The Book of the Judges is the second of the historic books of the Old Testament. The Hebrew title is Sopetim [Shophetim], which is usually translated "judges" but the Hebrew word sopet not only caries the idea of administrating and maintaining justice but also has the meaning of "liberator" or "deliverer." The Judges of Israel in this period of Salvation History not only deliver the people from oppression but the also rule over them, administering justice as Yahweh's representatives. It is Yahweh, the One True God, who is the true ruler of the people of Israel. This book covers the period of Israelite history that falls between the settlement of Israel in the Promised Land of Canaan and the establishment a monarchy over a united Israel.
| BIBLICAL PERIOD | THE JUDGES RULE ISRAEL | ||||
| FOCUS |
CYCLE OF APOSTASY |
CYCLE OF DELIVERANCE |
CYCLE OF DEPRAVITY |
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| COVENANT | THE SINAI COVENANT | ||||
| SCRIPTURE | 1:1------------------------------3:6-----------------------------17:1---------------19:1---------------20:1-------21:5 | ||||
| DIVISIONS |
Prologue: –Israel fails to complete the conquest –God judges Israel |
The six campaigns to conquer the land | Results of Israel's spiritual and moral decay | ||
| TOPIC | Causes of apostasy | Curses of apostasy | Sin of idolatry | Sin of immoral conduct | Sin of Civil War |
| Living with the pagan occupiers of the land | The wars against Israel's enemies | Adopting pagan customs and religious practices | |||
| LOCATION | THE PROMISED LAND OF CANAAN/ISRAEL | ||||
| TIME | circa 350/410 YEARS* | ||||
*When the various time spans of the Judges are added together they total 410 years (i.e., the years oppression, judging, and peace). However, a number of the judges' time of service probably overlapped since most were from different tribes and regions of the land.