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Highlights from the Book of Judges Source Material Highlights from the Book of Judges Source Material................................................................................2 Judges - Outline of Contents.........................................................3 Judges 1- 4.......................................................................................4 Judges 5 – 7...................................................................................28 Judges 8 -10...................................................................................44 Judges 11 - 14................................................................................57 Judges 15 - 18................................................................................72 Judges 19 - 21................................................................................80 Judges Page 1 Source Material This material has been sourced from the 2014 Watchtower Library compact disk. Scriptures Included. Only verses that are explained in some way are included in the Scripture Index. Hence, if the material explains the meaning of the text, gives its background, tells why the text was written, or clarifies an original-language word and its implications, the text would be indexed, since the verse or part of it is explained. Scriptures that are used as proof texts but that are not explained are omitted. For example, Ezekiel 18:4 may be used merely to show that the soul dies. In this instance the scripture would not be indexed, since no explanation of the text is given. Additional personal research is encouraged. Judges Page 2 Judges - Outline of Contents 1 Judah and Simeon’s conquests (1-20) Jebusites persist in Jerusalem (21) Joseph takes Bethel (22-26) Canaanites not completely driven out (27-36) 2 Warning from Jehovah’s angel (1-5) Death of Joshua (6-10) Judges raised up to save Israel (11-23) 3 Jehovah tests Israel (1-6) Othniel, the first judge (7-11) Judge Ehud kills fat King Eglon (12- 30) Judge Shamgar (31) 4 Canaanite King Jabin oppresses Israel (1-3) Prophetess Deborah and Judge Barak (4-16) Jael kills army chief Sisera (17-24) 5 Victory song of Deborah and Barak (1-31) Stars fight against Sisera (20) Torrent of Kishon floods (21) Those loving Jehovah are like the sun (31) 6 Midian oppresses Israel (1-10) An angel assures Judge Gideon of support (11-24) Gideon tears down altar of Baal (25-32) God’s spirit active on Gideon (33-35) The fleece test (36- 40) 7 Gideon and his 300 men (1-8) Gideon’s army defeats Midian (9-25) “The sword of Jehovah and of Gideon!” (20) Confusion in the Midianite camp (21, 22) 8 Ephraimites quarrel with Gideon (1-3) Midianite kings pursued and killed (4-21) Gideon refuses kingship (22-27) Summary of Gideon’s life (28-35) 9 Abimelech becomes king in Shechem (1-6) Jotham’s parable (7-21) Abimelech’s violent rule (22-33) Abimelech assaults Shechem (34-49) Woman wounds Abimelech; he dies (50-57) 10 Judges Tola and Jair (1-5) Israel rebels and repents (6-16) Ammonites threaten Israel (17, 18) 11 Judge Jephthah expelled, later made leader (1-11) Jephthah reasons with Ammon (12-28) Jephthah’s vow and his daughter (29-40) Daughter’s life of singleness (38-40) 12 Conflict with the Ephraimites (1-7) Shibboleth test (6) Judges Ibzan, Elon, and Abdon (8-15) 13 An angel visits Manoah and his wife (1-23) Birth of Samson (24, 25) 14 Judge Samson seeks a Philistine wife (1-4) Samson kills a lion by Jehovah’s spirit (5-9) Samson’s riddle at the wedding (10-19) Samson’s wife given to another man (20) 15 Samson’s revenge on the Philistines (1-20) 16 Samson in Gaza (1-3) Samson and Delilah (4-22) Samson’s revenge and death (23-31) 17 Micah’s idols and his priest (1-13) 18 The Danites look for land (1-31) Micah’s idols and priest captured (14-20) Laish taken and renamed Dan (27-29) Idol worship in Dan (30, 31) 19 Benjaminites’ sex crime in Gibeah (1-30) 20 War against the Benjaminites (1-48) 21 Benjamin saved as a tribe (1-25) Judges Page 3 Judges 1- 4 (Judges 1:1) After the death of Joshua, the Israelites inquired of Jehovah: “Who of us will go up first to fight against the Caʹnaan·ites?” *** it-2 p. 117 Joshua, Book of *** Their main objection is that some of the events recorded in the book of Joshua also appear in the book of Judges, which commences with the words, “And after the death of Joshua.” (Jg 1:1) Nevertheless, this opening statement is not necessarily a time indicator for all the events found in the Judges account. The book is not arranged in strict chronological order, for it mentions an event that definitely is placed before Joshua’s death. (Jg 2:6-9) Therefore, some things, such as the capture of Hebron by Caleb (Jos 15:13, 14; Jg 1:9, 10), Debir by Othniel (Jos 15:15-19; Jg 1:11-15), and Leshem, or Laish (Dan), by the Danites (Jos 19:47, 48; Jg 18:27-29), could likewise have taken place before Joshua’s death. Even the action of the Danites in setting up an idolatrous image at Laish could reasonably fit Joshua’s time. (Jg 18:30, 31) In his concluding exhortation, Joshua told the Israelites: “Remove the gods that your forefathers served on the other side of the River and in Egypt, and serve Jehovah.” (Jos 24:14) Had idolatry not existed, this statement would have had little meaning. *** it-2 p. 135 Judges, Book of *** Arrangement. Judges is linked with the preceding Bible book by its opening words, “And after the death of Joshua.” However, some of the happenings narrated therein evidently occurred before Joshua died. For example, Judges 2:6 reads: “When Joshua sent the people away, then the sons of Israel went their way, each to his inheritance, to take possession of the land.” So it appears that Judges 1:1–3:6 serves as an introduction, the writer having drawn on events taking place before and after Joshua’s death in order to provide the historical background for the account that follows. (Judges 1:2) Jehovah replied: “Judah will go up. Look! I am giving the land into his hand.” *** w05 1/15 p. 24 par. 5 Highlights From the Book of Judges *** 1:2, 4—Why is Judah designated to be the first tribe to take possession of the land allotted to it? Normally, this privilege would go to the tribe of Reuben, Jacob’s firstborn. But in his deathbed prophecy, Jacob foretold that Reuben was not to excel, having forfeited his right as the firstborn. Simeon and Levi, who had acted with cruelty, were to be scattered in Israel. (Genesis 49:3-5, 7) Hence, the next in line was Judah, the fourth son of Jacob. Simeon, who went up with Judah, received small areas of land scattered throughout the large territory of Judah.—Joshua 19:9. (Judges 1:4) When Judah went up, Jehovah gave the Caʹnaan·ites and the Perʹiz·zites into their hands, and they defeated 10,000 men in Beʹzek. *** it-1 p. 307 Bezek *** 1. The site at which Judah and Simeon defeated 10,000 Canaanite and Perizzite troops under Adoni-bezek. (Jg 1:3-7) Some identify this Bezek with that of 1 Samuel 11:8 (No. 2 below), which is in an extreme northern location in relation to Jerusalem and the territory occupied by Judah and Simeon. Such a view would require the assumption that Adoni-bezek came S to join other Judges Page 4 Canaanite forces but was met by Judah and Simeon, was chased N to Bezek, and was defeated there. The context, however, seems to indicate a place in the general area of Jerusalem. In view of these circumstances, Bezek, the city of Adoni-bezek, is tentatively located in the Shephelah region at the site of Khirbet Bezqa, about 5 km (3 mi) NE of Gezer. (Judges 1:5) They found A·doʹni-beʹzek in Beʹzek, and there they fought against him and defeated the Caʹnaan·ites and the Perʹiz·zites. *** it-1 p. 307 Bezek *** 1. The site at which Judah and Simeon defeated 10,000 Canaanite and Perizzite troops under Adoni-bezek. (Jg 1:3-7) Some identify this Bezek with that of 1 Samuel 11:8 (No. 2 below), which is in an extreme northern location in relation to Jerusalem and the territory occupied by Judah and Simeon. Such a view would require the assumption that Adoni-bezek came S to join other Canaanite forces but was met by Judah and Simeon, was chased N to Bezek, and was defeated there. The context, however, seems to indicate a place in the general area of Jerusalem. In view of these circumstances, Bezek, the city of Adoni-bezek, is tentatively located in the Shephelah region at the site of Khirbet Bezqa, about 5 km (3 mi) NE of Gezer. (Judges 1:6) When A·doʹni-beʹzek fled, they chased him and caught him and cut off his thumbs and his big toes. *** w05 1/15 p. 24 par. 6 Highlights From the Book of Judges *** 1:6, 7—Why were the thumbs and the big toes of defeated kings cut off? A person who lost his thumbs and big toes apparently was incapacitated for military action. Without the thumbs, how could a soldier handle a sword or a spear? And the loss of the big toes would result in inability to maintain one’s balance properly. *** it-1 p. 49 Adoni-bezek *** ADONI-BEZEK (A·doʹni-beʹzek) [Lord of Bezek]. A powerful ruler who, prior to the Israelite attack at Bezek, had humbled 70 pagan kings by cutting off their thumbs and great toes. A similar practice was employed at one time by the ancient Athenians, who decreed that prisoners of war should lose their thumbs. Thereafter they could row but were unfit to handle a sword or spear.
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