Historical Books of the Old Testament: Judges

Judges records the birth pangs of the Israelite nation. From the Conquest to the Settlement, the conflicts in this book (military, political, and religious) reveal a nascent Israel, struggling to define itself as a people.

This work covers the period in Israel's history when the nation was ruled by a series of judges. It shows the progressive deterioration of the nation as a result of the violence and idolatry of the people. Yet the nation also encountered the graciousness of the God who remained faithful to them.

This commentary focuses on the Book of Judges, a fascinating biblical text; full of rich and colourful stories of which the best known is Samson and Delilah. It treats the text story by story, making it accessible to nonspecialists. Predominant are women's stories, which have both offended and inspired readers for centuries, including the stories of Deborah; Jael, who slew Sisera; and Jephthah's daughter, sacrificed by her father." "The commentary traces the reception of Judges through the ages, not only by scholars and theologians, but also by preachers, teachers, politicians, poets, essayists, and artists. It shows how ideology and the social location of readers have shaped the way the book has been read, disclosing a long history of debate over the roles of women and the use of force, as well as Christian prejudice against Jews and "Orientals." In this way, it offers a window onto the wider use of the Bible in the Western world.

Contents: A Guide to Using This Commentary -- Introduction to Joshua Through 2 Samuel -- Commentary on Joshua -- Commentary on Judges -- Commentary on Ruth -- Commentary on 1 Samuel -- Commentary on 2 Samuel -- Early Christian Writers and the Documents Cited -- Timeline of Writers of the Patristic Period

Argues for an earlier date for the book of "Judges" in the reigns of Rehoboam and Jeroboam and shows how Judges is designed as a reversal of the structure and achievements of the "Book of Joshua", preparing the way for the Davidic line of kings. This commentary underlines Judges' ironic presentation of its major characters as heroes and failures.

Contents: Setting the stage : Judges 1:1-36 -- A look back and a look ahead : Judges 2:1-23 -- Final bridge to the new generation : Judges 3:1-14 -- Ehud : Judges 3:12-30 -- Deborah : Judges 3:31-4:24 -- The poem of Deborah : Judges 5:1-31 -- Gideon/Jerubbaal : Judges 6:1-8:35 -- Abimelech : Judges 9:1-57 -- Some minor judges : Judges 10:1-5 -- Jephthah : Judges 10:6-12:7 -- More minor judges : Judges 12:8-15 -- Samson : Judges 13:1-16:31 -- The Danite migration : Judges 17:1-18:31 -- The raped pîleges̆ : Judges 19:1-20:7 -- Civil war : Judges 20:8-21:25

Journal for the study of the Old Testament., Supplement series ;, 279.

Contents: The Lord, the Judge (1:1--3:6) -- Ehud : the rule of the left hand (3:7-31) -- Deborah and Barak : the 'us-and-them' distinction (4:1--5:31) -- Gideon : overwhelming odds (6:1--8:35) -- Abimelech : something completely different (9:1--10:5) -- Jephthah : a man of his word (10:6--12:15) -- Samson : set apart for God (13:1--16:31) -- The top and bottom of it (17:1--21:25)

Women in Judges and Biblical Israel. Includes: Deborah, Jael, Sisera's Mother, Manoah's Wife, Delilah.

Bible and literature series, 14.; Journal for the study of the Old Testament., Supplement series ;, 68.

Contents: I. The theory of the amphictyony -- II. The Israelite amphictyony -- The tribal lists -- The central sanctuary -- The judge of Israel -- The tribal borders -- War in the period of the Judges -- III. Israel in the period of the Judges -- IV. Conclusion

The Empty Men describes the process by which adventure stories - replete with foolish love, warfare, assassinations, ritual slaughter, and grim masculine codes - were transformed into sermons and history lessons. Mobley also offers reflections on the Iron Age theology of these narratives, with their emphasis on poetic justice, and on the mythic dimensions of landscape in these stories.

Contents: Literary and stylistic traditions -- Passion or charisma? -- The riddles -- The tragic dimension