Announcements• Papers – begin preliminary research now• Exams back Wednesday (Lord willing)• Continue to take advantage of review sessions

• Psalm 18:47 (Hebrew)• HAI ADONAI UVARUKH TZURI

(2X)• Lives The LORD and blessed (is) my Rock•• VEYARUM ELOHEI YESHU’ATI (2X)• And may He be exalted the God of My salvation

Review Questions

• What is the Deuteronomic History?• What are the implications of the term

herem?• Why is it important to recognize that the

conquest recorded in Joshua did not result in an immediate occupation?

• What did the people promise at the end of the book of Joshua?

The Major Judges

What Questions Do These Narratives Raise?

The “Second Generation” ProblemJudges 2:10-19

• Apostasy - idolatry• Oppression• Repentance• Deliverance• Repetition

• This is the primary message of the book. It uses incidents from Israel’s early history in the land to teach an important lesson. Judges does not necessarily present a chronological history.

Geo-political circumstances

• No major international enemies – Egyptians and Hittites battled each other but that did not affect Israel

• Oppression from neighboring (Moab, Philistia) and nomadic (Amalekites, Midianites) peoples

• Tribal unity basically self-contained; no central rule

The geo-political context

Messages of the book

• Disobedience of the people brought punishment from the Lord – a recurring theme of the DH (“Israel did evil in the eyes of the Lord”)

• Set the stage for the establishment of the kingship (DH – focus on the tribe of Judah)

• Emphasis on the sovereignty of God – who used flawed individuals often in spite of themselves

Major Judges (Hebr 11:32,33)

• Deborah and Barak• Gideon• Jephthah• Samson

• There are two additional “major” judges (Othniel and Ehud) and six minor ones – twelve altogether.

• Note the prominence of women in the book.

Deborah and Barak

• Note locations of Deborah and Barak

• Hazor• Mt. Tabor• Kishon Brook• Tribes of Naphtali and

Zebulon

Deborah and Barak (Judges 4-5)

• Israel’s apostasy• Jabin, king of Hazor, and his general, Sisera• Deliverers were Deborah and Barak

– Deborah was a prophet and judge – authority– Barak suffered from lack of courage

• Courage of Jael• The battle in the Jezreel Valley• Victory celebrated in poetry

Gideon

• Tribe of Manasseh• Midianites,

Amalekites and other eastern peoples

• Gaza• Spring of Harod• Mt. Moreh

Wine Press

Gideon (Judges 6-8)• Israel’s apostasy• Oppressors were Midianites, Amalekites, other

eastern peoples• Deliverer was Gideon

– Visit of the angel of the LORD– The sign(s) and his need for encouragement

• Victory – but tainted by tensions between “east and west”

• Gideon’s weaknesses • The aftermath – Abimelekh and Jotham

Jephthah

• Philistines• Ammonites

Jephthah

Jephthah (Judges 10:6-12:13)

• Severe apostasy of Israel• Oppressors – Philistines and Ammonites• Deliverer was Jephthah

– His identity and “call”– His rash vow

• The victory• The aftermath

– The vow fulfilled– Intertribal warfare

Samson

• Tribe of Dan• Philistines• Timnah, Zorah,

Eshtaol• Ashkelon• Gaza

Samson (Judges 13-16)

• Apostasy and oppression from the Philistines

• The deliverer – A Nazirite (cf Num 6) who did not take the

vow seriously– Samson’ weaknesses (Philistine women; his

spirit of vengeance)• A series of victories in spite of character

flaws