The Analysed Bible, Volumes 1, 2, 3, by Rev. G. Campbell Morgan: The Book of Judges - Analysed and Explained in Detail (Full Text and PDF).

A detailed analysis of the book of Judges: Deliverances.

To the best of our knowledge we are of the understanding that this book, being published in 1907, and freely available elsewhere on the internet is in the public domain.

Gene Exod Levi Numb Deut Josh Judg Ruth 1Sam 2Sam 1Kin 2Kin 1Chr 2Chr Ezra Nehe Esth Job_ Psal Prov Eccl Song Isai Jere Lame Ezek Dani Hose Joel Amos Obad Jona Mica Nahu Haba Zeph Hagg Zech Mala Matt Mark Luke John Acts Roma 1Cor 2Cor Gala Ephe Phil Colo 1The 2The 1Tim 2Tim Titu Phle Hebr Jame 1Pet 2Pet 1Joh 2Joh 3Joh Jude Reve

The Book of Judges - Analysed and Explained in Summary - Volumes 1, 2, and 3 of "The Analysed Bible" by G. Campbell Morgan.

To the best of our knowledge we are of the understanding that this book, taken from Volumes 1, 2, & 3 of the "Analysed Bible" by G. Campbell Morgan published in 1907, and freely available elsewhere on the internet is in the public domain.

JUDGES - DELIVERANCES

Part A: AFTER JOSHUA - Judges 1:1-3:6

A1. Israel and the Canaanites - Judg. 1:1-1:36

  1. Judah - 1:1-1:21
  2. Joseph - 1:22-1:29
  3. The Rest - 1:30-1:36

A2. Israel's Failure - Judg. 2:1-3:6

  1. Jehovah's Messenger - 2:1-2:5
  2. The People under Joshua - 2:6-2:10
  3. Synopsis of History - 2:11-2:23
  4. The Enemies - 3:1-3:6

Part B: THE PERIOD OF THE JUDGES - Judges 3:7-16:31

B1. First Declension - Judg. 3:7-3:11

  1. Sin, Idolatry
  2. Punishment: 8 years oppression
  3. Deliverance: OTHNIEL

B2. Second Declension - Judg. 3:12-3:31

  1. Sin
  2. Punishment: Eglon 18 years
  3. Deliverance: EHUD (SHAMGAR)

B3. Third Declension - Judg. 4:1-5:31

  1. Sin
  2. Punishment: Jabin 20 years
  3. Deliverance: DEBORAH, BARAK

B4. Fourth Declension - Judg. 6:1-8:32

  1. Sin
  2. Punishment
  3. Deliverance: GIDEON

B5. Fifth Declension - Judg. 8:33-10:5

  1. Sin, Baalim
  2. Punishment: Abimelech
  3. Deliverance: TOLA, JAIR

B6. Sixth Declension - Judg. 10:6-12:15

  1. Sin, Idolatry multiplied
  2. Punishment: Philistines, Ammon 18 years
  3. Deliverance: JEPHTHAH (Successors)

B7. The Seventh Declension - Judg. 13:1-16:31

  1. Sin
  2. Punishment: Philistines 40 years
  3. Deliverance: SAMSON

Part C: APPENDIX - Judges 17:1-21:25

C1. Micah - Judg. 17:1-18:31

  1. Micah's Idolatry - 17:1-17:13
  2. Its Punishment by Danites - 18:1-18:31

C2. The Levite - Judg. 19:1-21:25

  1. The Outrage - 19:1-19:30
  2. War between Israel and Benjamin - 20:1-20:48
  3. Preservation of Benjamin - 21:1-21:25

Introduction

The book of Judges historically covers the period from the conquest of the land and the death of Joshua to the judgeship of Samuel and the introduction of the monarchy. It is a story, on the human side, of disobedience and disaster, and on the Divine of direction and deliverance. It is, as its name signifies, the book which gives us the account of the judges. These men were dictators raised up in times of special need for the deliverance of the people. The chronological history of the book ends with chapter 16, which connects naturally with the first book of Samuel. That history properly begins in chapter 3. So that we may consider the book in three divisions: Conditions after Joshua (1-3:6); the Period of the Judges (3:7-16); Appendix (17-21).

A. Conditions after Joshua - Judges 1:1-3:6

The first act of the people after the death of Joshua was that of seeking to know the will of God as to who should commence the final work of conquest. Judah, the kingly tribe, was appointed. It is evident that this work, begun in earnest, eventually weakened. A false toleration towards a people utterly corrupt, who ought to have been exterminated, resulted in the ultimate undoing of the chosen nation.

The story is told of the coming of the messenger from Gilgal, who called them back to loyalty to God. A brief retrospect follows of the condition of affairs under Joshua, and then a synopsis of the history which is to be set out in greater detail. In this synopsis the rotation of sin, punishment, and deliverance is the keynote to the historical portion of the book.

B. The Period of the Judges - Judges 3:7-16:31

This division of the book contains the story of seven consecutive failures, punishments, and deliverances.

The first declension was that of neglect of God and turning to idols. The punishment consisted of eight years of oppression. When under this affliction they cried to God, and the first of the judges appeared in the person of Othniel. Forty years of rest followed.

The second declension occurred after the death of Othniel, when the people sinned again. Punishment came from Eglon, and lasted for eighteen years. Then they cried to the Lord again, and Ehud, with whom Shamgar was associated, was the deliverer. Eighty years of rest followed.

The third declension then followed, and they were delivered into the hands of Jabin. Twenty years of oppression resulted, which became most terrible under Sisera. Again they cried, and were heard. The story of deliverance is full of romance and poetry, being associated with the name of Deborah. This daughter of the people, true child of faith, had suffered under the intolerable consciousness of the degradation of her people. She gained the ear of many to such a degree that she was appointed to judge the people, and at last she called Barak to her aid. He, inspired by her teaching, and she, helped by his consecration, went forward, and Israel was delivered from oppression. The great song of Deborah is full of fire and passion, and a remarkable index to the character of the woman herself. It may be divided into two parts. The first was a great chant of confidence, telling the story of the deepest secret of the victories won. The second part celebrated the victory. Everything ended with a cry: "So let all Thine enemies perish, O Lord." Following this deliverance the land had rest for forty years.

The fourth declension issued in the victory of Midian, under whose oppression the people groaned for seven years. So terrible was it that the people hid themselves in dens and caves and strongholds. At last, in answer to their cry, the movement of deliverance began, and associated with this was the name and story of Gideon. He is seen first at his work, with the bitterness of the whole situation burning like a fire in his bones. When there came to him the supernatural visitor his double consciousness was confessed. "Did not the Lord bring us up?" "The Lord hath cast us off." He was conscious of the true relation of the people to Jehovah, and also that on account of their sin they had been judged. Called to act as deliverer, we follow him in his work of preparation. This proceeded in three stages. It began at home. He broke down the altar of Baal in connection with his father's house, and restored the worship of God. The second movement was that of the sending out of the call. The final one was his fellowship with God, in which signs were granted to him. The story of the conflict is one of the most remarkable on record. In response to his call to all the hosts of the people only thirty-two thousand gathered. Of these such as were faint-hearted and afraid were bidden to return, and twenty-two thousand went back. Those remaining were subjected to a further test, with the result that only three hundred were left. The victory was perfect; but it was so won as to teach the people that the one and only condition was that of dependence upon God and implicit obedience to His command. Following the deliverance from the oppression of Midian, Gideon had to deal with troubles among his own people. This section ends with an account of the last things concerning Gideon. One of them was characterized by great nobility, and the other revealed a weakness which issued in trouble. They sought to make him king. He absolutely refused, and thus indicated his disinterestedness and his loyalty to God. The story of the making of the ephod is somewhat difficult of interpretation. In any case, the effect produced was evil, for the people were thereby seduced from their loyalty, and Gideon himself suffered deterioration.

The fifth declension followed immediately upon the death of Gideon. They fell into the sin of worshipping the Baalim. Judgment this time came from within rather than from without. Abimelech, a natural son of Gideon, a man unprincipled and brutal, but of great personal force, secured to himself the allegiance of the men of Shechem, and practically usurped the position of king. In order to make his position secure, he encompassed the massacre of all the sons of Gideon, except Jotham. His parabolic prophecy from the height of Mount Gerizim indicated the line along which judgment would fall upon the sinning people. The tyranny of Abimelech's rule lasted for three years. He was then slain by the hand of a woman, and a period of forty-five years' quietness followed under the dictatorship of Tola and Jair.

The sixth declension was characterized by an almost utter abandonment of the people to idolatry. The list of the forms which this idolatry took is appalling. Judgment came this time from the Philistines and the men of Ammon, and continued for eighteen years. At last, sore distressed, they cried to God, and for the first time it is recorded that He refused to hear them, and reminded them of how repeatedly He had delivered them. The true attitude of Jehovah toward them, however, flamed out in a remarkable statement, "His soul was grieved for the misery of Israel." Deliverance came at length through Jephthah, a study of whose history is full of interest. He was the son of a harlot, and had been thrust out from his inheritance by the legitimate sons of his father. The iron had entered his soul, and he had gathered to himself a band of men, and had become a kind of outlaw freebooter. He was a man of heroic daring, having certain excellencies of character which marked him out as capable in a crisis of need. The story of his victory and his vow follows. After his victory the men of Ephraim complained that they had not been called to help, as they had already done in the case of Gideon. This quarrel reveals the sad disintegration of the nation. The consciousness of its unity seems to have been largely lost.

The seventh declension opens with the declaration, "Israel again did that which was evil," and they were again delivered to discipline at the hands of the Philistines, under whose oppression they lived for forty years. Here occurs one of the strangest stories of the Old Testament, that of Samson. It is the story of a great opportunity and disastrous failure. Everything would seem to have been in his favour. His birth was foretold by an angel visitor. This foretelling led to his special training, and finally he was moved in his early years by the Spirit of the Lord. Grown to manhood's estate, he went to Timnath, and there was swept away by his passions into an unholy alliance. The story of his exploits is most remarkable. The circumstances of them are not to his credit. The overruling hand of God is seen checking the power of the Philistines through him, but through all, his deterioration is manifest. His final fall occurred at Gaza. There is nothing, perhaps, in the sacred writings at once more pathetic and tragic than Samson, with his eyes put out, grinding in the house of the Philistines. At last, out of his degradation he cried to God, and in his death struck the heaviest blow at the people from whose oppression he ought to have delivered his own nation.

Here ends the history of our book. It is taken up again in the first book of Samuel. The remaining chapters and the book of Ruth have their chronological place in the period already dealt with.

C. Appendix - Judges 17:1-21:25

The events here chronicled may have taken place closely following the death of Joshua. They give us a picture of the internal condition of the people, and it is most probable that they were added with that as the intention of the historian. Micah's act was a violation of the second commandment. His action was not that of adopting the idolatries of the heathen. His mother's language showed her recognition of Jehovah. "Blessed be my son of the Lord." Moreover, Micah's words when he persuaded the Levite to be his priest showed the same thing. "Now know I that the Lord will be my God." The images were intended to aid him in his worship of Jehovah. The whole story is a revelation of a degenerate condition. Micah had robbed his mother. On making restitution he accompanied the act, at her instigation, with this religious movement. The consent of the Levite to become a priest in the house of Micah for the sake of a living was a further revelation of the same degeneracy.

The story of the backsliding of individuals is followed by an illustration of its widespread existence among the people. The Danites, in the course of seeking new territory, found Micah and the condition of things established in his house. When presently they moved forward to possess, they did not hesitate to seize his images and capture his priest.

The story of the Levite follows, and is a clear revelation of the startling moral conditions. Resulting from it, the nation was stirred to its centre, and a great moral passion flamed out. Israel went to war with Benjamin. Uninstructed zeal wall, even in the cause of righteousness, often go beyond its proper limits. The carnage continued until not above six hundred men of the tribe of Benjamin were left. Then followed a sudden revulsion, and pity operated to the saving of Benjamin.