I. Introduction: Israel’s Failure After Joshua (Judges 1-3:6)

1. Incomplete Conquest of Canaan (Judges 1)
   • Israel fails to fully drive out the Canaanites
   • Each tribe’s partial conquest and disobedience in allowing the Canaanites to remain
2. The Angel of the Lord’s Rebuke (Judges 2:1-5)
   • The Angel of the Lord rebukes Israel for making covenants with the Canaanites and warns of future consequences
   • Israel weeps and sacrifices to God
3. Cycle of Sin and Deliverance (Judges 2:6-3:6)
   • Israel’s unfaithfulness after Joshua’s death
   • Pattern of sin: Israel turns to idolatry, is oppressed by enemies, cries out to God, and God raises judges to deliver them
   • Nations left in Canaan to test Israel’s faithfulness

II. The Major Judges and Their Deliverance (Judges 3:7-16:31)

1. Othniel (Judges 3:7-11)
   • Israel’s oppression by Cushan-Rishathaim (Mesopotamia)
   • Othniel, the first judge, delivers Israel; the land has peace for 40 years
2. Ehud (Judges 3:12-30)
   • Oppression by Eglon, king of Moab
   • Ehud, the left-handed judge, assassinates Eglon and leads Israel to victory
   • 80 years of peace
3. Shamgar (Judges 3:31)
   • Shamgar kills 600 Philistines with an ox goad, delivering Israel
4. Deborah and Barak (Judges 4-5)
   • Oppression by Jabin, king of Canaan, and his commander Sisera
   • Deborah, a prophetess and judge, leads alongside Barak
   • Victory over Sisera, who is killed by Jael
   • Song of Deborah celebrates the victory; 40 years of peace
5. Gideon (Judges 6-8)
   • Oppression by the Midianites
   • Gideon’s call by the Angel of the Lord
   • Gideon destroys the altar of Baal, tests God with the fleece
   • Gideon’s 300 men defeat the Midianites by God’s power
   • Israel’s request for Gideon to rule is rejected; Gideon makes an ephod, leading Israel into idolatry
   • 40 years of peace, followed by Gideon’s death
6. Abimelech (Judges 9)
   • Abimelech, Gideon’s son, murders his brothers and declares himself king
   • His rule leads to treachery, violence, and civil war
   • Abimelech dies after a woman drops a millstone on his head
7. Tola and Jair (Judges 10:1-5)
   • Tola judges Israel for 23 years
   • Jair judges Israel for 22 years
8. Jephthah (Judges 10:6-12:7)
   • Oppression by the Ammonites
   • Jephthah, an outcast, is chosen to lead Israel
   • Jephthah’s tragic vow: he sacrifices his daughter after defeating the Ammonites
   • Conflict with the Ephraimites, leading to civil strife
9. Ibzan, Elon, and Abdon (Judges 12:8-15)
   • Ibzan judges Israel for 7 years
   • Elon judges Israel for 10 years
   • Abdon judges Israel for 8 years
10. Samson (Judges 13-16)
    • Israel’s oppression by the Philistines
    • Samson’s birth foretold by an angel; he is a Nazirite from birth
    • Samson’s feats of strength: killing a lion, slaying 1,000 Philistines with a jawbone, burning Philistine fields
    • Samson’s downfall with Delilah: revealing the secret of his strength (his hair)
    • Samson’s capture, blindness, and final act of destruction, pulling down the temple of Dagon, killing many Philistines

III. Israel’s Moral and Social Decline (Judges 17-21)

1. The Story of Micah and the Danites (Judges 17-18)
   • Micah makes a shrine and hires a Levite as a priest
   • The tribe of Dan, seeking a land inheritance, steals Micah’s idols and priest
   • The Danites conquer the city of Laish, setting up the idolatrous shrine
2. The Levite, His Concubine, and the War with Benjamin (Judges 19-21)
   • A Levite’s concubine is raped and murdered in Gibeah (Benjamin)
   • The Levite cuts her body into pieces and sends them to the tribes of Israel, sparking outrage
   • Civil war between Israel and the tribe of Benjamin, nearly leading to Benjamin’s extinction
   • The remaining Benjaminites are provided with wives to preserve the tribe
   • The book ends with the statement: “In those days Israel had no king; everyone did as they saw fit.”

Key Themes:

• Cycles of Sin and Redemption: Israel repeatedly falls into idolatry, suffers oppression, repents, and is delivered by a judge raised by God.
• Moral Decline: As the story progresses, the behavior of the Israelites and even the judges themselves deteriorates, reflecting their growing distance from God.
• God’s Faithfulness vs. Israel’s Unfaithfulness: Despite Israel’s repeated disobedience, God continually raises deliverers and remains committed to His covenant.
• Need for Leadership: The absence of strong, righteous leadership leads to chaos, culminating in the refrain, “In those days there was no king in Israel.”

1. Introduction and Israel’s Failure (Judges 1-3)

• Incomplete Conquest: Many Canaanite tribes remain in the land because Israel fails to fully drive them out, leading to ongoing conflict and temptation toward idolatry.
• The Cycle of Sin and Deliverance: Israel repeatedly turns to idol worship, experiences oppression, cries out to God, and is delivered by a judge. This cycle dominates the book.
• God Raises Judges: Judges are raised up by God as deliverers when the people repent, but peace lasts only as long as the judge lives.

2. Major Judges and Their Stories (Judges 3-16)

• Othniel (Judges 3:7-11): Israel’s first judge delivers them from the oppression of a foreign king.
• Ehud (Judges 3:12-30): A left-handed judge kills the Moabite king and secures peace for Israel.
• Deborah and Barak (Judges 4-5): Deborah, a prophetess and judge, leads Israel to victory over the Canaanites with the help of Barak. Jael kills the enemy general Sisera, fulfilling Deborah’s prophecy.
• Gideon (Judges 6-8): Gideon, though initially fearful, trusts God and defeats the Midianites with a small army. However, his later actions lead Israel back into idolatry.
• Jephthah (Judges 10-12): Jephthah delivers Israel from the Ammonites but makes a tragic vow, resulting in the sacrifice of his daughter.
• Samson (Judges 13-16): A Nazirite with supernatural strength, Samson battles the Philistines but is ultimately betrayed by Delilah. In his final act, he brings down a Philistine temple, killing many enemies along with himself.

3. Decline into Chaos (Judges 17-21)

• Religious Corruption: The story of Micah and his idol (Judges 17-18) reflects Israel’s spiritual decay, as even the Levites become involved in idolatry.
• Moral Collapse and Civil War: A horrific crime in Gibeah (Judges 19) leads to civil war between the tribe of Benjamin and the rest of Israel, highlighting the moral breakdown in society.
• Restoring Benjamin: The book ends with Israel trying to preserve the tribe of Benjamin despite the civil war, reflecting a desperate attempt to maintain unity.