Judges, Book of - Biblical Meaning of Judges, Book of in Eastons Bible Dictionary (Bible History Online)

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May 24 Scripture

Easton's Bible Dictionary

A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z

Judges, Book of
        is so called because it contains the history of the deliverance
        and government of Israel by the men who bore the title of the
        "judges." The book of Ruth originally formed part of this book,
        but about A.D. 450 it was separated from it and placed in the
        Hebrew scriptures immediately after the Song of Solomon.
        The book contains, (1.) An introduction (1-3:6), connecting it
        with the previous narrative in Joshua, as a "link in the chain
        of books." (2.) The history of the thirteen judges (3:7-16:31)
        in the following order:
         FIRST PERIOD (3:7-ch. 5)
         Years
         I. Servitude under Chushan-rishathaim of
         Mesopotamia 8
         1. OTHNIEL delivers Israel, rest 40
         II. Servitude under Eglon of Moab:
         Ammon, Amalek 18
         2. EHUD'S deliverance, rest 80
         3. SHAMGAR Unknown.
         III. Servitude under Jabin of Hazor in
         Canaan 20
         4. DEBORAH and,
         5. BARAK 40
         (206)
         SECOND PERIOD (6-10:5)
         IV. Servitude under Midian, Amalek, and
         children of the east 7
         6. GIDEON 40
         ABIMELECH, Gideon's son, reigns as
         king over Israel 3
         7. TOLA 23
         8. JAIR 22
         (95)
         THIRD PERIOD (10:6-ch. 12)
         V. Servitude under Ammonites with the
         Philistines 18
         9. JEPHTHAH 6
         10. IBZAN 7
         11. ELON 10
         12. ABDON 8
         (49)
         FOURTH PERIOD (13-16)
         VI. Seritude under Philistines 40
         13. SAMSON 20
         (60)
         In all 410
        Samson's exploits probably synchronize with the period
        immediately preceding the national repentance and reformation
        under Samuel (1 Sam. 7:2-6).
        After Samson came Eli, who was both high priest and judge. He
        directed the civil and religious affairs of the people for forty
        years, at the close of which the Philistines again invaded the
        land and oppressed it for twenty years. Samuel was raised up to
        deliver the people from this oppression, and he judged Israel
        for some twelve years, when the direction of affairs fell into
        the hands of Saul, who was anointed king. If Eli and Samuel are
        included, there were then fifteen judges. But the chronology of
        this whole period is uncertain.
        (3.) The historic section of the book is followed by an
        appendix (17-21), which has no formal connection with that which
        goes before. It records (a) the conquest (17, 18) of Laish by a
        portion of the tribe of Dan; and (b) the almost total extinction
        of the tribe of Benjamin by the other tribes, in consequence of
        their assisting the men of Gibeah (19-21). This section properly
        belongs to the period only a few years after the death of
        Joshua. It shows the religious and moral degeneracy of the
        people.
        The author of this book was most probably Samuel. The internal
        evidence both of the first sixteen chapters and of the appendix
        warrants this conclusion. It was probably composed during Saul's
        reign, or at the very beginning of David's. The words in
        18:30,31, imply that it was written after the taking of the ark
        by the Philistines, and after it was set up at Nob (1 Sam. 21).
        In David's reign the ark was at Gibeon (1 Chr. 16:39)

Bibliography Information
Easton, Matthew George. M.A., D.D., "Biblical Meaning for 'Judges, Book of' Eastons Bible Dictionary".
bible-history.com - Eastons; 1897.

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