighteen years, having overrun territory of the eastern tribes, Ehud, of the tribe of Benjamin, manages to assassinate King Eglon of Moab and reconquer the fords of the Jordan, resulting in eighty years of rest (Jdg 3:12-30).
Shamgar of Anath, (no tribe mentioned) delivers Israel from the Philistines in the West (Jdg 3:31).
Deborah, from Ephraim, is a prophetess and judge of the people at Ramah. She understands what God has commanded and challenges Barak from Kedesh of the tribe of Naphtali to come out with ten thousand men recruited from Naphtali and Zebulun. As an interesting leadership team they challenge the army of King Jabin of Hazor, the Canaanite king oppressing the North of Israel since twenty years. His commander Sisera is defeated though he is equipped with nine hundred iron chariots. God sends rain. The ensuing flooding of the Kishon river offsets the advantage of the iron chariots as they sink in the mud. Jael, the Kenite Heber’s wife, kills Sisera, resulting in the land having rest for forty years (Jdg 4-5).
Midian, Amalek and the peoples of the East have oppressed Israel for seven years, resulting in a near famine. Gideon is first resentful of God over Israel’s misery, but eventually responds to God’s calling. He removes his father’s Baal altar and obeys God to attack Midian with an artificially reduced army of three hundred men. When he returns victorious, Ephraim is offended for not being called to war. By a humble and respectful answer Gideon diffuses the tension and invites Ephraim to join him in further pursuit. When Israel wants to make him king he refuses. But he makes an ephod of looted gold and is highly polygamous (Jdg 6-8). His son Abimelech imposes himself as King over Shechem by bloodshed and power brokering. After three years he is killed (Jdg 9).
Tola of the tribe of Issachar, living in Shamir of Ephraim, delivers and judges Israel for twenty-three years (Jdg 10:1-2).
Jair of Gilead judges Israel for twenty-three years (Jdg 10:3-5). He has thirty sons and thirty towns.
Jephtah of Gad, the son of a prostitute, flees abroad after being rejected by his father’s legitimate sons. When Ammon oppresses Israel and especially Gad, the elders of the tribe request him to fight for them. He agrees and wins a resounding victory. Upon return he sacrifices his daughter due to a rash oath (Jdg 11). Ephraim again is offended at not having been called to the war, precipitating a needless tribal war between Gilead and Ephraim in which over forty thousand people die (Jdg 12).
Ibzan of Bethlehem of the tribe of Judah judges Israel for seven years (Jdg 12:8-12).
Elon of the tribe of Zebulon judges Israel for ten years (Jdg 12:11-12).
Abdon, son of Hillel of Pirathon in Ephraim judges Israel for eight years (Jdg 12:13-15).
The Philistines have been oppressing Israel for forty years. Manoah and his barren wife of the tribe of Dan are met by an angel. He promises them a child and instructs for the child to be a life-long Nazirite (no wine, no shaving). Samson is born and grows up to have unparalleled physical strength (Jdg 13). Sadly Samson never acts by inquiring of God, most of his exploits and heroic moments are side kicks from his amorous pursuits. First he marries a Philistine woman, but loses her over a conflict at the wedding feast (Jdg 14). Samson tries to claim her back unsuccessfully and torches the Philistines’ harvest in revenge. In the Philistine counter-revenge his wife and her family are killed. Samson takes revenge for that by slaughtering further Philistines. His own people, the Danites, having come under renewed revenge threats, deliver him to the Philistines, where he kills another thousand Philistines on a rampage (Jdg 15). His visits to prostitutes result in him giving up the secret of his strength. The Philistines shave him, blind him and imprison him. God grants him to pull off one more stunt, which also is his death, bringing down the house on three thousand Philistine upper class guests (Jdg 16). Though the stories are famous, they are also tragic, leaving one to wonder what amazing things Samson could have accomplished for Israel if he had actually inquired of God and faithfully obeyed his calling. As it is, it is broken pieces only.

Two disturbing case studies
The book of Judges ends with two case studies which deliberately exhibit the devastating effects of lawlessness and the depth to which Israel has sunken. Both also highlight the behavior of a Levite, showing that the spiritual leadership of Israel is deeply sinful.

The first case study (Jdg 17-18) shows an impoverished Levite, wandering into Ephraim in hope of a job. He is employed by a man named Micah, who had earlier stolen money from his mother, and – upon her cursing the thief – returned it and made it into a silver idol. He first installs his sons as priests, but when the Levite turns up, hires him instead. One day five Danite man, seeking to spy out land in the North for conquest come by Micah’s house, enjoy his hospitality and meet the Levite priest. When they come by again with a force of six hundred warriors, they steal Micah’s silver idol and convince the Levite to become their clan priest in the North.
This story is tragic because almost every action any person takes in the story is completely contrary to God’s law. But then the writer lets the bomb drop: The Levite who has acted in such a lawless, opportunist and idolatrous way is actually Jonathan, son of Gershom, son of Moses! We are only a mere two generations from the very Law-giver himself, and his own grandchild has no idea anymore who God is and what he wants.

The second case study (Jdg 19-21) is even worse. Again it starts with a Levite, who travels with his concubine and tries to reach the supposed safety of an Israelite town to spend the night. He ends up at nightfall in Gibeah of Benjamin, where a kind old man takes him in. At night a Sodom-like scene happens: the men of Gibeah demand the Levite for sexual relations. The old man hosting them refuses, offering his daughters instead, but in the end it is the Levite who puts his concubine out to them. They gang rape her all night until she breaks down dead on the threshold. In the morning the Levite tells her to get up (as if nothing had happened!). He then decides that moral outrage and revenge is the best way to cover up his own cowardice and biting conscience and sends pieces of the corpse to all Israel to provoke a response. The eleven tribes respond and descend on Benjamin, demanding the perpetrators of Gibeah to be punished. Benjamin refuses, but rather attacks the assembled Israelites. This leads to a bloody civil war with around forty thousand dead on the Israelite side and a near genocide of the tribe of Benjamin. Only six hundred men survive. And this disastrous story happens during the life time of the high priest Phinehas, whose home town happens to be that very Gibeah of Benjamin (Jos 24:33)!
Both these case studies are disturbing examples of Israel’s rapid descent into lawlessness, spiritually, morally and politically. They are sore reminders just why God so desperately warned Israel.

BACKGROUND INFORMATION

When written?

• After the events described in Judges. The book covers events till Samson (1069-1049 BC) > so after that.
• It was written “when there were kings” … as in contrast to the time it describes, when there was no king (Jdg 17:6, 18:1, 19:1, 21:25).
• Coronation of Saul approx 1043 BC, so after that.
• A detail: The city of Jebus is mentioned in Jdg 1:21 Jebusites and Benjaminites co-living “to this day”. This means that David has not yet conquered and made Jerusalem his capital. So therefore this is the early monarchy David … David is crowned over Judah in 1011 BC, over all Israel in 1004 BC > so written around 1000 BC.

Later editing

• Jdg 18:30 … Dan’s idol “until the time the land went into captivity” … this presumably refers to 722 BC, so either written much later, of editing by later scribes added to the original documents.
• more comments like this … Jdg 10:4 “to this day”

Who wrote?

The writer doesn’t mention his name. Also no clear or unanimous tradition. Some suggestions:

• Samuel, Nathan, Gad are all described as writing the chronicles of David in 1 Chr 29:29.
• Saul, David since Judges has the kingdom defending aspect (Jdg 17:6, 18:1,19:1, 21:25).
• Records? Probably partial records of the time of Judges passed down, oral tradition of a faithful remnant, which a writer later put together and edited
• Samuel is the best fit. It is also suggested by the Jewish Talmud (NT times). In 1 Chr 29:29 he is writing chronicles of Saul and David. Also he was key in establishing kingship. The sentence Jdg 21:25 “In those days there was no king in Israel”, all the people did what was right in their own eyes’ seems to be Samuel discipling the current king, teaching the current king about his role, responsibility, influence.

Written to whom?

This depends on view of main reasons:

• To current and future Israel … giving them their history from Joshua to the Monarchy, covering roughly 350 years.
• Most likely written by Samuel for Saul (whose reign quickly shows weaknesses) and for David.
• Probably written for kings (Saul!), elders, officials, judges, and those with leadership or government functions to teach them the principles of God and the consequences of violating them.

Where from?

• Unknown.
• If Samuel, then Rama (1 Sam 7:17), which is in Benjamin? Ephraim? As judge he does regular circuit travel to Bethel, Gilgal and Mizpah (1 Sam 7:16).

Significance?

• Bridging the gap between Joshua’s conquest and the first monarchy > Record of Israel’s history
• Case study showing the effect of obedience or  disobedience to God, his law, the covenant > blessings & curses on Israel … painfully visible in history … > Warning against unfaithfulness, of God’s faithfulness (even if to curses)
• A book to disciple government leadership

Important figures

• Judges themselves. On the one hand: God’s anointing, faith, at least partial revelation of God. On the other hand: sin, inconsistency, bad examples, idolatry, wrong understanding of God. Some seem to do more judging (Deborah), others seem to do more delivering.
• Private people who take initiative … Jael, Levite (husband of the concubine)
• Characterization of the tribes: … Judah: strength, preeminence … Ephraim: involved in 2 severe inter-tribal conflicts (Gideon, Jephtah) … Danites: boldness, lawlessness, idolatry

Surrounding nations

• Mesopotamia               King Cushan-Rishataim               Judge Othniel
• Moab                             King Eglon                                       Judge Ehud
• Canaan                          King Jabin                                        Judge Deborah & Barak
• Midian                           Oreb, Zeeb, Zebah, Zalmunna       Judge Gideon
• Amalekites, peoples of the East, Ammonites                   Judge Jephtah
• Philistines                                                                                Judge Samson

Spiritual Life

• Rapid decay of spiritual life after (some it seems even already while) Joshua and the elders after him.
• Parallel to spiritual decay (idolatry, superstition, lawlessness) is moral decay (violence, immorality, lawlessness)
• The two illustrative cases at the end (Priest for Dan / Levites concubine) are graphic illustrations of an awful reality

Literary Kind

• Prose > literal interpretation
• Little poetry > figurative interpretation:
  • Jdg 5                     Deborah’s song.
  • Jdg 9:8-15            Jotham’s challenge.
  • Jdg 14:14, 15:16   Samson

Structure

• Historical narrative. The middle division about the Judges is biographical (Jdg 3:7-16).

Composition

• Repetition and Continuity (whole repeated phrases illustrating the judges cycle).

Main Ideas

• Judges cycle: sin, disobedience, idolatry > oppression, misery > repentance > deliverance > rest
• Disobedience , idolatry > curse: misery, bondage, death. God is faithful to the covenant (here in the negative!)
• God’s character of patience, faithfulness, mercy and compassion in spite of human sin
• Parallel spiritual and moral decay > societal decay … decay doesn’t take long after throwing out God!

Main Reasons … depends on view on audience

• To warn & challenge the audience > to understand cause & effect > to choose faith & obedience
• To reveal God’s character of patience / covenant-faithfulness / mercy
• To challenge the king to do better: to choose God / to obey the law
• Recording Israel’s history, geography, people movements … (but not as major focus, details are given to show effect of sin)

OVERLAP OF JOSHUA & JUDGES

• Jdg 1:10         Jos 15:13-19     conquest of Hebron by Caleb
• Jdg 1:10-15    Jos 15:14-19    conquest of Kiriath-Hepher by Othniel
• Jdg 1:20          Jos 15:14          three sons of Anak defeated
• Jdg 1:21          Jos 15:63         Jebusites remain in Jerusalem
• Jdg 1:27-28    Jos 17:11-13     Manasseh can’t drive out Beth-shan …

TIMELINE

• Total rest time mentioned and added > 200 y
• Total oppression time mentioned and added > 114 y
• Period of the judges usually 1360 – 1043 BC given, so not a bad match, speaks for early Exodus dating
• The durations of the Judges overlap > this complicates things
• See handout for approximate times

GEOGRAPHICAL SITUATION

General Geography

Note the topographical situation of Israel is

• Coastal plain
• Hill country
• Jordan rift valley
• Trans-Jordan highland

Rainfall Chart

• Dependency of Western winds > mountain slope rains > fertile hills
• Not like Egypt … only little land is river-irrigated … Jordan valley was a wooded wilderness
• Everything East is total desert
• Low lying coastal plains are fertile, but limited water
• The heart of Israel is the hilly spine of the country

Extent of the conquest of the promised land?

• Jos 1:4 … from the wilderness and the Lebanon as far as the great river Euphrates, all the land of the Hittites, to the Great Sea in the West shall be your territory
• Jos 13:2-6 … Philistine region, Geshurite region, Avvim region in the south, Caanan, Sidonite area, Aphek, to the boundary of the Amorites, land of Gebalites, all Lebanon, from below Hermon to Lebo-hamath, hill country of Lebanon, to Misrephoth-maim, all Sidonians

Pockets in the conquered land

Jdg 1:22-36 describes pockets in the land that are unconquered

• Benjamin             > Jebus
• West Manasseh  > Beth-shean, Taanach, Dor, Ibleam, Megiddo
• Ephraim               > Gezer … Zebulun > Kitron, Nahalol
• Asher                    > Acco, Sicon, Ahlab, Achzib, Herlbah, Aphik, Rhob
• Naphtali              > Beth-shemesh, Beth-anath
• Danites                > Amorites press them back into hill country
• Joseph                 > Har-heres, Aijalon, Shaalbim

Conclusion

• Yet to possess > Philistines, East of the Sea of Galilee, everything north of Mt Hermon
• Yet to control > all the lowland – Israel basically only got the hill country!

WHAT EXACTLY WENT WRONG?                                     Judges Chapter 1 & 2

The fact that driving out is slow is not the problem

• Exo 23:30, Deu 7:22 … “The LORD your God will clear away these nations before you little by little; you will not be able to make a quick end of them, otherwise the wild animals would become too numerous for you.”
• The overall victory, defeat and conquest was relatively quick, but the taking possession of the entire land is slow
• They were meant to drive them out slowly, but they were meant to keep conquering
• This is also why Joshua did finish his task, though much is undone by the time he dies … The book of Joshua’s sunny outlook is not a lie, he did do well and he did finish his job

What then is the problem with driving out?

• The Israelites had made a covenant with the Gibeonites > they will remain. That is the smallest problem, if a problem at all.
• The Israelites do not keep conquering. When unable to conquer they do not seek God and each others’ help but accept it as a fact.
• Jdg 1:19 “Judah could not drive out the inhabitants of the plain because they had chariot of iron.” That may be so but in Jos 17:18 Joshua says to Ephraim and Manasseh: “for you shall drive out the Canaanites, though they have chariots of iron and though they are strong” … Not a denial of reality, but a view and assurance about another (invisible) reality, God, is at work on their behalf. This attitude is otherwise known as “faith”
• It is true that the Canaanites had iron chariots, which develop their full threat on flat land, rather than in the hills. But later we see Barak and Deborah on foot attack Sisera with 900 iron chariots in a plain (Jezreel in the Kishon valley) and win the battle (Jdg 4:12-16).
• The real problem is sin and disobedience: the intermingling, the co-living with the 7 black listed nations … Jdg 3:5-6 says “so Israel lived among the Canaanites, the Hittites, the Amorites, the Perizzites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites (Girgashites are missing – exterminated?); and they took their daughters as wives for themselves, and their own daughters they gave to their sons, and they worshiped their gods.”
• This is clearly against what God commanded in Deu 7:3-4 … Do not intermarry with them, giving your daughters to their sons or taking their daughters for your sons, for that would turn away your children from following me, to serve others gods … which is exactly what happens:
• Mixed families > mixed worship > idolatry … that is the real problem.
• Why is it that it seems that idolatry easily infects the true faith, but the true faith less easily spreads to the idolatrous? It does, though, like Rahab’s case shows. But is seems to be easier the other way.
• Other religions demand less, they don’t portray an invisible featureless God who demands personal holiness, but rather some man-like god, who seems to want exactly what men want anyway: power and sex and spiritual power. Idolatry is what humans by default come up with and have done so for centuries or millennia.
• Jdg 2:2 “tear down their altars. But you have not obeyed my command.”
• Jdg 2:30 “the people have transgressed my covenant … and have not obeyed my voice.”

God’s change of decision

• Jdg 2:2-3 … make no covenant … tear down their altars … but you have not obeyed my command. See what you have done! So now I say, I will not drive them out before you; but they shall become adversaries to you, and their gods shall be a snare to you
• Jdg 2:20-21 … because this people have transgressed my covenant that I commanded … and have not obeyed my voice, I will no longer drive out before them any of the nations.
• God changes his policy! He adjusts it to the reality we create through sin. Now: no guaranteed victory anymore. Now: no future assurance anymore of completely possessing the land. Now: no hope to keep conquering till the Euphrates.

Resulting realities, reasons for God’s change of mind or intentions, his redeeming purposes

• Some redeeming aspects are given  Jdg 2:22 … “in order to test Israel, whether or not they would take care to walk in the way of the LORD.”
• Jdg 3:4 … “they were for the testing of Israel, to know whether Israel would obey the commandments of the LORD, which he commanded their ancestors.”
• Jdg 3:2 … “it was only that successive generations of Israelites might know war, to teach those who had no experience of it before.”
• So there is still the hope and always there is the chance to obey … but things will be more complicated, confusing and difficult … but not impossible. And by all this God will train them.
• They first settled for less, and then got sucked in, they sinned, but didn’t really repent > the committed sin creates new realities > God now works with these new realities.
• Example: Abraham & Hagar. God does not wipe away the consequences of sin, but he shows a path of redemption. Example: illegitimate child.

Application?

• We want a world without problems and without temptations … we resent God for the world he puts us in.
• If we are allergic to eggplant, we want a world without eggplant. No, eggplant is fine, many can eat, you just can’t eat it. But you can eat other stuff. We think this unjust. God clearly is not committed to equal distribution.
• Is fire good? depends. Is sex good? depends. Do you want to abolish gender and sexuality just because there is the chance of prostitution or rape?
• We cry for a safe world, God wants to strengthen us in the real world.
• We want no temptation, but having no power to do anything bad means no power to do anything good > no choice, no consequences to my choices > no importance or significance … is that what you want?
• We say: horses are big and dangerous, they could trample me! God says: learn to ride!

THE JUDGES CYCLE

PICTURE

DETAILS ON THE 12 JUDGES

TABLE

POLITICAL SITUATION

Judges or Deliverers?

• In Deu 1:16-18, 16:18-20, 17:8-13 we see the office of the judge mentioned. The elders of the cities and tribes would administer justice.
• There was no official police force or law-keeping agencies.
• But if there was a problem which was too hard, the people involved needed to be directed by the judge(s) appointed in Israel. For example:
  • Jdg 4:4 people coming to Deborah
  • 1 Sam 8:1‑3 Samuel and his sons
• Some feel that the judges were not judges, rather deliverers. It seems that some did not judge Israel much, but did deliver, for example Othniel, Barak, Gideon, Jephthah.
• But for a number no deliverance is mentioned, it seems they just judged. Example: Tola, Jair, Ibzam, Elon, Abdon
• Some are mentioned to do both: Deborah

Form of Government at the time

• There was no
  • statehood
  • central government
  • capital city
  • admin machinery
• There was complete independence of any central authority … each tribe was independent, with its own elders
• Important in this system was the common spiritual foundations
  • The covenant God had made with them all.
  • The central place of worship at the tent (at Shiloh currently)
  • The sacrifices, priesthood, rites, teaching
  • The yearly feasts (only feast mentioned in Judges is Jdg 21:19, stealing wives for Benjamin)
• Probably each of the 12 tribes took turns in caring for the tabernacle ‑ one for each month.

Increasingly people are calling for a king

• Jdg 8:22 “The Israelites said to Gideon, “Rule over us, you and your son, and your grandson also; for you have delivered us out of the hand of Midian.”
• Efficient / successful leadership makes people want the leader to be permanent. Here: 3 generations mentioned, clearly leaning towards monarchy
• Jdg 8:23 “Gideon said to them, “I will not rule over you, and my son will not rule over you; the LORD will rule over you.”
• Here Gideon proves great understanding of God, his law and his ways.
• He doesn’t do as well in other areas. He demands a minor gold tax from everybody (golden earring, which they seem happy to give), and makes from it a golden ephod. He puts it up in his city Ophrah ‘and all Israel prostituted themselves to it there and it became a snare to Gideon’ (Jdg 8:27). Also he is highly polygamous (many wives and concubines) and from them he has 70 sons.
• He financed this luxury presumably with the war loot.
• This sets up the following problem: minimally discipled sons and competition between them.
• Gideon had the wisdom to refuse the kingship when it was offered. Sadly his son has less hesitations. Abimelech (son of his Shechem concubine) makes himself king of Shechem, establishing for the first time a local monarchy.
• If you think monarchy a great idea, watch how quickly it deteriorates and becomes a tyranny:

Abimelech’s monarchy turns tyranny the first horrible case study in Judges

• He clearly thinks his father has made a mistake in declining the role of King and goes to the Shechemite leaders proposing a monarchy with him as king.
• He does this by setting up a false choice, threatening Gideon’s other sons domination and presenting himself as the better alternative.
• The Shechemite leaders agree to make him king. They have already lapsed into Baal worship, for they here take 70 shekels of silver from the local Baal temple to give it to Abimelech to hire an army (Jdg 9:4). This is the first time in the history of Israel that an army is not based on voluntary recruitment but on hiring.
• Abimelech immediately goes to Ophrah and uses the hired army to assassinate all of his 70 brothers. Only the youngest, Jotham, escapes.
• This is fratricide, a massacre and also the first time in Israel’s history that the army is used for politically motivated assassination.
• In response “All the citizens of Shechem and Beth Millo gather beside the great tree at the pillar in Shechem to crown Abimelech king.” (Jdg 9:6). Why? Is this ‘in fear’? Or ‘flight forward’ since we started the mess? Or power-hunger (‘Nothing succeeds like success’)?
• Jotham’s parable challenges the leaders (Jdg 9:8-21) doesn’t seem to cause a heart change. “…if then you have acted honorable and in good faith toward (Gideon) and his family today, may Abimelech be your joy, and may you be his, too! 20 But if you have not, let fire come out from Abimelech and consume you, citizens of Shechem and Beth Millo, and let fire come out from you, citizens of Shechem and Beth Millo, and consume Abimelech.” (Jdg 9:19-20).
• Jotham flees to Beer (probably Beer-sheba in the far South of Judah). Murderers roam freely and innocent people fear for their lives > already lawfulness is at an all-time low.
• This is the first time God has had no involvement in the selection of a political leader.
• This is the first time Israel has appointed a leader when there was no national crisis.
• This is the first time finances for government have been taken from a temple, and a pagan one at that.
• This is the first national political assassination in Israel but it will not be the last.
• This is the first time political leadership is seen as a “family” inheritance in Israel.

Abimelech’s downfall

• Abimelech is king for three years. God sends an evil spirit between him and the people he leads. Jdg 9:24 states clearly that this is because of the innocent blood shed Abimelech committed and Shechem condoned.
• Abimelech soon behaves in such a way that he is odious even to the lords of Shechem. The people take authority back from their appointed king and begin to sabotage him by collecting their own forced taxes by high way robbery, and so discouraging trade.
• During the Baal Harvest Temple Festival an adversary raises himself up as Shechem’s political solution to Abimelech. The city’s governor sends a message to Abimelech, who is quick to bring in the army and destroy the competitor.
• But the next day Abimelech’s troops attack the Shechemites when they go to their fields, slaughtering them and setting fire to those citizens who have fled into the temple of Baal to seek refuge in the temple stronghold. Abimelech burns more than a thousand men and women alive. Shechem now tastes unaccountable government.
• He then proceeds to another city, Thebez, to attack it (possibly pursuing those Shechemites who fled). The Thebez people have retreated into the city tower for safety. One of the women drops a millstone on Abimelech’s head, severely wounding him. Abimelech commits suicide by the help of his armor-bearer.
• This is the first civil war in Israel and the first time the Israelite army turns on its own people.
• Jdg 9:56-57 comments: “Thus God repaid the wickedness that Abimelech had done to his father by murdering his seventy brothers. God also made the men of Shechem pay for all their wickedness.”
• God holds both the people and their leader responsible.
• Israel is descending back into a total disregard for God and his law, demonstrated by their total disregard for human life.
• Isn’t it interesting that the site of this is that same city, Shechem, who in Jacob’s time was a downfall for Israel (genocide)?

Increasingly problems with unity arise

• In the book of Judges we see a fairly dis-unified picture. Often it’s only a few tribes which fight against an outer enemy. There was no standing army.
• First it is only in miscommunication in Jos 22 (Transjordan tribes versus Western tribes)
• Then really during Deborah and Barak’s war some tribes do not join. Jdg 5 praises those that came out to war (Ephraim, Benjamin, Zebulun, Issachar ) and rebukes those who did not (Reuben, Gilead, Dan, Asher).
• During Gideon’s time there is the first confrontation: Jdg 8:1 Ephraim is angry at not being called to war, though he did call them in the 2nd phase. They are appeased by Gideon’s respectful answer in Jdg 8:2-33: “What have I done in comparison with you? Is not the gleaning of the grapes in Ephraim better than the vintage of Abiezer (his family)? God has given into your hands the captains of Midian, Oreb and Zeeb, what have I been able to doe in comparison with you?” Gideon prevents an escalation of conflict with this humble answer.
• Abimelech, doing his own private power games using people against people. A very bad story but still small scale.
• With Jephtah comes the first true tribal war: Jdg 12:1-6 Jephtah defeats Ammonites, Ephraim again is angry at not being called, Jephtah says he did call … Jephthah is not as diplomatic as Gideon, though probably right in his words.
• A battle between the tribes ensues. Stupid slander or Ephraimites (Gilead are fugitives between Manasseh and Ephraim) > 42’000 Ephraimites (!) dead , many killed at crossing, recognized by language. This is really bloody and big scale.
• Also serious in the almost wipe-out of stubborn Benjamin in Jdg 20:1 when he refuses the other tribe’s objections. The other tribes’ bloody remedy to get wives is also problematic.
• Notice that Ephraim twice leads the disunity, when the monarchy falls apart after Solomon, it is an Ephraimite who is crowned the Northern competition king (1 Kin 11:26).
• Benjamin is another factor in the disunity, probably because Saul came from Benjamin … Abner and Ishbosheth setting up a rival Israel government (not anointed by God) in 2 Sam 2 to avoid David’s obvious leadership. Also there is the rebellion of the Benjaminite Sheba after the Absalon-war in 2 Sam 20, at a time when the kingdom is very, very vulnerable.

Repeated Theme ‘no king in those days’

•  Jdg 17:6, 18:1, 19:1,21:25 … “In those days there was no king in Israel; all the people did what was right in their own eyes.”
• Our writer says this repeatedly, and it is a very powerful and suggestive phrase.
• What’s the solution to drifting apart / to disunity? > a strong central government, an efficient centralized administration… this is how you build a strong nation!
• What’s the solution to enemies attacking all around? > again, a strong central government, a powerful standing army, united clear borders, common representation against outsiders, a strong man
• What’s the solution to moral drifting? > an exemplary godly leader, giving morale to the country, calling out the best, powerful to enforce the law, an efficient police-state!
• Disunity is rising … immorality is rising … lawlessness is rising … outside enemies are rising … wherever we look, the solution seems to be strong leadership in a powerful centralized state.
• Is this really so? Is it really true in Israel’s history, that when a king is present, people will not sin, they won’t commit lawlessness and they will remain united ?
• Many, many people interpret the Joshua > Judges > Monarchy progression like this. Judges is the horrible time before – finally! – the kings come … then we’re safe, then we like the stories again. And surely, to read David’s stories in the cave (1 Sam 24) sounds a lot better than reading the case studies at the end of Judges.
• This is very, very much a view shared by us modern men. If only the government did this / that / the other, then … ! It is very much the Eastern view, the Islamic view, and that of most Christians.
• We are so sure, and it sure seems what is suggested in Judges. So isn’t that God’s view?
• The moment we ask the questions very specifically, the thing starts to crumble:
• Can a king really inspire obedience in people? … maybe the best of kings for the shortest of time (Josiah), but all in all the kings are a disaster and they often lead the people into idolatry, not the other way round
• Is government really the answer to moral problems? Can you legislate morality? Can you motivate good behavior? … government can only punish bad, even if it is a good government. But if good law inspired true morality, then why does Bangladesh have a problem? The law is great … just the country is not
• Is centralized government and efficient administration really that answer to the challenges of a nation? … centralized government may start out being more efficient, but it often deteriorates into an administrative water head, into more and more infighting, steeper hierarchies, increasing abuse of power, self-service, milking the land … already at the end of filthy rich Solomon’s time people are groaning under the load of taxes and demands the government is making (1 Kin 12:1-11).
• Is a large standing army really the solution to a country’s safety? … in one way, but then again Gideon has to reduce his troops to 300, and wins a decisive victory … and later in Kings we’ll see huge armies of 200’000 Israelites beaten up in no time, or also an Assyrian army of 185’000 be wiped out in one night. God seems to be able to save and deliver by many or few, as Jonathan rightly asserts in 1 Sam 14:6. Remember Egypt, Israel had no organized army and beat the most powerful empire of their time!
• But more powerful than all this thoughts is the fact that GOD is the one who prefers the judges political structure over the monarchy of Samuel.
• When the Israelites scream for a monarchy (and they have increasingly fallen in love with monarchy) God does NOT think it a good idea. God wants judges, he does not want kings. Now that should shock us for a while!
• We hate Judges and love Samuel, and yes, the stories about David in Samuel are very inspiring, and those in Judges very ugly, but let’s not confuse stories and favorite persons with God’s principles.
• 1 Sam 8:7 … God says to Samuel: “Listen to the voice of the people in all that they say to you; for they have not rejected you but they have rejected me from being king over them. Just as they have done to me, from the day I brought them up our of Egypt to this day, forsaking me and serving other gods …”
• to want a king, to want a monarchy means to reject God. God does not want the kings. He prefers the judges system.
• How can God prefer the ugly Judges stories over a king David?
• That something went wrong during Judges is clear, but according to God the solution to the problem is not ‘kings’ but simply repentance!

Let’s think for a moment what God really wanted!?

• A loose freewill-association of tribes
• According to Gen 17:16 … nations from Sarah … and even more so Gen 35:11 nations from Jacob … they were meant to be an association of 12 nations, it seems, not one central state!
• Brotherhood with a mutual spiritual center, core or  life
• Relationship and possibly covenants between tribes, but not central government
• Principles of mutuality, freedom, association, self-rule but relationship
• Political dependency on God and looking to him for guidance
• A spontaneous system of natural trusted leaders arising as judges … rather than pass-down of power within family
• A system where God raises up leaders or judges as per occasion, no permanent administration … nor standing military.
• God gets to indicate the next leader … he raises up and removes
• Every tribe, area, city, village would have their own system of drawing warriors in case of need
• God does not think that military power lies in great-grand armies, standing armies, centralized admin … it lies in free people who are in relationship and have something to loose, and therefore something to protect
• It turns out in judges that the big number armies are not needed / the reason they loose or win their borders is due to God’s favor, obedience, godliness
• A loose federation of tribes, living in harmony and mutual support, obedient, blessed and secure … what would it communicate to the unaccountable tyrannical nations around them?
• Saul could have been their next judge, delivering them from the Philistines, followed by judge David, leading them to unprecedented secure borders and peace with all around.
• The problem with monarchy is least with its first chosen king, but it is very much with the un-removable son or a son, grown up in increasing luxury, being less and less representative, and more and more corrupt.
• The strength of Democracy is that it lets a nation get rid of a bad leaders … without assassinating them and their dynasties. It draws on fresh people, who prove their value, a flexible meritocracy, a self-correcting system
• Please do not read out of Judges, that monarchy is the better way, God says it is not!
• Also see the unit ‘GOV 09 – Israel’s leadership traced’ on the same website.

THE SPIRITUAL / MORAL SITUATION

• Jdg 21:19        The ark is left in Silo. Passover, Pentecost, Tabernacles are celebrated there (to what extent?)
• Local burnt offerings on Canaanite high places / hills are starting … first probably ‘to God’, later also to idols (against the clear instruction of Deuteronomy)
• Jdg 6:28-17:1  Gideon removes idolatry, later reinstitutes a slightly different kind
• Jdg 17:1           Levite Micah is willing to serve at a idolatrous shrine
• Jdg 12:6           A Civil war kills 42,000 Ephraimites
• Jdg 11:34        Not knowing God’s ways has Jephthah bring human sacrifice.
• Jdg 19:22        Describes Sexual perversion in Gibeah, base fellows around the old man’s home.
• Jdg 17:5          Priests not of Levi (). Micah (of Ephraim) put his son in the priesthood.
• Jdg 17:12‑13  Superstition. Micah installs a Levite as priest (not Aaronitic), thinking they should do better as a result.
• Jdg 17:8     Israel is not paying tithes, therefore Levites are looking for an income.
• Only a few stand out for moral integrity: Othniel, Deborah

THE JUDGES

Othniel                            Judges Chapter 3:7-11

• 8y oppression by Aram in the North, later Syria. King Cushan-Rishataim)
• Othniel is of Judah, Caleb’s younger brother’s son, so 3rd generation Israel.
• Othniel before made himself a name conquering Kiriath-Sepher and winning Achsah, his aunt (Caleb’s daughter)
• He judges, he delivers, resulting in 40 y rest.

Ehud                                Judges Chapter 3:12-30

• 18 y oppression by Moab (King Eglon)
• An alliance of Moab, Amalek and Ammon > capture Jericho (city of psalms).
• This shows that at least Reuben is also overrun.
• Ehud is of Benjamin, the tribe ‘just opposite’ Reuben.
• Assassinates King Eglon while paying tribute, then calls Ephraim to war > victory, reconquers the fords of Jordan
• The result is 80 y rest.

Shamgar                         Judges Chapter 3:31

• Shamgar of Anath delivered Israel from the Philistines in the West.

Deborah & Barak            Judges chapter 4-5

• 20 y oppression by Canaanite King Jabin of Hazor,  General Sisera of Harosheth-ha-goiim, 900 iron chariots
• Deborah, wife of Lappidoth, prophetess, judges at Ramah and Bethel (in Benjamin) … a naturally arisen situation
• Deborah understands what God has commanded / spoken in Jdg 4:6 … passes on the command to Barak of Naphtali
• Barak, from Kedesh (Naphtali) … with him 10’000 troops from Naphtali and Zebulun
• Interesting example of team leadership … she can’t run before the troops, but she has the authority and reputation to call on Israel and be heeded, what Barak probably couldn’t have … also she hears and has ‘the Word of the LORD’
• Barak is fearful, but has trust in her and in her ability to hear from God … he is obedient to do what she says.
• Deborah will go into the battle field, if that’s what it takes to strengthen Barak and give moral support to the troops … what comments did she have to hear from people around her for commanding or pairing up with a young warrior?
• The woman who will get the honor is Jael, the Kenite Heber’s wife, who kills Sisera, not Deborah herself.
• Jdg 5:4-5  “earth trembled, heavens poured, clouds poured water, mountains quaked”
• Jdg 5:6      “caravans ceased” > insecurity, lawless, robbers
• Jdg 5:7       peasants prospered because of Deborah. In any country, if there is a threat of war, this leads to reduced cultivation, t0 farmers flee to cities.
• Jdg 5:14-15, 18 … Ephraim, Benjamin, Zebulun, Issachar and Naphtali were faithful
• Jdg 5:16-17 … Reuben, Gilead, Dan, Asher did not join the war
• Jdg 5:20-21 “stars fought from heaven, torrent Kishon swept them away” > reason for Sisera to flee on foot (Jdg 4:17).
• rest for 40 y

Gideon                      Judges Chapter 6-8

• oppression for 7 y by Midian, Amalek and people of the East … come with camels, livestock and tents, raid the country > leading to a famine.
• the age old conflict between settlers and nomadic people
• Jdg 6:11-12 … Gideon who is threshing in the wine press (!, humiliating,  annoying, a picture of defeat), yet the angel of the LORD addresses him as “mighty warrior.” God breaks into our limited, frustrated, vision-less world with awe-inspiring, exciting, challenging vision.
• Jdg 6:13 … Gideon voices his doubts about God:  where are God’s wonderful deeds? He expresses something akin to bitterness: “now God has cast us off”. He has some understanding, but not truly, he doesn’t see sin as the reason for the current situation, but rather God’s abandoning of Israel. … It’s much easier to blame than to go and do something about a difficulty
• Jdg 6:14 … “Go in this might of yours and deliver Israel from Midian, I hereby commission you”… ironic, amused, affirming? … command amd authority given … a bit like Moses, not because of the worthiness of the representative
• Jdg 6:15 … “How can I deliver? My clan is weakest in Manasseh” (West) … some true humility, some realism, mixed with unbelief … we find ourselves in the same situation, some humility, some realism, lots of unbelief
• Jdg 6:16 … “I am with you and you shall strike down Midian” … the one thing that will make the difference: God’s presence with him, the guarantee of victory
• Jdg 6:21 … fire consumes offering. tjen the angel vanishes. This is more supernatural evidence to confirm this to Gideon
• Jdg 6:22 … Gideon perceives that he saw God face to face, he cries out “Help me, God!”… now an awe of God, not blaming. Often we only afterwards understand how amazing a thing really was, how gracious God is – even when we think we have air-tight arguments of his mistakes
• Jdg 6:23 … But the Lord said to him: Peace be to you, do not fear, you shall not die (now internal voice now, transition from special experience to normal life application) > altar “The Lord is peace” … peace from my doubts, peace with myself, peace from God that will give me the strength to do what I need to do
• Jdg 6:25-32 … At night: command to pull down the altar of Baal that belongs to father. By night he obeys, he is fearful, but he does do it, and that counts … we don’t have to ‘have it all together’ but we have to obey.
• His father defends him, though it was his altar … is his father not so convinced after all? Or more opportunist? Or God speaking to him as well? Or more ‘covering the bases’ …
• What is this for Gideon? > maybe a practice run, overcoming fear … actual message to him … to others … to tell the people what the problem really is, making himself independent of opinion … God showing him that he will have help unlooked for? … personal obedience and victory before public obedience and victory.
• Jdg 6:33 … Midian, Amalek, people of East, actors behind the next invasion.
• Jdg 6:34 … Gideon calls Manasseh, Asher, Zebulun and Naphtali.
• Jdg 6:36-40 … fleece test, Gideon seeking supernatural confirmation. God grants it twice.
• Jdg 7:1-23 … troops are reduced to show that the victory is God’s … Gideon is listening to their enemies’ fear, mounts a surprise attack and routs them.
• Jdg 7:24-25 … calls Ephraim to join to recapture Jordan
• Jdg 8:1-3 … Ephraim angry at not being called from the beginning > Gideon gives a humble answer Jdg 8:2-3 and appeases them … Proverbs … a soft tongue difuses great anger
• Jdg 8:4-21 … pursuing Midian
• Jdg 8:22-26 … Israelites want to make Gideon king. Gieon answers: “I will not rule over you, the LORD will rule over you.”
• Gideon shows true understanding of God’s way and good motivation here, no power-games, no milking the advantage. No ‘risen to your head’ pride … Maybe this is our author making sure that the readers do remember this: God didn’t want the monarchy? …
• Jdg 8:27-28 … but he takes payment in golden earrings > Gideon makes an ephod of the gold > set up in his town Ophrah … are! Disobedience? Confusion? War memorial? Not seen conflicting?
• 40 y rest
• 70 sons and many concubines … here he doesn’t obey the warning to kings from Deu 17.

Abimelech                      Judges Chapter 9

• Why is this story here? Why the abortive and not-God inspired story of a son of a judge, rather than giving a few more details on real judges? Why is full length and ugly detail?
• I think this story if nothing else should convince you that monarchy is NOT the solution … I think our author puts it here very consciously to show what God does not want of a king!
• Gideon has 70 sons by many wives, among them Abimelech, son of a wife from the city of Shechem (West Manasseh).
• After Gideon’s death, he goes to the elders of Shechem, offering them a false choice of alternatives: either 70 sons of Gideon being king over them – or him.
• But really: Gideon refuse to be king, none of his other sons ever are recorded to aspire to kingship. But Abimelechaspires to kingship and offers them a false choice … he projects his lust for power unto his brothers and he manages to convince Shechem, which also shows that they are not really understanding God’s ways very well either. Nobody learnt anything from Gideon.
• Jdg 9:4 … they give him money from Shechem’s Baal-berith temple > 70 pieces of silver … accepting leadership = responsibility to support leadership … why from the Baal temple? Did Abimelech promise to restore / support the Baal cult (unlike his father Gideon, sort of)? … monarchy here associated with idolatry
• Jdg 9:5 … Abimelech hires 70 worthless fellows with the money and proceeds to assassinate his 70 brothers … Monarchy is always associated with inter-family feuds over succession and often violence.
• Jdg 9:6 … Shechem makes Abimelech King … why now? Now that he has made himself odious? Now that things have escalated? Now that his leadership is needed to prevent others picking up arms against Shechem? … Abimelech has used their trust and license efficiently, possibly against their will.
• Jdg 9:7-21 … the one surviving son of Gideon called Jotham challenges Abimelech and the lords of Shechem over their behavior … you have dealt faithlessly with Gideon & his family who delivered you … you have chosen the worst of his sons for leadership …
• Jotham pronounces a ‘if then curse’ … “If you have dealt well > rejoice in Abimelech … if you have not dealt well > let fire come out from Abimelech and devour the lords of Shechem / Beth-Millo and let fire come out from the lords of Shechem / Beth-Millo and devour Abimelech” … Basically: they will be a curse and snare to each other.
• Jdg 9:22 … Abimelech rules over Israel (?) for 3 years, then God sends an evil spirit between Shechem and Abimelech > Shechem deals treacherously with Abimelech: make ambushes on mountain tops to rob passing people. What is the point? … Scare people to keep people away from Abimelech? reduce way tax for Abimelech’s income? Abimelech hears about it.
• Jdg 9:26-29 … another scoundrel called Gaal, son of Ebed moves into Shechem, speaks big, lords put their trust in him, they gather grapes, feast in the temple of their god (Baal-Berith?), Gaal offers to be a competition leader to overthrow Abimelech … lawlessness attracts new lawlessness. Coups attract new coups. Violent overthrows are perpetuated. Ariel: once a coup, the chance for a second one goes up dramatically.
• Jdg 9:30-41 … ruler of Shechem Zebul annoyed at Gaal, informs Abimelech of Gaal’s would-be conspiracy, Abimelech attacks, Zebul challenges Gaal to fight now > he fights at the head of the lords of Shechem … many fell wounded.
• Except killing your own people, what did this whole action accomplish?
• Jdg 9:42-45 … Abimelech makes a revenge raid on Shechem, when they go out to their fields in the morning, defeats, kills, conquers and razes the city of Shechem.
• Jdg 9:46-49 … the lords of Shechem entered the stronghold of the temple of El-berith (Baal-berith again?), Abimelech cuts firewood and burns the stronghold, 1000 men and women died, presumably the upper class of Shechem.
• Jdg 9:50-57 … Abimelech proceeds to lay siege to Thebez, conquers it, and again wants to burn their noble men and women in the strong tower > woman drops an upper millstone > Abimelech hurt, tells his armor-bearer to kill him … Comment: so curse of Jotham fulfilled on Abimelech and the people of Shechem.
• Seizing power > unpeace, cold war, power struggles, war escalates, many die, extension to other cities. This is a case study what not to do as a king! showing that the author does not mean to say that monarchy in itself is the answer.

Tola                               Judges Chapter 10:1-2

• Tola (of Issachar) lived in Shamir in Ephraim. He delivered, he judged 23 y

Jair                            Judges Chapter 10:3-5

• Jair of Gilead judged 23 y. Had 30 sons on 30 donkeys > had 30 towns > called Havvoth-Jair till today

Jephtah                         Judges Chapter 11-12

• Jephtah, son of a prostitute, Gilead > pushed away by legitimate sons of father Gilead > fled to Tob … He has faced rejection, but has skill.
• Jephtah collects outlaws,  becomes a raiding band and a mighty warrior.
• Invited by elders of Gilead to come back, be their leader, deliver them from warring Ammon
• Ammon sends message with twisted story of Numbers > Jephthah responds, proving accurate knowledge of Numbers > Ammon ignores him
• Vow: if successful > sacrifice as burnt offering whoever comes first out of the door of house
• Calls East Manasseh & Gilead to war > defeats Ammon.
• His only child, a daughter > sacrificed with her consent … he should have taken back his rash oath instead > Lev 27
• 12 Ephraim crosses over > blames Jephthah for not calling > Jephthah blames them for not answering his call > inter-tribal war Gilead defeating Ephraim > further provocation by calling Gilead fugitives between Ephraim & Manasseh > 42’000 Ephraimites killed / some at the fords of the Jordan, giving away their identity by language
• Jephthah delivered, judged Israel for 6 y, then died

Samson                           Judges Chapter 13-16

• 40 y oppression by Philistines
• Special origin and calling: barren mother has vision of the angel of the LORD > promises a son, instructs Nazirite from birth > husband wants confirmation > angel appears again to woman > gets husband > get same instructions > sacrifice > the angel of the LORD ascends > husband fears for having seen God > woman is confident they won’t die
• Jdg 13:25 … Spirit starts to stir growing Samson
• Jdg 14 … sees Philistine girl / insists on her / marriage feast riddles / she weeps / pesters him / tells her > she betrays solution / provides for lost riddle by raiding Ashkelon & killing 30 Philistines / Samson in hot anger goes back to father’s house
• Jdg 15 … wants to see wife… given to another…offered her sister … Samson refuses … catches 300 foxes / binds them together and attaches burning torches to their tails / damages Philistine wheat fields, vineyards, olive groves
• In revenge Philistines kill father-in-law & wife … Samson in revenge slaughters Philistines, hides at rock of Etam
• Samson agrees to be handed over by scared Judeans … handed over at Lehi … Spirit rushes on him > killed 1000 with donkey jawbone … dehydrated, prays for water … God miraculously creates a water source at Lehi
• Jdg 16 … prostitute at Gaza … Philistines surround him waiting till morning … he rises at midnight & pulls up door / posts of city gate and carries it to hill near Hebron (!)
• Samson falls in love with Delilah in valley of Sorek. She asks him for secret to his strength. He tells her lies 3 times and 3 times they try to bind him.
• Jdg 16:16 … finally, after she had nagged him with her words day after day, and pestered him, he was tired to death > tells secret, is bound, eyes gouched out and kept in Philistine hands.
• His hair regrows … called to perform at the feast to thank Dagon for Samson’s defeat … he grabs pillars till house comes down on 3000 Philistine cream of the crop

Application?

• Do not ‘insist on your way or be guided by lust > you actually deprive yourself! Samson repeatedly ‘forces the issue’ in ungodly ways, but none ends up being a relationship of peace: … wife (do not marry idolators!) pesters him for riddle …. looses his wife …. prostitute endangers him (prostitution) … Delilah pesters him for secret (adultery).
• Samson does all his ‘mighty acts’ sort of as a side-line to his amorous adventures and their entanglements … bringing more violence on himself, his wife, her family, the Israelites.
• He basically has given himself to lust, it is a driving force in his life, but it is never really fulfilled: the wife he only has shortly, the prostitute Delilah pesters him … those who pursue lust are precisely not those sexually fulfilled.
• One wonders what Samson could have accomplished if he had been godly, inquired of God, obeyed the plan of the LORD? > He would have been a powerful leader of the army, a defender of Israel’s borders, he could have defeated the Philistines in big style. But as it is it’s just a few a bit doubtable and mostly personal revenges and dabblings in affairs.
• Do not stumble into a calling … pursue God actively and fully!
• Maybe if Samson had really played his role well, Israel would not have cried out to Samuel for a deliverer and demanded a king … he is possibly a factor in that ungodly tradition.

TWO DISTURBING CASE STUDIES

Judges Chapter 17-18     Micah’s idol, Levite Jonathan, Dan’s Migration

Word definitions: ephod means to bind, gird, girdle, plating of metal, image. idol means graven or molten image. teraphim means family idol or image.
The story shows how quickly idolatry / lawlessness / confusion / deterioration sets in!

• Son Micah steals of mother stealing
• mother curses cursing
• reverses curse to blessing when son confesses breach of word, blessing by God’s name for theft-confession, no restitution, no redress, nepotism
• consecrates money but only a part … ?
• has idol made of cast metal by local silversmith idolatry, also of society, no condemnation
• Levite from Bethlehem, can’t live on tithes lowered giving of tithes
• comes to Ephraim, employs him as priest Levite, no private priests!, no private ‘spiritual fathers’
• pays him 10 shekels, clothes, lodging / happy and sure of God’s prospering now that he has a Levite as priest looking after the idol no understanding of God’s ways
• Danites loose their allotted land > 5 spies check out Laish in the North. On their way are hosted at Micah’s,  see idol, meet the Levite, inquire of the LOrdonly done by High priest (?)
• Levite … predicts success divination
• when back later with fighting force steal Micah’s ephod, teraphim, idol of cast metal / convince Levite to be priest for their entire tribe stealing, abuse of hospitality, opportunism, extension of idolatry

In the end the writer drops the bomb: The Levite is Jonathan, son of Gershon, son of Moses (Jdg 18:30)! Talk about shock effect!
Even if we assume a few more generations than two (‘son of’ can mean ‘descendant of’), it is still shocking! The very family of the law-giver Moses knows virtually nothing of the law a few generations hence … not to speak of obeying it.

Judges Chapter 19          Levite’s concubine gang-raped and killed, civil war

Another completely diastrous story, showing the quick decline of morality and lawfulness:

• Levite from Ephraim goes to Bethlehem to try to get his estranged concubine back
• He gets delayed departing because of hospitality.
• He doesn’t want to pass the night at Jerusalem because of the Jebusites inhabitants (non-Israelites)
• He ends up in town square of Gibeah, in Israelite territory
• He gets taken in by an Ephraimite old man living therefore
• The men of city demand Levite for sex (forced sexual relations, homosexuality, reminescent of Sodom in Gen 18).
• The old man offers concubine and his virgin daughter and intercedes
• The men of Gibeah seize the concubine, rape and abuse her all night. She dies on their doorstep.
• Levite comes out, tells her to get up, sees she is dead.
• He takes the corpse home, divides in 12 parts, sends them around Israel with a challenge to consider, take counsel, speak out
• Assembly before the LORD at Mizpah, where the Levited gives the story as follows: Jdg 20:5 tried to kill me, raped concubine … they do good in inquiring carefully.
• The decide to war against Gibeah to punish for vile crime. They ask Benjamin to hand over Gibeah. Benjamin refuses, musters 26’000 armed men. Israelites muster 400’000 and go to Bethel to inquire of God > Judah is go up but gets defeated severely and 22’000 killed.
• They weep, inquire again, go up and are again defeated, with 18’000 killed.
• They weep again, inquire, fast, sacrifice > go up, this time victory. They defeat Benjaminites, pursue and slaughter so that in the end: all killed, Gibeah and Benjaminite cities put to sword and burnt . 25’000 Benjaminites killed, only 600 escape alive.
• Ju 20:28 This is a bomb: Phinehas is high priest at Bethel that time > this is only the 3rd generation!!
• They regroup at Bethel, weep bitterly for one tribe wiped out from among Israel and decide to provide wives to remaining 600 Benjaminites. Since they gave oath to not give daughters / oath to kill those not come / > kill Ramoth-Gilead men and all but virgin girls as wives for Benjamin. Remaining necessary girls carried off from feast in Shiloh
• What a disastrous story. It starts with an Israelite town being as bad as Sodom, and worse it is the high priest Phinehas’s town, a Levitical city, see study below).. Then there is a callous Levite who sacrifices his concubine to the mobs but then creates anger, outrage and vengefulness. It all descends into a very bloody civil war resulting in the near annihilation of a tribe. The remedy is also shady at best.
• Amazing is that even when all else seems to crumble, the value of the oath still stands!!

These are shocking case studies to show just what idolatry / departing from God’s ways / not knowing the law will do to a society, an do it very quickly! They show the parallel religious decay <=> moral decay <=> political instability. This is what God warned against, it is what the Law means to prevent: a violent, lawless society ruled by disdain for human rights, even human life. Israel is becoming a nightmare.

Study on the City of Gibeah or Gibeon in the OT

Gibah, Gibeah, Gibeon all means ‘hill’ and is the name of a minimum of three places, but used interchangeably.

• Jos 9, 11:19           Gibeon’s Hivite inhabitants make a peace treaty with Joshua. In 2 Sam 21:2 it is called an Amorite city.
• Jos 15:57              Gibeah is a town allotted to Judah, not mentioned as Levitical city > this city not further mentioned.
• Jos 18:25, 21:17, 24:33 Gibeon is a town allotted to Benjamin, made a Levitical city, the town of Phinehas
• Jdg 19-20, Hos 9:9, 10:9 Gibeah of Benjamin is the showplace of the gang rape and reason for civil war
• 1 Sam 10:26        Gibeah is the home town of King Saul, often called “Gibeah of Saul” or “Gibeah of Benjamin”, probably to distinguish it from the Judah one.
• 1 Sam 14             war front of Saul with Philistines at Gibeah
• 1 Chr 14:16         David battles Philistines at Gibeon to Gazer.
• 2 Sam 6:3            the ark is at the house of Abinadab of Gibeah till David tries to go get it.
• 1 Chr 16:39, 21:29 Tabernacle at Gibeon during Zadok’s time
• 2 Sam 2               Abner and David doing ‘games’ that turn into a war in Gibeon.
• 2 Sam 20            Joab kills Amasa in Gibeon
• 2 Sam 21:6         famine for Saul’s killing of the Gibeonites, hanging up seven men in Gibeah of Saul (here Gibeah and the Gibeon of Joshua are clearly identified as the same)
• 1 Kin 3:4, 9:2, 2 Ch 1:3, 1:13 Solomon offers sacrifices at Gibeon, God appears to him. Tabernacle remained there.
• Jer 28:1              False prophet Hananiah who opposes Jeremiah is from Gibeon
• Jer 41:12,16       The post Babylon conquest fights: Johanan fights Ishamel at Gibeon
• Neh 3:7             two men of Gibeon are part of repairing the wall

Judges Repeated Theme – Spirit of the Lord

• Jdg 3:10 Othniel
• Jdg 6:34 Gideon
• Jdg 11:29 Jephtah …
• Jdg 13:25, 14:19 Samson. Jdg 14:6, 15:14 “the Spirit of the Lord rushed on Samson”