Judges - Everybody - BIBLE SUMMARY

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 After Joshua's death the tribes of Judah and Simeon conquer Jerusalem and cut off king's thumbs and toes, Othniel conquers, but  other inhabitants of the land were not properly driven out .

This chapter summarizes this era of Israel where the people do evil in God's sight,  they are ruled by idol worshipping enemies until God raises up a judge to deliver them then they repeat this cycle.

 Israel sins with idols and are delivered by Othniel, left handed judge Ehud  sneaks in to kill fat king Eglon to trigger war and victory over Moab.

Sinful Israel is subject to Canaanite King as punishment,  Deborah leads Barak victoriously the commander Sisera flees and is staked to the ground with peg by Jael while hiding.

 Deborah and Barak sing a song that exalts God who makes the mountains quake and gives Him credit for the victory in battle, Jael is credited in this song.

God appears to timid Gideon  (Israel is under Midianite oppression for evil) so he sneaks and destroys Baal altar and Ashera pole for God, then the Midianites  muster and God promises Gideon victory but Gideon asks for signs.

 God reduces the army led by Gideon from over 30,000 to 300, the Lord delivered enormous  Midianite army with only trumpets and jars because they killed each other in confusion.

 Gideon then pusuits the 2 Midianite kings into Jordan wins, battle and exacts punishment for the people who don't help him, he refuses rule with many wives  and sons the people resume idol worship.

Abimelek is Gideon's offspring and kills all 70 of his brothers but one becomes ruler in Shekem, violent hectic civil wars break out until Abimelek is killed.

 Israel continues to do evil and worship false gods and God gives them over to their enemies, in distress they cry to Him, they get rid of idols and look for a leader.

 The people ask Jephthah (an outcast) to judge them,  he warns the king of Ammon and makes a rash vow that kills his virgin daughter for the Lord's victory over Ammonites.

 Infighting and civil wars between the sons of Ephraim and Jephthah break out until his death , subsequent judges of Israel are chronicled.

 An angel appears to Manoah's barren wife and then Manoah and promises them both twice of a coming special son to judge and overturn Philistine rule  he is to have no drink nor cut hair.

 Samson marries Philistine woman, he kills a lion and makes a riddle wager that stumps their people,  his wife cheats and gives riddle answer to aid her people.

 Samson's wife is given to another Philistine man,  so he burns  Philistines crops, they then burn his wife and camp against Judah who imprison Samson, he frees and kills 1000 Philistines with donkey jawbone.

 Samson loves Delilah and she deceives him and cuts his hair, he is captured and eye gouged his final act is to dislodge pillars of temple killing thousands of Philistines.

 A short story about Micah making an idol from stolen silver and setting up his own private priesthood  and worship contrasts God's standards revealed in the Law.  

Danite kings mustered hundreds to wage civil war and take Micah's idol and priest and worshiped them as authorization .

A story about the degradation of a Levites' concubine (in Benjamin territiory) mirrors the immorallity of Sodom that ends with her 12 piece dismembered body dispersed around Israel.

 All Israel unites to judge Benjamite criminals for concubine murder and degradation,  this triggers a big civil war nearly wiping out all Benjamites.

 Israel vows to cut off Benjamites then relents with various schemes to find wives for remnant Benjamites, "everyone did what was right in his own eyes."