The book of Judges, which means "Champions" or "Rescuers", covers the period from the death of Joshua to the birth of Samuel. After arriving in Canaan, many Israelites became disobedient to God. This was a time of great immorality as the result of the failure of the Israelites to drive out the inhabitants of the land. The book of Judges shows how God raised up leaders, or Judges to call the people of Israel back to faithfulness and to continue the conquest of the land. It covers the period from the death of Joshua to the establishment of the monarchy under Saul. Thirteen Judges mentioned, they are: Othniel, Ehud, Shamgar, Deborah, Gideon, Abimelech, Tola, Jair, Jephthah, Ibzan , Elon, Abdon, and Samson. The book of Judges closes by setting the stage for the Israelites desire for a human king. |