The Period of the Judges

ISRAEL: THE TIME OF THE JUDGES

JOSHUA

1406-1375 BC

Led Israel into the Promised Land.
Oversaw the conquest of Canaan (e.g., Jericho, Ai).

Joshua 1-24

OTHNIEL

1375-1335 BC

Delivered Israel from King Cushan-Rishathaim of Mesopotamia.
Brought 40 years of peace.

Judges 3:7-11

EHUD

1316-1237 BC

Assassinated Eglon, the Moabite king.
Secured 80 years of peace after defeating the Moabites.

Judges 3:12-30

SHAMGAR

c. 1237 BC

Defeated 600 Philistines with an ox goad, protecting Israel.

Judges 3:31

DEBORAH

1237 - 1197 BC

Deborah, a prophetess and judge, led Israel for 40 years
Inspired Barak to defeat Sisera's army.

Judges 4:1 - 5:31

GIDEON (Jerubbaal)

1197 - 1157 BC

Delivered Israel from the Midianites with only 300 men.
Refused kingship, emphasizing God's rule over Israel.

Judges 6:1 - 8:35

ABIMELECH

1157 - 1154 BC

Gideon's son, declared himself king through treachery.
Caused a civil war.
Died during the siege of Thebez when a woman dropped a millstone on his head.

Judges 9:1-57

TOLA

1154-1134 BC

Judges Israel for 23 years

Judges 10:1-2

JAIR

1134 - 1112 BC

Judged Israel for 22 years.
Had 30 sons who rode 30 donkeys and controlled 30 towns in Gilead.

Judges 10:3-5

JEPHTHAH

1112 - 1106 BC

Defeated the Ammonites but made a tragic vow involving his daughter.

Judges 11:1 - 12:7

IBZAN

1106 - 1099 BC

Judged Israel for 7 years.
Known for his many children and political marriages.

Judges 12:8-10

ELON

1099 - 1089 BC

Judged Israel for 10 years.

Judges 12:11-12

ABDON

1089 - 1081 BC

Judged Israel for 8 years.
Had 40 sons and 30 grandsons who rode 70 donkeys.

Judges 12:13-15

SAMSON

1081 - 1061 BC

Known for his supernatural strength.
Delivered Israel from the Philistines on numerous occasions.
Tricked into revealing the secret of his strength by his Philistine wife Delilah, captured, had his eyes gouged out, set to grinding grain in prison.
Died in a Philistine temple by pulling it down on him and thousands of Philistines.
Mentioned in Hebrews 11 as one of the heroes of the faith.

Judges 13:1 - 16:31

SAMUEL

1080 - 1010 BC

Last of the Judges, first of the prophets
His life overlapped with the last years of Samson.
Served as judge, priest, and prophet.
Transitioned Israel to monarchy by anointing Saul and David as kings.
Reformed Israel's spiritual life.

1 Samuel 1-16

THREE EVENTS

±1375 - 1050 BC

The events in the last 5 chapters of Judges cannot be dated with certainty, recounting a series of events that illustrate the spiritual and moral decline of Israel . These chapters serve as an appendix to the main narrative, focusing on individual stories that highlight the chaos resulting from Israel's lack of centralized leadership, often summarized by the phrase: "In those days, there was no king in Israel; everyone did what was right in his own eyes" (see Judges 21:25).

(Judges 17-21)

The Story of Micah and the Danite Migration:

Date unknown

A man named Micah from the hill country of Ephraim steals 1,100 pieces of silver from his mother but later confesses and returns it. His mother dedicates part of the silver to create an idol, and Micah establishes a private shrine, complete with an ephod and household gods.
Micah hires a wandering Levite to serve as his personal priest, violating Israelite religious norms.

The tribe of Dan, struggling to settle their allotted land, sends spies to find a new home. The spies discover Micah's shrine and consult the Levite priest, who gives them a favorable oracle. Encouraged, the Danites send an army to conquer the city of Laish, a peaceful and prosperous community.
On their way, they steal Micah's idols and convince the Levite to become their priest. The Danites destroy Laish, rebuild it as their city, and set up Micah's idol, establishing a legacy of idolatry.

Judges 17-18

The Crime at Gibeah and Civil War:

Date unknown

A Levite and his concubine travel through the tribal territory of Benjamin and stay in Gibeah. During the night, men of the city demand to abuse the Levite, but the concubine is sent out instead. She is brutally assaulted and dies.

In the morning, the Levite cuts her body into twelve pieces and sends them to the tribes of Israel as a call to action.

The tribes of Israel unite in outrage and demand justice from the Benjaminites, but the tribe refuses to surrender the perpetrators.
A civil war erupts, pitting the eleven tribes against Benjamin. After initial losses, Israel defeats Benjamin, killing thousands and nearly annihilating the tribe. Only 600 Benjaminites survive, fleeing to the wilderness.

Judges 19-20

The Preservation of Benjamin:

Date Unknown

The Israelites regret their near-extermination of the tribe of Benjamin and seek to preserve it. To provide wives for the surviving Benjaminites, they attack Jabesh-Gilead, killing its inhabitants except for young women, who are given to Benjamin.

Additional wives are obtained by allowing the Benjaminites to abduct women during a festival at Shiloh.

Judges 21