Judges

Redaction issues:

·         Consensus since Noth’s Deuteronomic History (1943) is that Judges is part of a sequence redacted by a single author from Deuteronomy to 2 Kings.

·         A. D. H. Mayes, Judges (1985) – complex redaction history:

Ø  Deliverer narratives – Ehud, Deborah and Barak, Gideon and Abimelech

Ø  A framework of sin-punishment-deliverance was added, perhaps after the fall of the northern kingdom

Ø  Othniel account

Ø  First Deuteronomic redaction: addition of Jephthah and Samson

Ø  Second Deuteronomic redaction portraying Israelite sin as covenant violation (2:17, 2:20-3:6; 10:10-16)

Ø  Addition of prologue and epilogue

Brief summary:

·         After the death of Joshua, Judah takes over, and defeats the king of Bezek, cutting off his big toes and thumbs.

·         Southern Canaan is conquered.

·         A recurring cycle of sin, bondage, deliverance by a Judge, blessing, death of the Judge, and back to sin again.

·         In the era of Barak, Deborah prophesies that Sisera (the military commander of king Jabin, under whom the Israelite serve) will be killed by a woman. He is killed by a tentpeg through the skull by Jael, wife of Heber the Kenite.

·         Gideon is chosen to deliver Israel from the Midianites. He destroys an altar of Baal-Berith (Baal of the covenant – a syncretistic god).

·         Gideon receives signs – a wet fleece on a dry ground, and vice versa.

·         Gideon’s 32,000 strong army is wittled down to 300, so it is obvious the Lord secured their victory.

·         Gideon’s company surround the Midianite camp, blow trumpets and shout, whereupon the Midianites panic and kill each other.

·         In revenge for not helping him, Gideon publically whips the men of Succoth with thorns and briars, and destroys the tower of Penuel and kills its men.

·         Gideon becomes rich, and inappropriately makes a golden ephod for himself.

·         Gideon dies.

·         Gideon’s son, Abimelech, kills all his brothers, apart from Jotham, who manages to escape.

·         Abimelech is killed by a woman throwing a millstone on his head during a rebellion of the Shechemites.

·         Jephthah, the leader of a band of brigands after having been driven from his house because he was the son of a harlot, fights victoriously against the Ammonites.

·         Jephthah (from Gilead in Manasseh) makes the vow that he will sacrifice the first thing that comes to greet him after a victory. It is his daughter. She is allowed to bewail her virginity for two months before her death.

·         The Ephraimites are angry that they could not fight with the Gileadites from Manasseh against the Ammonites. The Gileadites defeat the Ephraimites, who flee back over the Jordon. The Gileadites ask the fleeing Ephraimites to say the word ‘shibboleth’ – if they pronounce it in the distinctive Ephraimite way (saying the sh as a s) they are killed.

·         Angel appears to Manoah, telling her she will bear a son, Samson. Samson is a Nazarite from his birth.

·         Samson marries a Philistine woman, and eats honey from the carcass of a dead lion.

·         Samson poses a riddle about the lion at a feast. Samson’s wife reveals the answer to the Philistines, who answer the question. Samson: ‘if you had not ploughed with my heifer, you would not have solved my riddle!’ Samson kills the Philistines.

·         Samson’s wife has been given to another man. Samson sends foxes with torches attached to their tails through the Philistine crops. The Philistines retaliate by killing Samson’s wife and family with fire.

·         Samson kills a thousand Philistines with the jawbone of an ass.

·         Samson escapes from Gaza by ripping off the gates of the city.

·         Samson is betrayed by Delilah, blinded, and destroys the temple of Dagon.

·         Micah makes an unauthorised shrine, and hires an opportunistic Levite priest.

·         Danites conquer Laish, take Micah’s idols and Levite, and adopt the idolatry he started.

·         A Levite avoids being raped at Gibeah (a Benjamite town) by offering his concubine up to a mob. The concubine is raped and dies. The Levite cuts her up into pieces and sends her parts across the land to advertise his outrage.

·         Covenant against Bejamites at Mizpah – no Israelite daughter is to be given to a Benjamite. The Benjamites are heavily defeated in battle.

·         The Banjamites are in danger of extinction. The men of Jabesh Gilead (who did not take part in the slaughter at Mizpah) are slaughtered, and four hundred of their virgins are married off to Benjamites.

·         The Benjamites are instructed to take the daughters of Shiloh when they go to dance at the annual feast – because they are ‘kidnapped’ (though the complicity of their father is hinted at), they are not guilty of breaking their oath.

1

Judah is chosen to go up against the Canaanites after the death of Joshua. With his brother Simeon, he defeats 10,000 men at Bezek. They cut off the big toes and thumbs of the kings of Bezek, who had had seventy kings with no thumbs or big toes eating scraps under his table. The king of Bezek dies in Jerusalem, which the Israelites take. South Canaan (Hebron and Debir) is conquered. Othniel is rewarded for taking Kirjath Sepher by marrying the Caleb’s daughter, Achsah. Caleb also receives Hebron. The Canaanites in the lowlands could not be expelled, however, because they had iron chariots. Ephraim and Manasseh take Bethel, sparing a man who shows them the entrance to the city. The Canaanites who cannot be cannot utterly destroyed are put under tribute.


2

The angel of the Lord reprimands the Israelites at Bochim for making covenants with the Canaanites. Israel repent and offer sacrifices at Bochim. After Joshua dies aged 110 and is buried in the mountains of Ephraim, a new generation arises who do not know the Lord. The Israelites forsake God and follow other gods. As a result, they are defeated in battle by plunderers. A pattern emerges of sin and bondage, deliverance by a Judge, blessing, followed by the death of the Judge, and then further sin and bondage.


3

The Philistines, all the Canaanites, the Sidonians, and the Hivites are left in the promised land to punish Israel for its disobedience and intermarrying. Israel falls into the servitude of the king of Mesopotamia for eight years. When Israel cries out to the Lord, He raises up Othniel to deliver Israel. Othniel does so, and dies. Israel is disobedient once more, and so is made to serve Eglon king of Moab. Ehud daringly assassinates the obese Eglon, stabbing him in his belly when coming to offer tribute. Ehud defats Moab in battle, and there is peace for eighty years. Next is Shamgar, who kills 600 Philistines with an ox goad.


4

Israel does evil; Israel serves king Jabin, who has iron chariots. Deborah judges Israel, calling upon Barak to go into battle against Sisera, Jabin’s military commander. Barak says he will only go if accompanied by Deborah. Deborah prophesies that Sisera will de defeated by a woman. Sisera’s army is defeated. Sisera flees on foot, and is killed in a tent with a tent peg through the skull by Jael, the wife of Heber of the nomadic Kenites (who descend from Moses’ father-in-law Hobab).


5

Deborah and Barak sing a song of victory and praise to the Lord about battle with kings of Canaan. The tribes who assisted are acknowledged; of those who did not, questions are asked. Jael is praised, despite abusing the laws of hospitality. The anxiety of Sisera’s mother waiting for him to return from battle is gleefully imagined. Israel rests for 40 years.


6

Israel does evil, and serves Midian for seven years. The angel of the Lord appears to Gideon, and tells him he will deliver the Israelites from the Midianites. Gideon is initially suspicious, because he is from Manasseh, the least of the tribes. As a sign, fire shoots from a rock and cosumes Gideon’s offering of meat and bread. Gideon builds an altar at the place, Ophrah. Gideon destroys an altar of Baal-Berith at night, and replaces it with an altar to God. Gideon is found out, but his father says that Baal-Berith himself should plead against him if he is offended. Gideon thus acquires the name Jerubbaal, meaning ‘Let Baal plead’. Gideon gathers an army. Gideon seeks signs – he puts a fleece on the floor, and asks for there to be dew only on the fleece, but not on the ground. This is done. Then Gideon asks for the ground to be bedewed, and the fleece dry. This is done also.


7

Gideon gathers Israelite men to fight. God is anxious lest victory is ascribed to the Israelites’ might, rather than to Him. All those who are afraid are commanded to go home – this reduces the number to 10,000 from 32,000. The number is further reduced to 300 by a test by a river – all those who drink by lapping like a dog, or on their knees, are dismissed. Gideon spies on the Midian camp with his servant Purah. Gideon hears a man relating a dream of a loasf of barley bread striking his tent and causing it to fall. The dream is interpreted as meaning that the Midianites will be given up to Gideon. Gideon divides the company into three groups – upon his signal, the company are to blow their trumpets and shout, ‘The sword of the Lord and of Gideon!’ When this is done, the Midianites in a panic kill each other. Two Midianite kings are killed.


8

The men of Ephraim complain that they were not asked to fight with Gideon. Gideon replies, ‘What was I able to do in comparison to you?’ and their anger subsides. The men of Succoth and Penuel deny support for Gideon. Two Midianite kings and their armies are destroyed, then takes revenge on Succoth and Penuel. Gideon refuses to be made king, saying that the Lord will rule the Israelites. Gideon amasses a fortune by taking golden earrings as spoils. Gideon inappropriately uses some of the gold to make an ephod, assuming the role of religious leadership, despite the fact that the tabernacle is actually at Shiloh. Israel has peace 40 years. Gideon has seventy sons, and many wives. One of Gideon’s sons is called Abimelech. After Gideon’s death, however, the Israelites turn from God once more.


9

Abimelech convinces his brothers to support him. They give him silver from the temple of Baal-Berith, and then he kills them all, apart from Jotham, who hides. Jotham’s parable: worthy trees (olivem fig and vine) do not wish to become the king of the trees, so the role is assumed by the bramble, who promises he will destroy with fire any who oppose him. The parable is applied to Abimelech. Abimelech having reigned three years, the Shechemites, headed by Gaal the son of Ebed, conspire against him. Zebul, governor of the city, apprises Abimelech of the insurrection, so Abimelech assaults the city, takes, beats it down, and sows it with salt. Several of the Shechemites take refuge in the temple of Baal-Berith; Abimelech sets fire to it, and destroys in it about one thousand men and women. He afterwards besieges and takes Thebez; but while he is assaulting the citadel, a woman throws a piece of millstone upon his head, and kills him. Abimelech asks his armourbearer to kill him, lest it be known that he was killed by a woman. Thus God requited him and the men of Shechem for their wickedness, and their ingratitude to the family of Gideon.


10

Tola and Jair judge Israel. Israel forgets God and serves many gods. Israelites serve the Philistines and Ammonites. Israel cries to God for help. God’s patience is sorely tested after the repeated cycles of idolatry, servitude and deliverance. Israel lacks a leader.


11

Jephthah from Gilead in Manasseh is the leader of a band of brigands, driven out of his home because he was the son of a harlot. The leaders of Gilead call upon Jephthah when under attack from the Ammonites. Jephthah becomes the leader of the Gileadites. He attempts to answer the accusation that the Israelites have taken away territory from the Ammonites, but to no avail. Jephthah rashly vows that if he is victorious in battle, he will yield up the first out his door as a burnt offering. Jephthah helps Israel defeat Ammonites. His daughter (his only child) comes to greet him, and he is forced to sacrifice her. Before this, she is permitted to bewail her virginity for two months on the mountains.


12

The men of Ephraim are angry at not being asked to fight against the Ammonites. Jephthah replies that they did not act when they had the chance. The Gileadites defeat the Ephraimites, whose survivors try to flee back over the Jordon. The Gileadites, guarding the fords of the Jordan, asking anyone asking to cross to say the word ‘shibboleth’. If they pronounced it in an Ephraimite way (saying the sh as a s), they were killed. Jephthah judges Israel 6 yrs; he is followed by Ibzan, Elon and Abdon.


13

Philistines rule the Israelites for forty years. An angel appears firstly to the barren wife of the Danite Manoah, then to Manoah himself. The angel says that they will have a son who will deliver Israel. The child will be a Nazarite from the womb – no shaving or drinking alcohol permitted. Manoah is told to make a burnt offering, and the angel ascends in the flame of the alter. Manoah is afraid, but is reassured by his wife. Samson is born.


14

Samson wants to marry a Philistine woman from Timnah. God has a hidden plan behind Samson’s desire to marry this woman, however. On his way to Timnah, Samson kills a lion. On the way back, he sees bees and honey in the carcass, so eats some of the honey. (Nazarites are forbidden from touching anything dead – Samson is on dangerous ground here.) He also gives some honey to his parents, but does not tell them where it came from. Samson throws a bachelor party for his Philistine friends. He poses them a riddle: ‘out of the eater came something to eat, and out of the strong came something sweet.’ The prize for working it out is thirty linen garments. The men threaten Samson’s wife, telling her they will burn her and her father’s house if she does not extract the answer from Samson and tell them. She manages to do so, and the men answer the riddle. Samson replies, ‘If you had not ploughed with my heifer, you would not have solved my riddle!’ Samson kills thirty Philistines, takes their linen garments, and uses them to pay the bet. Samson goes back to his father’s house, and his wife goes off with his best man.


15

When he discovers his wife has been given to another by his father-in-law, Samson set foxes with torches attached to their tails through the Philistine crops, destroying them. The Philistines retaliate by killing Samson's wife and family with fire. Samson responds with a great slaughter. The men of Judah deliver up Samson bound to the Philistines. Samson breaks free of his bonds, and kills a thousand Philistines with the jawbone of an ass. God miraculously provides water for Samson, who judges Israel for twenty years.


16

Samson escapes from Gaza by ripping off the gates of the city. A woman whom Samson loves, Delilah, agrees to betray him. Samson twice lies to Delilah about the source of his strength, saying he will be weakened if bound with fresh bowstrings, and new rope. Delilah ties him up with these things, but he soon bursts out of them. Samson lies again, saying he is weakened if seven locks of his hair are woven into the web of a loom. Delilah does this, but again, Samson’s strength is unaffected. Samson finally tells her that his strength lies in his hair. She shaves him when asleep, and he is delivered over to the Philistines and blinded. He is kept prisoner by the Philistines, but his hair grows back. Samson is called out into the temple of Dagon. He stands between two pillars, prays, then pushes the pillar so the temple collapses, killing many Philistines and himself. He had ruled Israel for twenty years.


17

Micah of Ephraim returns silver he had stolen from his mother. His mother bizarrely blesses him, after having cursed the unknown thief before! Two hundred shekels of it are given to a silversmith to create an idol. Micah then makes a shrine and an ephod, and consecrates one of his sons as a priest. Micah hires a wandering Levite from Bethlehem to be a priest. Micah is assured of the Lord’s favour!


18

Dan sends spies to find land. The spies meet Micah. Spies and 600 men from Dan take Micah’s idols and priest (who is quite happy to go). Micah is glum, having had everything taken from him. The Danites conquer Laish, renaming it Dan. They adopt the idolatry that began with Micah.


19

A Levite marries a concubine from Judah. They separate after she plays the harlot, but are later reconciled at the house of his father-in-law, where he stays for five days. Returning home, the Levite and his concubine decide to stay one night at Gibeah (not Jebus, which is a foreign land that might be hostile). They meet an Ephraimite, who offers them hospitality. Men bang on the door and demand to know the Levite carnally. The Ephraimite offers a compromise – his virgin daughter and the Levite’s concubine. The latter is raped and abused, and dies. The Levite cuts her up into twelve pieces, and sends a piece to each tribe to advertise his outrage.


20

The nation gathers at Mizpah, demanding that the Bejamites give up the wicked men of Gibeah. The Benjamites refuse, and go to war against the rest of Israel with 26,000 men. After some initial victories, the Benjamites are heavily defeated.


21

At Mizpah, an oath was made that no Israelite daughter should be given to a Benjamite. The Israelites then regret their oath when they realise that the Benjamites are in danger of extinction. The men of Jabesh Gilead, who had not taken part in the oath at Mizpah, are slaughtered, and four hundred virgins taken to marry off to the Benjamites. The Benjamites are instructed to take the daughters of Shiloh when they go to dance at the annual feast – because they are ‘kidnapped’ (though the complicity of their father is hinted at), they are not guilty of breaking their oath. Final words sum the whole book up: ‘In those days there was no king in Israel; everyone did what was right in his own eyes.’