TITLE

The title describes the leaders Israel had from the time of the elders who outlived Joshua until the time of the monarchy. Their principal purpose is best expressed in,

Judges 2:16 "Nevertheless, the Lord raised up judges who delivered them out of the hand of those who plundered them." (NKJV)

Since it was God who permitted the oppressions and raised up deliverers, He Himself was Israel's ultimate Judge and Deliverer (Judges 11:27 ). (See Judges 8:23 where Gideon, a judge, insists that the Lord is Israel's true ruler).

PERIOD

"The events of this book cover the turbulent period in Israel's history from about 1380 to 1050 B.C." Ryrie

AUTHORSHIP

"The authorship of this book is not known, though Jewish tradition attributes it to Samuel. It is clear from Judges 18:31 and 20:27 that the compilation took place after the ark was removed from Shiloh. From the repeated clause: "In those days there was no king in Israel;" (Judges 17:6, 18:1, 21:25 (KJV), we gather that it was made after the commencement of the reign of Saul, the first of the kings. Yet the mention of the Jebusites (Judges 1:21 ) as dwelling in Jerusalem "unto this day" makes it equally plain that it was before the accession of David (who deposed the Jebusites from their stronghold -1 Chronicles 11:5 ). What would be more probable, than that Samuel, who links the two periods of Judges and Kings, should have a large hand in the work as it has come down to us." Baxter

"The subordination of all the incidents of the history to the inculcation of definite lessons show the book, in its present form, was arranged by one person." Ellicott

THEME

"The book is a record of Israel's failure during the rule of the judges. It records 9 apostasies, 7 servitudes, 14 judges and their exploits (not including those of Eli and Samuel, the 15th and 16th judges, which facts are in 1 Samuel), and 5 civil wars." Dake

HEROES

"In the choice of the judges is illustrated Zechariah's great words: "Not by might, nor by power, but by My Spirit, saith the LORD of Hosts." (Zechariah 4:6 )". Scofield

Of Othniel (Judges 3:10 ), Gideon (Judges 6:34 ), Jephthah (Judges 11:29 ), Samson (Judges 14:6, 19 ), it is said "the Spirit of the LORD came upon him" (KJV). God chooses ordinary men and women committed to Him by faith, whom He is able to clothe with His Holy Spirit (1 Corinthians 1:26-29 ).

In this book of faithlessness and deliverances, we will witness that

Romans 5:20 "where sin abounded, grace abounded much more" (NKJV)