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Bible History - The Time of the Judges
- INTRODUCTION (Key Verses – Judges 17:6In those days there was no king in Israel, but every man did that which was right in his own eyes.
See All...; Judges 21:25In those days there was no king in Israel: every man did that which was right in his own eyes.
See All...) - The Partial Conquest (Judges 1:21And the children of Benjamin did not drive out the Jebusites that inhabited Jerusalem; but the Jebusites dwell with the children of Benjamin in Jerusalem unto this day.
See All...,27-36; Judges 2:1-5 [1] And an angel of the LORD came up from Gilgal to Bochim, and said, I made you to go up out of Egypt, and have brought you unto the land which I sware unto your fathers; and I said, I will never break my covenant with you. [2] And ye shall make no league with the inhabitants of this land; ye shall throw down their altars: but ye have not obeyed my voice: why have ye done this? [3] Wherefore I also said, I will not drive them out from before you; but they shall be as thorns in your sides, and their gods shall be a snare unto you. [4] And it came to pass, when the angel of the LORD spake these words unto all the children of Israel, that the people lifted up their voice, and wept. [5] And they called the name of that place Bochim: and they sacrificed there unto the LORD.
See All...,20-23; Judges 3:1-4 [1] Now these are the nations which the LORD left, to prove Israel by them, even as many of Israel as had not known all the wars of Canaan; [2] Only that the generations of the children of Israel might know, to teach them war, at the least such as before knew nothing thereof; [3] Namely, five lords of the Philistines, and all the Canaanites, and the Sidonians, and the Hivites that dwelt in mount Lebanon, from mount Baalhermon unto the entering in of Hamath. [4] And they were to prove Israel by them, to know whether they would hearken unto the commandments of the LORD, which he commanded their fathers by the hand of Moses.
See All...) - The Passing Generation (Judges 2:6-10 [6] And when Joshua had let the people go, the children of Israel went every man unto his inheritance to possess the land.
[7] And the people served the LORD all the days of Joshua, and all the days of the elders that outlived Joshua, who had seen all the great works of the LORD, that he did for Israel.
[8] And Joshua the son of Nun, the servant of the LORD, died, being an hundred and ten years old.
[9] And they buried him in the border of his inheritance in Timnathheres, in the mount of Ephraim, on the north side of the hill Gaash.
[10] And also all that generation were gathered unto their fathers: and there arose another generation after them, which knew not the LORD, nor yet the works which he had done for Israel.
See All...) - The Disobedient Israelites (Judges 2:11-13 [11] And the children of Israel did evil in the sight of the LORD, and served Baalim:
[12] And they forsook the LORD God of their fathers, which brought them out of the land of Egypt, and followed other gods, of the gods of the people that were round about them, and bowed themselves unto them, and provoked the LORD to anger.
[13] And they forsook the LORD, and served Baal and Ashtaroth.
See All...; Judges 3:5-7 [5] And the children of Israel dwelt among the Canaanites, Hittites, and Amorites, and Perizzites, and Hivites, and Jebusites: [6] And they took their daughters to be their wives, and gave their daughters to their sons, and served their gods. [7] And the children of Israel did evil in the sight of the LORD, and forgat the LORD their God, and served Baalim and the groves.
See All...) - The Punishing Foes (Judges 2:14-15 [14] And the anger of the LORD was hot against Israel, and he delivered them into the hands of spoilers that spoiled them, and he sold them into the hands of their enemies round about, so that they could not any longer stand before their enemies.
[15] Whithersoever they went out, the hand of the LORD was against them for evil, as the LORD had said, and as the LORD had sworn unto them: and they were greatly distressed.
See All...) - The Loving Deliverance (Judges 2:16-18 [16] Nevertheless the LORD raised up judges, which delivered them out of the hand of those that spoiled them.
[17] And yet they would not hearken unto their judges, but they went a whoring after other gods, and bowed themselves unto them: they turned quickly out of the way which their fathers walked in, obeying the commandments of the LORD; but they did not so.
[18] And when the LORD raised them up judges, then the LORD was with the judge, and delivered them out of the hand of their enemies all the days of the judge: for it repented the LORD because of their groanings by reason of them that oppressed them and vexed them.
See All...) - The Cycle Repeated (Judges 2:19And it came to pass, when the judge was dead, that they returned, and corrupted themselves more than their fathers, in following other gods to serve them, and to bow down unto them; they ceased not from their own doings, nor from their stubborn way.
See All...) - LISTS
- The Oppressors
- Mesopotamians (Judges 3:8Therefore the anger of the LORD was hot against Israel, and he sold them into the hand of Chushanrishathaim king of Mesopotamia: and the children of Israel served Chushanrishathaim eight years.
See All...) - Moabites (Judges 3:12-14 [12] And the children of Israel did evil again in the sight of the LORD: and the LORD strengthened Eglon the king of Moab against Israel, because they had done evil in the sight of the LORD.
[13] And he gathered unto him the children of Ammon and Amalek, and went and smote Israel, and possessed the city of palm trees.
[14] So the children of Israel served Eglon the king of Moab eighteen years.
See All...) - Canaanites (Judges 4:1-3 [1] And the children of Israel again did evil in the sight of the LORD, when Ehud was dead.
[2] And the LORD sold them into the hand of Jabin king of Canaan, that reigned in Hazor; the captain of whose host was Sisera, which dwelt in Harosheth of the Gentiles.
[3] And the children of Israel cried unto the LORD: for he had nine hundred chariots of iron; and twenty years he mightily oppressed the children of Israel.
See All...) - Midianites (Judges 6:1-6 [1] And the children of Israel did evil in the sight of the LORD: and the LORD delivered them into the hand of Midian seven years.
[2] And the hand of Midian prevailed against Israel: and because of the Midianites the children of Israel made them the dens which are in the mountains, and caves, and strong holds.
[3] And so it was, when Israel had sown, that the Midianites came up, and the Amalekites, and the children of the east, even they came up against them;
[4] And they encamped against them, and destroyed the increase of the earth, till thou come unto Gaza, and left no sustenance for Israel, neither sheep, nor ox, nor ass.
[5] For they came up with their cattle and their tents, and they came as grasshoppers for multitude; for both they and their camels were without number: and they entered into the land to destroy it.
[6] And Israel was greatly impoverished because of the Midianites; and the children of Israel cried unto the LORD.
See All...) - Ammonites (Judges 10:6-9 [6] And the children of Israel did evil again in the sight of the LORD, and served Baalim, and Ashtaroth, and the gods of Syria, and the gods of Zidon, and the gods of Moab, and the gods of the children of Ammon, and the gods of the Philistines, and forsook the LORD, and served not him.
[7] And the anger of the LORD was hot against Israel, and he sold them into the hands of the Philistines, and into the hands of the children of Ammon.
[8] And that year they vexed and oppressed the children of Israel: eighteen years, all the children of Israel that were on the other side Jordan in the land of the Amorites, which is in Gilead.
[9] Moreover the children of Ammon passed over Jordan to fight also against Judah, and against Benjamin, and against the house of Ephraim; so that Israel was sore distressed.
See All...) - Philistines (Judges 13:1And the children of Israel did evil again in the sight of the LORD; and the LORD delivered them into the hand of the Philistines forty years.
See All...) - The Judges
- Othniel (Judges 3:7-11 [7] And the children of Israel did evil in the sight of the LORD, and forgat the LORD their God, and served Baalim and the groves.
[8] Therefore the anger of the LORD was hot against Israel, and he sold them into the hand of Chushanrishathaim king of Mesopotamia: and the children of Israel served Chushanrishathaim eight years.
[9] And when the children of Israel cried unto the LORD, the LORD raised up a deliverer to the children of Israel, who delivered them, even Othniel the son of Kenaz, Caleb's younger brother.
[10] And the Spirit of the LORD came upon him, and he judged Israel, and went out to war: and the LORD delivered Chushanrishathaim king of Mesopotamia into his hand; and his hand prevailed against Chushanrishathaim.
[11] And the land had rest forty years. And Othniel the son of Kenaz died.
See All...) - Ehud (Judges 3:12-30 [12] And the children of Israel did evil again in the sight of the LORD: and the LORD strengthened Eglon the king of Moab against Israel, because they had done evil in the sight of the LORD.
[13] And he gathered unto him the children of Ammon and Amalek, and went and smote Israel, and possessed the city of palm trees.
[14] So the children of Israel served Eglon the king of Moab eighteen years.
[15] But when the children of Israel cried unto the LORD, the LORD raised them up a deliverer, Ehud the son of Gera, a Benjamite, a man lefthanded: and by him the children of Israel sent a present unto Eglon the king of Moab.
[16] But Ehud made him a dagger which had two edges, of a cubit length; and he did gird it under his raiment upon his right thigh.
[17] And he brought the present unto Eglon king of Moab: and Eglon was a very fat man.
[18] And when he had made an end to offer the present, he sent away the people that bare the present.
[19] But he himself turned again from the quarries that were by Gilgal, and said, I have a secret errand unto thee, O king: who said, Keep silence. And all that stood by him went out from him.
[20] And Ehud came unto him; and he was sitting in a summer parlour, which he had for himself alone. And Ehud said, I have a message from God unto thee. And he arose out of his seat.
[21] And Ehud put forth his left hand, and took the dagger from his right thigh, and thrust it into his belly:
[22] And the haft also went in after the blade; and the fat closed upon the blade, so that he could not draw the dagger out of his belly; and the dirt came out.
[23] Then Ehud went forth through the porch, and shut the doors of the parlour upon him, and locked them.
[24] When he was gone out, his servants came; and when they saw that, behold, the doors of the parlour were locked, they said, Surely he covereth his feet in his summer chamber.
[25] And they tarried till they were ashamed: and, behold, he opened not the doors of the parlour; therefore they took a key, and opened them: and, behold, their lord was fallen down dead on the earth.
[26] And Ehud escaped while they tarried, and passed beyond the quarries, and escaped unto Seirath.
[27] And it came to pass, when he was come, that he blew a trumpet in the mountain of Ephraim, and the children of Israel went down with him from the mount, and he before them.
[28] And he said unto them, Follow after me: for the LORD hath delivered your enemies the Moabites into your hand. And they went down after him, and took the fords of Jordan toward Moab, and suffered not a man to pass over.
[29] And they slew of Moab at that time about ten thousand men, all lusty, and all men of valour; and there escaped not a man.
[30] So Moab was subdued that day under the hand of Israel. And the land had rest fourscore years.
See All...) - Shamgar (Judges 3:31And after him was Shamgar the son of Anath, which slew of the Philistines six hundred men with an ox goad: and he also delivered Israel.
See All...) - Deborah with Barak (Judges 4-5)
- Gideon (Judges 6-8)
- Tola (Judges 10:1-2 [1] And after Abimelech there arose to defend Israel Tola the son of Puah, the son of Dodo, a man of Issachar; and he dwelt in Shamir in mount Ephraim.
[2] And he judged Israel twenty and three years, and died, and was buried in Shamir.
See All...) - Jair (Judges 10:3-5 [3] And after him arose Jair, a Gileadite, and judged Israel twenty and two years.
[4] And he had thirty sons that rode on thirty ass colts, and they had thirty cities, which are called Havothjair unto this day, which are in the land of Gilead.
[5] And Jair died, and was buried in Camon.
See All...) - Jephthah (Judges 10:6And the children of Israel did evil again in the sight of the LORD, and served Baalim, and Ashtaroth, and the gods of Syria, and the gods of Zidon, and the gods of Moab, and the gods of the children of Ammon, and the gods of the Philistines, and forsook the LORD, and served not him.
See All...-Judges 12:7And Jephthah judged Israel six years. Then died Jephthah the Gileadite, and was buried in one of the cities of Gilead.
See All...) - Ibzan (Judges 12:8-10 [8] And after him Ibzan of Bethlehem judged Israel.
[9] And he had thirty sons, and thirty daughters, whom he sent abroad, and took in thirty daughters from abroad for his sons. And he judged Israel seven years.
[10] Then died Ibzan, and was buried at Bethlehem.
See All...) - Elon (Judges 12:11-12 [11] And after him Elon, a Zebulonite, judged Israel; and he judged Israel ten years.
[12] And Elon the Zebulonite died, and was buried in Aijalon in the country of Zebulun.
See All...) - Abdon (Judges 12:13-15 [13] And after him Abdon the son of Hillel, a Pirathonite, judged Israel.
[14] And he had forty sons and thirty nephews, that rode on threescore and ten ass colts: and he judged Israel eight years.
[15] And Abdon the son of Hillel the Pirathonite died, and was buried in Pirathon in the land of Ephraim, in the mount of the Amalekites.
See All...) - Samson (Judges 13-16)
- Samuel (1 Samuel 7:15-17 [15] And Samuel judged Israel all the days of his life.
[16] And he went from year to year in circuit to Bethel, and Gilgal, and Mizpeh, and judged Israel in all those places.
[17] And his return was to Ramah; for there was his house; and there he judged Israel; and there he built an altar unto the LORD.
See All...) - GENERAL HISTORY
- Period of Mesopotamian Oppression (Judges 3:8-11 [8] Therefore the anger of the LORD was hot against Israel, and he sold them into the hand of Chushanrishathaim king of Mesopotamia: and the children of Israel served Chushanrishathaim eight years.
[9] And when the children of Israel cried unto the LORD, the LORD raised up a deliverer to the children of Israel, who delivered them, even Othniel the son of Kenaz, Caleb's younger brother.
[10] And the Spirit of the LORD came upon him, and he judged Israel, and went out to war: and the LORD delivered Chushanrishathaim king of Mesopotamia into his hand; and his hand prevailed against Chushanrishathaim.
[11] And the land had rest forty years. And Othniel the son of Kenaz died.
See All...) - Duration – 8 years
- Deliverer – Othniel (Caleb’s nephew)
- Rest – 40 years
- Danite movement (Judges 17-18)
- Early story
- Mentioned in Joshua (Joshua 19:47And the coast of the children of Dan went out too little for them: therefore the children of Dan went up to fight against Leshem, and took it, and smote it with the edge of the sword, and possessed it, and dwelt therein, and called Leshem, Dan, after the name of Dan their father.
See All...) - Joshua written early (Joshua 6:25And Joshua saved Rahab the harlot alive, and her father's household, and all that she had; and she dwelleth in Israel even unto this day; because she hid the messengers, which Joshua sent to spy out Jericho.
See All...) - Set up competitive religion (Judges 18:29-31 [29] And they called the name of the city Dan, after the name of Dan their father, who was born unto Israel: howbeit the name of the city was Laish at the first.
[30] And the children of Dan set up the graven image: and Jonathan, the son of Gershom, the son of Manasseh, he and his sons were priests to the tribe of Dan until the day of the captivity of the land.
[31] And they set them up Micah's graven image, which he made, all the time that the house of God was in Shiloh.
See All...; 1 Kings 12:25-30 [25] Then Jeroboam built Shechem in mount Ephraim, and dwelt therein; and went out from thence, and built Penuel. [26] And Jeroboam said in his heart, Now shall the kingdom return to the house of David: [27] If this people go up to do sacrifice in the house of the LORD at Jerusalem, then shall the heart of this people turn again unto their lord, even unto Rehoboam king of Judah, and they shall kill me, and go again to Rehoboam king of Judah. [28] Whereupon the king took counsel, and made two calves of gold, and said unto them, It is too much for you to go up to Jerusalem: behold thy gods, O Israel, which brought thee up out of the land of Egypt. [29] And he set the one in Bethel, and the other put he in Dan. [30] And this thing became a sin: for the people went to worship before the one, even unto Dan.
See All...) - Outrage at Gibeah
- Early story – Phinehas still high priest (Judges 20:28And Phinehas, the son of Eleazar, the son of Aaron, stood before it in those days,) saying, Shall I yet again go out to battle against the children of Benjamin my brother, or shall I cease? And the LORD said, Go up; for to morrow I will deliver them into thine hand.
See All...) - Shows how low the nation had gone
- Period of Moabite Oppression (Judges 3:12-31 [12] And the children of Israel did evil again in the sight of the LORD: and the LORD strengthened Eglon the king of Moab against Israel, because they had done evil in the sight of the LORD.
[13] And he gathered unto him the children of Ammon and Amalek, and went and smote Israel, and possessed the city of palm trees.
[14] So the children of Israel served Eglon the king of Moab eighteen years.
[15] But when the children of Israel cried unto the LORD, the LORD raised them up a deliverer, Ehud the son of Gera, a Benjamite, a man lefthanded: and by him the children of Israel sent a present unto Eglon the king of Moab.
[16] But Ehud made him a dagger which had two edges, of a cubit length; and he did gird it under his raiment upon his right thigh.
[17] And he brought the present unto Eglon king of Moab: and Eglon was a very fat man.
[18] And when he had made an end to offer the present, he sent away the people that bare the present.
[19] But he himself turned again from the quarries that were by Gilgal, and said, I have a secret errand unto thee, O king: who said, Keep silence. And all that stood by him went out from him.
[20] And Ehud came unto him; and he was sitting in a summer parlour, which he had for himself alone. And Ehud said, I have a message from God unto thee. And he arose out of his seat.
[21] And Ehud put forth his left hand, and took the dagger from his right thigh, and thrust it into his belly:
[22] And the haft also went in after the blade; and the fat closed upon the blade, so that he could not draw the dagger out of his belly; and the dirt came out.
[23] Then Ehud went forth through the porch, and shut the doors of the parlour upon him, and locked them.
[24] When he was gone out, his servants came; and when they saw that, behold, the doors of the parlour were locked, they said, Surely he covereth his feet in his summer chamber.
[25] And they tarried till they were ashamed: and, behold, he opened not the doors of the parlour; therefore they took a key, and opened them: and, behold, their lord was fallen down dead on the earth.
[26] And Ehud escaped while they tarried, and passed beyond the quarries, and escaped unto Seirath.
[27] And it came to pass, when he was come, that he blew a trumpet in the mountain of Ephraim, and the children of Israel went down with him from the mount, and he before them.
[28] And he said unto them, Follow after me: for the LORD hath delivered your enemies the Moabites into your hand. And they went down after him, and took the fords of Jordan toward Moab, and suffered not a man to pass over.
[29] And they slew of Moab at that time about ten thousand men, all lusty, and all men of valour; and there escaped not a man.
[30] So Moab was subdued that day under the hand of Israel. And the land had rest fourscore years.
[31] And after him was Shamgar the son of Anath, which slew of the Philistines six hundred men with an ox goad: and he also delivered Israel.
See All...) - Duration – 18 years
- Deliverers
- Ehud
- Shamgar
- Rest – 80 years (Judges 3:30So Moab was subdued that day under the hand of Israel. And the land had rest fourscore years.
See All...) - Period of Canaanite Oppression (Judges 4-5)
- Duration – 20 years
- Deliverers – Deborah with Barak
- Rest – 40 years
- Period of Midianite Oppression (Judges 6:1And the children of Israel did evil in the sight of the LORD: and the LORD delivered them into the hand of Midian seven years.
See All...-Judges 10:5And Jair died, and was buried in Camon.
See All...) - Duration – 6 years
- Deliverers
- Gideon
- Tola
- Jair
- Rest – 40 years
- Time of the story of Ruth
- Period of Ammonite Oppression (Judges 10:6And the children of Israel did evil again in the sight of the LORD, and served Baalim, and Ashtaroth, and the gods of Syria, and the gods of Zidon, and the gods of Moab, and the gods of the children of Ammon, and the gods of the Philistines, and forsook the LORD, and served not him.
See All...-Judges 12:15And Abdon the son of Hillel the Pirathonite died, and was buried in Pirathon in the land of Ephraim, in the mount of the Amalekites.
See All...) - Duration – 18 years
- Deliverers
- Jephthah
- Ibzan
- Elon
- Abdon
- Period of Philistine Oppression (Judges 13-16)
- Duration – 40 years
- Deliverer – Samson (see Judges 13:5For, lo, thou shalt conceive, and bear a son; and no razor shall come on his head: for the child shall be a Nazarite unto God from the womb: and he shall begin to deliver Israel out of the hand of the Philistines.
See All...) - Samuel (1 Samuel 1-8)
- Early life (1 Samuel 1-3)
- Ark lost and returned (1 Samuel 4-6)
- Samuel’s ministry (1 Samuel 7)
- Israel wants a king (1 Samuel 8)
Proverbs 23:29
Who hath woe? who hath sorrow? who hath contentions? who hath babbling? who hath wounds without cause? who hath redness of eyes?