Editing Book of Judges (section)

== Themes and genre ==
[[File:Judges Bib Germ 1485 d.1 375.jpg|thumb|An illustrated page from the Book of Judges in a German Bible, dated 1485 (Bodleian Library)]]
The essence of Deuteronomistic theology is that Israel has entered into a [[covenant (biblical)|covenant]] (a treaty, a binding agreement) with the God Yahweh, under which they agree to accept Yahweh as their God (hence the phrase "God of Israel") and Yahweh promises them a land where they can live in peace and prosperity. Deuteronomy contains the laws by which Israel is to live in the promised land, Joshua chronicles the conquest of [[Canaan]], the promised land, and its allotment among the tribes, Judges describes the settlement of the land, Samuel the consolidation of the land and people under [[David]], and Kings the destruction of kingship and loss of the land.{{sfn|Knight|1995|p=61}} The final tragedy described in Kings is the result of Israel's failure to uphold its part of the covenant: faithfulness to Yahweh brings success, economic, military and political, but unfaithfulness brings defeat and oppression.{{sfn|Niditch|2008|p=11}}

This is the theme played out in Judges: the people are unfaithful to Yahweh and He therefore delivers them into the hands of their enemies; the people then repent and entreat Yahweh for mercy, which He sends in the form of a judge; the judge delivers the Israelites from oppression, but after a while they fall into unfaithfulness again and the cycle is repeated.{{sfn|Soggin|1981|p=4}} Israel's [[apostasy]] is repeatedly invoked by the author as the cause of threats to Israel. The oppression of the Israelites is due to their turning to Canaanite gods, breaking the covenant and "doing evil in the sight of the lord".<ref name="BullockJr.2007">{{cite book|author1=C. Hassell Bullock|author2=David M. Howard Jr.|author3=Herbert Wolf|title=Introduction to the Old Testament, set of four books (Prophetic, Poetic, Pentateuch, Historical)|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=0MELqlrqtsAC|date=1 September 2007|publisher=Moody Publishers|isbn=978-0-8024-8286-0|page=PT116}}</ref>

Further themes are present: the "sovereign freedom of Yahweh" (God does not always do what is expected of him); the "[[satire|satirisation]] of foreign kings" (who consistently underestimate Israel and Yahweh); the concept of the "flawed agent" (judges who are not adequate to the task before them) and the disunity of the Israelite community, which gathers pace as the stories succeed one another.{{sfn|Guest|2003|pp=193–94}}

The book is as intriguing for the themes it leaves out as for what it includes: the [[Ark of the Covenant]], which is given so much importance in the stories of [[Moses]] and [[Joshua]], is almost entirely missing,{{Efn|The ark of the covenant is mentioned in passing in {{bibleverse||Judges|20:27|HE}}.}} cooperation between the various tribes is limited, and there is no mention of a central shrine for worship and only limited reference to a [[High Priest of Israel]] (the office to which [[Aaron]] was appointed at the end of [[the Exodus]] story).{{Efn|[[Phinehas]] the son of [[Eleazar]], the son of Aaron is mentioned in passing in {{bibleverse||Judges|20:28|HE}}.}}{{sfn|Matthews|2004|p=4}}

Although Judges probably had a monarchist redaction (see above), the book contains passages and themes that represent anti-monarchist views. One of the major themes of the book is Yahweh's sovereignty and the importance of being loyal to Him and His laws above all other gods and sovereigns. Indeed, the authority of the judges comes not through prominent dynasties nor through elections or appointments, but rather through the Spirit of God.{{sfn|Alter|2013|p=106}}

Anti-monarchist theology is most apparent toward the end of the Gideon cycle in which the Israelites beg Gideon to create a dynastic monarchy over them and Gideon refuses.{{sfn|Davis|Wolf|2002|pp=326–27}} The rest of Gideon's lifetime saw peace in the land, but after Gideon's death, his son Abimelech ruled [[Shechem]] as a [[Machiavelli]]an tyrant guilty for much bloodshed (see chapters 8 and 9). However, the last few chapters of Judges (specifically, the stories of Samson, Micah, and Gibeah) highlight the violence and [[anarchy]] of decentralized rule.{{sfn|Alter|2013|pp=107–9}}

Judges is remarkable for the number of female characters who "play significant roles, active and passive, in the narratives."{{sfn|Bacon|Sperling|2007|p= 561}} Rabbi [[Joseph Telushkin]] wrote,
{{blockquote|Most of the great women in the Bible either are married to a great man or related to one. ... A rare exception to this tradition is the prophetess and judge Deborah, perhaps the Bible's greatest woman figure. Deborah stands exclusively on her own merits. The only thing we know about her personal life is the name of her husband, Lapidot.{{sfn|Telushkin|1997|p=58}}}}