Editing Book of Judges (section)

=== Main text ===
[[File:12 Tribes of Israel Map.svg|thumb|235px|A map of the tribes of Israel]]
The main text gives accounts of six major judges and their struggles against the oppressive kings of surrounding nations, as well as the story of [[Abimelech (Judges)|Abimelech]], an Israelite leader (a judge [shofet] in the sense of "chieftain") who oppresses his own people.<ref>{{bibleverse-nb||Judges|3:11–16:31|HE}}</ref> The cyclical pattern set out in the prologue is readily apparent at the beginning, but as the stories progress it begins to disintegrate, mirroring the disintegration of the world of the Israelites.{{sfn|Guest|2003|p=190}} Although some scholars consider the stories not to be presented in chronological order,{{sfn|Amit|2004|p=508}} the judges [[Fabula and syuzhet|in the order in which they appear in the text]] are:
* [[Othniel]] (3:9–11) vs. [[Cushan-Rishathaim]], King of [[Aram-Naharaim|Aram]]; Israel has 40 years of peace until the death of Othniel. (The statement that Israel has a certain period of peace after each judge is a recurrent theme.)
* [[Ehud]] (3:11–29) vs. [[Eglon (king)|Eglon]] of [[Moab]]
* [[Deborah]], directing [[Barak]] the army captain (4–5), vs. [[Jabin]] of [[Tel Hazor|Hazor]] (a city in [[Canaan]]) and [[Sisera]], his captain ([[Battle of Mount Tabor (biblical)|Battle of Mount Tabor]])
* [[Gideon]] (6–8) vs. [[Midian]], [[Amalek]], and the "children of the East" (apparently desert tribes)
* [[Jephthah]] (11–12:7) vs. the [[Ammon]]ites
* [[Samson]] (13–16) vs. the [[Philistines]]

There are also brief glosses on six minor judges: [[Shamgar]] (Judges 3:31; after Ehud), [[Tola (biblical figure)|Tola]] and [[Jair]] (10:1–5), [[Ibzan]], [[Elon (Judges)|Elon]], and [[Abdon (Judges)|Abdon]] (12:8–15; after Jephthah).{{sfn|Bacon|Sperling|2007|pp=563–65}} Some scholars have inferred that the minor judges were actual adjudicators, whereas the major judges were leaders and did not actually make legal judgments.{{sfn|Bacon|Sperling|2007|p=564}} The only major judge described as making legal judgments is Deborah (4:4).{{sfn|Bacon|Sperling|2007|p=561}}