The final chapters of the Book of Judges, Judges 16 to 21, recount some of the most dramatic and sobering events in Israel’s early history. These chapters cover the downfall of Samson, the last of the judges, and the moral decay of the Israelite tribes, as they repeatedly stray from God’s law. Samson’s tragic end is followed by a series of disturbing episodes that highlight the chaos and lack of leadership in Israel during this period.
Judges 16: The Downfall of Samson
In Judges 16, Samson’s story reaches its tragic conclusion. Though blessed with supernatural strength from God, Samson’s repeated lapses in judgment lead to his eventual downfall.
Samson falls in love with Delilah, a woman from the Philistine territory of Sorek. The Philistine leaders, eager to capture Samson, offer Delilah a large sum of money to discover the secret of his strength. Over time, she repeatedly asks Samson the source of his power, and after several false answers, Samson finally reveals that his strength lies in his uncut hair, a symbol of his lifelong Nazirite vow to God.
Once Samson falls asleep, Delilah cuts his hair, and his strength leaves him. The Philistines capture him, gouge out his eyes, and take him to Gaza, where he is imprisoned and forced to grind grain.
However, even in captivity, God’s grace remains with Samson. As his hair begins to grow back, so does his strength. During a great Philistine celebration in the temple of Dagon, where thousands gather to mock Samson and give praise to their god, Samson prays to the Lord for one final burst of strength. He pulls down the temple pillars, collapsing the building and killing himself along with the Philistine leaders and many others. In his death, Samson kills more Philistines than during his life, delivering a final blow to Israel’s enemies.
Judges 17: The Idolatry of Micah
After the fall of Samson, Judges 17 shifts the focus to the moral decline of Israel, beginning with a story of idolatry involving a man named Micah.
Micah, from the hill country of Ephraim, steals 1,100 shekels of silver from his mother but later confesses and returns the money. In an act of misguided devotion, his mother uses part of the silver to make a graven image and an idol, which are placed in Micah’s house. Micah then establishes a personal shrine, appoints one of his sons as a priest, and later recruits a wandering Levite to serve as his priest.
This story highlights the spiritual confusion in Israel at the time. The Levites were meant to serve at the tabernacle, but Micah’s actions show a disregard for the established laws of worship. It is a sign of how far Israel has strayed from God, as “every man did that which was right in his own eyes” (Judges 17:6).
Judges 18: The Danites and the Theft of Micah’s Idols
In Judges 18, the tribe of Dan seeks new territory to settle, as they had not yet received their full inheritance in the promised land. Spies from Dan come across Micah’s house and discover his idols and his personal priest. Impressed by what they find, the Danites later return with a group of warriors, seize Micah’s idols, and convince the Levite priest to come with them, promising him greater prestige.
The Danites continue their journey to the town of Laish, where they conquer the peaceful inhabitants and rename the town Dan. They establish Micah’s idols in their new city, setting up a rival place of worship that directly contradicts God’s commands to worship only at the tabernacle. This chapter further demonstrates the religious and moral decline of Israel during the time of the judges.
Judges 19: The Levite and His Concubine
Judges 19 recounts one of the darkest episodes in Israel’s history, illustrating the depths of the nation’s depravity. A Levite from Ephraim takes a concubine, but after a dispute, she leaves him and returns to her father’s house in Bethlehem. The Levite goes to bring her back, and after several days of hospitality from her father, they begin their journey home.
As night falls, the Levite and his concubine stop in the town of Gibeah, which belongs to the tribe of Benjamin. A local man offers them shelter, but during the night, the men of the city surround the house, demanding to have sexual relations with the Levite. In a tragic turn of events, the Levite offers his concubine to the mob to save himself. The men of Gibeah abuse her throughout the night, and she dies from her injuries.
The next morning, the Levite finds his concubine dead and, in a horrific act, cuts her body into twelve pieces, sending them to each tribe of Israel as a call to action. This shocking event prompts outrage throughout Israel and sets the stage for a civil war.
Judges 20: The Civil War Against Benjamin
Judges 20 describes the fallout from the brutal death of the Levite’s concubine. The tribes of Israel, united in anger, demand that the tribe of Benjamin hand over the men of Gibeah responsible for the crime. The Benjamites refuse, leading to a civil war between Benjamin and the rest of Israel.
Israel’s forces vastly outnumber Benjamin, but the battle is fierce. Over the course of several days, the Benjamites initially hold their ground, inflicting heavy losses on the Israelites. However, after seeking guidance from God, Israel finally defeats Benjamin, killing tens of thousands of Benjamite soldiers and decimating their towns. Only 600 Benjamite men survive by fleeing to the wilderness.
Judges 21: The Restoration of Benjamin
In Judges 21, Israel mourns the near-extinction of one of its own tribes. The Israelites had vowed not to give their daughters to the surviving Benjamites as wives, but now they regret the potential loss of an entire tribe. To solve the problem, they devise a plan to provide wives for the remaining Benjamites.
First, they attack the city of Jabesh-gilead, killing its inhabitants but sparing 400 young women to be given to the Benjamites. When this is not enough, they allow the Benjamites to capture wives during a festival at Shiloh, ensuring the survival of the tribe.
Despite the resolution, this chapter underscores the deep moral and spiritual confusion in Israel. The book ends with the haunting refrain, “In those days there was no king in Israel: every man did that which was right in his own eyes” (Judges 21:25). The lack of centralized leadership and the absence of adherence to God’s law had led to anarchy, violence, and a profound moral decline.
Conclusion: The Tragedy of Samson and the Collapse of Israel’s Moral Fabric
The final chapters of the Book of Judges, Judges 16 to 21, highlight both the individual failures of Israel’s leaders and the collective moral decay of the nation. Samson, though gifted with extraordinary strength, falls victim to his own weaknesses, and his death signals the end of the era of judges.
The subsequent stories of Micah’s idolatry, the Levite’s concubine, and the civil war against Benjamin reveal a nation spiraling into chaos. Without a king or a strong spiritual leader to guide them, the Israelites repeatedly abandon God’s law, leading to violence, idolatry, and internal conflict.
The Book of Judges serves as a powerful reminder of the consequences of forsaking God’s commandments and the dangers of moral relativism. It sets the stage for the later rise of the monarchy in Israel, as the people would eventually cry out for a king to bring order to their fractured society.
