3. Judges and Ruth

Question 1

1 Kings 6:1, the 480 years from Exodus from Egypt down to Solomon’s 4th year of reigning (Show chart). Thus the period of the conquest ends around 1400 and the period of the judges begins around then and goes until 1050 with the crowing of Saul. Of course there is debate here because Samuel is still alive and so one might argue that the end of the Judges occurs with his death in the 1020s. This period of the judges is then around 350-380

Answer 1

These scholars work with a 235 year period for the judges. The problem with the lower dates is that the archaeological record is at odds with the details of the biblical account.

Question 2

What does 1 Kings 6:1 say?

Answer 2

480 years from Exodus from Egypt down to Solomon’s 4th year of reigning

Question 3

What is the time span scholars believe is true of judges verses the biblical account?

Answer 3

1. 235 year period for scholars

2. 350 year period of the Bible

Question 4

What is the time span scholars believe is true of judges verses the biblical account?

Answer 4

1. 235 year period for scholars

2. 350 year period of the Bible

Question 5

What is the main point of view of Judges?

Answer 5

The Canaanization of Israel

Question 6

There are two subplots to Judges, what does Dumbrell say about the other?

Answer 6

anti-monarchic stance

Question 7

What main aesthetic choice did the author of Judges use?

Answer 7

Echo Narrative Technique (reflecting earlier events to make a point; casting new narrative in light of the old; )

Question 8

What are the main covenants in the Bible that make up the narrative plotline?

Answer 8

1. Adam and creation and upheld with Noah
2. Abraham
3. Israel at Sinai
4. David and his line
5. The new covenant

Question 9

What is an outline of Judges?

Answer 9

I. The Background to the Canaanization of Israel: Israel’s Failure in the Holy War (1:1-3:6)
II. God’s Response to the Canaanization of Israel: The Cycles of Apostasy and Deliverance (3:7-16:31)
III. Climax: The Depths of the Canaanization of Israel (17:1-21:25)

Question 10

What passage is parallel between Genesis and Judges? And what is the point for its inclusion?

Answer 10

Gen 19 and Judges 19
2. Complete Canaanazation (they have arrived in Sodom; the completeness of the Canaanization; they have sunk to the level of the nations that they were suppose to destroy; this is the climax; )

Question 11

What is the structure of the earlier sections of Judges?

Answer 11

a. Prologue (1:1-2:5).
b. The Introductions to the Book of Deliverers (2:6-3:6).
c. The Introductions to the Deliverer Cycles (3:7, 12; 4:1; 6:1; 10:6; 13:1).
d. The Accounts of the Judges (3:7-16:21).
e. Micah and the Danites (17:1-18:31).

Question 12

What is the structure of the earlier sections of Judges?

Answer 12

a. Prologue (1:1-2:5).
b. The Introductions to the Book of Deliverers (2:6-3:6).
c. The Introductions to the Deliverer Cycles (3:7, 12; 4:1; 6:1; 10:6; 13:1).
d. The Accounts of the Judges (3:7-16:21).
e. Micah and the Danites (17:1-18:31).

Question 13

What is the outline of the book of Ruth?

Answer 13

I. Act 1: The Crisis for the Royal Line (1:1-21)
II. Act 2: The Ray of Hope for the Royal Line (1:22-2:23)
III. Act 3: The Complication for the Royal Line (3:1-18)
IV. Act 4: The Rescue of the Royal Line (4:1-17)
V. Epilogue: The Genealogy of the Royal Line (4:18-22)

Question 14

What are two lessons from Ruth?

Answer 14

1. God’s faithfulness to us

2. God preserves the name of his righteous one, but the name of the faithless is forgotten