Welcome to Bible Gateway’s weekly Look at the Book series of short blog posts and infographics introducing you to the books of the Bible. Here we look at Judges, a brutal account of Israel’s descent into chaos following resettlement of the promised land.
Scroll to the bottom if you’d prefer to see (and save) this article as an infographic. You’ll also find a handy 30-day reading guide. Or, for a challenge, you can do it in one week using the 7-day reading guide below.
Summary
God raised leaders at certain times to rid the Israelites of foreign invaders who came into the land as a result of the people’s disobedience to God and rejection of his kingship — a theme that occurs early and often in the book.
- Category: History
- Theme: Leadership
- Timeline: About 1375 (after the death of Joshua) to 1050 BC
- Written: By an anonymous author sometime during the divided kingdom but before exile
Key Verse
“In those days Israel had no king; everyone did as they saw fit.” — Judges 21:25 (NIV)
Cycles of Sin
The cycle of the Israelites’ sin in Judges goes like this:
- They turned from God.
- God responded with judgment.
- They cried out for mercy.
- God delivered them through judges.
Crying Out
The Hebrew word for “cried out” in Judges 4:3 is tsa’aq, and it means “to cry out in distress.” The Israelites were not repenting when they cried, just asking God for deliverance.
7 Day Reading Guide
(See 30-day guide below.)
- Day 1: Judges 1-3
- Day 2: Judges 4-6
- Day 3: Judges 7-9
- Day 4: Judges 10-12
- Day 5: Judges 13-15
- Day 6: Judges 16-18
- Day 7: Judges 19-21
Consider
“The Israelites exchanged their focus, attention, and affection for God with the false gods of the Canaanites. When this happened, they lost their peace.” — Joel Muddamalle, Finding Peace Through Humility
Access the rest of the series here. Browse Bible studies for each book of the Bible. Or right-click on the infographic below to download and save the image for your reference.
Chris Fann is the Senior Digital Marketing Manager for Harper Christian Resources. He loves the smell ofa baseball glove, coffee, and old books. He lives in Grand Rapids, Michigan with his wife, 2 teenage boys, and their dog, Freya.
