International Sunday School Lessons Exposition and Practical Applications By R. A. T orrey Outlines and Suggestive Points By T. C. H orton
A Brief Introduction to the Book of Judges By JOHN H. HUNTER
J EWISH tradition ascribes the writing of the book of Judges to Samuel, who was the last of the judges. It was evi dently written after the monarchy was es tablished, for the sad condition of Israel is said to be due to the fact that “in those days there was no king in Israel” (Judges 21:25) ; this sad condition is adduced as an explanation of why Israel came to have a king. But it must have been written in the early period of the monarchy, before Its failure also became a matter of history. With that failure before him, no man could have written of the period of the Judges as did the writer. Indeed, there is no good reason for not believing that Judges was written during the reign of Saul, or during the early part of David’s reign before Ab salom’s rebellion. And in that period no more probable writer can be suggested than Samuel. Period of History Recorded From the death of Joshua to the deatn of Samson/ The number of years cannot be reckoned with certainty. The book itself contains no definite statement. Purpose of the Book To show the sad political and religious condition of Israel after the death of Joshua and the elders when a state of anarchy pre vailed, and to show what led to the setting up of the monarchy (21:25). Going deeper, the book shows the failure of the chosen people—their intermarriage with the heathen (3:5); their forsaking Jehovah, and worshiping other gods (2:12, 19, 3:7, etc.). Plan of the Book Chapter 1 gives a brief recapitulation of
the wars of the tribes against the inhabit ants of their assigned territories, recording their failure to “utterly drive them out” (1:28). Chapter 2 gives an account of the deca dent condition of the people, and the rea sons for it, the general statement covering the whole period of the history related—a pre-view, in fact. Chapters 3 to 16, inclusive, give the his tories of thirteen of the fifteen judges; the histories of the last two, Eli and Samuel, are recorded in First Samuel. Chapters 17 to 21 give an account of two incidents—Micah and his images (inci dentally recounting the migration of a part of the tribe of Dan. cf. Joshua 18:47), and the Levite and his concubine (incidentally explaining the smallness of the tribe of Benjamin). These two incidents are not related in their proper place in the history, for they occurred early in the period, per haps during the forty years of “rest” that followed Othniel’s “deliverance” (see ch. 3:8-11). They are related to show the an archy, the idolatry, and the licentiousness that were prevalent, though not universal. Recurring Cycle of Events It is instructive to note as .we study the book the recurrence of the following inci dents; 1. Apostacy (see 2:11-13) ; 2. Servitude (see 2:14); 3. Distress (2:15; 4. Prayer (see 3:9, 15); 5. Deliverance (see 2:16); 6. Rest (see 3:11, 30). Remember that these “judges” were mili tary heroes rather than legal officials, and that the circle of power or district under their control was limited.
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