# The book of Judges

> Judges tells of Israel’s life in the land before there were kings. The same cycle repeats: the people turn to other gods, they are oppressed, they cry out, and God raises up a deliverer. Each round gets worse.

Source: https://www.lumin.faith/read/judges/about
Section: History · 21 chapters

## Who wrote Judges?

The author is not named. Jewish tradition pointed to Samuel. The line “in those days there was no king in Israel” suggests it was written once Israel had kings.

## When was it written?

Covers about 1380–1050 BC. Most scholars date its final form to the time of the kings or the exile.

## Main themes

- **The downward cycle.** Sin, oppression, crying out, rescue, and then forgetting again.
- **God uses unlikely people.** Deborah, Gideon, and Samson are flawed, and God still saves through them.
- **The need for a faithful king.** “Everyone did what was right in their own eyes.”

## Outline

- Chapters 1–2: [Unfinished conquest and the cycle explained](https://www.lumin.faith/read/judges/1)
- Chapters 3–16: [The judges, from Othniel to Samson](https://www.lumin.faith/read/judges/3)
- Chapters 17–21: [Idols and civil war: Israel at its worst](https://www.lumin.faith/read/judges/17)

## Key verses

Quoted from the Lumin Translation.

> Whenever Yahweh raised up judges for them, Yahweh was with the judge and saved them from the hands of their enemies as long as the judge lived, for Yahweh was moved to pity by their groaning because of those who oppressed and crushed them.
> — [Judges 2:18](https://www.lumin.faith/read/judges/2#18)

> The angel of Yahweh appeared to him and said to him, “Yahweh is with you, mighty warrior.”
> — [Judges 6:12](https://www.lumin.faith/read/judges/6#12)

> In those days there was no king in Israel. Everyone did what was right in their own eyes.
> — [Judges 21:25](https://www.lumin.faith/read/judges/21#25)

## Where to start

Start with Gideon in chapters 6–8. Then read Deborah in chapter 4. [Read Judges 6](https://www.lumin.faith/read/judges/6.md)

Read the whole book: https://www.lumin.faith/read/judges/1.md
Ask about it: https://www.lumin.faith/ask.md