Judges

Question 1

What does Judges 11:26 argue about authorship and date?

Answer 1

they had lived in the land about 300 years–no eyewitness to write all of this.

Question 2

How was judges likely composed?

Answer 2

selected, arranged, adapted, and written (commented on) in order to provide a structured and purposeful whole. (composition)

Question 3

what is the reoccurring phrase in judges?

Answer 3

there was no king in Israel, everyone id what was right in his own eyes

Question 4

What does the repeated phrase suggest about authorship?

Answer 4

Suggests that the book was likely written during some period when there was a king.
Judges 18:30 strongly suggests that this was from the period of captivity, that is exile. Think destruction of the Northern Kingdom at the very least if not the exile of Jerusalem “until the day of the captivity of the land.”

Question 5

what is the cycle of narratives?

Answer 5

Israel disobeys, God is angry, Israel repents, God saves

Question 6

What are some of the historical critical issues within judged?

Answer 6

there are independent stories in the beginning and end
what is the definition of a judge?
there are chronological problems in the relationship of the 480 years that judges span to the 1kings 6 account.

Question 7

how does the opening of judges connect to the opening of Joshua?

Answer 7

uses the same phrase, “after the death of”

we continue the chronology of what we have been reading for the most part in the book of Joshua. It also connects it literarily with what we saw in Joshua 1:1. This is important at least because we do not see this phrase in Deut 1 or even Deut 33 or 34. We also see this phrase in 2 Samuel 1:1, 2 Kings 1:1 14:17.

Question 8

Who did God raise as leaders where there was no leader after Joshuas death?

Answer 8

Judah should lead because of their military victories

Question 9

God seems to be with who and against who?

Answer 9

with Judah, not with Benjamin

Question 10

What happens when the tribes try to drive out the inhabitants?

Answer 10

they do not fully succeed and just live with them, beginning the cycle in chapter 2 of turning away from the lord.

Question 11

what does bacah mean?

Answer 11

wept

Question 12

what to they call Bakim?

Answer 12

they call that place bocim “wept”

Question 13

What is the authors strategy?

Answer 13

he sets up idolatry ad disobedience
established a distinction between Judah and the north
creates intertextual elements

Question 14

How many times does it mention Joshuas death?

Answer 14

3 times,
josh 24:29, Judges 2:8, 2:21 and technically 1:1

Question 15

when does the central issue of idolatry begin?

Answer 15

in judges 2:10-3:4, beginning the judges cycle

Question 16

how long does rhe judges cycle get recounted in the book?

Answer 16

Judges 3:1–16:31
“evil in the eyes of the Lord” occurs in:
2:11, 3:7, 12, 4:1, 6:1, 10:6, 13:1

Question 17

What are the special narratives in judges 17-18 and 19-21?

Answer 17

17-18 is mocha and the tribe of dan
19-21 is levites convubine

Question 18

what is the first episode in judges?

Answer 18

the cycle of idolatry judges 2:11-23)

Question 19

what is the second session in judges?

Answer 19

Deborah (positive women representation before the culture shifts further into sin)

Barak is concerned for his safety

Question 20

What is session 3 of judges

Answer 20

Gideon and securty

he seeks constant reassurance
he sais no to being king but acts like one anyways, even names his son to mean “my father is king”
makes an ephod which becomes an idol

Question 21

What is session 4 of judges

Answer 21

abimelech teases power through treachery and murder

Question 22

What is session 5 of judges

Answer 22

Jephthah is self righteous and makes a foolish vow as if to manipulate God to give him success

Question 23

What is session 6 of judges

Answer 23

Samson purses his own desires not obedience

Question 24

What is session 7 of judges

Answer 24

Micha, a levite, nd the dainties and cultural religion

Judges moves from the cycle to how far religious life in Israel had fallen – hollow religion and greed

Question 25

What is session 8 of judges

Answer 25

the nation of Israel and self determination

concubine is raped to death
sodom and gomorrah
civil war kills thousands
women are kidnapped as wives

Question 26

how does judges end?

Answer 26

there was no king in Israel, everyone did what was right in his own eyes

Question 27

what area ties judges and Samuel together?

Answer 27

the hill country of Ephraim

Question 28

what were the sources for the book of judges?

Answer 28

books of the was of the lord

Question 29

when did the author likely write the book and by what evidence?

Answer 29

likely 715 after the northern kingdom exile in 722 that was mentioned in 18:30

Question 30

What bookends the narratives?

Answer 30

the word Bocim meaning weeping

Question 31

why are the people weeping?

Answer 31

their enemies are not being driven out, that have been taken into captivity

Question 32

what sections of Joshua and judges merge together and why?

Answer 32

Joshua 24:28-31; judges 2:6-9

the author is encouraging reader to read the canon/order

Question 33

what is similar about the cycle in judges as in dueteronomy?

Answer 33

they provoke the lord to jealousy, same word used as in Deuteronomy 32

Question 34

it is what type of spiral?

Answer 34

downward, each generation gets worse

Question 35

what do the judges seasons mean?

Answer 35

it means Israel is waiting for a spirit lead king.