Overview
Judges records the history of Israel from the death of Joshua to the establishment of the monarchy. A recurring cycle is described: when the people forsake YHWH to serve other gods, they are oppressed by foreign nations; when they cry out, God raises up judges to deliver them. The final section depicts the religious and moral disorder of a time when there was no king in Israel.
Theme The repeated apostasy of a people who forsook the covenant, and the deliverance God granted in their midst
Historical background
The period of the judges extends from approximately the 14th or 12th century BC to the accession of Saul in the 11th century BC. During this time Israel existed as a confederation of tribes without central government and was in conflict with neighboring peoples such as Moab, Midian, Ammon, and the Philistines. The Philistines in particular, drawing on Iron Age technology and their coastal cities, exerted strong pressure on Israel.