A Study of Judges

[RETIREDFAN1]

Judges 1

By: Jim Crews

 

Judges 1: 1 - 7

After the death of Joshua, the people went to God to seek leadership. God chose the tribe of Judah to lead them, and they followed Judah into battle, continuing to fight against the Canaanites. 

 

Judges 1: 8 - 10

They captured Jerusalem and put it to the sword. Following this, they captured Hebron and defeated the Canaanites in that area. 

 

Judges 1: 11 - 15

They followed that up by going against the city of Debir. Caleb promised his daughter Achsah  to whoever took Debir. His younger brother captured it, and Achsah was given to him. She asked him to ask Caleb for a field. Caleb gave her the upper and lower springs of water since her land was in the Negeb. 

 

Judges 1: 16 - 21

The descendants of Jethro settled with the Israelites. They captured the lands of the Philistines, but could not drive them out because they had iron chariots. Hebron was given to Caleb as Moses had promised. Caleb drove out the sons of Anak from that area. The people of Benjamin did not drive out the Jebusites who lived in Jerusalem. 

 

Judges 1: 22 - 26

The tribe of Joseph took over Bethel. They asked a man for the way in, in exchange for protecting him. He showed them, and they put the city to the sword, but spared that man and his family. That man went to the land of the Hittites and built another city. 

 

Judges 1: 27 - 28

The tribe of Manasseh did not drive out all the inhabitants of their land. They put them to forced labor when Israel became strong. 

 

Judges 1: 29 - 33

The Israelites did not finish the job. They did not drive out all the Canaanites as God had commanded them to do. They chose to put them to forced labor. This came back to haunt them eventually. They should have obeyed God. 

 

Judges 1: 34 - 36

The Amorites kept the tribe of Dan in the hill country because the Danites couldn’t defeat them. However, they made the Amorites do forced labor. 

 

[RETIREDFAN1]

Judges 2

By: Jim Crews

 

Judges 2: 1 - 5

The Angel of the Lord walked among the people and saw that they had not done as God had told them. They had not broken down the idols and altars of the Canaanites. They had also made treaties with them. The Angel told them that since they had not obeyed, He would not drive their enemies out, and their gods would be a snare to the Israelites. The people heard this and wept. The offered a sacrifice to God there. 

 

Judges 2: 6 - 10

Joshua dismissed the people and they went to their inheritance. The people served God all the days that Joshua was alive, and all the days that the elders who were with Joshua were alive. Joshua died at the age of 110. He was buried in the hill country of Ephraim. After his death, a new generation arose that did not know God. This is the parents fault for not teaching them. 

 

Judges 2: 11 - 15

This new generation began to worship baal. They abandoned God and went after false gods. This angered God greatly, and He gave them over to plunderers and slavers. They could no longer withstand their enemies because God was not with them. 

 

Judges 2: 16 - 23

God then raised up judges, who helped them get out of the hand of the plunderers and slavers. Soon they stopped listening to the judges and whored themselves to false gods. Whenever God raised up a judge, they were good. When the judge died, they fell away once again. Since they were not faithful, God did not drive out their enemies, but left them to test Israel and see if they would turn back to Him. 

 

[RETIREDFAN1]

Judges 3

By: Jim Crews

 

Judges 3: 1 - 6

Here are the nations listed for us that God left in Canaan in order to test Israel. The Philistines, the Canaanites, the Sidonians, and the Hivites. They were left to test Israel to see whether they would obey God or not. The Israelites intermingled with these people and began worshiping their idols. 

 

Judges 3: 7 - 11

Israel’s idolatry angered God, and He allowed them to be conquered by the Mesopotamians. They served them for 8 years. The people then cried out to God, and God sent them Othniel as a deliverer. He led Israel to war against the Mesopotamians and they won their freedom. There was peace in the land for 40 years until the death of Othniel. 

 

Judges 3: 12 - 14

They fell to idolatry once again, and God gave them to Eglon, king of Moab. The Ammonites and Amalekites also fought and defeated Israel during this time. Israel served Eglon for 18 years. 

 

Judges 3: 15 - 23

The people cried out to God again, and He sent them Ehud, a left-handed Benjamite, to deliver them. Ehud carried Israel’s tribute to Eglon. He made himself a double bladed short sword and hid it on his thigh. Eglon, we are told, was a very fat man. Ehud took the tribute into Eglon and told him he had a secret message for him. Eglon was alone, and Ehud delivered the message from God. He assassinated Eglon there with his sword. 

 

Judges 3: 24 - 25

Eglon’s servants came back and saw the doors closed and locked. They thought Eglon was relieving himself, and waited for a while. They were embarrassed by how long it was taking, so they opened the doors and found Eglon dead. 

 

Judges 3: 26 - 30

Ehud escaped while they had delayed. He organized Israel for an attack against Moab. He told them that God had delivered Moab into their hands. They defeated Moab, and had peace for 80 years. 

 

Judges 3: 31

After Ehud, Shamgar son of Anath served as judge. He killed 600 Philistines with an oxgoad and delivered Israel. 

 

[RETIREDFAN1]

Judges 4

By: Jim Crews

 

Judges 4: 1 - 3

Israel did evil once again after Ehud had died. God gave them to Jaban, king of Canaan. His army was commanded by Sisera. He had 900 iron chariots and oppressed Israel for 20 years. The people cried out to God for deliverance. 

 

Judges 4: 4 - 10

Deborah was a prophet, married to Lappidoth, and Israel’s judge at that time. She used to sit under a palm tree in the hill country of Ephraim and judge cases that the people brought to her. She told Barak that God willed for him to take 10000 men from the tribes of Naphtali and Zebulun to fight Sisera. God would draw Sisera out to fight at the Kishon River, and would be given into the hands of Israel. Barak said he would go as long as Deborah went with him. She went with him, and they led 10000 men to the Kishon. 

 

Judges 4: 11

Heber, a descendant of Moses’ father-in-law, had left his kin and moved to this land near Kadesh. This will become important to us later in our study of this chapter. 

 

Judges 4: 12 - 16

Sisera heard Israel had an army gathered. He called out his troops to meet them. Deborah and Barak rallied their troops with the news that God would fight for them on this day. They routed Sisera and his 900 iron chariots. Sisera escaped on foot, but his entire army was destroyed. Not a man was left alive. 

 

Judges 4: 17 - 22

Sisera fled the battle on foot, and ended up in the tent of Jael. Jael was the wife of Heber, who we read about earlier. Jael tricked Sisera into her tent, eased his mind by giving him some milk and covering him with a rug to supposedly hide him from the Israelites. However, she took a tent peg and drove it through his temple while he was asleep. She then went out to bring Barak in to show him that Sisera was dead. 

 

Judges 4: 23 - 24

That day God subdued Jaban, king of Canaan, before Israel. The Israelites pressed the battle against Jaban until he had been completely destroyed. 

 

[RETIREDFAN1]

 

Judges 5

By: Jim Crews

 

Judges 5: 1

Deborah and Barak sang a song on that day following their victory. 

 

Judges 5: 2 

They blessed God for giving them leadership in the day of trouble. 

 

Judges 5: 3

They wanted the kings around them to hear that they were singing and making melody to God. 

 

Judges 5: 4 - 9

They sang of the glory of God, as He went out before Israel and destroyed their enemies. 

 

Judges 5: 10 - 18

They sang about how God had chosen Deborah to lead them, and about how the tribes of Israel rallied to do as God commanded them. 

 

Judges 5: 19 - 22

They sang about how God had won the battle for them. 

 

Judges 5: 23

Merzon was cursed because they did not rise up to aid Israel. 

 

Judges 5: 24 - 27

They sang of how Jael killed Sisera to end the war. 

 

Judges 5: 28 - 30

They sang of how the mother of Sisera mourned at losing her son. 

 

Judges 5: 31

They asked that the enemies of God perish, but the allies of God be blessed. 

 

[RETIREDFAN1]

Judges 6

By: Jim Crews

 

Judges 6: 1 - 6

Israel fell away from God once again, and He gave them to the Midianites. Midian overpowered Israel and the people fled into the hills. Whenever Israel planted crops the Midianites and the Amalekites would come take them, leaving nothing for the Israelites. Israel was brought low and cried out to God once again. 

 

Judges 6: 7 - 10

God sent a prophet to Israel. God had the prophet remind the people of how He had brought them out of Egypt and commanded them not to worship idols. He reminded them of how they had disobeyed God on this. 

 

Judges 6: 11 - 18

The Angel of the Lord appeared to Gideon and told him that the Lord was with him. Gideon asked that if the Lord was with them, why had they been treated as they had by the Midianites. The Lord told Gideon that He had chosen him to save Israel from Midian. Gideon asked how he could do this, since his clan was the weakest clan and he was least in his father’s house. Gideon wanted a sign that this truly is God.  

 

Judges 6: 19-24

Gideon prepared a young goat and some unleavened cakes. He brought them out to the Angel of the Lord, Who told him to put them on a rock and pour broth on them. The Angel of the Lord then touched them with His staff and they caught fire. Gideon knew then that it was the Lord who was speaking to him. He built an altar there. 

 

Judges 6: 25 - 27

That night Gideon pulled down the altar of baal, as the Angel of the Lord had told him to do. He also cut down the asherah beside it. He built an altar to God on the site. Gideon was told to offer the second bull he had brought as a burnt offering, using the wood of the asherah. Gideon took ten men and did this at night, because he was afraid of his family and the townspeople. 

 

Judges 6: 28 - 32

The townspeople got up the next morning and saw that this had happened. They asked who had done it. They were told that Gideon had done it, so they told Joash his father to bring Gideon out to be killed. Joash asked them if they had to fight baal’s battles for him, or couldn’t baal fight them for himself IF he was a god? 

 

Judges 6: 33 - 35

The Midianites, Amalekites, and the other people from the east crossed Jordan and camped at Jezreel. Gideon sent throughout the tribes for volunteers to fight. 

 

Judges 6: 36 - 40

Gideon again wanted a sign. He set a fleece out and asked God to put dew on the fleece but not on the ground if He had chosen Gideon to save Israel. God did this. Gideon was a doubter evidently, because he asked God for one more sign. He asked God to put dew on the ground but leave the fleece dry for the next morning. God did this.

[RETIREDFAN1]

Judges 7

By: Jim Crews

 

Judges 7: 1

Gideon and his troops camped south of the Midianites. 

 

Judges 7: 2 - 3

There were 32,000 there. God told Gideon this was too many. They may become prideful and think they had won the victory on their own, not giving God the credit. God told him to send everyone home who was afraid. 22,000 left. This left Gideon with 10,000 men. 

 

Judges 7: 4 - 8

God told Gideon this was still too many, because they may think they won the battle on their own. He told him to test the rest at the water. Some took a drink by bowing down and drinking directly from the water. Some took a drink by cupping the water in their hands. 300 men cupped their hands, and God told Gideon to take these. The rest were sent home. 

 

Judges 7: 9 - 14

That same night God told Gideon to take the enemy. God had given them to Israel. He told Gideon to take his servant to spy on them first, if he was afraid. He did this. He saw the huge armies of the Midianites and the Amalekites. 

 

He also heard one telling about a dream he had. The dream showed that God had given them to Israel. 

 

Judges 7: 15 - 18

Gideon worshipped God when he heard the dream and its interpretation. He returned to the camp and told them to arise because God had given them their enemies. He divided the 300 into three companies and gave each a trumpet and empty jars with torches inside. When they came to the camp of their enemy, they were to follow Gideon’s lead. They would blow on the trumpets and shout, “for the LORD and for Gideon”. 

 

Judges 7: 19 - 23

They did this, and the armies of their enemies fled. They thought that Israel had many more people than they did. Israel pursued them. 

 

Judges 7: 24 - 25

Gideon sent messengers to tell the Israelites in the lands they were running through to come out and take them. They did.

[RETIREDFAN1]

Judges 8

By: Jim Crews

 

Judges 8: 1 - 3

The men of Ephraim were angry because Gideon didn’t ask for their aid in this battle. Gideon placated them with kind words. A great example of a soft answer turning away wrath. 

Proverbs 15: 1

 

Judges 8: 4 - 9

Gideon and his 300 men were exhausted, but still pursued the Midianites across the Jordan. Gideon asked for food from the cities of Succoth and Penuel. They would not give him any. He vowed to return and destroy them after he had finished with the Midianites and Amalekites. 

 

Judges 8: 10 - 12

Gideon and his 300 had killed 120,000 of the Midianites and Amalekites. They had only 15,000 troops left. Gideon attacked this army and defeated them, capturing their two kings. 

 

Judges 8: 13 - 17

Gideon then returned and settled matters with Succoth and Penuel. 

 

Judges 8: 18 - 21

Gideon told a young man to kill the two kings. He would not because he was afraid. Gideon then killed the two kings who had fought against him and Israel. 

 

Judges 8: 22 - 28

Israel wanted Gideon to rule over them. Gideon told them God would rule over them, not him. Gideon requested the earrings from the spoils of war. This turned out to be 1700 shekels of gold. Gideon used these to make an ephod and put it in the city of Ophrah. Israel worshipped the ephod as an idol, and it became a snare for Gideon and his family. Midian didn’t trouble Israel anymore, and the land had peace for 40 years. 

 

Judges 8: 29 - 32

Gideon had 70 sons and many wives. He died and was buried in the tomb of his father. 

 

Judges 8: 33 - 35

As soon as Gideon died, the people began worshipping baal again. 

 

[RETIREDFAN1]

Judges 9

By: Jim Crews

 

Judges 9: 1 - 2

Gideon’s son, Abimelech, went to his mother’s family and conspired with them to become the single ruler of Israel. This would be against all of his other brothers. 

 

Judges 9: 3 - 6

Abimelech’s mother’s relatives gave him 70 pieces of silver. He used this to hire some rabble to go with him and kill all of his brothers. The youngest, Jotham, escaped and hid away. The people then proclaimed Abimelech to be king.

 

Judges 9: 7 - 15

Jotham stood on Mt. Gerizim and spoke a parable to the people of Shechem. This parable had various trees going out and looking for a king. The olive tree, the fig tree, and the vine refused to become kings because they had good things going for them already. They asked the bramble to reign over them. The bramble responded that if they were truly, in good faith, seeking someone to rule over them, it would. 

 

Judges 9: 16 - 21

Jotham then brought the meaning of the parable home to the men of Shechem. He asked them had they, in good faith, gone along with Abimelech’s scheme to kill all of Gideon’s sons and take over as king? Did they really want to repay the goodness that Gideon had done for them with betrayal of his family? If so, then they should rejoice. If not, then let them devour one another. He then fled to Beer in exile. 

 

Judges 9: 22 - 25

Abimelech ruled over Israel for 3 years. God sent an evil spirit between Abimelech and the leaders of Shechem, who dealt treacherously with Abimelech. This was God’s vengeance against both parties for having murdered Gideon’s children. The men of Shechem put troops in the mountains in ambush against Abimelech. These men robbed all the travellers who passed that way. 

 

Judges 9: 26 - 29

Gaal moved into Shechem. The leaders of Shechem built him up with confidence so that he began to speak out against Abimelech. Gaal told them to make him their leader and he would raise an army to confront Abimelech. 

 

Judges 9: 30 - 33

Zebul, the ruler of the city and an ally of Abimelech, heard Gaal and sent to let Abimelech know of the rising rebellion. He told Abimelech how to use his troops to set an ambush to take the city and end the rebellion. 

 

Judges 9: 34 - 41

Abimelech did as Zebul had counselled him and Gaal was defeated by Zebul and chased out of the city. 

 

Judges 9: 42 - 45

Abimelech then ambushed the people coming out of Shechem who had joined with Gaal in his rebellion. He captured the city, burned it down, and salted the ground.

 

Judges 9: 46 - 49

The leaders of Shechem who had conspired to start the rebellion, hid in a stronghold. Abimelech had his people to burn down the stronghold with them in it. 

 

Judges 9: 50 - 57

In Thebez, Abimelech tried the same tactic. However, a woman dropped a millstone on his head, crushing his skull. He called on one of his troops to kill him, so that people couldn’t say he had been killed by a woman. 

 

When Israel saw he was dead, they all returned to their homes. This is how God avenged the house of Gideon against Abimelech and the men of Shechem. 

 

[RETIREDFAN1]

Judges 10

By: Jim Crews

 

Judges 10: 1 - 2

After Abimelech, Tola rose as judge. He judged Israel for 23 years. We aren’t told anything else about Tola, except that he was buried at Shamir. 

 

Judges 10: 3 - 5

After Tola, Jair became judge. He judged Israel for 22 years. He had 30 sons who rode on 30 donkeys and controlled 30 cities. Jair died and was buried at Kamon. 

 

Judges 10: 6 - 9

After 45 years of the two good judges above, Israel fell away once again. They began to worship the idols that were worshipped by all the nations around them. God allowed the Philistines and the Ammonites to take over Israel. This lasted for 18 years. 

 

Judges 10: 10 - 16

The people then cried out to God, confessed their sins, and asked for God’s forgiveness. God reminded them of every other time this had happened, and how they continued to fall to the idolatry of the nations around them. He told them that He would save them no more. He told them to ask the idols they served to save them. 

 

The people then confessed once again and showed repentance by putting away the idols. God saw this and turned from His anger. 

 

Judges 10 17 - 18

The Ammonites brought an army against Israel as the Israelites had arisen in numbers to fight. The people of Israel then looked for a leader. As we’ll see next chapter, that leader was Jephthah. 

[RETIREDFAN1]

Judges 11

By: Jim Crews

 

Judges 11: 1 - 3

Jephthah was a mighty warrior, though he was the son of a prostitute. His father was Gilead. Gilead’s wife also had sons, who drove Jephthah out since he was the son of another woman. He fled to the land of Tob, where worthless fellows hung out with him and he with them. 

 

Judges 11: 4 - 11

The Ammonites began to war against Israel. The elders of Gilead sought out Jephthah to lead them against the Ammonites, but he reminded them that they had thrown him out. They told him they needed him to lead them against the Ammonites and to be their head. He told them that if he did this, he would definitely be their head. The elders vowed that this would be the case. 

 

Judges 11: 12 - 17

Jephthah sent to the Ammonites and asked why they were bringing war to Israel. The Ammonites said it was because Israel had taken their land when they came out of Egypt. If they would restore the Ammonite land to them, there would be peace. Jephthah then began recounting to the Ammonite king the journey of Israel from Egypt. 

 

Judges 11: 18 - 28

Jephthah continues with his dissertation on the wilderness wanderings of the Israelites on their journey from Egypt to Canaan. He tells how none of the kings would allow Israel to pass through their lands, so God gave Israel the lands of those people. The Ammonites were no different. God had given Israel this land and it would be Him who would decide the winner of the conflict between the Ammonites and Israel. The king of the Ammonites did not listen. 

 

Judges 11: 29 - 33

The Holy Spirit was with Jephthah. Jephthah vowed that if God gave them victory over the Ammonites, he would offer the first thing he saw on his return as a burnt offering. Now remember from our study of Leviticus how these offerings were presented, so you won’t get any misconceptions later on, like the atheists and other nonbelievers do at this point. Israel defeated the Ammonites. 

 

Judges 11: 34 - 40

The first thing Jephthah saw when he returned was his only daughter. This would have been his first born child. He rent his clothes as soon as he saw her. Remember that first born sons were to be offered to God as a sacrifice, but were redeemed by an animal sacrifice.

 The logical inference here is that Jephthah’s daughter was probably given to the Levites as a servant, since God does not condone human sacrifice. We can see this is more than likely the case because of how she spent the two months before being sent to God. 

[RETIREDFAN1]

Judges 12

By: Jim Crews

 

Judges 12: 1 - 6

The men of Ephraim came to burn down Jephthah’s house because he didn’t ask them for help in the battle against the Ammonites. Jephthah told the Ephraimites that he didn’t think he could depend on them to help, so he took the battle to the Ammonites himself. The Gileadites defeated the Ephraimites and captured the fords of the Jordan. 

 

Judges 12: 7 - 10

Now we come to three judges who we don’t learn very much about. The first is Ibzan. Ibzan judged after Jephthah. He had 30 sons and 30 daughters. He gave the daughters in marriage and welcomed 30 daughters-in-law when his sons married. He judged Israel for seven years. He was buried in Bethlehem. 

 

Judges 12: 11 - 12

Elon then judged Israel for 10 years. He died and was buried at Aijalon in the lands of Zebulun. 

 

Judges 12: 12 - 15

Abdon then judged Israel. He had 40 sons and 30 grandsons who rode on 70 donkeys. He judged Israel for 8 years. He died and was buried at Pirathon in the hill country of the Amalekites. 

[RETIREDFAN1]

Judges 13

By: Jim Crews

 

Judges 13: 1

Israel fell into idolatry once again. God gave them to the Philistines for 40 years. 

 

Judges 13: 2 - 7

Manoa was of the tribe of Dan. His wife was barren and they had no children. The Angel of the Lord appeared and told her she was going to have a son. She was to drink no wine, no strong drink, nor was she to eat anything unclean. The son was to be a Nazrite, which meant he couldn’t cut his hair. He would lead Israel from the Philistines. She told her husband about this. 

 

Judges 13: 8 - 14

Manoa then prayed to God. He asked God to let the man come again and teach them what they were to do with the child. God sent the Angel back when the woman was sitting in the field. Manoa was not there. She ran to get Manoa, who spoke with the Angel. Manoa asked what they should do when the child was conceived. The Angel told them to obey what He had told them exactly. 

 

Judges 13: 15 - 20

Manoa asked the Angel to stay while he prepared a goat. The Angel told Manoa He would not eat his food, but instead he should offer a burnt offering to God. Manoa asked the Angel His name. The Angel asked why he wanted to know, since he could see that it was Wonderful. Manoa offered the sacrifice to God, and the Angel of the Lord ascended in the flames. This is one of the preincarnate appearances of the Son, as we’ll see in the next few verses. 

 

Judges 13: 21 - 25

The Angel did not appear to them anymore. Manoa knew that he was the Angel of the Lord, and was worried that they would die since they had seen God. This shows that when the Angel of the Lord is mentioned in the Old Testament, He is the Son. Remember, we never see the term “the Angel of the Lord” ever again after the birth of Christ. His wife told him that if the Lord had intended to kill them, He would not have accepted their burnt offering or announced to them that they would have a son who would free Israel from the Philistines. She soon bore a son, and they named him Samson. Samson grew and the Lord blessed him. The Holy Spirit began to stir him Mahaneh-dan, between Zorah and Eshtaol. 

 

[RETIREDFAN1]

Judges 14

By: Jim Crews

 

Judges 14: 1 - 3

Samson saw the daughter of a Philistine in Timnah. He told his parents to get her for him for his wife. They asked him what was wrong with Israelite girls? Samson said she was right in his eyes. 

 

Judges 14: 4 

Samson’s parents did not know that this was arranged by God, who was seeking opportunity for Israel against the Philistines. The Philistines had ruled over Israel. 

 

Judges 14: 5 - 7

Samson and his parents went to the vineyards of Timnah. A young lion came toward him roaring. Samson tore the lion to pieces with his bare hands with the help of the Holy Spirit. He did not tell his parents about this incident. He then went down to talk to the woman. 

 

Judges 14: 8 - 9

Samson went back to take her a few days later. He saw the corpse of the lion with bees making honey in it. He scraped some out and ate as he went. He also gave some to his parents. He did not tell them where it had come from. 

 

Judges 14: 10 - 14

His father went down to the woman and they prepared a feast there. As soon as the people saw him they brought 30 companions for the feast. Samson made a wager with them. If he could give a riddle that they couldn’t solve, they would give him 30 linen garments and 30 changes of clothes. If they did guess it, he would give them the same thing. They had seven days to figure it out. He told them his riddle. They had not figured it out after three days. 

 

Judges 14: 15 - 18

On the fourth day they threatened Samson’s wife’s family if she didn’t get them the answer to the riddle. She got Samson to tell her, and she told the young men. They provided Samson with the answer on the seventh day. He told them if they hadn’t forced his wife to get the answer, they would never have figured it out. 

 

Judges 14: 19 - 20

The Holy Spirit came on Samson and he beat 30 men in Ashkelon and gave their garments to the men who had won the wager. He left the Philistine woman and went back to his parents' house. She was given to the best man at his wedding feast. 

[RETIREDFAN1]

Judges 15

By: Jim Crews

 

Judges 15: 1 - 8

Some days later, Samson went down to take his wife a young goat. Her father wouldn’t allow him to go into her chambers. He told Samson that he thought Samson utterly hated the woman after she had tricked him in the riddle. He offered her younger sister to Samson. Samson said he would be innocent in what he was about to do to the Philistines. He caught 300 foxes and tied them tail to tail by twos and put a torch between their tails. He lit the torches and set the foxes into the grain fields and grain storage of the Philistines. They asked who had burned their grain, and were told that Samson had done it because the Timnite had given his wife to another man. The Philistines burned the man and his daughter. Samson then avenged them and said he was done with this incident. 

 

Judges 15: 9 - 13

The Philistines raided Lehi. When asked why, they told the men of Lehi that they were looking to capture Samson. 3000 of the men of Judah went to Samson and confronted him for angering their Philistine masters. Samson told them he did to them as they did to him. He allowed the men of Judah to bind him and give him to the Philistines. 

 

Judges 15: 14 - 17

When he was given to the Philistines, the Holy Spirit came upon him and the ropes broke. He took the jawbone of a donkey and killed 1000 of them. He made a celebratory statement about the matter, and threw the jawbone away. 

 

Judges 15: 18 - 20

Samson was thirsty and asked God to provide him with water. God did so. Samson judged Israel for 20 years. 

 

[RETIREDFAN1]

Judges 16

By: Jim Crews

 

Judges 16: 1 - 3

Samson went to Gaza and went into a prostitute. The Philistines heard he was there and set in wait to kill him. They set an ambush for him at the gate of the city. Samson left at midnight. He pulled the gate out of the ground, bar and all, and carried it to the top of the hill in front of Hebron. 

 

Judges 16: 4 - 6

After this, he fell in love with Delilah. The lords of the Philistines came to her and told her to seduce Samson and find out the source of his strength. If she did this, each of them would give her 1100 pieces of silver. So she asked Samson to tell her the source of his strength. 

 

Judges 16: 7 - 9

Samson told her that if her were bound with seven fresh bowstrings that had never been dried, he would lose his strength. The Philistines brought her seven fresh, undried bowstrings and she tied Samson up with them. She yelled that the Philistines were there, and Samson tore the bowstrings like they were nothing. The secret of his strength remained unknown. 

 

Judges 16: 10 - 12

Delilah then accused Samson of mocking her by lying to her. She asked him again to tell her the secret to his strength. Samson told her that if he was tied with new ropes that had never been used, then he would lose his strength. Delilah took new, unused ropes and tied Samson up. She told him the Philistines had come for him. Samson snapped the ropes off his arms like they were thread.

 

Judges 16: 13 - 14

Delilah then accused Samson of mocking and lying to her once again. So Samson told her that if the locks of his hair were woven with the web and fastened with a pin, that he would become as weak as everyone else. While he slept, she wove his hair and fastened it. She then said the Philistines were there, and like every other time, Samson escaped because he had not lost his strength. 

 

Judges 16: 15 - 17

She then asked him how he could say he loved her if he was always lying to her. This became a daily routine until Samson finally gave in and told her that if his head were shaved, he would lose his strength. 

 

Judges 16: 18 - 22

She told the Philistines she had found his secret this time. She had him sleep with his head on her lap and she shaved his head. When she cried out that the Philistines had arrived, Samson thought he would do what he had always done, but God had left him. He was captured and his eyes were put out by the Philistines. He was taken down to Gaza in shackles and ground at the meal in prison. His hair began to grow back. 

 

Judges 16: 23 - 27

The Philistines had gathered to offer sacrifice to their idol Dagon, claiming that he had given Samson to them. When they were drunk, they called for Samson to be brought out to entertain them. They made him stand between the pillars on which the house rested. Samson asked the young man who held him by the had to put his hands on the pillars of the house. We are told there were 3000 men and women in the house. 

 

Judges 16: 28 - 31

Samson prayed to God, asking Him to remember him and to give him strength just one more time. God did, and Samson was able to bring the house down on the Philistines. He killed more of them at his death than he had killed while he was living. His family buried him in the tomb of Manoa, his father. He had judged Israel for 20 years. 

 

[RETIREDFAN1]

Judges 17

By: Jim Crews

 

Judges 17: 1 - 6

Micah was from the hill country of Ephraim. His mother had spoken a curse about 1100 pieces of silver that had been taken from her. Micah told her that he had the silver. She spoke a blessing on him when he returned the silver to her. She dedicated the silver to the Lord, but had an image cast from it, in direct violation of the commandment against images. This image was placed in Micah’s house, where he made a shrine. He also made an ephod and household gods, and made his son a priest. In those days there was no king in Israel, and they did as they pleased. 

 

Judges 17: 7 - 13

There was a young Levite from Bethlehem of Judah who sojourned there. He came to Micah’s house and was asked from where he had travelled. He told them he was a Levite from Bethlehem, travelling to find his place in the world. Micah asked him to stay and be his priest. He would pay the man 10 pieces of silver per year, new clothes, and his living. The Levite accepted this offer and became as one of Micah’s sons. Micah ordained the young man, and believed that God would be with him because he now had a Levite as priest. 

[RETIREDFAN1]

Judges 18

By: Jim Crews

 

Judges 18: 1 - 6

There was no king in Israel in those days. Some men from Dan had set out to find an inheritance. As of then, Dan had not taken their inheritance completely. When they came to the Hill Country of Ephraim, they recognized the young Levite who was at Micah’s house. They asked about his presence there. He told them that he was Micah’s hired priest. They asked him to ask God about their journey and he told them that God was watching over them. 

 

Judges 18: 7 - 10

They came to Laish and found a quiet, unsuspecting people dwelling there. These people lacked nothing and were very wealthy. The Danites reported back to their brethren about this. They told their brethren they need to rise up against these people and take this place for themselves. 

 

Judges 18: 11 - 13

600 armed men went from there toward Laish. They passed through Ephraim and came to the house of Micah. 

 

Judges 18: 14 - 20

As they approached, the 5 spies told their brethren that there was an ephod and household idols in Micah’s house. They told them to consider this and consider what they would do. 

They turned and came to the house of the young Levite who worked for Micah and asked about his welfare. Then the 600 went to the gate of Micah’s house, fully armed for war. They invaded Micah’s house and stole the ephod and the household idols. They also persuaded the young Levite to go with them and be their priest. 

 

Judges 18: 21-26

They had not gone far when a group of men from Micah’s house overtook them. Micah challenged the group verbally, but when he saw that they were more powerful than his group, he withdrew back to his house. 

 

Judges 18: 27 - 30

The people of Dan were able to conquer the city of Laish. They burned the city with fire, and there was no help for the people of Laish because they had not made treaties with anyone, but kept to themselves. They rebuilt the city and renamed it Dan. They set up idols in Dan. Moses grandson Jonathan and his descendants served as priests in Dan. The idols remained for as long as the Tabernacle was in Shiloh. 

[RETIREDFAN1]

Judges 19

By: Jim Crews

 

Judges 19: 1 - 9

In the days when there was no king, a Levite took his concubine with him to the hill country of Ephraim. She turned out to be unfaithful, and left him. She went to her father’s house in Bethlehem and was there for four months. Her husband went to bring her back, taking gifts. Her father received him gladly. He made the Levite stay with him for three days. On the fourth day, he got up early and prepared to leave, but his father-in-law persuaded him to stay. The same thing happened on the fifth day. 

 

Judges 19: 10 - 15

The Levite would not stay this time. He took his wife and possessions to Jerusalem. His servant wanted to stay in Jerusalem, but the Levite would not, because Jerusalem was in possession of the Jebusites. He was going to go on to Gibeah or possibly Ramah. The sun set when they were near Gibeah, so they went and sat in the open square, because no one would take them in. 

 

Judges 19: 16 - 21

An old man saw them and asked them where they were heading. They told him. They were heading to the Tabernacle, but no one would take them in for the night in Gibeah. 

He told the old man that they had their own provisions. All they needed was a place to sleep for the night. The old man brought them into his house so that they wouldn’t have to stay on the square. 

 

Judges 19: 22-26

As they were eating and drinking, the worthless men of the city surrounded the house and banged on the door. This is eerily similar to what happened in Sodom with Lot. They told the man to bring the strangers out so they could sexually abuse them. The man knew what they had planned and begged them not to do this thing. He offered his virgin daughter and the Levite’s concubine to them, to do with as they pleased, if only they would leave the stranger alone. They took the concubine and abused her all night. They let her go at dawn, and she went back to the old man’s house. 

 

Judges 19: 27-30

The concubine evidently died due to the abuse of these worthless men. The Levite found her the next morning and cut her into 12 pieces and sent one to each part of Israel. All who saw it were appalled. 

[RETIREDFAN1]

Judges 20

By: Jim Crews

 

Judges 20: 1- 7

The people assembled to discuss the deed which had been done by the old man from the tribe of Benjamin. There were 400,000 gathered. The people of Benjamin were evidently not invited. The Levite told what had happened, how they had violated his concubine and how they had meant to kill him. He admitted to cutting her into pieces and sending them throughout Israel. He did this to highlight the abomination and the outrage that Benjamin had committed. 

 

Judges 20: 8 - 11

The men decided to draw lots and form an army to go against Gibeah. 

 

Judges 20: 12 - 17

They sent messengers to Benjamin, demanding that the men of Gibeah be surrendered to them for their crimes. The Benjaminites would not listen. Instead, they formed an army and came out to battle the rest of Israel. Benjamin had 26,000 men. Seven-hundred of them were left handed and never missed with a stone throw. Israel had 400,000 men. 

 

Judges 20: 18 

The people of Israel went to Bethel and asked God which tribe should be the lead tribe. God told them Judah. 

 

Judges 20: 19 - 23

Israel went to fight Gibeah. The Benjaminites killed 22,000 of the Israelites that day. The Israelites cried to God until evening and asked Him if they should go against them again. God told them to go up against them. 

 

Judges 20: 24 - 28

On the second day, Israel lost 18,000 more men. They went to Bethel and wept. They fasted and offered burnt offerings. They were able to ask God whether they should go against them again the next day or not, because the Ark of the Covenant was there with Phineas as High Priest. God told them that He would give the men of Gibeah to them the next day. 

 

Judges 20: 29 - 36

Israel set a trap. They made the Benjaminites think they were being routed again, so the Benjaminites pursued them. However, Israel had a force laid by in reserve for an ambush. Israel destroyed them, killing 25,100 men of Benjamin. The men gave ground because they trusted their ambush to work. What follows is a greater detail of the battle. 

 

Judges 20: 37 - 48

The men in ambush destroyed the city of Gibeah. When the men of Israel saw the smoke, they turned and began fighting the Benjaminites for real. The Benjaminites were overconfident. They then looked and saw smoke coming from Gibeah. They turned to run and were soundly defeated by Israel. 

[RETIREDFAN1]

Judges 21

By: Jim Crews

 

Judges 21: 1 - 7

The men of Israel decided that they would not give any of their daughters to the tribe of Benjamin for marriage. The people went to Bethel and wept before God. They asked God how this could have happened and were saddened by one tribe being outcast. The next day they built an altar and offered burnt offerings and peace offerings. They asked who was not at their assembly when they had gathered. They had sworn to kill who hadn’t shown up. They also had compassion for Benjamin and asked what they would do for the widows of those who they had killed. 

 

Judges 21: 8 - 12

They found that Jabesh-Gilead had not shown up. They sent 12,000 of their bravest to go against Jabesh-Gilead and destroy them. They were to kill every male and every female who was not a virgin. They found 400 virgins and saved them. They brought them to the camp in Shiloh. 

 

Judges 21: 13 - 15

They sent word to the Benjaminites and declared peace. Benjamin returned to them and they gave them the 400 virgins from Jabesh-Gilead. They were not enough, and the people had compassion on Benjamin. 

Judges 21: 16 - 24

The elders were perplexed as to what to do about providing wives for the Benjaminites, since they had so rashly sworn to never give them their daughters. They did not want a whole tribe to vanish in the future. They told the Benjaminites to set an ambush at the yearly feast of the Lord at Shiloh. If the daughters of Shiloh came out to dance, they were to take their wives from among them and carry them to their own lands. They said they’d take care of any complaints from the men of Shiloh. They did this, and they all returned to their own tribal lands. 

 

Judges 21: 25

There was no king in Israel in those days, and everyone did what they believed to be right.