Setting the Table for Judges

            As we begin to consider the careers of the judges, we should probably start with a pretty basic question:  “What the heck’s a judge?”  The judges are apparently local, charismatic military leaders who lead portions of the Israelites in times of crisis.  Although the judges are described as leading Israel, the historical realities are more likely that they led particular tribes or coalitions of tribes.  (The relative autonomy of the tribes, the lack of unified action among them, and their resulting vulnerability to attack seems to be some of the factors that led them to desire a king in 1 Samuel.)  In addition, the judges are not dynastic, although Gideon’s family has pretensions.  Instead they are raised up for a certain time and place.  Finally, they are not national leaders, nor do they necessarily have ongoing administrative functions.

            The Lord raises these men (and one woman) up in response to Israel’s repentant cries.  They are repentant for their idolatry and their repentance is sparked by the Lord’s sending powers to oppress them.  So, throughout the book, we see the Lord acting both in Law (sending punishment on His idolatrous people) and in Gospel (sending redeemers to deliver them).  One of the ways that we can appropriately apply the book is to see how these local events draw us into the cosmic events, in which all humanity stands under the oppression of death because of our rebellion and in which the Lord sends Jesus as the One who will redeem us from the oppressor.

            There are twelve judges altogether—6 minor judges, who only get a few verses notice, and 6 major judges, who have more extended stories.  (Scholars count Othniel as a major judge, even though his story is only 5 verses long, presumably because he establishes the pattern for the remaining ones.)  Of the 5 major judges after Othniel—Ehud, Deborah, Gideon (and his son by a concubine, Abimelech), Jephthah, and Samson, we observe a ‘nesting’ pattern.  Ehud and Samson, the bookends, are lone warriors; their exploits are largely accomplished alone.  Deborah is a woman and Jephthah is the outcast son of a prostitute, so they are unlikely leaders.  At the center is Gideon, who, despite some ambiguity in his character, refuses to become king (8:22-23), and Abimelech, who tries to establish himself as king.