Judges

Choose God

Copyright © 2002-2003 by M. W. Andrews; all rights reserved.

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Last revision: 13 June 2003

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Section

Theme

Oppressor

Judge

1

Judges 1:1-2:23

God the Judge

2

Judges 3:1-31

Choose Your Master

Mesopotamians

Othniel

Moabites

Ehud, Shamgar

3

Judges 4:1-5:31

Choose Your Commander

Canaanites

Deborah (& Barak)

4

Judges 6:1-8:21

Choose Your Battles

Midianites

Gideon

5

Judges 8:22-10:5

Choose Your Principles

Abimelech

Tolah, Jair

6

Judges 10:6-12:15

Choose Your Promises

Philistines, Ammonites

Jephthah

Ephraim

Ibzan, Elon, Abdon

7

Judges 13:1-16:31

Choose Your Companions

Philistines

Samson

8

Judges 17:1-18:31

Choose Your Reward

9

Judges 19:1-21:25

Choose Your Judge

Judges 1:1-10

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There is an abundance of questions and information provided in this study guide – more, in fact, than will fit in typical class periods. The purpose of this “excess” is to provide the teacher with options that best suit the needs and direction of the class. The teacher can trim the material to correspond with the desired length of the class and the interests of the group. Since the colored text helps identify elements that lead to the main themes, the colors can be used as a guide for what to include. If you want to lead a series that is longer than nine lessons (e.g., a quarter is 13 weeks long), then you can easily split some of these lessons at sub-heading boundaries.

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[1]         Endnote reference; click on the number to see the reference.

Ñ        “Key” point of explanation or interpretation

s         Question to ask your discussion group; possible answers or considerations sometimes follow in a list below the question.

©         Application question – useful for going deeper into each person’s walk with Christ.

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Ñ        The period of the judges probably began about 1400 B.C. and continued to about 1100 B.C. (this is consistent with Jephthah’s statement in Judges 11:26). [1]

Ñ        The book of Judges was probably written in the latter part of the Jewish monarchy.  There is not the slightest allusion to the Babylonian captivity, and the language of the book is untainted with Chaldaisms or Persian forms, unlike later books.  Therefore it is of about the same age as that of the books of Samuel and Kings, if not actually the work of the same hand. [2]

s         What were the “judges”?

Ñ        The Hebrew word shophetim is a common term Phoenician, Arabic, Assyrian, Akkadian, and Ugaritic writings. [3]   It encompasses the actions of both discerning and deciding. And that’s what this book is about: who determines what is right and makes the decisions? All the people of God are given the responsibility of finding and then following the divine decisions. They can no longer blame Moses, they cannot yet pass the buck to their kings; they themselves have to learn to do what is right. The result is that we see the people’s failure, but also the faithfulness of God. It is a testament to the truth that where sin increases, grace abounds (Rom.5:20). [4]

s         Why were there judges?

s         What was the form of government among God’s people at that time?
What sort of government did He want?

Judges 1:1-10

s         After the death of Joshua, how did Israel determine who to fight against?
Was this any different from the method they used under Joshua?

Ñ        God the Judge speaks three times in this section, and each one expresses a sort of judgment. [5]

1.        A directive (1:2) – a military action

2.        An accusation (2:1-3) – a legal action

3.        A decree (2:20-22) – a royal action

s         Why do you suppose God gave Israel a land that already had people living in it?

-      The inhabitants were wicked and God wanted to remove them
(Gen.15:16; Lev.18:25; Deut.9:4-6; Deut.20:17-18)

s         Do you remember who claimed Hebron as his inheritance?

-      Caleb  (Joshua 14:12-15)

-      It was where the Anakim – the giants – lived (Num.13:33)

-      It was also where Abraham, Isaac, & Jacob were buried (Gen.13:18; 35:27)

Judges 1:11-15

s         Who was Othniel?
Remember his name, because he appears again later.

Ñ        Notice in this story about Othniel’s success that his obedience in attacking Debir is rewarded with a relationship – i.e., marriage to Caleb’s daughter. Indeed, this is what God offered to all of Israel: trust His direction and He will reward you with an everlasting relationship.

s         How successful were the Israelites so far?

s         Why do you think they were successful?

©         Who is responsible for your successes?

Judges 1:16-21

s         If the Lord was with Judah (v.19), why couldn’t they drive out the inhabitants of the valley?

-      Iron chariots

-      Compare Joshua 17:14-18. The sons of Joseph wanted more territory, but not that valley where the Canaanites had iron chariots! Joshua’s response was that the sons of Joseph shouldn’t be so squeamish.

Judges 1:22-36

s         How did the other tribes fare in their campaigns?

s         What contrasts do you see between the initial campaigns (1:1-21) and these later campaigns (1:22-36)?

Judges 2:1-5

s         Where did the angel of the Lord come from?
What was significant about Gilgal?

-      The Israelites were circumsized (Joshua 5:2-9)

-      They shared the Passover (Joshua 5:10)

-      Manna ceased (Joshua 5:12)

-      Joshua met the captain of God’s army (Joshua 5:13-15)

-      Gilgal was “holy ground” (Joshua 5:15)

s         What had God promised if the Israelites obeyed Him?

s         What had He promised if they did not obey Him?
See Numbers 33:55-56.

s         How had Israel disobeyed God?
Compare 2 Cor.6:14-18.

Judges 2:6-23

Ñ        This section begins with a flashback to Joshua and his generation that entered the promised land. It provides the background for the six cycles that appear in this book. Each cycle consists of four parts:

-      Sin                  “… the sons of Israel did what was evil in the sight of the Lord …”

-      Suffering        “ … the sons of Israel served [foreign ruler] …”

-      Supplication  “… the sons of Israel cried to the Lord …”

-      Salvation       “… the Lord raised up a deliverer …”

Ñ        The following table shows the six cycles: [6]

Click on the above table for a larger view

s         What might be some reasons that the next generation after Joshua did not know the Lord (2:10)?

s         What made the Lord angry (2:11-13)?

s         What did God do as a result of His anger?

(        “The gods have not changed, for human nature has not changed, and these are the gods that humanity regularly re-creates for itself. What does it want? If it is modest, security and comfort and reasonable enjoyment; if ambitious, power and wealth and unbridled self-indulgence. In every age there are forces at work which promise to meet our desires – political programmes, economic theories, philosophical movements, entertainment industries – all having one feature in common: they are big enough to do things for us that we cannot do for ourselves, yet at the same time amenable to our manipulating them so as to get from them what we want. … We put our money into this one, and vote for that one, and spend all our free time on the other one, expecting worldly benefits to be produced by human efforts.” [7]

s         What was the role of the “judges”?
If the people had been faithful to the Lord, would they have needed “judges”?

(        “The relationship of the people in every generation to their Creator has affected their conduct and their relationships to their fellowmen.” [8]

©         Who are some examples of people that we rely upon as “judges”?

Ñ        Notice which judges are given a prominent place in the believers’ “hall of fame” in Hebrews 11:32.  It is interesting that Barak is mentioned while Deborah is not.

s         Why did God allow the other nations to remain (2:21-23)?

-      Because Israel had forsaken the covenant

-      In order to test Israel’s faithfulness

©         Do you think that the Lord tests you in areas that you might be tempted to be unfaithful?

©         What are some “thorns” that God allows to remain in your life?
What should you do when you encounter these “thorns”?

ÿ          God wants to be our Deliverer and give us success.

ÿ          God doesn’t always remove the thorns from our path.

Judges 3:1-11

þ      Slide 2:  Map of the locations of the judges

s         Why did God allow the other nations to remain?

-      In order to teach war to Israel

-      In order to test Israel’s faithfulness

s         Why did Israel need to learn about war?

s         Why wasn’t the promised land a place of rest for them?
Compare the message of Judges with Hebrews 4 and Psalm 95.

©         Do we need conflict in our lives, too?

(           In the northeastern United States codfish are a big commercial business. Note the following facts: There is a market for eastern cod all over, especially in sections farthest removed from the northeast coastline. But the public demand posed a problem to the shippers. At first they froze the cod, then shipped them elsewhere, but the freeze took away much of the flavor. So they experimented with shipping them alive, in tanks of seawater, but that proved even worse. Not only was it more expensive, the cod still lost its flavor and, in addition, became soft and mushy. The texture was seriously affected.
   Finally, some creative person solved the problem in a most innovative manner. The codfish were placed in the tank of water along with their natural enemy--the catfish. From the time the cod left the East Coast until it arrived at its westernmost destination, those ornery catfish chased the cod all over the tank. And, you guessed it, when the cod arrived at the market, they were as fresh as when they were first caught. There was no loss of flavor nor was the texture affected. If anything, it was better than before.
   Each one of us is in a tank of particular and inescapable circumstances. It is painful enough to stay in the tank. But in addition to our situation, there are God-appointed "catfish" to bring sufficient tension that keeps us alive, alert, fresh and growing. It's all part of God's project to shape our character so we will be more like his Son. Understand why the catfish are in your tank. Understand they are part of God's method of producing character in your life and mine. [9]

– Charles Swindoll

s         What was the first nation to subjugate Israel?

þ      Slide 3:  Map of Othniel’s campaigns

Ñ        The description of the Lord’s anger (3:8) is very expressive: literally, “His nose became hot.” [10]

s         Why do you suppose that the Lord didn’t deliver Israel until they cried out to Him?

Judges 3:12-30

s         Who was next to subjugate Israel?

Ñ        Notice that Israel suffered more than defeat: they lost the “city of palms” (Jericho), which was the first city they had conquered in Canaan.

s         What do we know about Ehud?
Why is it noteworthy that he was left-handed?

-      Your enemy would keep an eye on your right hand in case you decided to attack him, so a left-handed person could deceive an opponent more easily.

-      Ironically, he was from the tribe of Benjamin, which means “son of the right hand.” In 20:16 we find a whole left-handed fighting force, so apparently Ehud wasn’t alone.

-      The phrase in 3:15 does not literally say he was left-handed; it states that Ehud had a “bound right hand,” perhaps referring to a physical handicap. [11]

Ñ        Here is the surprise in this story. Ehud could not use his right hand, so it was assumed that he could not use a weapon at all. This is why the Moabites (and possibly Israel as well, since they didn’t want to start a fight) did not consider him to be a risk. He was a fitting representative of a submissive, conquered people. [12]   And perhaps this is how Israel viewed God as well: since He didn’t act the way they wanted, it may have appeared that He could not act at all.  Ehud and God both had more ability than Israel expected.

Read 1 Cor.1:26-29.

s         What impact did their king’s death have on the Moabites?

s         What do these nations teach us about depending upon a king?

©         The Moabites had no direction when they lost Eglon.  Do you depend on anything so much that its loss would throw your life into disarray?
Can you allow God to be King in its place?

Judges 3:31

Ñ        Shamgar was a mighty man who slew 600 Philistines! All we know about him is from this verse and also 5:6-7.

s         What does 5:6-7 suggest about the conditions under which Shamgar was judge?

s         Shamgar’s name may not be Hebrew, since it is found several times in Mesopotamian writings. [13]   So that poses a question: Do you think God would use a Canaanite to serve His purposes in delivering Israel?
Do you think He ever uses non-Christians to perform His will?

ÿ          Our trials cause us to choose a master, and so they ought to draw us nearer to the Lord.

ÿ          God is a more reliable King than any person or thing that we might establish.

Judges 4:1-10

þ      Slide 2:  Map of the locations of the judges

Ñ        Deborah’s Hebrew name means “honeybee.” [14]

Ñ        Hazor had been previously destroyed by Joshua (Josh.11). Like Jericho (3:13), the Lord allows Hazor to once again become a threat to Israel.

s         Why do you suppose the “iron chariots” were such a problem for the Israelites (compare 1:19)?

(        “[This is] one of the major cultural turning-points of history, as the whole way of life of the Bronze Age yields to the superior technology of the Iron Age.” [15]

s         What was the message from the Lord that Deborah gave Barak?

s         Why did Barak insist that Deborah go to the battle (4:8)?

s         Does Barak’s request suggest that he is cowardly (evading responsibility) or faithful (trusting only in God’s words through His prophetess)?

s         Why do you suppose that Barak is mentioned in Heb.11:32 but Deborah is not?

-      Perhaps Barak’s faith is found in his insistence to have God’s presence (in Deborah the prophetess) nearby. In this way his response would be much like that of Moses (Exod.33:12-17). [16]

-      Perhaps Barak exhibits faith in his willingness to go to battle knowing that he will receive no credit for the victory.

s         Which tribes of Israel were involved in this campaign?

þ      Slide 4:  Map of the campaigns of Deborah & Barak

Judges 4:11-23

s         What does this story teach us about those who command armies?
Describe Sisera’s leadership.
Describe Deborah’s leadership.

©         Where (or from whom) do you get your directions each day?
How would each day be different if God were your Commander?

Ñ        Notice the similarities between the assassination of Eglon (3:15-25) and the assassination of Sisera.  Each was done in private, to an unsuspecting person, and by deception. [17]

Judges 5:1-11

The Song of Deborah and Barak

Praise for Commanders

s         List all those for whom Deborah is grateful.

-      God

-      The leaders in Israel

-      The people to volunteered to fight

s         How does Deborah describe the Lord going to battle?

s         What was the situation like before Deborah became a judge?

-      The people followed other gods

-      War pressed upon Israel’s own cities

-      But Israel wasn’t motivated to fight

-      Highways were deserted (no travel or commerce)

-      Villages were lifeless

Judges 5:12-23

Praise for Volunteers

s         Which tribes volunteered to help and which ones stayed away?

Ñ        Notice that the stars and the river Kishon are viewed as assisting Israel in the battle. Deborah understood the Lord to be calling upon heaven and earth to defeat the enemy.

©         Which battles does God want you to join, but you prefer to stay out of?

©         When have you been like Reuben and missed opportunities because of indecision?

Ñ        Some think that Meroz was a village 12 miles from Samaria.[18]  The inhabitants apparently refused the Lord’s call to help in the battle (5:23).

Judges 5:24-27

Blessings for Unexpected Help

s         Why is Jael blessed in this song?

Ñ        The blessing of Jael should be contrasted with the condemning of Meroz. Some who were expected to support Israel refused, and some (like Jael) who were expected to support the enemy did not.

Judges 5:28-31

Mourning for the Lord’s Enemies

s         What was the mother of Sisera (the Canaanite commander) thinking?

s         Who are the “Lord’s enemies” (5:31) in this song?

ÿ          God’s message to His people will always prevail over the forces that oppose Him.

ÿ          God leads an army of His followers.

Judges 6:1-10

Ñ        The Midianites were half-brothers to the Hebrews, since Midian was a son of Abraham by his last wife, Keturah (Gen.25:1-6). Moses lived among them for forty years and married the daughter of the priest of Midian. The boundaries of Midian are never clearly specified and their people seem to have wandered into many areas. [19]

s         Describe the way that the Midianites devastated Israel.

-      Drove them out of their homes

-      Attacked at sowing time (which prevented planting)

-      Ravaged the land  with their huge encampments

(        “It is no coincidence that innumerable Midianites are sent as a punishment for the rejection of innumerable mercies.” [20]

s         Why does God remind Israel who He is (6:8-10)?

Judges 6:11-24

Ñ        Under normal circumstances, it would have been ludicrous to thresh wheat in the closed shelter of a wine press (6:11). Threshing is usually done on a flat place where breezes can blow away the chaff, but Gideon needed to hide his harvest from the Midianites. [21]

s         What was Gideon’s complaint (6:13)?
Do we question God’s actions in this manner?

s         How did God answer Gideon’s complaint (6:14)?

©         What is your most recent complaint about the Lord’s “absence”?
Is He trying to send you into action to address the problem?

s         What was Gideon’s concern about being chosen as a leader (6:15)?

s         How did the angel of the Lord prove who he was (6:19-24)?

Ñ        Notice the significant parallels between Gideon and Moses: [22]

-      Misery of Israel                          Exodus 2:23           Judges 6:6

-      Conversation with the Lord     Exodus 3:10-12      Judges 6:11-22

-      Confirming sign                          Exodus 3:12           Judges 6:17

Judges 6:25-32

Delivering the City

s         Why do you suppose Gideon was first commanded to remove the altar to Baal in his own town (rather than going out and attacking the Midianites)?

-      To test his obedience

-      To exhibit his faith in the real God

-      To remove the obstacle that prevented God from helping the people

©         What would the Lord tell Gideon to destroy today?

What are some examples of “altars” where people devote themselves instead of pursuing a relationship with God?

s         What do you think Gideon was feeling as he destroyed the altar and the “asherah”?

Ñ        The people of the town were understandably upset, but notice that Gideon’s father, Joash, seems to be more rational about the situation. And Joash was the one responsible for the altar (6:25), so it is even more remarkable.

s         What is Joash’s wisdom concerning Baal’s defense?

©         Are there practices in the church that we would rather defend ourselves than allow God to handle?

Judges 6:33-40

Delivering the Nation

Ñ        Notice first that there appear to have been no further repercussions concerning Gideon’s previous actions. In fact, it seems to have established him as a credible leader!

Ñ        The phrase stating that “the Spirit of the Lord came upon Gideon” (6:34 NAS) literally explains, “the Spirit of the Lord clothed Himself with Gideon.”  Few metaphors better ft the “filling” of the servant of God for Spirit-inspired leadership than this one. [23]

s         Which tribes are involved in this confrontation?

þ      Slide 5:  Map of Gideon’s campaigns

s         Why do you suppose Gideon was so intent on getting confirmation from the Lord (with two tests rather than one)?

©         Do you ever ask the Lord to confirm His will for you?

What methods have you used?

How has the Lord answered?

Judges 7:1-8

s         Why did the Lord want fewer soldiers?

Ñ        Although we might like to understand how one’s method of drinking might exhibit one’s ability as a warrior, this would miss the point. The 300 are not intended to be an elite troop, but a group so inadequate that the victory will obviously be credited to God. [24]   Perhaps the greater lesson is found in the name of the place where the selection was made: “Harod Spring” could be literally translated “Trembling Spring” (7:1). [25]   Imagine being one of those chosen at the spring and watching while most of the strongest warriors were dismissed; certainly you wouldn’t be feeling like the odds were in your favor against an enemy that filled the valley below.

s         Can you think of examples in which the Lord has performed great deeds with small groups of people?

©         How can the Lord use a small group that you are part of (perhaps a church or a prayer group) to tackle a big assignment?

Judges 7:9-14

s         What was Gideon feeling after the Lord reduced the army to 300 men?
Would you have needed any less reassurance than he did?

Judges 7:15-23

s         What was Gideon feeling after hearing the about the dream?

s         Describe the method of attack used by Gideon’s army.
What weapons did they use?

-      Timed to take place at the change of the watch

-      Blew trumpets

-      Smashed pitchers

-      Held torches

-      Shouted

-      Stood in their places

-      The Midianites killed each other

-      The Midianites fled in fear

Judges 7:24 -8:3

s         What were the men from Ephraim so upset about (8:1)?

©         Can you think of times that we complain about the protocol instead of praising God for His actions?

s         How did Gideon handle this potential conflict?

©         How can you apply this model to resolve a conflict in your life?

Judges 8:4-21

s         Why did the people of Succoth refuse to help Gideon’s army?

-      It would have been hard to believe that such a small army had routed the innumerable Midianites

s         What were the consequences of their decision?

s         How should the people of Succoth have sought assurance that Gideon would be the victor?

Ñ        The story takes a startling twist in 8:18-19 as the Midianite kings are put to death. Gideon explains that Zebah and Zalmunna were responsible for the death of his brothers. Thus we see that Gideon’s ruthless determination was motivated (at least in part) by a personal vendetta! [26]   We must always be cautious about using God’s gifts for our own purposes.

ÿ          God uses the weaknesses of people to display his mighty strength.
Read 1 Cor.1:27; 2 Cor.12:10.

ÿ          God does great things with small groups of people.

ÿ          God drives out our fear, but may use fear to route His enemies.

Judges 8:22-35

s         Why did Israel want a ruler (8:22)?

s         Why do you suppose Gideon refused?
Couldn’t the Lord have ruled through Gideon?

s         Why do you think Gideon collected the gold and had an ephod made?

s         How was the ephod used?

©         Are there memories or results of God’s actions in your life that you’ve held onto a little too tightly?
How does God prefer to be remembered?

Judges 9:1-6

Ñ        Although the Shechemite people in this story belong neither to Israel nor to Israel’s enemies [27], the place had been important to God’s people for hundreds of years.  Abram built an altar to the Lord at Shechem, near the oak of Moreh, after the Lord promised him the land (Gen.12:6).  Shechem was one of the cities of refuge designated by Joshua (Josh.21:21).  It was the location of Joshua’s last speech to the people (Josh.24:1), and when they renewed their covenant with the Lord Joshua (Josh.24:24-27), “Joshua made a covenant with the people that day, and made for them a statute and an ordinance in Shechem. And Joshua wrote these words in the book of the law of God; and he took a large stone and set it up there under the oak that was by the sanctuary of the LORD. And Joshua said to all the people, "Behold, this stone shall be for a witness against us, for it has heard all the words of the LORD which He spoke to us; thus it shall be for a witness against you, lest you deny your God.”  By the time of this story in Judges, the “sanctuary” has now become (or has been superceded by) the House of the “Lord of the Covenant” (Baal-berith), emphasizing by its name that the true Lord had been replaced by the Canaanite deity.

s         How did Abimelech capitalize on his father’s fame?

-      Well-known among his relatives in Shechem

-      Perhaps assumed he was entitled to the offer to rule over Israel

-      His name means “my father is king.” [28]

s         Why did Abimelech kill his brothers?

Judges 9:7-21

s         In the parable spoken by Jotham to the people of Shechem, why didn’t the olive tree, the fig tree and the vine agree to be king?
What does this tell you about the reasons that Gideon and other his sons may have had for refusing the position?

Ñ        Notice that the point of this parable is not that it is bad to have a king, but that Abimielech is a bad choice. It does not emphasize the sensibility of the first three refusing to be king, but rather the consequences of choosing the “bramble” as king. [29]

s         How did the “bramble” respond to being asked to be king?

s         What was the list of “kingship criteria” that the people of Shechem seem to have had?

s         Do we sometimes select leaders in the same way that Shechem did?
If so, can you give an example?

s         In what manner did Jotham (Gideon’s youngest son) think that the people should have acted?  Hint: look in verses 16 and 19 for words that are repeated.

Ñ        The only other place in the Bible where the two words “truth and integrity” (NAS) or “good faith and honor” (NIV) are combined is in Joshua’s last speech (Josh.24:14) [30], which we referred to earlier. Joshua’s words were apparently on Jotham’s mind.

s         How do “truth and integrity” (NAS) or “good faith and honor” (NIV) affect our relationships with people?  with God?
What can we expect to be the result when truth and integrity are abandoned?

Judges 9:22-41

Ñ        God adds another character to the story, a spirit that stirs up the qualities that Abimelech and the people of Shechem began themselves. “Treachery” (9:23) is the breakdown of  truth and integrity. Since Abimelech and the leaders of Shechem created this situation by breaking faith with Gideon’s family, it is hardly surprising that they eventually broke faith with each other. [31]   Ironically, this “evil spirit” precipitates some events that lead to the punishment of evil people!

s         What kinds of schemes did the leaders of Shechem devise to overcome Abimelech?

-      Set up an ambush along the mountaintops

-      Took advantage of Gaal’s boast to have him fight against Abimelech

Judges 9:42-49

Ñ        Even wicked men can be good strategists. Abimelech caught the people of Shechem in the fields and prevented their escape back into the city.

Ñ        Notice how Abimelech consumes the leaders of Shechem with fire, just as Jotham stated in his parable (9:20).

(        “It takes only the first tear in the fabric of good faith fo rthe whole thing to begin unravelling.” [32]

Judges 9:50-57

Ñ        “Towers were part of the city walls built for defensive purposes (2 Chron 14:7; Neh 3:1). They were erected at the corners of the wall, beside the city gates, and at intervals along the walls (2 Chron 26:9). Watchmen secured the towers (2 Kings 9:17), and military machines which threw arrows and stones could be mounted on the massive structures (2 Chron 26:15).” [33]   The Hebrew word used in Judges 9:51 (“migdal”) may refer to a small fortress (as in Judges 8:8-9) or a “watchtower” – i.e., a fortified tower safeguarding a gate or wall of a city. [34]

©         Although we don’t erect towers for protection today, we still want safety from our enemies. So what do we rely upon instead of towers?

©         How is God like a tower of protection for us?
How can we rely upon Him as our “tower”?

©         In your spiritual battle with Satan, what are some “millstones” that you can throw on his head?

-      God’s Word

-      Obedience & faithfulness to the Lord

-      See Eph.6:10-18

s         What did everyone do after Abimelech died?

-      They all went home

-      There is no mention of any learning from this episode

Judges 10:1-5

Ñ        An entire generation (45 years) passes under the judgeship of Tola and Jair.

þ      Slide 2:  Map of the locations of the judges

Ñ        We are told that Tola arose after Abimelech and that he dwelt in Shamir. The first word means to “get up” and the second means to “sit down.” [35] He did not try to rise above his station (like Abimelech), but peacefully (and mercifully) presided as judge over Israel.

Ñ        Jair bore the signs of prosperity, indicating to us that the period under Tola and Jair was a time in which integrity and prosperity were somewhat restored. The Lord provides blessings to heal the wounds. He is “the gracious God who never allows ‘Abimelech’ to be the last word for His people.” [36]

ÿ          Our relationships are affected by the extent of our “truth and integrity.”

ÿ          God wants to be our King for our good; worldly leaders may only have their own interests in view.

Judges 10:6-18

s         Why did the people of Israel cry out to the Lord?

s         What was the Lord’s response (10:11-14)?

s         Do you think the Lord ever responds this way today?

s         What do you learn about God’s patience from this passage (10:16)?

Judges 11:1-3

s         What sort of character was Jephthah?

-      Valiant warrior

-      Ostracized by his own family

-      Lived among worthless (literally “empty”) comrades

(        “At times we will come across a man, such as Jephthah, whose life shows almost no evidence of spirituality, yet he, too, was moved by the Spirit to rescue the people of God.” [37]

Judges 11:4-11

s         List the similarities between the people’s plea to God (10:10-15) and their plea to Jephthah.

-      God and Jephthah both questioned the people’s sincerity

-      God and Jephthah both pointed out that the people had abandoned them

-      The people promised to give both God and Jephthah authority over them

s         What does this tell you about the character of the people?

Judges 11:12-28

þ      Slide 6:  Map of Jephthah’s campaigns

s         What was the reason that the Ammonites gave for attacking Israel (11:13)?

s         What was Jephthah’s explanation about who should possess the land?

1.        It wasn’t your land to begin with.
The Israelites had peacefully avoided Moab and Edom, but their request to the Amorites for passage was refused. So they conquered the Amorites.

2.        Your god has given you a place.
The Lord defeated the Amorites and gave that land to Israel. The Ammonite territory was presumably associated with Moab.

3.        Your predecessor didn’t try to take our land.
The mighty ruler of Moab (Balak) did not dispute Israel’s possession of
the land.

4.        It should have been pursued earlier than this.
All this happened 300 years earlier, so there should no longer be any dispute

Ñ        Notice that Judge Jephthah declares “the Lord, the Judge” as the one who decides for His people Israel. [38]

(        “The character given to Jephthah the moment he was introduced was ‘mighty warrior’, but as soon as he opens his mouth we see that he is notably good with words as well as with deeds.” [39]

Judges 11:29-40

s         What do you think about Jephthah’s vow?

-      Sincere?

-      Rash?

-      Seems to contradict the Law of Moses (Lev.18:21; 20:2-5; Deut.12:29-31)

(        “It is a trap for a man to dedicate something rashly and only later to consider his vow.”  – Proverbs 20:25 (NIV)

s         Does the Lord want us to make vows to Him?

©         Have you ever made a vow that you regretted?
Did you follow through with it?

s         We noted earlier some similarities between Jephthah and God.  Has God ever made a promise to sacrifice one of His children?

-      The victory that God won for us cost the life of His son Jesus

s         What sort of character was Jephthah’s daughter?

s         What was the purpose of her two months in the mountains?
How was it later commemorated by Israel?

Judges 12:1-7

s         What were the men from Ephraim so upset about (compare 8:1)?

©         Can you think of times that you were too jealous of someone’s success to offer any praise or encouragement?

s         How did Jephthah handle this conflict?
Compare his method with Gideon’s approach (8:2-3).

Ñ        Israel’s own sin and folly is leading towards a break-up of the twelve tribes. The real reason for the quarrel is tribal antagonism. The battle from which the Ephraimites ran away had been caused precisely by their taunting of the Gileadites as “runaways” (12:4-5). The password “sibboleth/shibboleth” traded on a difference in accent that had grown up between tribes, and the use of it deepened the rift. [40]

Judges 12:8-15

þ      Slide 2:  Map of the locations of the judges

Ñ        Another generation (6+7+10+8 = 31 years) passes under the judgeship of Jephthah, Ibzan, Elon, and Abdon.

These men are distinguished by the same marks of prosperity that we saw in the case of Jair (10:3-5), and in addition Ibzan arranges marriages for his children which will help to bind Israelite clans together. [41]

ÿ          God keeps His promises even when it hurts; and so did Jephthah.

ÿ          God sometimes uses the outcast to teach a lesson to his people.

Judges 13:1-7

s         This is the beginning of the 6^th and last cycle of suffering and deliverance. Do you notice anything different about this cycle from the others?

-      There is no “supplication” – no crying out to the Lord by the Israelites

-      Apparently the Lord chose to punish the Philistines without prompting by the people, even though they had served the Philistines for 40 years.

Ñ        The term “Nazirite” (nazir in Hebrew) comes from the verb nazar, “to separate,” and so denotes one who is separated from certain things and consecrated to God.  The origin of the custom is obscure and Numbers 6 assumes that it was already in existence.  The Nazirite vow consisted of consecrating one’s life to God for a fixed period (usually thirty days according to the Mishna). Yet some instances occur of children being dedicated by their parents before their birth to be Nazirites all their lives: e.g., Samson (Judges 13:5,12-14), Samuel (1 Samuel 1:11), and John the Baptist (Luke 1:15).  During the period of the vow, the Nazirite was to abstain from any product of the vine (i.e., grapes or wine), and from every kind of intoxicating drink. He was forbidden to cut his hair or to approach any dead body, even that of his nearest relative.  The vow of the apostle Paul seems also to have been a kind of Nazirite vow, in fulfillment of which he shaved his head at Cenchrea (Acts 18:18). [42]

Judges 13:8-25

s         Why did Manoah want the angelic messenger to return?
Did he get what he wanted?

s         When did Manoah and his wife realize that this messenger was an angel from the Lord (13:16,21)?

s         How did the angel respond to Manoah’s attempts to honor him?

Ñ        The angel could not give his name, because it was “wonderful” – literally “different” or “set apart”.[43]  Then, as if to provide some sort of answer, the angel performed “wonders” (same Hebrew word) in the flames of the offering.  The name given to the Messiah in Isaiah 9:6 has the same root as this angel’s name.

s         Do you see any similarities between Samson and Jesus?

Ñ        Samson’s name is derived from the Semitic term for “sun” (shemesh) with a diminutive ending (on): so his name means “little sun” or maybe “sunny-boy.”  Alternatively, Samson’s name may be connected with the nearby village of Beth-Shemesh, which was only two miles from Zorah, his birthplace. [44]

Judges 14:1-20

þ      Slide 7:  Map of Samson’s adventures

s         What sort of character was Samson?

Ñ        It may seem strange that the “hero” of the story is lustful, hot-headed, and fraternizing with Philistines, but he is only expressing what the attitude of the nation at large had become. [45]

s         What do you think about God using someone like Samson?

Ñ        Touching the carcass of the lion (14:9) was a violation of the Nazarite code, which may be the reason why Samson did not tell his parents where he found the honey. [46]

s         What sort of character was Samson’s new wife?

s         What do you think Samson meant by saying that the men had “plowed with [his] heifer” (14:18)?

Judges 15:1-8

s         Count the number of wrongs (e.g., spiteful or selfish actions) done by people against each other in this passage.

(        “He who sows wickedness reaps trouble, and the rod of his fury will be destroyed.”  – Proverbs 22:8 (NIV)

Ñ        Notice how the vengeance continues to escalate in this passage – even to the point that it is difficult to understand how it began.  And yet this was the Lord’s plan for overcoming the Philistines (14:4) by provoking a confrontation between them and Israel.

Judges 15:9-20

s         Why did the people of Judah view Samson as a liability rather than a deliverer?

s         Most of the other judges were honored by the people as head or chief over that region. Why doesn’t Samson receive that kind of respect?

s         Do the people appear to want a deliverer?

©         Have you ever noticed the Lord protecting or delivering you even when you had no desire or intention to be helped?

Ñ        Israel had gone so far in pursuing inter-relationships with the Philistines that they would rather be rid of Samson than rock the boat with the Philistines.  Even the Lord had to be “seeking an occasion” (14:4) against the Philistines in order to find a vessel He could use against them. In other words, Israel had totally sold out to the values of the Philistine world. Their ultimate rebellion was to renounce their separateness and make deliberate accommodations to the ways of the Philistines. They would rather bind and betray their savior than have him upset the balance of things (compare John 11:47-50). [47]

Ñ        The place where this event occurred was afterwards known as Ramath-Lehi, which means “Jawbone Hill.”  Samson’s victory here underscores the paradox of his life: he is acting out God’s retribution upon the Philistines while completely identifying with Israel’s adulterous attitudes. Samson is as clearly identified with Israel’s sin as with God’s salvation. [48]   The Lord seems to be using a caricature of Israel to punish the Philistines.

s         How long do you suppose it would take to kill 1000 men with a piece of bone?  Can you understand why Samson was thirsty afterward?

Judges 16:1-3

Ñ        The Philistines found out that Samson was in Gaza, and camped near the city gate. Obviously, they were expecting to ambush Samson as he exited the city. He surprised them by taking the entire gate, with the doors still barred shut, away with him. [49]

Judges 16:4-22

s         List some similarities between Delilah and the people of Israel.

-      Israel was more interested in personal gain than in righteousness

-      Israel wanted to control God’s activities

-      Israel questioned God’s love because He wouldn’t allow them to pursue their destructive ways

Ñ        When Delilah wove Samson’s hair together and “fastened it with the pin,” the phrase that the writer uses is the same as when Jael “drove the peg” through Sisera’s head (4:21).

s         Don’t you think that Samson could have recognized that Delilah wanted to help the Philistines capture him?

s         Why did the Lord leave Samson (16:20)?
Do you think that Samson really expected the Lord to leave him?

Judges 16:23-31

Ñ        Da'gon (da'gon; Heb. dagan, "corn," evidently a diminutive of dag, "fish"). An ancient Mesopotamian deity, Dagon is generally represented as having the body or trunk of a fish, with a human head and hands.  Dagon is associated with agriculture and is described as the father of the great god Baal. Dagon was revered among the early Phoenicians and was the national god of the Philistines, who set up temples in his honor at Ashdod, Gaza, and elsewhere. [50]

Click on the above images for a larger view

The 3^rd century Chaldean historian and priest, Berosus, explains the origin of Dagon as a creature who came to the Babylonians after the flood.  It was said that such creatures were part man, part fish, and that they were educators of the Babylonians. They were described as:

… sea monsters with the reason and speech of men, but with a fish’s head above a man’s head and a fish’s tail behind a man’s legs. The first of these beings, [Berosus] says, “appeared out of the Erythraean Sea where it borders on Babylonia,” and “taught the Babylonians to construct cities, to found temples, to compile laws, and explained to them the prinsiples of geometric knowledge.” [51]

After the first creature, second one appeared which Berosus called “a sea daemon.” Then a third one came:

… whose name was “Odacon,” which is equivalent to “O’Dagon” – “the Dagon” or “the Fish.” [52]

s         What kind of “entertainment” do you suppose the Philistines required of Samson?

s         Why did Samson want the strength to topple the temple (16:28)?

s         In what ways did Samson’s Nazirite vows play a role in the events and circumstances of his life?

Ñ        Much of the story about Samson concerns what the characters did not know. [53]  The meaning of this seems to be that no one understood or cared about what really mattered. Even Samson appears to have acted out the Lord’s will without recognizing it as such.

-      Samson’s parents didn’t know that Samson’s “misguided” affections were part of a divine plan (14:4).

-      Samson himself was not aware that his fraternizing with the Philistines was contrary to Israel’s identity as a nation.

-      Samson’s parents weren’t told about his killing the lion (14:6).

-      Samson’s parents weren’t told the source of the honey (14:9).

-      The Philistines don’t know the answer to the lion-and-honey riddle (14:14).

-      Samson was not aware that his wife was given to someone else (14:20-15:1).

-      The men of Judah didn’t know that Samson was their deliverer (15:9-13).

-      Neither the Philistines nor the Israelites knew Samson’s strength (15:14).

-      Delilah didn’t know the source of Samson’s strength (16:5-17).

-      Samson didn’t know that the Lord had left him (16:20).

-      The Philistines didn’t know which God had given Samson to them (16:23).

s         In what ways did Samson reflect God’s own attitude toward the Philistines?  Toward the Israelites?

Ñ        Samson was not the last judge. He would be followed by Eli the priest (1 Sam.1:9; 4:18) and then later by Samuel the prophet (1 Sam.3:20; 7:15).

Ñ        God raised up Samson to rescue Israel from their adulterous relationship with the Philistines, even though Israel did not want to be separated from the world around them. It was a job for the most expert Surgeon, because Israel was tightly entwined with the Philistine world. So the Lord sent a judge who would carry out heaven’s purposes without appearing to have a heavenly purpose.  Samson himself was a caricature of Israel as a whole, and he delivered Israel as one who completed shared her weaknesses. His careless relations with women are just an expression of Israel’s unholy relations with the Philistines.  In the end, he was rejected by both the Israelites and the Philistines, but he delivered God’s people by destroying the power of the world around them.  In this way Samson is more of an image of Christ than any of the other judges, because he identifies with both the Deliverer and the delivered.

ÿ          God helps His people even when they don’t want it.

Judges 17:1-6

Religious Surroundings

s         What do you think Micah was trying to accomplish by having a shrine, an ephod, some idols, and consecrating one of his sons as a priest?

s         Apparently it was important to Micah and his mother that they do the right thing. What did they consider to be “right” regarding the consecration of the money to the Lord?

-      18% of the total was actually given

-      An idol was made with the portion given

s         Do you think the statement in 17:6 is positive or negative?  Why?

s         What went wrong with God being their king?

s         What seems to be the impact in Israel of not having a king?

s         How might they have behaved if they had allowed God to be their king?

Judges 17:7-13

s         Why do you suppose the young Levite left his homeland?

©         Are there things that we gather or collect (like Micah) in order to feel more religious?

-      Physical items: building, pews, baptistry, stained glass

-      Servants: full-time minister, counselor(s)

-      Education: college degrees

Judges 18:1-13

Safe Surroundings

þ      Slide 9:  Map of the migration of Dan

s         What was the tribe of Dan looking for?

s         What was wrong with the inheritance which they had been given (see Joshua 19:40-48; also Judges 1:34)?

Ñ        The Danites had a territory assigned them as well as the other tribes. But they were the last of the tribes to whom, in the division of the land, an allotment was assigned. Dan should have expanded its territory, but instead they became cramped as the Philistines managed to overpower them and drive them back into the foothills of Judah and Ephraim. It was an extremely fertile and verdant region, but it was also the most exposed part of the country, open to invasions along the seacoast and on the plain of Sharon. Their retreat to the north created a military weakness by allowing the Philistines to control the central coastline, including the valuable port city of Joppa. [54] [55]

Judges 18:14-31

Ñ        Lest you feel too sympathetic for Micah, recall that he started by stealing from his own mother.  And the gods that he claimed to have made were paid for out of that money. [56]

s         Why did the Danites want the Levite to go with them?

-      It seemed proper from a religious perspective to have a Levitical priest

s         Why did Jonathan, the young Levite, go with the Danites?

Ñ        Notice that the characteristic of Laish that made it feel secure (18:7) was the very characteristic that made it easy to conquer (18:28).

s         What can you learn from the conquest of Laish about the strength of community and fellowship?

©         What are some ways that you feel secure in not needing help from anyone?  Is there a lesson for you from Laish?

Ñ        “The priesthood of Jonathan and his sons is said to have lasted until the day of the captivity of the land. On the basis of verse 31 the ‘captivity’ is interpreted by some as a reference to the exile of the ark from Shiloh (1 Sam 4:11). Others suggest that it refers to the deportation of the people of Northern Galilee by Tiglath-pileser (2 Kings 15:29).” [57]

ÿ          God rewards us with security when we trust His Lordship.

ÿ          Being right with God is more than surrounding ourselves with proper appearances.

Judges 19:1-9

Strange Hospitality

s         What had happened to the relationship between this young man and woman?

s         What do you think about the father-in-law’s hospitality?

Judges 19:10-21

s         Why did the young man want to go on to Gibeah rather than stop in Jebus (Jerusalem)?

-      It is ironic that he may have been safer among foreigners than in Gibeah

s         Why were they preparing to spend the night in the town square?

s         What do you think about the elderly man’s hospitality?
Why do you suppose he delayed their journey?

Judges 19:22-30

s         What did the men of the town want?

s         Why do you think the women were offered as a substitute (instead of refusing the demand altogether)?

Ñ        The only comparable passage in the whole Bible is the description of what led to the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah (Gen.19), but those were pagan cities – this one was Israelite. And as if the revelries alone weren’t incredible enough, they were apparently expected as part of the regular night-life of the town. [58]

s         Why did the Levite send body parts to the twelve tribes?

Judges 20:1-11

Strange Justice

Ñ        Notice that this conflict is not about the murder of the woman, because the Levite could have taken a more honorable (although personally hazardous) stand against the men of Gibeah. The issue here is that the man was disgraced by their actions and wanted vengeance.  He purposely left out certain details about the night in Gibeah in order to conceal his own contributions to the crime.

s         What kinds of events cause religious people to unite?

Ñ        It is sad that vengeance rather than worship is what brought all of the tribes of Israel together for the first time since Joshua was alive.  But in this tragic fashion, Judges 20 is the counterpoint to Judges 1 – the book begins and ends with a gathering of all Israel. [59]

s         Who decided what was to be done?

Judges 20:12-16

s         Why do you suppose Benjamin refused to give up the men of Gibeah?

Judges 20:17-48

s         Did God give Israel an easy victory?

s         Where did Israel consult God (20:26-28)?  Who was priest?

Ñ        “Bethel means ‘house of God’. The question of interpretation, here, concerns the location of the ‘house of God.’ Was it at Shiloh or at Bethel? From the days of Joshua to those of the priest Eli, the ark was located at Shiloh (Josh 18:10; 1 Sam 1:3).” [60]   “The expression ‘in those days’ implies that the ark of the covenant was only temporarily at Bethel, and therefore had been brought thither from the tabernacle at Shiloh during this war. [61]

Ñ        Since Phinehas was high priest, these events occurred within twenty years of the death of Joshua. [62]

s         One of the reasons that God left the other nations within Israel’s borders was to teach them war (3:2), but Israel has had many internal conflicts as well. What would you say they’ve learned about war (20:29-48)?

Judges 21:1-15

Strange Restitution

s         What was the dilemma that Israel faced after defeating Benjamin?

-      All the Benjamite women had been killed

-      The Israelites had vowed to not give their daughters to Benjamite men

-      Without families, the tribe of Benjamin would disappear

s         Why do you suppose that Israel didn’t want Benjamin to be entirely lost?

s         How did they decide to fix the problem?

-      Israel had vowed to destroy any group not represented in this campaign

-      But only those not represented would be free to give their daughters

-      Jabesh-gilead had not participated in the assembly

-      Therefore Jabesh-gilead would provide virgins (and all the rest destroyed)

Judges 21:16-25

s         Since the first solution was insufficient, what did Israel do to provide wives for the remaining Benjamites?

s         How did this plan relieve them of their oath?

-      They weren’t actually “giving” their daughters to the Benjamites

-      They were essentially giving someone else’s daughters, not theirs

Ñ        “The Feast was probably the Passover, or one of the three great Jewish Feasts. In these unsettled times men went up to Shiloh (Seilun) only once a year (1 Sam 1:3) instead of thrice; only the males kept the Feasts, and therefore the virgins of Shiloh would naturally be the only maidens present, and the public festival would be a likely occasion for their festive dances. It is, however, possible that some particular feast unique to Shiloh is meant, like the yearly sacrifice of David's family in Bethlehem (1 Sam 20:29).” [63]

s         What do you think about the decisions made by the people of Israel?

s         Did Israel follow the Lord’s will in all of these events?

s         What kinds of responsibility should have been exercised by the people when “every man did what was right in his own eyes”?

-      To seek true authority for decisions

-      To seek the good of others

s         What should it mean to “do right in your own eyes”?

ÿ          The Lord provides guidance, but we must choose who will decide for us.

s         Which of the judges (or other decision-makers) would you prefer to have as your leader?

-      Deborah               Understood authority

-      Gideon                 Overcame fear to exhibit courage

-      Jephthah              Followed through on difficult promises

-      Samson                Instigated a conflict between Israel and the world

-      Various tribes

s         What role(s) did God want to be in?

s         Did Israel respect God’s role(s)?

s         What do people do when they get in trouble?

-      Cry out to the Lord for help

-      Attempt to fix it themselves – usually by avenging the wrong

s         What does the Lord reveal about His character in the way He responds?

-      Patient, longsuffering

-      Holy, righteous

s         Each judge seems to reflect something of God’s own character:

-      Othniel                 Savior

-      Ehud                     Surprise, working in unexpected ways

-      Deborah/Barak   Submissive to the great Commander

-      Gideon                 Strength in weakness

-      Jephthah              Steadfast in keeping his word

-      Samson                Separation from the world

s         In what ways did God choose weakness to exhibit His strength?

-      Ehud                     Handicapped right hand

-      Deborah               Perceptions of women’s abilities

-      Gideon                 His own fear; only 300 soldiers

-      Jephthah              Outcast

-      Samson                Lustfulness

Ñ        The Book of Judges reveals how easily people stray from the Lord, but also how faithful the Lord is to rescue any who will call upon Him.

It is a trustworthy statement:

For if we died with Him, we shall also live with Him;

If we endure, we shall also reign with Him;

If we deny Him, He also will deny us;

If we are faithless, He remains faithful; for He cannot deny Himself.

2 Tim 2:11-13  (NAS)