What Is the Book of Judges All About? (Judges 1-3)

A Few Thoughts to Consider

How should Christians read and interpret the Book of Judges?

After Joshua’s death, God continues his pattern of being a covenantal God, and the Israelites continue their pattern of being a rebellious people. While the Book of Judges was written anonymously, Christian tradition often points to Samuel as the author.

The Book of Judges recounts a turbulent period in ancient Israel's history, characterized by cycles of apostasy, oppression, deliverance, and temporary peace. Following Joshua's leadership, Israel entered Canaan but struggled to maintain fidelity to God, leading to moral decline. Throughout the book, various judges arise as charismatic leaders appointed by God to deliver Israel from oppressors, such as the Canaanites and the Philistines.

These judges included figures like Deborah, Gideon, and Samson, each with unique strengths and weaknesses. However, Israel's penchant for disobedience persists, highlighting the recurring theme of moral and spiritual deterioration. Daniel Block offers this telling summary of Judges when he writes:

In spite of the Israelites’ consciousness of ethnic and religious unity, the nation seemed determined to destroy itself. Having failed to deal decisively with the Canaanites at the beginning of the settlement period, her men hesitated to assume leadership even when it was thrust upon them. At the tribal level individual tribes and clans hesitated to get involved in national crises (5:17; 21:9). On the other hand, if they were not asked to participate, jealousy tended to precipitate self-destructive responses.⁷⁰ When strong leadership did emerge, it patterned itself after the worst aspects of Canaanite city-state despotism, was preoccupied with personal advantage (11:8–11, Jephthah), or treated power as a private plaything, provoking the ire of the nation’s enemies and alienating the ruler’s countrymen (14:10–15:16, Samson). Israel’s drive to self-destruct reached its climax (or nadir) at the end of the book, when the holy war that should have been waged against the Canaanites was directed at one of their own tribes.^[1]

In Judges, we see some variation of the phrase “The Israelites did what was evil in the Lord’s sight” appear seven times. The first of these appearances is in Judges 2:11-13: “¹¹ The Israelites did what was evil in the Lord’s sight. They worshiped the Baals ¹² and abandoned the Lord, the God of their ancestors, who had brought them out of Egypt. They followed other gods from the surrounding peoples and bowed down to them. They angered the Lord, ¹³ for they abandoned him and worshiped Baal and the Ashtoreths.” As a result, Judges 2:16-19 says,

¹⁶ The Lord raised up judges, who saved them from the power of their marauders, ¹⁷ but they did not listen to their judges. Instead, they prostituted themselves with other gods, bowing down to them. They quickly turned from the way of their ancestors, who had walked in obedience to the Lord’s commands. They did not do as their ancestors did. ¹⁸ Whenever the Lord raised up a judge for the Israelites, the Lord was with him and saved the people from the power of their enemies while the judge was still alive. The Lord was moved to pity whenever they groaned because of those who were oppressing and afflicting them. ¹⁹ Whenever the judge died, the Israelites would act even more corruptly than their ancestors, following other gods to serve them and bow in worship to them. They did not turn from their evil practices or their obstinate ways.

As Daniel Block writes, “The Book of Judges presents the picture of a nation called the people of Yahweh but seemingly determined to negate that appellation if not destroy itself. But the Lord will not let this happen. He has chosen them to be his agents of light and life to the world; he has rescued them from Egypt; he has entered into an eternal covenant with them; and he has delivered the land of Canaan into their hands as an eternal possession.”^[2]

Thankfully, this is the God we serve today. 

A Meditation to PRAY

Praise | Lord, you have woven redemption through the tapestry of human failings. I praise you for your enduring patience and unfathomable mercy. You offer deliverance and hope even when we stray. 

Release | I release the patterns in my life that echo the cycles of the Israelites — turning from your ways and suffering the pain of my choices. I give you my stubborn will and the idols I have placed before you.