OUTLINE JUDGES

NAME: The name of this book is derived from the fact that it is an account of the period when Israel was ruled by twelve military and civil leaders the Lord raised up, called judges.

The book is a record of the "dark ages" of Israel's history. A time of apostacy. The emphasis of the book is on the spiritual significance of certain events in Israel's history. It is not intended to be a chronological history of the nation.

Authorship: The exact human author of the book is not known. Jewish tradition attributes its writing to Samuel.

I. Introduction to the Period of the Judges 1:1-2:15

    A. The political climate 1:1-36

         1. The question of confronting the Canaanites

             1:1-3 

         2. Judah wages war 1:4-20

         3. Benjamin wages war 1:21

         4. The other tribes 1:22-36

    B. The spiritual climate 2:1-15

         1. The Angel of the Lord vv. 1-5

         2. The death of Joshua vv. 6-9

         3. A generation that "knew not the Lord" vv. 10-13

         4. The Lord's anger vv. 14,15

II. The Period of the Judges 2:16-16:31

    A. The Lord raises up judges 2:16-23

    B. Nations to test Israel

         1. Mesopotamia 3:7-11

         2. Moab 3:12-30

         3. Philistia 3:31; 13:1-16:31

         4. Canaan 4:1-5:31

         5. Midian 6:1-8:35

         6. Ammon 10:6-12:7

    C. Israel's judges

         1. Othniel 3:7-11

         2. Ehud 3:12-30

         3. Shamgar 3:31

         4. Deborah 4:1-5:31

         5. Gideon 6:1-8:35

              a. Abimelech 9:1-57

         6. Tola 10:1,2

         7. Jair 10:3-5

         8. Jephthah 10:6-12:7

         9. Ibzan 12:8-10

        10. Elon 12:11,12

        11. Abdon 12:13-15

        12. Samson 13:1- 16:31

III. A review of the apostacy of the period 17:1-21:25

    A. Micah and his idolatry Ch. 17

    B. The migration of the Danites Ch. 18

    C. The sin in Gibeah 19:1-20:14

    D. The Benjamite war 20:15-21:25