Judges 11-12

1. Jephthah
In this passage, the elders of Gilead summon Jephthah to assist them in repelling the Ammonites, who have come to attack Israel.  Jephthah succeeds in persuading the elders to make him their head and commander.  Now the king of the Ammonites wants to defeat the Israelites and reclaim land that allegedly belonged to the Ammonites.  Jephthah, though, tells the Ammonite king the story of Israel's conquest of that territory - in particular, God gave it into their hands.  The Ammonite king, though, refuses to listen to Jephthah's story and the battle is joined; Jephthah leads Israel to a great victory - by the strength of the Lord.  Unfortunately he makes a rash vow to guarantee his success and eventually honors it by sacrificing his daughter.

The account that Jephthah provided regarding Israel's conquest of the disputed territory is rather interesting, as Jephthah implied that God - due to His greatness compared to that of Chemosh, the god of the Ammonites - was able to give them that land.  Perhaps Israel at that time was so spiritually confused that they did not deny the existence of foreign gods such as Chemosh; they simply believed that God was stronger than the foreign gods.  One must wonder how God reacted to Jephthah's account...

2. Jephthah and Ephraim
In this passage, the Ephraimites expresses their displeasure with Jephthah for failing to solicit their assistance in his battle with the Ammonites.  Jephthah, though, notes that they had actually refused to help him; nevertheless, civil war ensues and Jephthah leads the Gileadites in crushing the Ephraimites.  While the Ephraimites are in full retreat, the Gileadites impose a test for everyone who attempts to cross the Jordan: those who can say "Shibboleth" are allowed to cross; unfortunately the Ephraimites can only say "Sibboleth" and so they are killed by the Gileadites.  It is then noted that Jephthah leads Israel for six years before his death.

As expected, Wikipedia has an interesting article on the concept of shibboleth.  One must wonder if God directed the Gileadites to impose this test on the Ephraimites.  Also, did any of the retreating Ephraimites see their fellow tribesmen fail the Gileadites' test, realize their inability to cross the Jordan at that point, and attempt to cross the river at another point?  A larger point that should be made is that this sad story highlights the internal divisions that racked Israel at that time; every tribe had to fend for itself.

3. Ibzan, Elon and Abdon
In this passage, Ibzan of Bethlehem leads Israel for seven years before his death.  He is succeeded by Elon the Zebulunite, who leads Israel for ten years before his death.  He is then succeeded by Abdon son of Hillel, who leads Israel for eight years before his death.

The reigns of these three judges seem to have been rather uneventful, which is noteworthy in Judges.  Now one must wonder why none of them led Israel for more than ten years.  Did they die of natural causes?

Judges 9-10

1. Abimelech
In this passage, Abimelech - the bastard son of Gideon - begins to reign over Israel, including the city of Shechem.  His rise to power is marked by his murder of all but one of his half-brothers in Shechem; the surviving half-brother, Jotham, then delivers an ominous prophecy regarding Abimelech and the people of Shechem.  Abimelech reigns for three years before Jotham's prophecy is fulfilled as God sends an evil spirit between him and the people of Shechem.  In particular, Abimelech eventually destroys Shechem and scatters salt over it; he also burns its survivors to death inside a tower.  Abimelech suffers an untimely demise, though, when a woman drops a millstone on his head during his attack on Thebez.

This is a rather unpleasant account, as both Abimelech and the people of Shechem die without expressing any desire for forgiveness by God.  The violence in this passage is shocking; for example, I had difficulty contemplating verse 5, where Abimelech murders most of his half-brothers on a stone.  This is bolstered by the description of Abimelech scattering salt over the ruins of Shechem, which also highlights his burning desire to assert his authority over Israel.

2. Tola
In this passage, Tola, the son of Puah, becomes the judge of Israel.  An Ephraimite, he leads Israel for 23 years before his death.

It appears that Tola's reign was relatively uneventful; perhaps the writer of Judges penned this passage with great relief after recounting the madness that swirled around Abimelech.

3. Jair
In this passage, Jair of Gilead becomes the judge of Israel.  He has thirty sons, who ride thirty donkeys and control thirty towns in Gilead.  Jair leads Israel for 22 years before his death.

According to the sidebar in my NIV Study Bible, "riding on donkeys was a mark of both prestige and power.  Horses were evidently not present until later when Solomon imported them."

4. Jephthah

In this passage, Israel engages in idolatry after the death of Jair.  The Lord then sells Israel into the hands of the Philistines and the Ammonites, who oppress them for 18 years.  Eventually Israel cries out to the Lord for mercy; He reminds them of their idolatry, yet they plead with Him and actually dispose of the idols that they have been worshiping.  So the Lord prepares to deliver them from their oppressors; now they need to defeat the Ammonite forces that have assembled at Gilead.

I found the dialogue between Israel and the Lord in this passage to be intriguing, as He does not immediately acquiesce to their plea for deliverance from their oppressors.  Most likely He wants the Israelites to see their need for Him.  Could His righteous jealousy be on display here?

Judges 7-8

1. Gideon Defeats the Midianites
In this passage, Gideon leads his forces against the Midianites, who are camped in the valley near the hill of Moreh.  The Lord then directs Gideon - twice - to reduce the size of his army.  With a remnant of 300 men, Gideon now faces an opposing force with camels that are more numerous than the grains of sand on a beach.  Yet the Lord enables Gideon to achieve a great victory, as the Midianites begin fighting each other; the Ephraimites join Gideon in pursuing the fleeing Midianites, and they kill Oreb and Zeeb - two Midianite leaders.

It is apparent that God engages in psychological warfare in this passage.  In verse 13, He causes one Midianite to have an ominous dream; in verse 14, He causes another Midianite to interpret that dream by linking it with His impending victory.  Not only this, but He throws the Midianite forces into a panic; possibly He causes them to believe that Gideon has more than 300 men at his disposal.  Indeed, the Lord Himself has numerous weapons at His disposal, including shock and fear.

2. Zebah and Zalmunna
In this passage, the men of Succoth refuse to support Gideon in his pursuit of Zebah and Zalmunna, the kings of Midian.  The men of Peniel also rebuff Gideon, and so he vows revenge on Succoth and Peniel.  He then leads a successful ambush of Zebah and Zalmunna, routing their forces.  Next, he exacts his revenge on Succoth and Peniel.  The passage closes by noting that Gideon kills Zebah and Zalmunna, and he takes the ornaments that hang on their camels' necks.

This is a rather brutal and nasty passage that I had trouble reading.  In particular, I definitely did not envy the fate of the men of Succoth; getting beaten with whips made of desert thorns and briers sounds painful and reminds me of a certain Mel Gibson film.  Also, I definitely empathized with Jether, the son of Gideon, who he commanded to kill Zebah and Zalmunna.  If I had been in Jether's shoes, I would have lacked the strength to draw my sword and stab both of these kings to death.

3. Gideon's Ephod
In this passage, the Israelites encourage Gideon to be their king after his great victory over Midian.  Gideon refuses, though, and he states that the Lord will be their king.  Yet he then asks each of them to give him an earring from their plunder of Midian.  With these earrings he makes an ephod and places it in his hometown of Ophrah; the Israelites end up worshiping this ephod.

It is clear that Gideon, in spite of his victory over Midian, did not remove the inherent sinfulness that plagued the Israelites.  They looked to him - instead of God - as their leader, and they were so depraved that they even worshiped the (mere) ephod that he had made.

4. Gideon's Death

In this passage, it is noted that Israel enjoys peace for 40 years after Gideon's victory over Midian.  Gideon ends up having multiple wives who bear him 70 sons; he even has a concubine who bears him a son, Abimelech.  Gideon then dies - which precipitates Israel's return to the worship of false gods.  The passage closes by noting that after Gideon's death, Israel forgets his work in delivering them from Midian; thus, they fail to show kindness to his family.

It should be noted that Abimelech will play a starring role in the next chapter...

Judges 4-6

1. Deborah
In this passage, Israel again does evil in God's sight, and so He sells them into the hands of Jabin, a Canaanite king.  Israel then cries out to God for help; God speaks through the prophetess Deborah to Barak, commanding him to defeat Sisera, the commander of Jabin's army.  After some reluctance on the part of Barak, he and Deborah defeat Sisera's forces.  Sisera escapes the battlefield but is later killed by Jael; she uses a tent peg and a hammer to strike the fatal blow.

Barak's reluctance to lead the forces of Naphtali and Zebulun against Sisera and his troops showed how far Israel had slipped (spiritually) since the time of Shamgar.  Indeed, Israel was spiritually bankrupt, and so they had stopped focusing on God; instead, they focused on what they could see - Sisera and his 900 iron chariots, a fearsome force - and quaked in fear.

2. The Song of Deborah
In this passage, Deborah and Barak sing a song to commemorate the victory that God has given them over the Canaanites.  They praise God for achieving this great victory given Israel's sad state under the rule of Jabin.  They also chastise several tribes - including Reuben, Dan and Asher - for not joining them on the battlefield.  In addition, they praise Jael for her bravery, as she has killed Sisera in her own tent.  The passage closes by noting that Israel subsequently enjoyed a 40-year period of peace.

It is interesting to note that Deborah and Barak's song praises several tribes - including Ephraim, Benjamin, Zebulun, Issachar and Naphtali - while other tribes are chastised as noted above.  Clearly, the Israelites - when left to their own devices - would adopt an "every man for himself" mentality.  Only God could truly unify the tribes and induce the Israelites to have empathy for each other.

3. Gideon
In this passage, Israel again does evil in God's sight, and so He gives them into the hands of the Midianites.  Israel then cries out to God for help; God commands Gideon to deliver Israel from the hands of Midian.  Now Gideon is reluctant to follow God's leading, and so He encourages him by 1) burning up a sacrifice that he offers, 2) making a wool fleece wet with dew while keeping the ground around it dry, and 3) keeping the fleece dry while making the ground around it wet with dew.  Between the first and second above-mentioned actions on the part of God, Gideon destroys some pagan altars that his father had built.

Verse 13 of this passage is rather telling, as Gideon asks God's angel, "if the Lord is with us, why has all this happened to us...but now the Lord has abandoned us and put us into the hand of Midian."  Gideon fails to acknowledge the inherent sinfulness of Israel that is the root cause of their being enslaved by the Midianites.  One must wonder what God thought when Gideon made this statement; clearly Gideon was spiritually deficient, yet God resolved that He would be glorified through him.

Judges 1-3

1. Israel Fights the Remaining Canaanites
In this passage, Israel embarks on its first military campaign since the death of Joshua.  Judah and Simeon defeat the Canaanites and Perizzites, including their leader, Adoni-Bezek.  The account from Joshua 15 of Caleb giving his daughter Acsah in marriage to Othniel - and providing her with springs of water - is retold here.  Several tribes are also implicitly chastised for not driving out the Canaanites in their assigned territories; instead, those tribes enslaved the Canaanites.

We see that while God was with the Israelites in giving them the Promised Land, they failed to obey Him completely by possessing all of their assigned territories.  This failure sets the stage for Israel's struggles with obedience throughout the remainder of Judges.

2. The Angel of the Lord at Bokim
In this passage, an angel of the Lord comes to the Israelites at Bokim and states that since they have failed to obey the Lord, He will cause the surviving Canaanites in their assigned territories to ensnare them.  This declaration spurs the Israelites to weep and offer sacrifices to God.

One must wonder if the Israelites were merely trying to appease God by weeping and offering sacrifices to Him.  Perhaps they figured that if they appeased Him at that time, He would not use their neighbors to ensnare them - and then they could continue sinning without any repercussions.

3. Disobedience and Defeat
In this passage, it is noted that after Joshua and the generation of Israelites who he led into the Promised Land passed away, the next generation of Israelites failed to obey the Lord.  Instead, they worshiped Baal and the Ashtoreths; thus, the Lord punished them by 1) sending raiders to plunder them and 2) having their neighbors enslave them.  The Israelites also intermarried with their neighbors; thankfully, the Lord would frequently rescue them by raising up judges.

In verse 22 of chapter 2, the Lord states that He will use the surviving Canaanites "to test Israel."  This is a rather interesting statement, as it implies that in terms of God's covenant, "the ball was in Israel's court."  The question, then, was whether Israel would be able to pass this test.  We see that Israel is ultimately responsible for its actions.

4. Othniel
In this passage, Israel serves the Baals and the Asherahs; they are then enslaved by Cushan-Rishathaim, the king of Aram Naharaim.  After eight years of slavery, they cry out to the Lord and He rescues them by raising up Othniel.  They then enjoy forty years of peace until Othniel dies.

Clearly Cushan-Rishathaim was a rather harsh slave-owner.

5. Ehud
In this passage, Israel breaks its covenant with the Lord; they are then enslaved by Eglon, the king of Moab - who enlists the Ammonites and Amalekites to help him subdue Israel.  After eighteen years of slavery, they cry out to the Lord and He rescues them by raising up Ehud.  In this case, Ehud kills Eglon by taking advantage of the fact that he is a southpaw.  Israel then enjoys eighty years of peace.

I have always found this passage to be strangely amusing, especially as Eglon was so fat that, as noted in verse 22 of chapter 3, "the fat closed in over" Ehud's sword.  Eglon's servants are also due for criticism, as they failed to properly "pat down" Ehud when he initially visited Eglon.

6. Shamgar
In this passage, the Lord raises up another judge, Shamgar, who kills 600 Philistines with an oxgoad.

One must wonder if Shamgar killed all 600 Philistines in a single battle - or if he killed them over several engagements.  He must have been rather skillful with an oxgoad.

Joshua 22-24

1. Eastern Tribes Return Home
In this passage, Joshua blesses the tribes who will dwell on the eastern side of the Jordan River - the tribes of Reuben, Gad, and half of Manasseh.  Now as these tribes return to their homes, they build an altar that spurs the rest of Israel to prepare for war against them.  Phinehas (the son of Eleazar) and ten tribal leaders - one for each of the "western tribes" - meet the "eastern tribes" in order to forestall a civil war; it turns out that a great misunderstanding has occurred, and so no blood is spilled.

This is a rather bizarre story; it does illustrate the importance of communication.  Perhaps the eastern tribes should have informed the western tribes of their plans before they built their altar (to serve as a memorial for future generations).  This story also illustrates the zeal for the Lord that prevailed in Israel at that time; any perceived affront to His glory and honor would be immediately addressed in the appropriate fashion - with war being an option.

2. Joshua's Farewell to the Leaders
In this passage, Joshua reminds the leaders of Israel of the Lord's providence in bringing them to their present inheritance.  He exhorts them to hold fast to the Lord and to His Law.  He also assures them that if they turn away from the Lord and intermarry/associate with other nations, the Lord will punish them - via these other nations.

I wonder if the people of Israel were feeling rather complacent after the allocation of the Promised Land; if so, this speech by Joshua was designed to wake them from their stupor and help them focus on God and His covenant with them.

3. The Covenant Renewed at Shechem
In this passage, Joshua reminds the Israelites of all that the Lord had done for them, starting from the time of Abraham.  Given the Lord's providence in bringing Israel to the Promised Land, Joshua challenges them regarding their ultimate loyalties.  The people respond by declaring their allegiance to God, and they refuse to change their minds after Joshua hints at their inability to fulfill their vows to Him.  Thus, Joshua renews the covenant between Israel and the Lord; he commemorates the occasion by placing a stone under an oak tree.

This story implies that the Israelites were experiencing a "spiritual high" after the allocation of the Promised Land.  Perhaps they should have listened carefully to Joshua's hint in verses 19-20 that they would be unable to fulfill their vows to the Lord.  Yet they were probably so ensnared by their spiritual high that they repeatedly declared their devotion to God.

4. Buried in the Promised Land
In this passage, it is noted that Joshua passes away at the age of 110.  Israel continues to serve the Lord faithfully during Joshua's lifetime and that of the elders who outlive him.  Joseph's bones, which had been transported by Israel during their years of wandering in the desert - are buried at Shechem.  Eleazar, the high priest, also passes away.

This is a very natural way to conclude the book of Joshua.  The leaders - both military and spiritual - of Israel have now passed on, and the onus is on Israel to remain faithful to the Lord in their absence.  Of course, the book of Judges will reveal how they did...

Joshua 19-21

1. Allotment for Simeon
In this passage, the Lord allots land for the tribe of Simeon.  It is noted that their allotment lies within the allotment of the tribe of Judah.  In verse 9 we see that "Judah's portion was more than they needed.  So the Simeonites received their inheritance within the territory of Judah."

This allotment essentially fulfills Jacob's curse on Simeon in Genesis 49:7.

2. Allotment for Zebulun
In this passage, the Lord allots land for the tribe of Zebulun.  Their allotment includes the town of Rimmon.

3. Allotment for Issachar
In this passage, the Lord allots land for the tribe of Issachar.  Their allotment includes the town of Jezreel.

4. Allotment for Asher
In this passage, the Lord allots land for the tribe of Asher.  Their allotment includes the city of Tyre.


5. Allotment for Naphtali
In this passage, the Lord allots land for the tribe of Naphtali.  Their allotment includes the city of Kedesh.


6. Allotment for Dan
In this passage, the Lord allots land for the tribe of Dan.  In verse 47 we see that the Danites had trouble conquering their assigned territory, so they ended up attacking Leshem and conquering it.

I'm assuming that the Danites' difficulties in terms of conquering their assigned territory stemmed from their lack of faith and trust in the Lord.  As I've noted in previous posts, I would have been quite fearful if I had been a Danite at that time - war is not something to be taken lightly.  Also, did the Lord actually condone their attacking and conquering Leshem?  The passage doesn't provide an explicit indication of His reaction to their change of plans.


7. Allotment for Joshua
In this passage, Israel fulfills the Lord's command that they give Joshua the town of Timnath Serah in the hill country of Ephraim.  This concludes the division of the Promised Land for Israel.

Now I cannot recall the reason why Joshua chose the town of Timnath Serah as his inheritance.  If any readers can shed some light on this, that would be neat.

8. Cities of Refuge
In this passage, the Lord designates six "cities of refuge" in Israel.  The function of these cities can be described as follows: assume that Person A kills Person B by accident.  Person A can flee to one of these cities and be protected from the avenger of blood, who is typically the closest male relative of Person B.  After a trial occurs, Person A is ostensibly pardoned; he must then remain in that city until the high priest at the time has passed away.  Person A is then free to return to his hometown.

This is a rather interesting passage and it raised some (probably fanciful) questions.  Were there instances in the Old Testament period when Person A killed Person B by accident, yet Person A was caught and killed by the avenger of blood before he reached a city of refuge?  Why did Person A need to wait for the death of the high priest at that time before leaving a city of refuge?  Were there cases where Person A was pardoned,  left a city of refuge too early and was then killed by the avenger of blood?


9. Towns for the Levites
In this passage, the Israelites give the Levites several towns - and pasturelands - out of their inheritance.  In particular, the allotment for the Levites is divided among the 1) Kohathites who are descendants of Aaron, 2) all other Kohathites, 3) Gershonites and 4) Merarites.  In verse 43, we see that this passage concludes the allotment of the Promised Land for Israel; the Lord has defeated all of their enemies and given them peace - fulfilling all of His promises to them.

It is interesting to note that all six of the cities of refuge from the previous passage are given to the Levites.  Does this have some correlation with the "death of the high priest" stipulation as noted above?  Also, it should be stressed that this passage is the culmination of the second part of God's three-fold promise to Abraham in Genesis 15 - his descendants have taken possession of the Promised Land.  Of course, their sinfulness will prevent them from holding on to it...

Joshua 16-18

1. Allotment for Ephraim and Manasseh
In this passage, the Lord allots land for the tribes of Ephraim and Manasseh - here, land is provided for that subset of Manasseh not on the east side of the Jordan. It is noted that Zelophehad, a descendant of Makir son of Manasseh, only had daughters - and no sons; yet his daughters are given an inheritance, fulfilling the promises of the Lord through Moses in Numbers 27 and 36. It is also noted that Ephraim and Manasseh feared the Perizzites and Rephaites, as they possessed iron chariots.

Reviewing the history of warfare - in particular, the evolution of weaponry - provides a sound basis for Israel's fear of the iron chariots that belonged to the inhabitants of the Promised Land. Iron chariots assuredly belong to the class of transformational weapons that includes the longbow, the Gatling gun and the cruise missile. While the Israelites were woefully inadequate in terms of technological nous, the Lord used this shortcoming to compel them to depend on Him for their military successes.

2. Division of the Rest of the Land
In this passage, Joshua chastises the remaining seven tribes for not dividing up the rest of the Promised Land and taking possession of their inheritance. He has each of these tribes select three men to survey the land; based on the results of these surveys, the land will be divided into seven parts, and lots will be cast for each part. The lots are to be cast at Shiloh in the presence of the Lord, as Shiloh is the site of the Tent of Meeting.

Again, it is (depressingly) simple to understand why the remaining seven tribes failed to obey the Lord and claim their inheritance. Going forth and slaying all of the inhabitants of the Promised Land must have been a frightening, stomach-churning proposition for the Israelites. Someday I hope to ask God why the Canaanites were beyond redemption and obtain an answer of some sort from Him...

3. Allotment for Benjamin
In this passage, the first lot is cast at Shiloh, and it comes up for Benjamin. They receive land between Judah and Ephraim; their inheritance happens to include important cities such as Jerusalem, Jericho and Bethel.

Clearly the Lord had designed to bless the tribe of Benjamin in abundance, which reminds me of the favor that Jacob showed Benjamin - as one of the sons of his beloved wife Rachel. The territory that Benjamin inherited was rather compact, yet - according to Deuteronomy 33:12 - one could say that it was closest to God's heart. It should be noted that Benjamin plays a rather significant role in the New Testament, as the apostle Paul was a Benjamite.

Joshua 13-15

1. Land Still to Be Taken
In this passage, the Lord tells Joshua that the Israelites have not fully obeyed His commands; in particular, they have not conquered the land of the Philistines to the south, and they have not conquered the land of the Sidonians to the north. Now the Lord does promise Joshua that He will drive the Sidonians from their land.

I can understand why the Israelites failed to fully obey the Lord's command for them to completely destroy the inhabitants of the Promised Land. If I were an Israelite at that time, my stomach would have churned at the prospect of having to slay pregnant women, infants, and the elderly. Why the Lord determined that the inhabitants of the Promised Land were beyond redemption is an issue that Christians continue to wrestle with.

2. Division of the Land East of the Jordan
In this passage, the land east of the Jordan is divided among the half-tribe of Manasseh, the tribe of Reuben and the tribe of Gad. Manasseh received a fairly large portion of land that included the former kingdom of Og in Bashan. As for the land that formerly belonged to Sihon king of Heshbon, it was divided between Reuben and Gad. It is noted that Levi did not receive an inheritance.

I wonder if the decision by these tribes to separate themselves from the rest of the Israelites caused friction within Israel. Did the members of these tribes feel a strong bond with the other tribes, or did enmity occasionally bubble to the surface?

3. Division of the Land West of the Jordan
In this passage, it is noted that the Levites were allowed to live in towns; they were also given pasturelands for their flocks and herds. Also, the inheritance of the other nine-and-a-half tribes was determined by casting lots.

4. Hebron Given to Caleb
In this passage, it is noted that Caleb, son of Jephunneh the Kenizzite, asked Joshua for the land that the Lord had promised him for his faithfulness 45 years before the writing of this book. Joshua then gave Caleb Hebron as his inheritance.

I definitely enjoyed reading the account of Caleb's acquisition of Hebron - for the obvious reasons. Even though he was 85, he was still raring to drive the Anakites from Hebron and fully claim his inheritance. It is amazing that he still possessed a fighting spirit in his old age - and that he trusted the Lord to carry out the promise that He made 45 years ago.

5. Allotment for Judah
This passage meticulously describes the inheritance of the tribe of Judah. It contains a complete list of the towns that they received - which happened to be in the Negev, the western foothills, the hill country and the desert. It is also noted that Judah could not dislodge the Jebusites from Jerusalem, and so they co-existed at that time. In addition, it is noted that Caleb gave his daughter Acsah in marriage to Othniel son of Kenaz, his brother - since Othniel had captured Kiriath Sepher.

The account of Caleb in this passage was rather humbling, as it appears - based on the note in the sidebar in my NIV Study Bible - that the land that he gave to Acsah and Othniel lacked a source of water. I suppose that we are all forgetful and overlook key details every now and then...