Who Wrote This Book: The author is unknown, but could possibly be the Prophet Samuel.
Date of Writing: Between the years 1050 and 1000 B.C., but definitely after the death of Joshua.
Why It Was Written: The book of Judges is alarmingly relevant to today. It records the Israelites' descent into sin and its terrible consequences. The 12 heroes of the book, both male and female, seem larger than life at times, but they were imperfect, just like us. Judges is a stern reminder that God punishes sin but is always ready to take the repentant back into his heart.
Judges is about apostasy, oppression, repentance, and deliverance. The Book of Judges mentioned such Judges as Othniel, Ehud, Shamgar, Deborah, Gideon, Tola, Jair, Jephthah, Ibzan, Elon, Abdon, Samson.
The main body of the book (3:7-16:31) illustrates this recurrent pattern in Israel's early history. The Israelites did evil in the eyes of the LORD (apostasy); the LORD delivered them into the hands of their enemies (oppression); the people of Israel cried out to GOD (repentance); and in response to their cry, the LORD raised up liberators whom he filled with the power of his Spirit (deliverance). Six individuals - Othniel, Ehud, Deborah, Gideon, Jephthah and Samson - whose roles as liberators are related with some detail, are classified as the "major" judges. The other six mentioned briefly - Shamgar, Tola, Jair, Ibzan, Elon and Abdon - are known as the "minor" judges. The thirteenth, Abimelech, is someone who appears as a complement to the story of Gideon.
Two stories are added as an epilogue to the Book of Judges (17:1-21:25). The purpose of these appendices isn't to signal the end of the period of the judges, but to condemn the religious and moral corruption of the religion in Israel. Micah established a pagan form of the worship of Jehovah in Ephraim that was adopted by the Danites when they abandoned their inheritance and emigrated to the north of Israel. The second story of the epilogue illustrates the moral corruption, by narrating the unfortunate experience of a Levite in Gibeah of Benjamin and the war it caused. Apparently, the purpose of this final section of the book is to illustrate the consequences of apostasy and anarchy in the days in which "there was no king in Israel".
When the Israelites cried out to God for mercy, he delivered them by raising up the heroes of the book, the Judges. Filled with the Holy Spirit, these valiant men and women obeyed God—although imperfectly—to demonstrate his faithfulness and love.
Key Verses:
Judges 2:11-12: “And the people of Israel did what was evil in the sight of the LORD and served the Baals. And they abandoned the LORD, the God of their fathers, who had brought them out of the land of Egypt. They went after other gods, from among the gods of the peoples who were around them, and bowed down to them. And they provoked the LORD to anger.” (ESV)
Judges 2:18-19: “Whenever the LORD raised up judges for them, the LORD was with the judge, and he saved them from the hand of their enemies all the days of the judge. For the LORD was moved to pity by their groaning because of those who afflicted and oppressed them. But whenever the judge died, they turned back and were more corrupt than their fathers, going after other gods, serving them and bowing down to them.” (ESV)
Judges 16:30: “And Samson said, "Let me die with the Philistines." Then he bowed with all his strength, and the house fell upon the lords and upon all the people who were in it. So the dead whom he killed at his death were more than those whom he had killed during his life.” (ESV)
Judges 21:25: “In those days there was no king in Israel. Everyone did what was right in his own eyes.” (ESV)
