Is so called because it contains the history of the deliverance and government of Israel by the men who bore the title of the "judges." The book of Ruth originally formed part of this book, but about A.D. 450 it was separated from it and placed in the Hebrew scriptures immediately after the Song of Solomon. The book contains,

1. An introduction (1-3:6) connecting it with the previous narrative in Joshua, as a "link in the chain of books."

2. The history of the thirteen judges (3:7-16:31) in the following order:

a. FIRST PERIOD (3:7-ch. 5)  1. Servitude under Chushan-rishathaim of Mesopotamia  (1) OTHNIEL delivers Israel, rest  2. Servitude under Eglon of Moab: Ammon, Amalek  (2) EHUD’S deliverance, rest  (3) SHAMGAR Unknown. 3. Servitude under Jabin of Hazor in Canaan  (4) DEBORAH and, (5) BARAK  b. SECOND PERIOD (6-10:5) 4. Servitude under Midian, Amalek, and children of the east  (6) GIDEON  ABIMELECH, Gideon’s son, reigns as king over Israel  (7) TOLA  (8) JAIR  c. THIRD PERIOD (10:6-ch. 12) 5. Servitude under Ammonites with the Philistines  (9) JEPHTHAH  (10) IBZAN  (11) ELON  (12) ABDON  d. FOURTH PERIOD (13-16) 6. Seritude under Philistines  (13) SAMSON

Years 8 40 18 80 20 40 ---- 206 7 40 3 23 22 ------ 95 18 6 7 10 8 ------ 49 40 20 ------ 60 ----- In all 410

Samson’s exploits probably synchronize with the period immediately preceding the national repentance and reformation under Samuel #1Sa 7:2-6 After Samson came Eli, who was both high priest and judge. He directed the civil and religious affairs of the people for forty years, at the close of which the Philistines again invaded the land and oppressed it for twenty years. Samuel was raised up to deliver the people from this oppression, and he judged Israel for some twelve years, when the direction of affairs fell into the hands of Saul, who was anointed king. If Eli and Samuel are included, there were then fifteen judges. But the chronology of this whole period is uncertain. 3. The historic section of the book is followed by an appendix (17-21) which has no formal connection with that which goes before. It records

a. the conquest (17, 18) of Laish by a portion of the tribe of Dan; and

b. the almost total extinction of the tribe of Benjamin by the other tribes, in consequence of their assisting the men of Gibeah (19-21).

This section properly belongs to the period only a few years after the death of Joshua. It shows the religious and moral degeneracy of the people. The author of this book was most probably Samuel. The internal evidence both of the first sixteen chapters and of the appendix warrants this conclusion. It was probably composed during Saul’s reign, or at the very beginning of David’s. The words in #Jud 18:30,31 imply that it was written after the taking of the ark by the Philistines, and after it was set up at Nob #1Sa 21:1-6 In David’s reign the ark was at Gibeon #1Ch 16:39

(Heb. shophet, pl. shophetim), properly a magistrate or ruler, rather than one who judges in the sense of trying a cause. This is the name given to those rulers who presided over the affairs of the Israelites during the interval between the death of Joshua and the accession of Saul #Jud 2:18 a period of general anarchy and confusion. "The office of judges or regents was held during life, but it was not hereditary, neither could they appoint their successors. Their authority was limited by the law alone, and in doubtful cases they were directed to consult the divine King through the priest by Urim and Thummim #Nu 27:21 Their authority extended only over those tribes by whom they had been elected or acknowledged. There was no income attached to their office, and they bore no external marks of dignity. The only cases of direct divine appointment are those of Gideon and Samson, and the latter stood in the peculiar position of having been from before his birth ordained ‘to begin to deliver Israel.’ Deborah was called to deliver Israel, but was already a judge. Samuel was called by the Lord to be a prophet but not a judge, which ensued from the high gifts the people recognized as dwelling in him; and as to Eli, the office of judge seems to have devolved naturally or rather ex officio upon him." Of five of the judges, Tola #Jud 10:1 Jair #Jud 10:3 Ibzan, Elon, and Abdon #Jud 12:8-15 we have no record at all beyond the bare fact that they were judges. Sacred history is not the history of individuals but of the kingdom of God in its onward progress. In #Ex 2:14 Moses is so styled. This fact may indicate that while for revenue purposes the "taskmasters" were over the people, they were yet, just as at a later time when under the Romans, governed by their own rulers.