JUDGES—NOTE ON 1:1–3:6 The Roots of Israel’s Apostasy. This introduction to the book identifies the root causes and effects of Israel’s apostasy. The pattern established here is then repeated in a cyclical fashion throughout the body of the book (3:7–16:31).
JUDGES—NOTE ON 1:1–2:5 Prelude to Apostasy: Incomplete Conquests. In the first part of the book’s introduction, continuing military activity indicates that all conquests had not been completed during Joshua’s day (1:1–26); several tribes achieved only incomplete conquests (1:27–36). Israel’s disobedience in not completely conquering the land is confirmed in 2:1–5.
JUDGES—NOTE ON 1:1–21 Initial Battles and the Seeds of Apostasy. The military encounters here are reminders that the peace at the end of the book of Joshua was short-lived. Judah was given a leadership role, and they allied with Simeon against the remaining Canaanites. They had some successes, but some ominous failures as well (vv. 19, 21).
JUDGES—NOTE ON 1:1 After the death of Joshua a new era begins. Significantly, however, no new leader is appointed (as in Joshua 1). This foreshadows the chaotic conditions and apostasy that would prevail.
JUDGES—NOTE ON 1:2–3 Judah shall go up (see note on 20:18). Judah’s leadership in Israel had been anticipated as early as Jacob’s blessing, when he said that kings would come from the line of Judah (Gen. 49:8–12). Judah and Simeon, the two tribes that were to lead the way into Canaan, were closely linked: both came from the same mother (Gen. 29:33, 35), and Simeon had inherited land in Judah’s territory (Josh. 19:1, 9).
JUDGES—NOTE ON 1:5–7 Each city and town in Canaan had its own “king,” such as Adoni-bezek, whose name means “Lord of Bezek.” cut off his thumbs and his big toes. This would prevent him from ever engaging in battle again. The practice of cutting off body parts of vanquished enemies is known in Mesopotamian and classical Greek sources, and was practiced by Adoni-bezek himself (v. 7).
JUDGES—NOTE ON 1:8 Jerusalem was on the border between Judah and Benjamin. Neither tribe succeeded in driving out its inhabitants completely (Josh. 15:63; Judg. 1:21); that was accomplished only by David (2 Sam. 5:6–10).
JUDGES—NOTE ON 1:10–15 This passage (almost identical to Josh. 15:13–19) is probably a “flashback” to the earlier capture of Hebron and Debir. Caleb offering Achsah as a prize to the victor is similar to Saul offering Michal to David in exchange for 100 Philistine foreskins (1 Sam. 18:25). Achsah asked for springs of water in addition to land, since land without sources of fresh water was almost worthless.
JUDGES—NOTE ON 1:16 The Kenite, Moses’ father-in-law was Jethro (Ex. 3:1). The Israelites and Kenites had been friendly in the wilderness (Num. 10:29–32), and the cooperation here fulfills Moses’ words, “we will do good to you” (Num. 10:29). city of palms. Another name for Jericho (Deut. 34:3; 2 Chron. 28:15).
JUDGES—NOTE ON 1:18 Gaza … Ashkelon … Ekron. Judah captured three of the major Philistine cities (Josh. 13:2–3) but was not able to hold them; they later reverted to Philistine control (Judg. 14:19; 16:1; 1 Sam. 5:10).
JUDGES—NOTE ON 1:19 he could not drive out the inhabitants of the plain. This seemingly innocuous notice is in fact ominous, since the Israelites’ failure to drive out the Canaanites completely, as God had instructed (Josh. 6:17; 11:14), was a root cause of Israel’s apostasy and troubles (Judg. 2:11–3:6). Since the three Philistine cities mentioned in 1:18 were in the plain, v. 19 must mean that the Israelites had no success beyond these three cities, and perhaps even that they lost control of them very quickly. chariots of iron. The Israelites did not have chariots, which were effective on the flat, coastal plains but were ineffective in the hill country of Canaan, where most of the Israelites settled.
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| 1. The Canaanites had superior arms and fortifications | 1:19 |
| 2. Israel was disposed to make alliances with the people of the land | 2:1–5 |
| 3. Israel sinned and must be punished | 2:20–21 |
| 4. Yahweh was testing Israel to see if they would be faithful or not | 2:22–23; 3:4 |
| 5. Israel needed to be instructed in the art of war | 3:1–3 |
JUDGES—NOTE ON 1:21 Benjamin did not drive out the Jebusites. A second notice about Israelite failure (see note on v. 19) previews a series of six almost identical notices in vv. 27–36. The Israelites were apparently satisfied with a comfortable home in a productive land and were not zealous to achieve God’s full purpose for their life in the land (see note on vv. 27–33).
JUDGES—NOTE ON 1:22–36 Incomplete Conquests Portending Apostasy. The Israelites now suffered more failures in the north. After an initial success at Bethel (vv. 22–26), six tribes—Manasseh, Ephraim, Zebulun, Asher, Naphtali, and Dan—did not drive out the Canaanites from their territories (vv. 27–36). These territories fairly well spanned the northern two-thirds of the Promised Land.
JUDGES—NOTE ON 1:22 The house of Joseph. There was no tribe of Joseph: his inheritance had been split between his two sons, Ephraim and Manasseh (Gen. 48:5–6; Deut. 33:17), the next two tribes mentioned (Judg. 1:27, 29). Bethel means “the house of God.” Its honored history included Abraham’s sacrifice to God (Gen. 13:3) and Jacob’s revelation from God in a dream (Gen. 31:13). Joshua originally captured it (Josh. 12:16), perhaps as part of the defeat of Ai (cf. Josh. 8:17).
JUDGES—NOTE ON 1:27–33 Six more tribes failed in the same way as Judah and Benjamin: Manasseh (v. 27), Ephraim (v. 29), Zebulun (v. 30), Asher (v. 31), Naphtali (v. 33), and Dan (v. 34). The effects were tragic: the Israelites turned to the Baals, the gods of those Canaanites who remained among them, and forsook the Lord. Thus, Israel’s worship did not remain pure.
JUDGES—NOTE ON 1:28 The Israelites subjected many of the Canaanite groups to forced labor (vv. 30, 33, 35; cf. Josh. 16:10; 17:13). In later times, David and Solomon also used their enemies in this way (2 Sam. 20:24; 1 Kings 9:15).
JUDGES—NOTE ON 1:34 Amorites were Canaanite peoples (cf. Josh. 3:10) living in the central hill country. They were such an obstacle to the tribe of Dan that the Danites were eventually forced to migrate northward (Josh. 19:47; Judg. 18:1).
JUDGES—NOTE ON 2:1–5 The Angel of the Lord and Israel’s Apostasy. The angel of the Lord now makes explicit that Israel’s failure to drive out the Canaanites as God had instructed is the cause of his handing them over to the vicissitudes of life among their enemies. The roots of Israel’s apostasy are now in full view.
JUDGES—NOTE ON 2:1 The angel of the LORD was God’s representative, speaking authoritatively to the people about their apostasy. He shows up suddenly elsewhere in Judges (5:23; 6:11, 12, 20–22; 13:3, 13, 15, 16, 18, 20, 21), sometimes causing fear (6:22–23), probably because of the warning about humans seeing God (Ex. 33:20; see note on Judg. 6:22). As the Lord’s designated messenger (Hb. mal’ak), the angel speaks as the Lord himself (see note on Gen. 16:7; cf. Ex. 3:6). This angel may be the same one promised to Moses in Ex. 23:20–23, or a theophany of the Lord himself. Gilgal was Israel’s first encampment west of the Jordan (Josh. 4:19). I brought you up. “You” is plural, referring to the entire nation (since those addressed here were not part of the original exodus). I will never break my covenant. On God’s eternal covenant faithfulness, see Lev. 26:44 and Ps. 89:34.
JUDGES—NOTE ON 2:2–3 God had commanded Israel to make no covenant with pagan nations and to tear down their altars. Cf. Ex. 23:32; 34:12–13; Deut. 12:3. As a consequence of Israel’s disobedience, these nations would be a snare to them (e.g., by pagan rituals; Judg. 8:27), just as God had promised (Ex. 23:33; Num. 33:55; Josh. 23:13).
JUDGES—NOTE ON 2:5 they sacrificed there. The Israelites’ apparent distress at God’s threats (v. 4), and their attempts to pacify God by sacrificing (v. 5), were short-lived. Verses 11–15 show their more usual pattern of apostasy.
JUDGES—NOTE ON 2:6–3:6 The Unfolding and Consequences of Apostasy. In the second part of the book’s introduction, the breakdown chronicled in ch. 1 is assumed, but the focus is less on incomplete conquests than on a theological analysis of Israel’s apostasy and its consequences. The recurring downward cycle of history presented in 2:16–23 is especially captured by the statement, “whenever the judge died, they turned back and were more corrupt than their fathers” (2:19). The final section (3:1–6) emphasizes God’s purposes in the punishments mentioned in 2:14–15, 21–23, which have to do with “testing” Israel (2:22; 3:1, 4).
JUDGES—NOTE ON 2:6–10 Joshua’s Death and the Coming Apostasy. This is a flashback to Josh. 24:28–31 and a transition to the second part of the introduction. Joshua had already died (Judg. 1:1), but the repetition of the information about Joshua introduces the apostasy to follow.
JUDGES—NOTE ON 2:10 another generation … who did not know the LORD. The positive picture painted in Joshua (esp. Josh. 24:31) is marred by a reference to the next generation, who had forgotten the work that the Lord had done for Israel (Judg. 2:7), including the work done through Joshua.
JUDGES—NOTE ON 2:11–23 The Recurring Pattern of Israel’s Apostasy, God’s Grace, and God’s Anger. This section deals with the recurring patterns of Israel’s apostasy and God’s reaction to it. The unit might be divided into three subsections: (1) Israel’s apostasy and God’s anger (vv. 11–15); (2) God’s grace and Israel’s continuing apostasy (vv. 16–19); and (3) God’s anger (vv. 20–23). The first and third sections are similar in describing Israel’s apostasy and then in describing how God punished the nation, although the third section ends without reference to God’s grace. The middle section presents a summary of the recurring pattern seen throughout the remainder of the book: God graciously raises up successive judges to deliver Israel, but the people fall away from him each time.
JUDGES—NOTE ON 2:11 the people of Israel did what was evil in the sight of the LORD. This clear statement of Israel’s apostasy recurs throughout the book (3:7, 12; 4:1; 6:1; 10:6; 13:1), and again many times in 1–2 Kings, with reference to the kings of Israel and Judah (e.g., 1 Kings 15:26, 34; 2 Kings 21:2). Israel’s tendency throughout its history was to turn away from the Lord. Only God’s grace and the leadership of a few godly individuals kept Israel from complete paganism. served the Baals. See note on Judg. 3:7.
JUDGES—NOTE ON 2:13 Ashtaroth is the plural form of Ashtoreth (Gk. Astartē), a goddess of fertility, love, and war who was closely associated with Baal (10:6; 1 Sam. 7:4; 12:10). Canaanite texts seldom mention Ashtoreth, but she appears in Mesopotamian texts by the name “Ishtar” and in Egyptian representations of Canaanite religion. Ashtoreth (plural Ashtaroth) should not be confused with Asherah (plural Asheroth; see notes on Judg. 3:7; 6:25–26).
JUDGES—NOTE ON 2:15 as the LORD had sworn. God had threatened to deliver Israel into its enemies’ hands if it forsook him (Deut. 28:25; Josh. 23:13). He also warned that these nations would be snares and traps to Israel (Ex. 23:33; Deut. 7:16; and esp. Num. 33:55), which came true with a vengeance during the period of the judges (Judg. 2:14–15, 21–23).
JUDGES—NOTE ON 2:16 the LORD raised up judges. The judges’ primary (though temporary) function was military; they were provided by the grace of God.
JUDGES—NOTE ON 2:17 whored. The metaphor of Israel’s committing adultery against God by following other gods is one of the most powerful in the OT. Ezekiel spoke against Jerusalem’s adultery (Ezekiel 16; 23), and Hosea’s ministry was inextricably linked with God’s command to marry “a wife of whoredom” (Hosea 1–3). Israel’s unfaithfulness was reprehensible to the God who had chosen, loved, and provided for his people.
JUDGES—NOTE ON 2:18 moved to pity (Hb. nakham; cf. 1 Sam. 15:29, “have regret”; Jonah 3:10, “relented”). God graciously changed his course of action concerning the Israelites (to give them over to their enemies; Judg. 2:14–15) because of his compassion for their suffering (cf. 10:16).
JUDGES—NOTE ON 2:20 this people. Literally, “this nation” (Hb. goy), a term normally reserved for pagans (e.g., in vv. 21, 23; 3:1). Biblical writers usually refer to Israel as a “people” (Hb. ‘am, a more intimate word). The usage of “this nation” here is freighted with contempt and reflects the disgust God feels toward his people, whom he now regards as just like the other nations.
JUDGES—NOTE ON 2:21–22 I will no longer drive out … any of the nations. This repeats the promise (or threat) that God had made to the Israelites (Josh. 23:13), which is then carried out in Judg. 2:23. to test Israel. See note on 3:1.
JUDGES—NOTE ON 3:1–6 The Testing of Israel. The final section of the introduction emphasizes God’s purposes in testing Israel (vv. 1, 4; cf. 2:22). It concludes with a confirmation that Israel indeed was apostate in this period (3:5–6). The stage is now set for the accounts of the individual judges, a significant number of whom were as much part of Israel’s problem as they were sources of deliverance.
JUDGES—NOTE ON 3:1 to test Israel. This testing was to see if Israel would truly follow the Lord (2:22; 3:4), as when God tested Abraham (Gen. 22:1) and Hezekiah (2 Chron. 32:31). Through adversity, God tested Israel in order to refine it. Later in the book of Judges, Gideon “tested” God in a display of weak faith (Judg. 6:39).
JUDGES—NOTE ON 3:3 The word lords here (seren) is Philistine, not Hebrew; the Greeks borrowed it, using it as the basis for their word tyrannos, “tyrant.” Philistines were part of the mercenary sea peoples, mentioned in Egyptian texts as early as the fourteenth century B.C.
JUDGES—NOTE ON 3:5–6 The book’s introduction ends with a searing indictment of the Israelites’ apostasy through their intermarriage and their infidelity to God.
JUDGES—NOTE ON 3:7–16:31 The Downward Spiral of Israel’s Apostasy. The body of the book of Judges includes the stories of 12 judges raised up to deliver Israel from successive crises and to “judge” Israel. Their primary function was military in nature. Most judges failed to point people convincingly to the Lord. Indeed, in some cases the judges themselves were not exemplary (e.g., Gideon, Jephthah, Samson). The recurring pattern unfolds in a downward spiral: the first judge, Othniel, was raised up by God and empowered by God’s Spirit (3:9–10), whereas the next-to-last major judge, Jephthah, made a foolish vow and offered his own daughter as a “sacrifice” (whether literally or figuratively; see 11:30–40, and note on 11:39), and the last judge, Samson, was anything but a paragon of virtue (chs. 14–16).
JUDGES—NOTE ON 3:7–11 Othniel. The Spirit of the Lord was on Othniel, the first judge (v. 10), and he delivered Israel from Cushan-rishathaim, king of Mesopotamia. The section begins by repeating much of 2:11–14. When the Israelites sinned, God gave them into foreign control for eight years (3:8). When Israel cried out for deliverance (v. 9), God provided Othniel as a deliverer.
JUDGES—NOTE ON 3:7 the Baals and the Asheroth. Baal was the most powerful god of the Canaanites, and Asherah was a popular Canaanite goddess, a consort of El, the head of the Canaanite pantheon (see notes on 2:13; 6:25–26), who may have been displaced at some point by Baal. The use of the plural forms (Baals and Asheroth) shows that each was worshiped in many locales, and their local manifestations took on the character of independent gods (e.g., “Baal of Peor” [Num. 25:5 ], “Mount Baal-hermon” [Judg. 3:3], “Baal-gad” [Josh. 11:17], “Baal-hazor” [2 Sam. 13:23], “Baal-hamon” [Song 8:11], and Baal-berith [i.e., “the Baal of the covenant”; Judg. 8:33]). Asherah is also associated with Baal in 1 Kings 18:19 and 2 Kings 23:4.
JUDGES—NOTE ON 3:9–10 Othniel of Judah had captured the city of Kiriath-sepher and become Caleb’s son-in-law (see 1:13). This is the last appearance in the book of a leader from Judah, the most favored tribe. The Spirit of the LORD was upon him. See note on 14:6.
JUDGES—NOTE ON 3:11 the land had rest forty years. Cf. 3:30; 5:31; 8:28. In 18:7, some foreigners also “lived in security” (the same Hb. word as “had rest”).
JUDGES—NOTE ON 3:12–30 Ehud. Ehud, the second judge, delivered Israel from Eglon, king of Moab (see map). Verses 12–14 give a standard introduction, telling of the Israelites’ apostasy and of God’s giving them into Eglon’s control for 18 years. The story that follows—of Ehud killing Eglon—is rather graphic, highlighting the rough, even grotesque nature of this period and many of its “heroes.”
During the time of Ehud, King Eglon of Moab expanded his territory and captured the “city of palms,” probably to be understood as Jericho. Ehud and the other Israelite delegates were returning from delivering their tribute to Eglon, but Ehud turned back and killed Eglon at Jericho. Then Ehud escaped to the hill country of Ephraim and mustered the warriors of Israel, who captured the fords of the Jordan River to prevent the Moabites from escaping.
JUDGES—NOTE ON 3:20 his cool roof chamber. In ancient cities, the coolest place in the house was on the roof (cf. the “small room on the roof” that a Shunammite couple made for Elisha, 2 Kings 4:10).
JUDGES—NOTE ON 3:31 Shamgar. The third judge was Shamgar, mentioned only here and in 5:6. Shamgar’s name is apparently Hurrian, not Israelite, and his designation as “son of Anath” probably refers to the Canaanite warrior goddess Anath. If so, it is ironic that God used a non-Israelite warrior to deliver Israel from its enemies. Shamgar’s activity in single-handedly killing many Philistines anticipates Samson.
JUDGES—NOTE ON 4:1–5:31 Deborah. The fourth judge was Deborah (see note on 4:4–5), whose story is the first extended account in the book (cf. Gideon in chs. 6–8; Jephthah in ch. 11; and Samson in chs. 13–16). While the pattern of apostasy continues (esp. 4:1–3), Deborah distinguishes herself as the most godly of all the judges; it is ironic that the most distinguished judge was a woman (4:8–9). She was a prophet (4:4) and “a mother in Israel” (5:7), and many sought out her judicial decisions at the “palm of Deborah” (4:5). She instructed Barak in the conduct of the battle (4:9, 14) and led in the victory song in ch. 5, where she figures prominently (5:7, 12, 15). Deborah’s actions and words consistently pointed to God, not away from him, in contrast to the poor choices of judges like Gideon, Jephthah, and Samson.
JUDGES—NOTE ON 4:1–24 Victory over the Canaanites. This section describes Israel’s remarkable victory over the more powerful Canaanites (see map).
JUDGES—NOTE ON 4:1–3 Israel again did … evil. Cf. 3:7–8, 12–14.
JUDGES—NOTE ON 4:4–5 Deborah is called a prophetess, one of five such women in the OT (cf. Miriam [Ex. 15:20]; Huldah [2 Kings 22:14]; Isaiah’s wife [Isa. 8:3]; and Noadiah [a false prophetess; Neh. 6:14]). Deborah functioned as a civil leader (Judg. 4:6–10; 5:7) and as a judge who decided cases (4:4–5). She lived in southern Ephraim, near Judah.
JUDGES—NOTE ON 4:6–9 Has not the LORD, the God of Israel, commanded you? Deborah did not lead the army herself, but challenged Barak, a man, to do so (see also v. 14); a woman would not normally be a military leader in Israel. In response, Barak summoned the tribes of Israel and led the army (see vv. 10, 14, 15, 16, 22). At least six tribes participated in the battle: Naphtali and Zebulun (v. 6), Ephraim, Benjamin, Manasseh (Machir), and Issachar (5:14–15). This is the nearest thing to an “all-Israelite” coalition in the book. To his discredit, Barak hesitated to lead the Israelites in battle (4:8). Thus, Deborah agreed to go with him but predicted that the glory for the battle would go to a woman (see note on 5:24–27).
JUDGES—NOTE ON 4:11 The introduction of Heber, Jael’s husband, anticipates vv. 17–22. The Kenites were distantly related to the Israelites (see note on 1:16).
JUDGES—NOTE ON 4:13 900 chariots of iron. Sisera’s army was very impressive: chariots were swift, maneuverable weapons of war, the ancient equivalent of tanks (see note on 1:19). However, the chariots got mired in the river Kishon (see 5:19–22).
JUDGES—NOTE ON 4:17–24 The story of Sisera’s death by the hand of Jael is detailed in a slow, suspenseful manner reminiscent of the story of Ehud’s killing of Eglon (3:12–30). God himself is credited with subduing Jabin, a process that took some time to complete (4:23–24).
JUDGES—NOTE ON 5:1–31 Deborah and Barak’s Victory Song. The victory song of Deborah and Barak praises God for his triumph over the Canaanites on Israel’s behalf and reviews the events of the victory (cf. the Song of Moses and Miriam in Ex. 15:1–21).
When King Jabin of Hazor began to oppress the Israelites, Deborah called upon Barak from Kedesh-naphtali to fight against him. The Israelite forces gathered at Mount Tabor, and Sisera, the commander of Jabin’s army, marched his men to the Kishon River. The Israelites defeated Sisera’s forces and chased them all the way back to Harosheth-hagoyim, but Sisera fled on foot to the oak at Zaanannim, where a woman named Jael killed him as he rested in her tent.
JUDGES—NOTE ON 5:1 sang. This verb is a feminine singular form (i.e., “she sang”), which emphasizes Deborah’s role and her prominence over Barak (cf. 4:8–9).
JUDGES—NOTE ON 5:2 leaders took the lead. The Hebrew is difficult. While the esv translation is the most likely sense, an alternative proposal is that the word translated “leaders” may literally mean, “the long-haired ones” or “the hairy ones,” with the verb translated “took the lead” being “to let [hair] hang loose.” offered themselves willingly. All the people gladly cooperated (cf. v. 9). This verb (Hb. nadab) is related to the noun for “freewill offerings” (Hb. nedabah), which were one of three types of offerings making up the “peace offerings” (Lev. 7:16; 22:23). bless the LORD! Cf. Judg. 5:9.
JUDGES—NOTE ON 5:4–5 The Lord’s marching from Seir and Edom likely refers to God’s transferring his “abode” from the wilderness to Canaan (by way of the land of Edom; cf. Num. 10:12; 20:22)—from one mountain (Sinai; Judg. 5:5) to another (Zion; Ps. 2:6).
JUDGES—NOTE ON 5:6–8 Before Deborah arose as a deliverer, life as it had been known ceased when Israel silently submitted to its enemies. a mother in Israel. A title of honor and respect. new gods. Cf. 10:14.
JUDGES—NOTE ON 5:10–11 All classes of society were to bear witness to the mighty acts of God, from the ruling classes (those riding on white donkeys) to the lowest classes (those who walk by the way, i.e., along the road). Watering places were public places where the entire community gathered.
JUDGES—NOTE ON 5:13–18 After the call to worship (vv. 10–12), the text offers a general battle overview (v. 13) and then describes the tribes’ participation (vv. 14–18). Ten of the 12 tribes are mentioned here. Five of them (and part of a sixth) are mentioned favorably because they responded to Deborah’s and Barak’s call to arms: Ephraim, Benjamin, western Manasseh (Machir) (v. 14), Zebulun (vv. 14, 18), Issachar (v. 15), and Naphtali (v. 18). Four tribes (and the other part of Manasseh) did not respond to the summons: Reuben (vv. 15–16), Gad and eastern Manasseh (Gilead), Dan, and Asher (v. 17). Judah and Simeon are not mentioned at all in chs. 4–5. Dan’s connection with ships (5:17) probably reflects the tribe’s original inheritance along the south-central coastal plain, with access to the sea (Josh. 19:40–46). Later, the tribe migrated northward, forced out of its territory (Josh. 19:47; Judg. 1:34; 18:1).
JUDGES—NOTE ON 5:19–23 The victory proper is now described in vivid, impressionistic terms. the stars fought … against Sisera (cf. 4:15: “the LORD routed Sisera”). The imagery suggests that the forces of nature fought on God’s side (and thus Canaanite deities, who supposedly ruled over these forces, were powerless to help against the true God). The frantic pounding of the horses’ hoofs suggests the disarray caused by the waters of the Kishon (5:21–22; cf. 4:7).
JUDGES—NOTE ON 5:24–27 Most blessed of women. Jael is a heroine for killing Sisera (see 4:17–22). Between her feet he sank, he fell. Chapter 4 tells us that Sisera already was lying down, asleep, when Jael struck him (4:21). The poem is probably speaking metaphorically, repeating graphic, emotive language to make its point, namely, that a woman triumphed over this great warrior.
JUDGES—NOTE ON 5:28–30 The mother of Sisera is a pitiable figure, but these verses highlight Jael’s achievement: rather than bringing great plunder to impress his women, Sisera lay dead at another woman’s feet. A womb or two. A crude reference to captured women.
JUDGES—NOTE ON 5:31 The hymn concludes with more praise of the Lord, as many psalms do. the land had rest for forty years. See note on 3:11.
JUDGES—NOTE ON 6:1–8:35 Gideon. The fifth judge was Gideon, who fought the Midianites (6:1–6) twice, first following God’s instructions (7:1–8:3) and the second time on his own initiative (8:4–21). Before Gideon, Israel’s apostasy had grown worse, so when the people cried out, God sent a prophet to condemn them for their covenant infidelity (6:7–10). After Gideon defeated Midian, however, he led the people of Israel into sin (8:22–28). The Israelites turned upon each other for the first time (8:16–17; cf. 9:23–54), foreshadowing later, even worse dissension (12:1–6; ch. 20). Despite God’s continued intervention, and even some positive qualities in Gideon, the downward spiral in Israel’s apostasy continued.
God’s sending of judges to Israel repeatedly followed a fourfold cycle:
The cycle then repeats after the judge dies.
View this chart online at http://kindle.esvsb.org/c69
| Pattern | Outline | Othniel | Ehud | Deborah | Gideon | Jephthah | Samson |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Apostasy | 2:11–13 | 3:7 | 3:12a | 4:1 | 6:1a | 10:6 | 13:1a |
| Servitude | 2:14–15 | 3:8 | 3:12b–14 | 4:2 | 6:1b–6a | 10:7–9 | 13:1b |
| Supplication and salvation | 2:16–18 | 3:9–11 | 3:15–31 | 4:3–24 | 6:6b–8:28 | 11:1–33 | 13:24; 14:19; 15:14b–20 |
JUDGES—NOTE ON 6:1–10 Continuing Apostasy. The familiar pattern of apostasy is resumed here (vv. 1–6). When Israel cried out for deliverance (v. 6), God sent a prophet, not a judge, who condemned Israel (vv. 7–10). God would not be confined to a mechanical “box,” responding to any and all Israelite appeals regardless of circumstances.
JUDGES—NOTE ON 6:5 Locusts devastated land, ate crops, and darkened the skies as they were blown in by the wind (Ex. 10:13–15; cf. Joel 1:4, 15–17; 2:1–11).
JUDGES—NOTE ON 6:8 The message of the unnamed prophet represents the first time God rebuked the people when they called upon him. The prophet reminded the Israelites of God’s faithfulness and their own apostasy.
JUDGES—NOTE ON 6:11–40 Gideon’s Call. God’s call of a reluctant Gideon is the focus of the next three accounts. First, the angel of the Lord appeared to him (vv. 11–24); then, Gideon destroyed an altar of Baal (vv. 25–35); finally, Gideon’s wavering faith is on full display (vv. 36–40). Gideon’s reluctance recalls that of Moses (Exodus 3–4).
JUDGES—NOTE ON 6:11 the angel of the LORD. See note on 2:1. beating out wheat in the winepress. Grapes were normally trodden in a winepress, a square or circular pit carved into rock (cf. Isa. 16:10; Jer. 48:33), whereas wheat was usually threshed on open threshing floors, where the wind could carry away the chaff in the winnowing process (2 Sam. 24:18). Gideon’s secret threshing inside a winepress—when he already had access to a true threshing floor (cf. Judg. 6:37)—shows the desperate straits because of Midianite oppression.
JUDGES—NOTE ON 6:13 sir. The term is literally “my Lord” (Hb. ’Adoni; see esv footnote). This was a polite form of address (cf. 4:18, where Jael spoke the same words to Sisera). Gideon uses the same term to refer to God in 6:15 (“Lord”; Hb. ’Adonay). the LORD (Hb. YHWH). This is the personal name of God (see note on Gen. 2:4).
JUDGES—NOTE ON 6:15–16 I am the least. Moses and Jeremiah had similar objections when God called them (Ex. 3:11; Jer. 1:6). I will be with you. This promise of God’s presence had also been given to Moses and Joshua (Ex. 3:12; Josh. 1:5, 9), putting Gideon in the same lineage of leaders, with the same guarantee of success. Nonetheless, Gideon had his doubts and fears (cf. Judg. 6:17 and esp. vv. 36–40).
JUDGES—NOTE ON 6:22 perceived. Lit., “saw” (Hb. ra’ah, translated seen later in the verse). Gideon feared for his life because he had encountered God’s angel face to face (cf. Gen. 32:30; Ex. 33:20).
JUDGES—NOTE ON 6:24 To this day. This expression is common in Joshua and Judges (e.g., Josh. 4:9; 5:9; 6:25; 7:26; Judg. 1:21, 26; 15:19). The Abiezrites were part of the tribe of Manasseh that settled west of the Jordan River (Num. 26:30; Josh. 17:1–2).
JUDGES—NOTE ON 6:25–26 Asherah may function as both the divine name for a particular goddess or, as in these verses, refer to sacred wooden poles erected at places where she was worshiped (vv. 26, 28, 30; cf. 1 Kings 15:13; 18:19; 2 Kings 17:16). Most frequently, these sacred objects are called “Asherim” (e.g., Ex. 34:13; Deut. 7:5; 12:3; 2 Kings 17:10). and the second bull. There is some debate as to whether Judg. 6:25 refers to one bull or two. The word translated “and” may also be translated “namely,” such that the Lord is not indicating a second animal but specifying more clearly to Gideon which bull should be used to tear down the altar and then be sacrificed. Either way, Gideon is instructed to use a bull to topple the altar of Baal, whose symbol was the bull. The need to make such an instruction explicit again shows Gideon’s reluctance and slow response (cf. v. 17). wood of the Asherah. Ironically, Gideon’s sacrifice was to be offered using the very wood of the image that he was to tear down.
JUDGES—NOTE ON 6:32 Gideon’s new name, Jerubbaal, meant “Let Baal contend,” echoing Joash’s mockery of those who trusted in Baal (v. 31). With this name, Gideon became a living reminder of Baal’s impotence.
JUDGES—NOTE ON 6:34 Spirit of the LORD clothed. See 1 Chron. 12:18; 2 Chron. 24:20. Other terms for the Spirit’s activity in Judges include “was upon” (Judg. 3:10; 11:29) and “rushed upon” (14:6, 19; 15:14). See note on 14:6.
JUDGES—NOTE ON 6:35 Gideon sent messengers to four northern tribes adjacent to each other—Manasseh, Asher, Zebulun, and Naphtali—prior to the first military encounter in 7:1–8:3.
JUDGES—NOTE ON 6:36–40 Before the actual military engagement, Gideon again displays his reluctance to be a leader, for he asks for confirmatory signs from God (cf. v. 17). On the one hand, Gideon’s fears are understandable: the task he is preparing to do is difficult and dangerous. On the other hand, the angel’s appearance and promise (vv. 11–24) already included a confirmatory miracle (v. 21), and Gideon had already begun to obey (vv. 25–27) and to see God’s protection (v. 31). In any event, God stoops to Gideon’s level and grants the signs requested.
JUDGES—NOTE ON 6:39 let me test. Ironically, this is the same word (Hb. nasah) used of God earlier, when he “tested” Israel (2:22; 3:1). Gideon’s desire to test God was in direct violation of the Mosaic law, which prohibited humans from testing God (Deut. 6:16). Gideon himself was aware that he was doing something unwise, if not sinful, since he asked God not to be angry with him (Judg. 6:39). Gideon already knew God’s will (cf. vv. 14–16, 36)—calling him to service on behalf of God’s people—so Gideon’s requests reveal his weak faith. Despite this lack of faith, God accommodated both of Gideon’s requests (vv. 38, 40). More constructive examples of responses to God’s call are Isaiah (Isa. 6:8) and Jesus’ disciples (Matt. 4:20; Mark 1:18–20).
JUDGES—NOTE ON 7:1–8:3 Gideon’s First Battle. God clearly delivered Israel in Gideon’s first military encounter (see map). The account of Gideon’s force reduction from 32,000 to 300 men (7:1–8) emphasizes that God wanted the glory for himself (esp. 7:2, 7). God’s assurances of help for Israel were reinforced when Gideon overheard the Midianites speaking of God’s triumph (7:9–15). The battle did not significantly involve the Israelites because God provided the victory in a special way (7:16–25). The battle’s aftermath shows the resolution of the Ephraimites’ misunderstanding of Gideon’s intentions (8:1–3).
JUDGES—NOTE ON 7:2 lest Israel boast. God made it clear from the very beginning that the glory for this victory was to be all his. This makes all the more absurd the Israelites’ request after the battle that Gideon rule over them because he had supposedly delivered them from the Midianites (cf. 8:22).
JUDGES—NOTE ON 7:3 The Mosaic laws allowed military exemptions for several classes of people, including those who were fearful (Deut. 20:5–8) since they might cause others also to fear.
JUDGES—NOTE ON 7:4–5 Every one who laps … as a dog laps. The second test for reducing Gideon’s forces involved a strange ritual: taking into account how men drank water from a brook. Neither way of drinking is singled out as the “right” way, so this may be simply a means of trimming down the number of men rather than a critique of either form of drinking.
JUDGES—NOTE ON 7:10 if you are afraid. God graciously granted to Gideon, who had been reluctant and afraid previously (6:17, 23, 27, 36–40), a preview of the coming victory by allowing him to enter the Midianite camp and overhear a Midianite’s dream about Israel’s triumph (7:10–14).
JUDGES—NOTE ON 7:13–15 tumbled. This word literally means “turned itself over.” The loaf in the dream, symbolizing the sword of Gideon, “overturned” the Midianite camp. The dream provided the confirmation that Gideon needed, in light of his earlier fear (v. 10). he worshiped. This indicates prostrating oneself to the ground in humble obeisance.
JUDGES—NOTE ON 7:18 For the LORD and for Gideon. See note on 7:20.
JUDGES—NOTE ON 7:19 middle watch. Jewish tradition speaks of three nighttime watches (Jubilees 49.10, 12); the “morning watch” is mentioned in Ex. 14:24 and 1 Sam. 11:11. The later division into four watches (Matt. 14:25; Mark 13:35) seems to have been influenced by Roman practice.
JUDGES—NOTE ON 7:20 A sword for the LORD and for Gideon! The full war cry is now uttered in the event of battle (cf. the previews of this in vv. 14, 18). Ironically, no Israelite swords were used at all, only torches, trumpets, and jars—scarcely classic military weapons.
JUDGES—NOTE ON 7:22–25 The victory was clearly God’s: he turned the Midianites’ swords against them (v. 22), and they fled south and east to the Jordan River and across (vv. 23–25).
JUDGES—NOTE ON 8:1–3 The Ephraimites complained that they had been called out only belatedly, but Gideon’s flattering response had a soothing effect on them.
Gideon’s small army of 300 men camped by the spring of Harod while the vast Midianite army spread out in the Jezreel Valley by the hill of Moreh. When Gideon’s men encircled and surprised the Midianites during the night, the Midianites fled. Gideon’s men chased them to Abel-meholah and beyond, passing through Succoth and Penuel on their way to Karkor, where they captured the leaders of the Midianite army.
JUDGES—NOTE ON 8:4–21 Gideon’s Second Battle. Following the Lord’s great victory on the Israelites’ behalf, Gideon pursued a second military engagement. But the narrative here takes on a different tone. Whereas the Lord is prominently mentioned as the one who orchestrates the victory in the preceding chapter (ch. 7), the presence of the Lord is noticeably absent in this chapter. Even though Gideon was finishing off the action against the Midianites, the portrayal of Gideon in 8:13–21 is far from attractive (cf. his treatment of Succoth and Penuel for their obstruction of his purposes [vv. 13–17], and his reasons for slaying Zebah and Zalmunna, the Midianite kings [vv. 18–21]).
JUDGES—NOTE ON 8:11–12 Gideon’s active involvement in attacking and chasing the enemy contrasts sharply with his and the people’s standing by while the Lord gave them the victory in the earlier encounter (see esp. 7:21).
JUDGES—NOTE ON 8:16–17 Gideon’s actions here fulfill his pledges in vv. 7 and 9.
JUDGES—NOTE ON 8:18–21 The private nature of Gideon’s feud with the Midianites is seen most clearly in this conversation, where Zebah and Zalmunna challenged Gideon’s manhood, and Gideon responded by killing them himself. Holy war, which is to be fought at God’s command for the protection of the whole people, gives no warrant for this kind of personal vengeance.
JUDGES—NOTE ON 8:22–28 Gideon’s Apostasy. Despite God’s faithfulness to Gideon, he turns away from the Lord by leading the people into improper worship practices.
JUDGES—NOTE ON 8:22–23 Rule over us. This request, while understandable from a human perspective, as Gideon may have begun to conduct himself like a king (v. 18), flew directly in the face of the entire narrative up to this moment: it was God (not any human being) who was to get the credit for delivering his people (see note on 7:2). the LORD will rule over you. The Hebrew word order might be paraphrased as, “It is the Lord, and no other, who shall rule over you!” While Gideon’s words were theologically correct, his subsequent actions show either that he was only pretending or that he was self-deceived; he appears eventually to have been seduced by the lures of being a king (8:24–28, 31).
JUDGES—NOTE ON 8:26 Despite Gideon’s protest that he would not become a king (see v. 23), the ornamentation of the Midianite kings—the crescent ornaments and the pendants and the purple garments—was now Gideon’s.
JUDGES—NOTE ON 8:27 The original ephod was an ornate ceremonial garment worn by the high priest (Exodus 28; 39; see illustration). It was made of choice materials ornamented with gold and onyx stones. According to the Mosaic law, there was to be only one ephod in Israel, and it was to have a “breastpiece of judgment” (Ex. 28:15–30). The ephod was used to inquire of God (cf. 1 Sam. 14:3; 23:9; 30:7). By setting up another ephod in his own city, Gideon may have been making it his own to use, at his own whim. Ultimately, it became a snare to Gideon and his family, echoing Judg. 2:3. whored. See note on 2:17.
JUDGES—NOTE ON 8:29–32 Gideon, Father of Abimelech. This transitional unit shows that one of Gideon’s most fateful contributions to Israel’s future was his son Abimelech, whose violent story is told in ch. 9. for he had many wives. On polygamy, see note on Gen. 16:3 and Marriage and Sexual Morality. Abimelech means “my father is king.” Ironically, then, Gideon, who had vigorously proclaimed that he should not be king (see notes on Judg. 8:22–23; 8:26), nevertheless did function as king, even to the point of giving his son such a name.
JUDGES—NOTE ON 8:33–35 Continuing Apostasy. The steady downward cycle of Israel’s apostasy continued unabated. Gideon, though he had accomplished some good things, was a significant contributing factor to this downward slide. whored. See note on 2:17. Baal-berith means “Baal of the covenant”: Israel made its covenant with one of the Baals, not with its own covenant-keeping God (cf. 9:46). Jerubbaal (that is, Gideon). See note on 6:32.
JUDGES—NOTE ON 9:1–57 Abimelech, Apostate “King.” This is an extended account of Abimelech’s violent grab for power. The seeds of his offense are found in Israel’s continuing apostasy, in its request for a warrior-king and rejection of the Lord, and in his father Gideon’s misdeeds and mistakes.
JUDGES—NOTE ON 9:1–6 Abimelech’s Sordid Rise. Abimelech rose to power by ruthlessly killing his own brothers, with the help of the Shechemites. He was then “made king” at Shechem (v. 6). Jerubbaal. That is, Gideon (see 8:35 and note on 6:32). worthless and reckless fellows. Abimelech’s character can be judged by the company that he kept, as can Jephthah’s (cf. 11:3).
JUDGES—NOTE ON 9:7–21 Indictment of Abimelech: Jotham’s Fable. Jotham, the only brother of Abimelech who escaped his murderous rampage, provided a strong indictment of Abimelech’s actions by means of a fable (vv. 7–20). The fable depicts the noble trees of the forest each in turn rejecting the call to kingship, which is finally accepted by the ignoble bramble bush (vv. 8–15). In this context, it is an indictment of the Shechemites (who have chosen the ignoble Abimelech as king), of Abimelech himself, and of the process by which this “king” was chosen (see esp. Jotham’s comments in vv. 16–20). It is not an indictment of the institution of kingship in general, however, since the overall thrust of the book is that a proper king would have been good for Israel.
JUDGES—NOTE ON 9:7 Mount Gerizim. When Israel had entered the land, they proclaimed the blessings of the covenant from this mountain (Josh. 8:30–35) as Moses had commanded (Deut. 11:26–32). Now Jotham utters curses from this “mountain of blessing” (see note on Judg. 9:20).
JUDGES—NOTE ON 9:20 let fire come out. Jotham’s challenge to the Shechemites and Abimelech was dramatically resolved when fire from Abimelech devoured a large number of Shechemites and a Shechemite woman killed Abimelech (vv. 49, 54).
JUDGES—NOTE ON 9:22–55 Abimelech’s Violent Reign and End. The Shechemites and Abimelech deserved each other. Abimelech, who was aided by the Shechemites, was himself now the target of their lawlessness, and discord prevailed between them (vv. 22–25)—a discord that spread into open revolt under Gaal (vv. 26–33). Abimelech was able to quell the revolt, and he razed Shechem (vv. 34–45). He also destroyed the stronghold of Shechem (its tower), burning it with fire (vv. 46–49). Abimelech himself met his end at nearby Thebez (vv. 50–55), where he also attempted to burn its tower but instead was mortally wounded by a stone dropped from it by a woman.
JUDGES—NOTE ON 9:22 Ruled has the nuance “rule (as prince or commander)”; it is not the more usual word for “rule (as king)” used in 8:22–23. The ignoble Abimelech, who had been “made king” by the people, not by God (9:6), could only “rule” as a secondary commander, not as a true king.
JUDGES—NOTE ON 9:23 an evil spirit. Cf. the “evil (or harmful) spirit” God sent to Saul (1 Sam. 16:14, 15, 16, 23a, 23b; 18:10; 19:9; see note on 1 Sam. 16:14). Here, the spirit is between Abimelech and the Shechemites, probably “a spirit of ill will” or “a harmful spirit” between the parties. In this way, God himself brought about the estrangement between the two sides.
JUDGES—NOTE ON 9:45 sowed it with salt. This physical yet symbolic action signified the turning of Shechem into a barren, uninhabitable desert (cf. Deut. 29:23; Job 39:6; Ps. 107:34; Jer. 17:6). It was later rebuilt by Jeroboam (1 Kings 12:25).
JUDGES—NOTE ON 9:46 El-berith. “El” was the name of a well-known Canaanite god, the father of Baal. The term here is probably another way of referring to the god “Baal-berith” and would mean “El of the covenant” (see note on 8:33–35).
JUDGES—NOTE ON 9:51 strong tower (cf. 8:17; 9:46–49). The foundations of a square tower (38 feet/12 m sq.) from this period were found at the site of Giloh (see Josh. 15:51; 2 Sam. 15:12). The tower was well-built, having been constructed of large, roughly hewn stones.
JUDGES—NOTE ON 9:54 kill me. Being killed or bested by a woman was a disgrace to a warrior. See notes on 4:6–9; 5:24–27.
JUDGES—NOTE ON 9:56–57 Final Verdict on Abimelech. Abimelech was not a true king; the institution of a valid monarchy in Israel would have to await a later time. God actively opposed Abimelech, in return for the evil he had done in killing his brothers. The “evil” (Hb. ra‘ah) spirit sent by God to effect the discord (v. 23) led directly to God’s repaying the “wickedness” (Hb. ra‘ah) of Abimelech and the Shechemites (vv. 56–57). The fire that was a sign of Abimelech’s poor choice (vv. 15, 20) brought the downfall of Shechem and Abimelech (vv. 49, 52), and these two devoured each other, as Jotham’s fable had foretold.
JUDGES—NOTE ON 10:1–2 Tola. Tola was the sixth judge, the second “minor” judge (that is, one about whom little is recorded; Shamgar was the first), and he judged 23 years. He arose to save Israel (v. 1), which it needed after Abimelech’s tyranny. This brief account echoes that of Deborah’s early activity (cf. esp. 4:4–5; 5:7).
JUDGES—NOTE ON 10:3–5 Jair. Jair was the seventh judge, the third minor judge, and he judged 22 years. He was rather wealthy (v. 4), and lived in Transjordan (Gilead), the same area as the next judge, Jephthah (11:1). His 30 sons (cf. 12:8–10) form a sharp contrast to Jephthah’s ultimate childlessness.
JUDGES—NOTE ON 10:6–12:7 Jephthah. Jephthah was the eighth judge, and his is the third extended account of a judge’s activity (after Deborah and Gideon). Jephthah freed Israel from the Ammonite burden, but he made a foolish vow that led to a personal tragedy.
JUDGES—NOTE ON 10:6–18 Apostasy and Distress. The introduction restates the themes in ch. 2 about Israel’s apostasy and God’s mercy. A new theme emerges, however, concerning the Israelites’ confession and repentance (10:10, 15–16).
JUDGES—NOTE ON 10:6 The references to seven groupings of foreign gods (cf. the seven nations in vv. 11–12) shows the wide scope of Israel’s apostasy. Not only did they worship the major Canaanite deities (Baal, Asherah, Ashtoreth; see notes on 2:13; 3:7; 6:25–26), but also, apparently, the gods of any people with whom they came into contact.
JUDGES—NOTE ON 10:7 Philistines … Ammonites. The next two major judges were God’s instruments against the Ammonites (Jephthah) and the Philistines (Samson).
JUDGES—NOTE ON 10:14 gods whom you have chosen. Cf. v. 6. The Israelites had also “chosen” new gods in Deborah’s time (5:8).
JUDGES—NOTE ON 10:16 he became impatient over the misery of Israel. Many scholars see this as a reference to God’s great mercy and his capacity to be moved by Israel’s misery and repentance (cf. 2:18). Another interpretation is that it is Israel’s unfaithfulness, the cause of their misery, that makes God impatient. This would indicate that Israel’s “repentance” here was only a superficial one.
JUDGES—NOTE ON 11:1–3 Introduction to Jephthah. Like Jair (10:3), Jephthah was from Gilead. He was a “mighty warrior,” but his illegitimacy caused his half brothers to expel him from his father’s house. Like Abimelech (9:4), he attracted “worthless fellows” (11:3; cf. 2 Chron. 13:7), which did not bode well for his future; indeed, God did not “raise” him up (see note on Judg. 11:6). This is unlike the band of distressed men that David attracted, to whom he gave good leadership (see note on 1 Sam. 22:2).
JUDGES—NOTE ON 11:4–11 Jephthah’s Commissioning. After some negotiation, Jephthah was commissioned by the people—but not, apparently, by God—as “head” and “leader” (v. 11) over Israel.
JUDGES—NOTE ON 11:6 Come and be our leader. God did not “raise up” Jephthah, as he had raised up previous judges (3:9, 15; 4:6; 6:14). Now, for the first time, a leader was commissioned by the people, without seeking God’s approval—another sign of their increasing apostasy.
JUDGES—NOTE ON 11:8 that you may go with us and fight. Cf. the language later used by the Israelites to ask Samuel for a king: “that our king may … go out before us and fight” (1 Sam. 8:20). In both cases, even though God acquiesced, the request was inappropriate. God, not any judge or any king, was to be Israel’s prime warrior.
JUDGES—NOTE ON 11:11 Jephthah spoke all his words before the LORD. Jephthah represented a strange mixture of faith and foolishness. While he acknowledged God (cf. vv. 21, 23, 27, 30–31; 12:3), overall his foolishness seemed to outstrip his faith (see note on 11:31).
JUDGES—NOTE ON 11:12–28 Diplomatic Discussions. The negotiations between Jephthah and the Ammonites consisted largely of an impressive speech by Jephthah, answering the Ammonite charge (v. 13) that Israel had unlawfully seized the territory currently disputed. Jephthah asserted that “the LORD, the God of Israel,” himself was the one who dispossessed these peoples from before Israel (vv. 21, 23, 24) and that Israel was not an aggressor (v. 15) but merely a recipient of the Lord’s generosity. The Ammonites had brought this upon themselves by hindering Israel, thus prompting God’s help in dispossessing them (Israel was not to take Ammonite land, since God had expressly forbidden it; Deut. 2:19). However, Sihon, king of the Amorites, had taken some of what was Moabite/Ammonite territory, and then Israel had taken this and other territory of Sihon (see Num. 21:25–26). The Ammonites, if they had indeed been involved at all, deserved what they had coming. Furthermore, the Ammonites never really had true claim to the land to begin with; rather, it was the land of the Amorites (Judg. 11:19–22). Finally, it was a little late to be challenging Israel’s claim to the land in any case, since 300 years had passed since the events in question (v. 26). Jephthah ended his speech with an appeal to God to judge between the two disputants.
JUDGES—NOTE ON 11:17–22 The review of the past refers to events in the wilderness recounted in Num. 20:14–21. all the territory. The limits of the Amorites’ land, precisely what the Ammonites claimed was theirs in Judg. 11:13 (cf. Num. 21:24).
JUDGES—NOTE ON 11:24 Chemosh was the Moabites’ god (1 Kings 11:7, 33); elsewhere, the Ammonites’ god was Molech (1 Kings 11:7) or Milcom (1 Kings 11:5, 33; 2 Kings 23:13). However, Ammon and Moab were closely associated (cf. Judg. 11:15; cf. Deut. 2:18–19; 23:3–5; Judg. 3:12–13), as both were descended from Lot (Gen. 19:37, 38). The two nations likely shared cultural and religious heritages, and Chemosh may have been considered stronger than Molech/Milcom.
JUDGES—NOTE ON 11:26 300 years. If the exodus took place c. 1440 B.C. (the “early date”), with the conquest of Palestine beginning about 1400, then Jephthah’s speech would fall around 1106 B.C. (However, “300 years” may be a round number, giving an approximate date.) If the exodus took place c. 1260 B.C. (the “late date”), then Jephthah’s number is either inaccurate or a generalization indicating simply seven or eight generations (see note on 1 Kings 6:1). See The Date of the Exodus.
JUDGES—NOTE ON 11:29–40 Victory and Jephthah’s Foolish Vow. The conflict with the Ammonites reached its peak with their defeat by Jephthah (vv. 29, 32–33; see map). However, the climax of the Jephthah narrative centers upon his rash vow (vv. 30–31, 34–40). In order to gain God’s favor, he promised to sacrifice whatever came out of his house upon his victorious return. This reflected a misguided application of the principle of offering to God the best of one’s treasure. Theoretically, a vow to make a burnt offering was valid: cf. Lev. 22:18–20, which also specifies what is a valid offering. The tragic result of Jephthah’s vow was the sacrifice of his only child, a daughter (see note on Judg. 11:39).
Jephthah was called upon by the leaders of Gilead to fight against the Ammonites, who were oppressing the Israelites in Gilead, Ephraim, Benjamin, and Judah. After Jephthah defeated the Ammonites, the men of Ephraim became angry that they had not been called to join the battle, and they gathered to fight Jephthah at Zaphon. Jephthah’s men, however, defeated the Ephraimites and killed them as they tried to return to their homes across the Jordan River.
JUDGES—NOTE ON 11:29 the Spirit of the LORD was upon. See note on 14:6.
JUDGES—NOTE ON 11:31 whatever comes out. The wording here would indicate that Jephthah intended to offer some animal as a burnt offering. However, the grammar also allows for “whoever” (see esv footnote), in which case Jephthah would have intended to offer a human sacrifice all along. If so, what surprised him was not that he had to sacrifice a person, but that it was his daughter. Human sacrifice was strictly forbidden in Israel (Lev. 18:21; 20:2; Deut. 12:31; 18:10; Jer. 19:5; Ezek. 20:30–31; 23:37, 39). Yet, Jephthah’s foolishness impelled him to make such a vow and apparently to follow through with this abomination (see note on Judg. 11:39).
JUDGES—NOTE ON 11:35 I cannot take back my vow. Vows were solemn affairs, made only to God. People were not forced to take them, but, if they did, they had to be kept, under normal circumstances (Deut. 23:21–23; Ps. 15:4; Eccles. 5:4–5). But any vow that would end in sin was not binding; keeping it could not please God, and the Levitical laws provided for such instances (Lev. 5:4–6). Human sacrifice was an abomination, and Jephthah should not have followed through with killing his daughter.
JUDGES—NOTE ON 11:39 who did with her according to his vow. Most likely this means Jephthah literally sacrificed his daughter as a burnt offering. However, another interpretation is that Jephthah dedicated his daughter to perpetual virginity, as a figurative sacrifice (cf. references to her uniqueness [v. 34] and virginity [vv. 37–40]). This would be a tragedy for her, as she would bear no children; but it would also be tragic for Jephthah, whose line would come to an end. Some support for this comes from Jephthah’s speech in vv. 12–28, which shows enough grasp of Israel’s history that he might well have stopped short of literally sacrificing his own child.
JUDGES—NOTE ON 12:1–7 Jephthah’s Conflict with Ephraim. This episode recalls Ephraim’s earlier challenge to Gideon (8:1–3). In the first incident, Gideon was able to pacify Ephraim, whereas in the second, Jephthah did not, and a civil war erupted. The Ephraimites were defeated, and they never again played any important role in Israel’s history.
JUDGES—NOTE ON 12:6 Shibboleth … Sibboleth. The Gileadites devised a test to catch the Ephraimites using an insignificant word—it means either “a flowing stream” or “an ear of grain”—that was difficult for outsiders to pronounce correctly. In modern English usage, “Shibboleth” may refer to words, expressions, ideas, or beliefs used by “insiders” to detect “outsiders.” The terrible tragedy is that Israel is again turning upon itself in internal strife (cf. 8:17).
JUDGES—NOTE ON 12:8–10 Ibzan. Ibzan was the ninth judge. He was distinguished for marrying his 30 sons and his 30 daughters to outsiders (v. 9). In contrast to Jephthah, left childless by his own actions, the judges who immediately preceded and followed him—Jair and Ibzan—both had 30 sons (see 10:4).
JUDGES—NOTE ON 12:11–12 Elon. Elon was the tenth judge, but nothing of significance is reported about him other than the length of his rule (ten years).
JUDGES—NOTE ON 12:13–15 Abdon. Abdon was the eleventh judge; he, like Jair and Ibzan, had many children, and he too was rather wealthy.
JUDGES—NOTE ON 13:1–16:31 Samson. Samson was the twelfth and last judge; he lived around the beginning of the eleventh century B.C., about 50 years before Saul became king. His strength was unparalleled. Rather than lead an army, he battled the Philistines single-handedly. He was a deeply flawed hero whose life was unduly entangled with the people against whom he fought. He violated a number of the Ten Commandments, as well as his Nazirite vow (see note on 13:5–7). Samson embodied in his own tragic-heroic life the traits that Israel exhibited during this period. While he was used of God for deliverance, and while he even called upon God on occasion to help him (15:18; 16:28, 30), his life was nevertheless one of continued unfaithfulness, just like that of the nation he judged.
JUDGES—NOTE ON 13:1–25 The Birth of Samson. Samson’s story opens with the typical statement about Israel’s apostasy (v. 1; cf. 3:7, 12; 4:1; 6:1; 10:6), but the rest of ch. 13 is a lengthy and atypical introduction to Samson. It details the encounter between Samson’s parents and the angel of the Lord, who announced Samson’s birth and mission. Clearly, Samson was to be used by God against the Philistines (14:4), even if, in his own life, he did not follow God’s instructions.
JUDGES—NOTE ON 13:3 the angel of the LORD (see note on 2:1). The angel’s appearance was awesome (v. 6), but his essential character was not to be revealed (vv. 6, 17–18).
JUDGES—NOTE ON 13:5–7 Any man or woman could take a vow to become a Nazirite, to separate himself or herself to God (see Numbers 6). It was to be voluntary (Num. 6:2), for a limited time (Num. 6:5, 8, 13, 20), and involved three provisions: (1) abstinence from wine, strong drink, or anything associated with the vine (Num. 6:3–4); (2) no cutting of the hair (Num. 6:5); and (3) no contact with the dead (Num. 6:6–8). If a person became unclean, there were elaborate cleansing rituals (Num. 6:9–21). Three things are unusual concerning Samson and this vow. First, he did not take it voluntarily; it was his lot from the womb (Judg. 13:5, 7). Second, it was not limited in time; it was to last to the day of his death (vv. 5, 7; cf. 1 Sam. 1:11; Luke 1:15 for similar situations). Third, he broke every one of its stipulations: his head was sheared (Judg. 16:17, 19); he associated with the dead (14:6–9; 15:15); and he undoubtedly drank at his wedding feast (14:10–20; see note on 14:10).
JUDGES—NOTE ON 13:5 begin to save Israel. Samson’s successes were only for a time, since the Philistines were still adversaries of Israel in the days of Samuel, Saul, and David.
JUDGES—NOTE ON 13:6 A man of God designates prophets elsewhere in the OT (e.g., Deut. 33:1; 1 Sam. 2:27; 1 Kings 17:18). At first, Samson’s mother may have thought she was dealing with a prophet, but she quickly realized this was someone greater.
JUDGES—NOTE ON 13:18 The angel’s name was too wonderful to comprehend, so he does not reveal it to Samson’s parents.
JUDGES—NOTE ON 13:22 we have seen God. Manoah’s fears echo those of Gideon on encountering the angel of the Lord (see 6:22; cf. Gen. 32:30; Ex. 33:20).
JUDGES—NOTE ON 13:25 the Spirit of the LORD began to stir him. God’s Spirit was pushing Samson toward the work that God wanted him to do (cf. 14:4). See note on 14:6.
JUDGES—NOTE ON 14:1–16:31 Samson’s exploits fall into two segments (14:1–15:20; 16:1–31), each climaxing with a mass destruction of Philistines, followed by a comment about his judging. Within these are 10 feats of strength and heroism, five in each segment (see chart). In three of these, the Spirit of the Lord “rushed upon him” (feats 1, 2, and 5). Perhaps significantly, this did not happen in the second segment (ch. 16), when Samson was acting more on his own and increasingly falling out of touch with God (culminating with the Lord leaving him completely [v. 20]).
The Philistines ruled over Israel during Samson’s lifetime, and Samson was raised up by God to begin to deliver Israel from them. Samson’s marriage to a Philistine woman in Timnah led to a number of encounters with the Philistines, often resulting in their harm at Samson’s hand.
JUDGES—NOTE ON 14:1–15:20 Samson and the Philistines, Part 1. These episodes recount Samson’s marriage to a Philistine woman and the resulting cycle of offense and retaliation. Marriages with unbelieving foreigners were prohibited for Israelites (Ex. 34:16; Deut. 7:3; cf. Gen. 24:2–3; 26:34–35), and Samson’s demand for a wife (Judg. 14:2–3) was against the tradition in which a marriage was arranged by the parents (Gen. 24:1–4; 38:6). Despite this, and despite the mostly sinful life he led, God intended to use Samson for his own purposes (Judg. 14:4).
JUDGES—NOTE ON 14:1 Timnah is located at modern Tel Batash, which lies in the Shephelah (foothills) near the southern bank of the Nahal (or dry river bed) Sorek. Excavations here have uncovered a thriving Philistine city during the period of the Judges (Early Iron Age) with impressive fortifications constructed of mud-brick on stone.
JUDGES—NOTE ON 14:3 uncircumcised Philistines. Cf. 15:18; 1 Sam. 14:6; 17:26, 36; 31:4; 2 Sam. 1:20; 1 Chron. 10:4. she is right in my eyes (cf. Judg. 14:7). This self-centered demand contrasts with being “right in the Lord’s eyes” (cf. Deut. 6:18; 12:25), and foreshadows the negative conclusions concerning the entire era, that everyone did what was right in their own eyes (Judg. 17:6; 18:1; 19:1; 21:25).
JUDGES—NOTE ON 14:4 it was from the LORD. Despite Israel’s apostasy and Samson’s unsavory life, God would use Samson for his own purposes. (Cf. 13:16; 16:20 for similar comments.)
JUDGES—NOTE ON 14:5–20 At his wedding feast, Samson told his 30 companions a riddle based on a feat of strength he had displayed. When they could not solve it, they enlisted his wife’s help and she extracted the answer. In his rage at this trickery, Samson killed 30 Philistines to obtain the garments he owed his companions. In his absence, his wife was given to his best man.
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| Part 1: Three mentions of the “Spirit of the LORD” | ||
|---|---|---|
| 1. The killing of the lion | 14:5–9 | “The Spirit of the LORD rushed upon him” (14:6). |
| 2. The killing of 30 Philistines | 14:19 | “The Spirit of the LORD rushed upon him” (14:19). |
| 3. The burning of the fields | 15:4–6 | |
| 4. Another slaughter of the Philistines | 15:7–8 | |
| 5. Escape from ropes and killing of 1,000 Philistines | 15:14–17 | “The Spirit of the LORD rushed upon him” (15:14). |
| Part 2: No mention of the “Spirit of the LORD” | ||
| 6. The Gaza-gate incident | 16:3 | |
| 7. Escape from the bowstrings | 16:9 | |
| 8. Escape from the new ropes | 16:12 | |
| 9. Escape from the loom | 16:14 | |
| 10. Final destruction of 3,000 Philistines | 16:28–30 | |
JUDGES—NOTE ON 14:6 the Spirit of the LORD rushed upon him. The OT speaks many times of God’s Spirit acting upon individuals, usually to empower them for some service for the whole people of God. In Judges this is described by the Spirit being upon (Othniel, 3:10; Jephthah, 11:29), clothing (Gideon, 6:34), stirring (Samson, 13:25), or rushing upon someone (Samson, 14:6, 19; 15:14; cf. Saul, 1 Sam. 10:6, 10; 11:6; David, 1 Sam. 16:13). See note on 1 Sam. 10:6.
JUDGES—NOTE ON 14:8–9 carcass of the lion. Samson’s contact with the dead lion violated his Nazirite vow (cf. 13:5).
JUDGES—NOTE ON 14:10 a feast (Hb. mishteh). This word denotes a feast that especially includes alcohol, another violation of Samson’s Nazirite vow (cf. 13:5).
JUDGES—NOTE ON 14:14 Samson’s riddle (Hb. khidah) is the best example of a riddle in Scripture. Other examples include the queen of Sheba’s “hard questions” (same Hebrew word, khidah) for Solomon (1 Kings 10:1) and Daniel’s ability “to interpret dreams, explain riddles, and solve problems” (Dan. 5:12).
JUDGES—NOTE ON 14:15 fourth day. The Hebrew text has “seventh day” (cf. v. 18); the esv reading is based on Greek and Syriac versions (see esv footnote). The difference is only one letter in Hebrew, which could easily have been miscopied by a scribe in an early manuscript. “Fourth” fits better with the immediate context (v. 14 mentions three days of futile guessing about the riddle).
JUDGES—NOTE ON 14:18 If you had not plowed with my heifer. This may have been a saying in Samson’s time (heifers were occasionally used for plowing; cf. Deut. 21:3). Here, it is a coarse reference to their manipulation of Samson’s wife.
JUDGES—NOTE ON 15:1 a young goat. Tamar required the same gift of Judah before she would consent to sexual relations with him (Gen. 38:17).
JUDGES—NOTE ON 15:4 It is possible that the animals were not foxes but jackals, which were more common in Palestine. The two animals look similar, and the same Hebrew word (shu‘al) is used for both. Whereas foxes are solitary, jackals travel in packs, and thus 300 of them could be caught more easily. Both animals have long tails that could be tied together.
JUDGES—NOTE ON 15:6 burned her … with fire. The Philistines retaliated by killing Samson’s wife and her father by burning them alive. Ironically, this was the very fate she was attempting to avoid by extracting from Samson the answer to his riddle (14:15).
JUDGES—NOTE ON 15:8 he struck them hip and thigh. The exact meaning of this idiom is obscure. Perhaps Samson left his enemies in a tangled jumble of legs and thighs. The expression may have originated in the art of wrestling, where brute strength like Samson’s would obviously have been an advantage.
JUDGES—NOTE ON 15:14–15 Spirit of the LORD. See note on 14:6. fresh jawbone. Presumably the advantage of this weapon was that it would not have been dry and brittle, hence there was no danger of its breaking.
JUDGES—NOTE ON 15:17 Ramath-lehi. See esv footnote; cf. Lehi in vv. 9, 14, 19.
JUDGES—NOTE ON 15:18–19 uncircumcised. See note on 14:3. to this day. See note on 6:24.
JUDGES—NOTE ON 15:20 Cf. 16:31. Both sections of the Samson stories (14:1–15:20; 16:1–31) end with a notice of Samson’s judging Israel for twenty years.
JUDGES—NOTE ON 16:1–31 Samson and the Philistines, Part 2. The second segment of the Samson stories details his fateful involvement with yet two more Philistine women—a prostitute (vv. 1–3) and Delilah (vv. 4–22)—and his final revenge on the Philistines and their god (vv. 23–31). Significantly, the Spirit of the Lord is nowhere mentioned in this chapter. Finally the Lord departs from him (v. 20), and Samson’s miraculous strength is gone.
JUDGES—NOTE ON 16:1 prostitute. Hebrew has two words for prostitutes. One (qadesh) refers to “cultic prostitutes” who served pagan gods (Gen. 38:21–22; Deut. 23:17; 1 Kings 14:24). The word here (zonah) signifies a second type, the common, “secular” variety (cf. Gen. 38:15).
JUDGES—NOTE ON 16:2–3 at the gate. Gates from this period, the Early Iron Age, were elaborate complexes, at least two stories high, with guardrooms flanking a narrow opening. The two posts were set deep in the ground to support the doors. the hill that is in front of Hebron. The ancient route connecting Hebron and Gaza was a journey of c. 40 miles (64 km).
JUDGES—NOTE ON 16:4–22 Delilah coordinated her actions with the “lords” of the Philistines to bring down Samson. She persisted and finally succeeded in persuading him to reveal the source of his amazing strength. When he broke the final Nazirite stipulation by allowing his hair to be cut, the Lord left him (v. 20) and he was captured.
JUDGES—NOTE ON 16:4–5 Delilah was the third Philistine woman with whom Samson had become entangled (cf. 14:1; 16:1). came up to her and said. Cf. 14:15.
JUDGES—NOTE ON 16:7–9 In the first test of Samson’s strength, the seven fresh bowstrings, made of animal gut, were weaker than dried and aged strings. Samson’s suggestion of these inadequate bonds shows his contempt for his adversaries, and their credulity indicates their haste to capture him. thread of flax. See 15:14.
JUDGES—NOTE ON 16:11 new ropes. In the second test, Samson toyed with the Philistines, suggesting that they use the same bonds that the men of Judah had previously found to be worthless (see 15:13).
JUDGES—NOTE ON 16:13–14 seven locks of my head. The third test, involving Samson’s hair, got closer to the true source of his strength. Made them tight with the pin translates the same Hebrew phrase that was used when Jael drove a tent peg into Sisera’s head (4:21). The exact scenario here is unclear, but Samson obviously had no trouble escaping once more. Samson, like Sisera, was unwary in the presence of a woman, naively not suspecting her of posing any danger.
JUDGES—NOTE ON 16:16 she pressed him. Delilah did precisely what Samson’s wife had done earlier (14:17). Samson’s weak character shows through again: he did not learn from his previous mistake, but yielded in both cases.
JUDGES—NOTE ON 16:18 told her all his heart. Delilah knew that Samson was finally telling the truth. Earlier, he had withheld his heart from her (v. 15).
JUDGES—NOTE ON 16:20–21 the LORD had left him. See note on 14:4. gouged out his eyes. The practice of blinding an enemy and then forcing him to grind grain at a mill is known from ancient Near Eastern texts (e.g., the Tapikka Letters, from a 14th century B.C. Hittite administrative city). The Philistines may have adopted this practice from the Hittites.
JUDGES—NOTE ON 16:22 the hair of his head began to grow again. There was no magical power in Samson’s hair, for his strength came only from the Lord (14:6, 19; 15:14; 16:20). But the growth of his hair indicates that God was renewing his previous power (cf. vv. 17, 19–20). Samson may also have begun to renew his faith (cf. v. 28).
JUDGES—NOTE ON 16:23–27 Despite Samson’s humiliation, his life ended with vindication. His hair grew back (v. 22), and he slaughtered 3,000 Philistines (v. 27), more than he had killed previously (v. 30).
JUDGES—NOTE ON 16:28–30 Samson demonstrated a measure of faith by calling upon God and believing that God could and would help him (cf. Heb. 11:32). However, Samson seems to have desired God’s intervention more for personal revenge than for the protection of God’s people. two middle pillars. A temple from the period of the judges has been unearthed at the Philistine site of Tell Qasile. It was built with two central pillars to support the roof of the entire structure, a design distinct from either Canaanite or Israelite temples.
JUDGES—NOTE ON 16:31 The main body of the book of Judges now ends, with a final editorial comment about Samson’s judging. Samson, the last judge, had been empowered by God’s Spirit, just as the first (Othniel) had been. However, much had happened in the interim. Samson and most of his predecessors certainly were not paragons of virtue. Yet, despite the generally poor examples of the judges themselves, God had worked to deliver Israel and to protect his own name and reputation. But the book’s message is not yet played out. In the following chapters, the nation’s apostasy sinks to even deeper levels, and the stage is set for the coming of a faithful king who will restore moral order.
JUDGES—NOTE ON 17:1–21:25 The Depths of Israel’s Apostasy. The book of Judges closes with two sections (chs. 17–18 and 19–21) characterized by the statements, “In those days there was no king in Israel” (17:6; 18:1; 19:1; 21:25) and, “everyone did what was right in his own eyes” (17:6; 21:25). Whereas chs. 2–16 describe external threats to Israel, chs. 17–21 describe internal threats to religious worship and tribal unity. The most sordid and tragic stories in the book are found here, for the ultimate depths of Israel’s apostasy have now been reached. The message is that if Israel had had a godly king functioning as a king should (Deut. 17:18–20), things would have been better.
JUDGES—NOTE ON 17:1–18:31 Religious Corruption. The first concluding section (cf. note on 17:1–21:25) depicts Micah’s establishment of his own private shrine, featuring an attendant priest, and tells of the Danites’ migration, during which they took Micah’s priest and the symbols of his shrine away from him.
JUDGES—NOTE ON 17:1–6 Religious Corruption of a Household. These verses depict a thieving son and an unusually forgiving mother who commit apostasy together.
JUDGES—NOTE ON 17:3–4 a carved image. Such images are mentioned in the Ten Commandments (Ex. 20:4). They were normally carved from wood or chiseled out of rock but sometimes made from a mold (cf. Isa. 40:19; 44:10). a metal image. Cf. 2 Kings 17:16. Micah’s mother approved of his making these images, showing how God’s people sometimes are tempted to mix elements of true worship with practices unacceptable to God. This is another consequence of the Israelites’ lack of good leadership. The house of Micah was a compound consisting of multiple housing units for travelers and relatives (cf. Judg. 18:2). Similar complexes, including two or more attached houses, have been uncovered by excavations at Ai and Khirbet Raddana.
JUDGES—NOTE ON 17:5 a shrine. Lit., “a house of God.” This was a perversion of the true sanctuary where worship was to take place (cf. “the house of God” at Shiloh in 18:31). Micah also made an ephod (cf. 8:27) and various household gods (cf. Gen. 31:19); these are later condemned as idolatry (1 Sam. 15:23). Micah further violated the Mosaic law by appointing his own son as his private priest, an office meant not for private but for public service. Furthermore, he was not descended from Aaron (as the priests were supposed to be), nor was he even a Levite (cf. Ex. 28:1; 40:12–15; Num. 16:39–40; 17:8).
JUDGES—NOTE ON 17:6 no king in Israel. See Introduction: Purpose, Occasion, and Background (cf. 18:1; 19:1; 21:25). right in his own eyes (cf. 21:25). The verse is an editorial comment on the nation’s apostasy. People were doing whatever they wanted, as opposed to what was right in the Lord’s eyes (cf. 14:3).
View this chart online at http://kindle.esvsb.org/c71
| Micah and the Danite Migration (chs. 17–18) | Gibeah’s Deed and Their Punishment (chs. 19–21) | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Religious Deterioration | Moral Deterioration | ||
| Beginning | “In those days there was no king in Israel. Everyone did what was right in his own eyes” (17:6). | “In those days, when there was no king in Israel …” (19:1). | Beginning |
| Ending | “In those days there was no king in Israel” (18:1). | “In those days there was no king in Israel. Everyone did what was right in his own eyes” (21:25). | Ending |
JUDGES—NOTE ON 17:7–13 Religious Corruption of a Levite. Micah meets a Levite and lures him into serving as a private priest by offering him a fine salary and a safe house.
JUDGES—NOTE ON 17:9 Levite of Bethlehem. This Levite had been living as a sojourner, a resident alien, in Judah. The Levites did not have their own tribal territory, but they had 48 cities, scattered among the other tribes (Joshua 21). However, Bethlehem was not one of those cities, and this Levite was only too happy to settle in Micah’s household in Ephraim and become his private priest, displacing Micah’s son (Judg. 17:10–11; see note on v. 5).
JUDGES—NOTE ON 18:1–31 Religious Corruption of a Tribe. A band of treacherous men from the tribe of Dan offer the Levite (see note on 17:9) more money and prestige to be their priest, so he joins them. A whole tribe now sins like Micah’s family did.
JUDGES—NOTE ON 18:1 no king in Israel. See Introduction: Purpose, Occasion, and Background (cf. 17:6; 19:1; 21:25). Dan was seeking … an inheritance. The Danites had been unable to settle in their allotted territory (Josh. 19:40–47), as they had failed to capture it earlier (Judg. 1:34–35).
JUDGES—NOTE ON 18:2–4 Zorah … Eshtaol. These towns were located in the Judean lowlands approximately 15 miles (24 km) west of Jerusalem. The fact that the Danites send men who lodged there with Micah to spy out the land, recalls similar events with Rahab and the spies in Josh. 2:1.
JUDGES—NOTE ON 18:5–6 Their request, regarding whether the journey … will succeed, echoes the language of Joshua, where the “prosperous way” is defined in terms of devotion to God’s word (Josh. 1:8). Given the highly negative tone of Judges 17–21 and future events in this particular narrative (18:30), it is difficult to take seriously their desire to inquire of God. The statement, under the eye of the LORD, captures the ambiguity of the priest’s response. The future actions of the Danites may have been seen by God, but that does not mean that they were approved by God.
JUDGES—NOTE ON 18:7 Laish was located about 25 miles (40 km) north of the Sea of Galilee, making the migration of the Danites from Zorah and Eshtaol to Laish about a hundred miles. Laish was renamed Dan (v. 29; see note on 20:1–2), and it was here that Jeroboam set up one of his golden calves (1 Kings 12:29–30). The site was occupied through the Roman period.
JUDGES—NOTE ON 18:12 Kiriath-jearim, a chief city of the Gibeonites (Josh. 9:17), was located approximately 8 miles (13 km) northwest of Jerusalem, though debate continues regarding its precise location.
JUDGES—NOTE ON 18:14–20 ephod, household gods, a carved image, and a metal image. Micah’s collection of cultic objects was quite impressive (cf. 17:3–5). Rather than offering condemnation, the Danites took the cultic objects for themselves. a father and a priest. The Danites’ words to the Levite were the same as Micah’s earlier (17:10). The Danites’ offer of more money and prestige, and the Levite’s acceptance, are further indications of the period’s apostasy. Their plundering of another tribe (18:18, 21) fulfills Jacob’s prediction that Dan would deal viciously with others, like a serpent or a viper (Gen. 49:17).
JUDGES—NOTE ON 18:21 As the Danites fled, they placed what they had stolen in front of them, with the warriors behind, as protection against pursuit from Micah’s household or neighbors.
JUDGES—NOTE ON 18:30–31 The Levite’s name is revealed for the first time (Jonathan), as well as his lineage—apostasy has even infected the house of Moses. Captivity of the land could refer to the Babylonian captivity (587 B.C.), or, since Dan is in the north, to the Assyrian captivity of 722 (or even earlier, when Dan passed into Assyrian control). In any case, the Danites’ priest and his descendants served in that role for centuries, and only exile ended the arrangement. Shiloh was destroyed at the end of the period of the judges, c. 1050 B.C. (cf. Ps. 78:60; Jer. 7:12, 14; 26:6).
JUDGES—NOTE ON 19:1–21:24 Moral and Social Corruption. This second concluding section (cf. note on 17:1–21:25) deals with outrageous actions perpetrated at Gibeah against a Levite’s concubine and the aftermath of those actions. The story is similar to the assault on Lot’s household in Sodom in Genesis 19, placing Gibeah on the same debased plane as Sodom (cf. Gen. 13:13; Deut. 32:32; Isa. 1:10; 3:9). This section is linked with the previous (Judges 17–18) by Levites as protagonists in both (17:7; 19:1); in the first section, a Levite from Bethlehem travels to the hill country of Ephraim, while in the second, a Levite from the hill country of Ephraim travels to Bethlehem to take a concubine. One horror seems to lead inexorably to another, apparently with no way out, as the people’s unfaithfulness takes its devastating toll.
JUDGES—NOTE ON 19:1–30 Moral Outrage at Gibeah. These verses recount one of the most sordid stories in the Bible. Rape, murder, and callous indifference lead to the death of an innocent woman and, eventually, to civil war.
JUDGES—NOTE ON 19:1 no king in Israel. See Introduction: Purpose, Occasion, and Background (cf. 17:6; 18:1; 21:25). A concubine was a female servant or slave regarded as part of the family. Her usual function was childbearing to enlarge the family (cf. Abraham’s concubine Hagar [Genesis 16]; Jacob’s concubines Bilhah and Zilpah [Gen. 30:4–13]). Bethlehem in Judah was also the origin of Micah’s priest (Judg. 17:9).
JUDGES—NOTE ON 19:3–9 An elaborate and extended ritual of hospitality is played out here: the Levite stayed in the home of his concubine’s father for five days, on the insistent urging of the father. Strict codes of hospitality still play a part in many tribal Near Eastern cultures. The elaborate hospitality described here stands in sharp contrast to what follows in the ensuing episodes.
JUDGES—NOTE ON 19:10–12 Jebus (that is, Jerusalem). Jerusalem was at this time in the hands of the Jebusites and so is referred to as a city of foreigners (see note on 1:8). Gibeah was about 4 miles (6 km) north of Jerusalem. Archaeologists have discovered a massive-destruction level (c. 1100 B.C.) at the site of Gibeah, which may correspond with the destruction in chs. 19–20. The city was soon rebuilt, with an imposing rectangular fortress dating to the time of Saul (Gibeah was Saul’s hometown; 1 Sam. 10:26). The Levite considered Gibeah a safer place to spend the night than Jerusalem, because it was a Benjaminite city (Judg. 19:14, 16); this, however, was a tragically fatal misjudgment.
JUDGES—NOTE ON 19:16 old man … sojourning in Gibeah. In a striking irony—and a commentary on the degenerate state of affairs in Israel—the Levite found hospitality, not from the residents of Gibeah, but from an outsider, a sojourner. hill country of Ephraim. Cf. v. 1.
JUDGES—NOTE ON 19:22–26 The “hospitality” offered by Gibeah was no hospitality at all; it was the “hospitality” of Sodom (cf. Genesis 19), an outrageous affront to the Levite and especially to his concubine. This section closely echoes Gen. 19:4–9; indeed, it is likely that the author intentionally patterned this text after the Genesis account, as if to say, “Things are as bad now as they were in the days of Sodom and Gomorrah!”
JUDGES—NOTE ON 19:22 worthless fellows. Literally, “sons of Belial.” In the OT, the term “Belial” is used descriptively, speaking of perverted or worthless people (cf. 20:13; 1 Sam. 10:27; 1 Kings 21:13). In intertestamental literature, the term was used of Satan, and this is Paul’s sense in 2 Cor. 6:15: “What accord has Christ with Belial?” that we may know him. The word “know” was the normal Hebrew euphemism for sexual relations (cf. Gen. 4:1). The same expression is found in Gen. 19:5, where the men of Sodom wanted to have homosexual relations with Lot’s guests.
JUDGES—NOTE ON 19:27–30 The Levite’s matter-of-fact reaction to his concubine’s death illustrates his callousness. His gruesome response was to cut her into twelve pieces and send them around to the 12 tribes to rally them against Gibeah. Saul later did the same thing with a yoke of oxen (1 Sam. 11:7); a similar practice is known from Mari, in Mesopotamia. has never happened or been seen. It is unclear what was being referred to here (the outrageous actions of the men of Gibeah or the cutting up of the concubine), but it is more likely the former (cf. Judg. 20:10).
JUDGES—NOTE ON 20:1–48 Civil War. Gibeah, site of the moral outrage (ch. 19), was a Benjaminite city, and so an assembly of all Israel convened at Mizpah to unite against Benjamin (20:1–11). However, the Benjaminites, who apparently were not at the assembly (v. 3), refused to deliver the inhabitants of Gibeah to them, but rather prepared for battle (vv. 12–17). The battle was joined, Judah going first (v. 18), and the Israelites were repelled twice by the Benjaminites at Gibeah (vv. 19–28). Each time, God directed the Israelites to continue the fight (vv. 23, 28). The third time, Benjamin was routed and subjected to the complete annihilation that earlier had been reserved exclusively for the Canaanites (vv. 29–48). Readers are not told whether God approved of this; certainly he did not explicitly command it. It was a grim measure of Israel’s apostasy and the attendant chaos that complete annihilation now was directed internally, against fellow Israelites.
JUDGES—NOTE ON 20:1–2 from Dan to Beersheba. This phrase was commonly used to speak of the entire land of Israel, from north to south (cf. 1 Sam. 3:20; 2 Sam. 24:2; 1 Kings 4:25). assembly. The Hebrew word (qahal) denotes a specially summoned gathering, usually for a religious (Num. 16:3; 1 Chron. 28:8) or military purpose (Num. 22:4, “horde”; 1 Sam. 17:47). Here, the Israelites gathered for war against the tribe of Benjamin (see map).
JUDGES—NOTE ON 20:9 The tribes agreed to send a tenth of their men (v. 10), chosen by lot. Far from this being a matter of chance, God was always in control of the lot (cf. Num. 26:55; Josh. 14:2; 18:6, 8, 10; Prov. 16:33). However, perhaps significantly, he is not mentioned in this instance.
The final chapters of Judges record the migration of the tribe of Dan to the north, and Israel’s war with Benjamin for deeds committed against a Levite passing through Gibeah. After refusing to surrender the perpetrators to judgment, the Benjaminites were defeated by the other tribes, and the remaining Benjaminites fled to the rock of Rimmon. In order to rescue the Benjaminites from being completely wiped out, the other tribes provided wives captured from Jabesh-gilead and Shiloh.
JUDGES—NOTE ON 20:12–14 purge evil from Israel (cf. Deut. 13:5; 17:7; etc.). This evil deed is seen as polluting the whole people. But the Benjaminites would not listen. Benjamin’s decision to protect the evildoers sets the stage for further horrors.
JUDGES—NOTE ON 20:15–16 26,000 men. The Benjaminite force, large as it was, equaled only a small fraction of the Israelite coalition (400,000 men; v. 17). left-handed. The left-handedness of the 700 expert slingers was an advantage, since their shots would come at an unaccustomed angle. Ironically, the name “Benjamin” means “son of the right (hand).”
JUDGES—NOTE ON 20:18 Judah … first. As before (1:1–2), Judah took the lead. This is the tribe from which David, the greatest embodiment of the monarchy (what the Israelites most lacked at this time), would come.
JUDGES—NOTE ON 20:25–26 The fasting and sacrificing of the Israelites is very rare in this period. See note on 2:5.
JUDGES—NOTE ON 20:28 Phinehas. Cf. Num. 25:6–11.
JUDGES—NOTE ON 20:35 the LORD defeated Benjamin. Despite Israel’s apostasy, God still intervened in its affairs and gave victory.
JUDGES—NOTE ON 20:38 ambush. Cf. the ambush set for Ai in Josh. 8:17–22.
JUDGES—NOTE ON 20:47 Despite the rout, 600 men of Benjamin survived to become the core of the renewed tribe (21:13–15).
JUDGES—NOTE ON 21:1–24 Chaotic Aftermath. The war against Benjamin hardly solved Israel’s spiritual and social problems. Chaos continued to reign. After the defeat of Benjamin, the remaining Israelites were regretful that one of the tribes might cease to exist (vv. 1–7). Thus, ch. 21 shows the provision for Benjamin’s continued survival. Four hundred wives were obtained through a punitive action against Jabesh-gilead, which had not joined in the original battle (vv. 8–15). Two hundred more wives were obtained through an action at Shiloh, legitimized on more flimsy grounds (vv. 16–24). The book ends (v. 25) with one final editorial comment about the apostasy in the land.
JUDGES—NOTE ON 21:1 had sworn. This oath was presumably made when the people gathered together at Mizpah (cf. 20:1).
JUDGES—NOTE ON 21:5 great oath. A second, “greater” oath provided the justification for raiding Jabesh-gilead to provide wives for the Benjaminites. No doubt all the tribes were expected to participate, since all 12 had been sent the gruesome remains of the Levite’s concubine (19:29).
JUDGES—NOTE ON 21:10–11 devote to destruction. This phrase is found throughout the book of Joshua describing the Israelites’ destruction of the Canaanites (e.g., Josh. 6:17–18; 10:28, 35, 39, 40–41; 11:11, 20; see note on Deut. 20:16–18). Here, ironically, the total destruction was directed against an Israelite city, not a Canaanite one; Israel acted on its own, without God’s command to take such action. The rebuilt city of Jabesh-gilead figures in Saul’s history (1 Sam. 11:1–11; 31:11–13).
JUDGES—NOTE ON 21:24 every man to his inheritance. The exact same statement is found at the end of Joshua (Josh. 24:28), but now things were far worse.
JUDGES—NOTE ON 21:25 Final Verdict. The final editorial comment echoes earlier ones (17:6; 18:1; 19:1; see chart). Israel’s apostasy had reached the depths, and the stage was set for the coming of a godly king, David, a man after God’s own heart with whom God would make an everlasting covenant (cf. Ruth 4:17; 1 Samuel 16; 2 Samuel 7; see Introduction: Purpose, Occasion, and Background). The sympathetic reader who has followed the whole narrative is left yearning for such a king.