The Book of Judges covers a turbulent period in Israel’s history between the conquest of Canaan under Joshua and the establishment of the monarchy. In Judges 1 to 5, we are introduced to the challenges the Israelites face after the death of Joshua, the first few judges, and the recurring cycle of disobedience, oppression, and deliverance by God. This section sets the stage for a pattern that will be repeated throughout the book.
Judges 1: Israel Fails to Fully Conquer the Land
Judges 1 begins by detailing the various military campaigns that took place after Joshua’s death. The Israelites inquire of the Lord about which tribe should continue the conquest, and God directs Judah to lead the charge. With God’s help, Judah defeats the Canaanites and Perizzites, including the powerful city of Jerusalem.
However, as the chapter unfolds, it becomes clear that the tribes of Israel fail to completely drive out the inhabitants of the land. Several tribes, including Benjamin, Manasseh, Ephraim, Zebulun, and others, are unable to remove the Canaanites fully. Instead, the Canaanites continue to live among them, often being reduced to forced labor. This partial conquest sets the stage for future problems as the remaining Canaanites influence Israel through their idolatrous practices.
Judges 2: Israel’s Disobedience and the Lord’s Rebuke
In Judges 2, the Lord sends an angel to rebuke Israel for not driving out the Canaanites completely, as they had been commanded. The angel warns that the Canaanites would become a thorn in Israel’s side, and their gods would ensnare the Israelites. This warning becomes prophetic, as the people’s failure to obey leads to cycles of idolatry and oppression.
The chapter then gives a summary of the cyclical nature of the Book of Judges. After Joshua’s generation dies, the next generation turns away from the Lord to worship the gods of the surrounding nations. In response, God allows Israel to be oppressed by their enemies. When the Israelites cry out for help, God raises up judges—leaders who deliver the people from their oppressors. However, once the judge dies, the people quickly return to idolatry, and the cycle repeats itself.
Judges 3: The First Judges—Othniel, Ehud, and Shamgar
Judges 3 introduces the first of the judges who deliver Israel from their enemies. After Israel’s disobedience, God allows them to be oppressed by Cushan-rishathaim, king of Mesopotamia. The people cry out to the Lord, and He raises up Othniel, Caleb’s younger brother, to deliver them. Othniel defeats the Mesopotamians, and the land has peace for 40 years.
After Othniel’s death, the Israelites once again turn to idolatry. This time, God allows Eglon, king of Moab, to oppress them. For 18 years, the Israelites serve Eglon until they cry out to the Lord. God raises up Ehud, a left-handed man from the tribe of Benjamin, as their deliverer. Ehud crafts a double-edged dagger and uses it to assassinate Eglon in a dramatic scene. After killing the Moabite king, Ehud leads the Israelites in a successful battle against the Moabites, and the land has peace for 80 years.
The chapter concludes with a brief mention of Shamgar, who kills 600 Philistines with an ox goad, further demonstrating God’s deliverance through unlikely means.
Judges 4: Deborah and Barak Defeat Sisera
Judges 4 introduces the story of Deborah, a prophetess and the only female judge in the Bible. After Ehud’s death, the Israelites fall back into idolatry, and the Lord allows them to be oppressed by Jabin, king of Canaan, and his general Sisera. For 20 years, Sisera’s army, equipped with 900 iron chariots, cruelly oppresses Israel.
In response to Israel’s cry for help, Deborah summons Barak and instructs him to lead an army against Sisera, assuring him that the Lord will give them victory. Barak agrees to go but insists that Deborah accompany him. Deborah agrees but tells him that the honor of killing Sisera will go to a woman.
Barak’s forces, with the help of the Lord, defeat Sisera’s army. Sisera flees the battlefield and takes refuge in the tent of Jael, the wife of Heber the Kenite. Jael welcomes him, offers him milk, and covers him with a blanket. While Sisera sleeps, Jael drives a tent peg through his temple, killing him and fulfilling Deborah’s prophecy.
Judges 5: The Song of Deborah
Judges 5 records the Song of Deborah, a poetic retelling of the events of Judges 4. This song is one of the oldest pieces of Hebrew poetry and praises God for His deliverance of Israel. It highlights the courage of Deborah and Barak, the cowardice of some tribes who refused to help, and the bravery of Jael, who killed Sisera.
The song vividly describes the battle and how the stars fought from heaven, symbolizing divine intervention. It also praises Jael as the “blessed among women” for her decisive role in delivering Israel from Sisera. The chapter concludes with a declaration that the land had peace for 40 years after this victory.
Conclusion: The Cycle Begins
The first five chapters of Judges establish the recurring cycle that will continue throughout the book: Israel’s disobedience, divine punishment through oppression, cries for deliverance, and God’s intervention through judges. The stories of Othniel, Ehud, Shamgar, Deborah, and Jael highlight the ways in which God uses ordinary people—sometimes in extraordinary circumstances—to bring about deliverance for His people.
These chapters also introduce us to the challenges Israel faces, not only from external enemies but also from internal unfaithfulness. Their failure to fully obey God’s commands in conquering the land and their tendency to adopt the religious practices of their neighbors lead to repeated periods of oppression. Yet, even in their disobedience, God remains merciful and provides deliverance when they turn back to Him.
