1. Their Office. It was not generally to try legal cases between man and man or between tribe and tribe. It might be regarded as a military dictatorship blended with a religious authority. The judge was a union of the warrior and the religious reformer.
2. Their Appointment, not by election, nor the votes of the people. The Orientals have never chosen their rulers by suffrage. The judges were men whom the people recognized as called of God to their office (Judg. 2. 16; 3. 9; 6. 11-13).
3. Their authority rested not on law, nor on armies, but on the personal elements of integrity and leadership in the men, and on the general belief in their inspiration. They spoke to the people with the authority of a messenger from God. They arose in some hour of great need, and after the immediate danger was over held their power until the end of their lives.
4. The Extent of Their Rule was generally local, over a few tribes in one section. Deb´o-rah ruled in the north (Judg. 5. 14-18); Jeph´thah governed only the east of the Jor´dan (Judg. 11. 29). Often more than one judge was ruling at the same time; probably Sam´son and E´li were contemporaneous. Gid´e-on and Sam´u-el alone ruled all the twelve tribes.
Blackboard Outline
| I. | Cond. Isr. Fav. 1. Mtn. Loc. 2. Rac. Un. 3. Rel. Inst. Unfav. 1. Nat. Rac. 2. Lac. Cent. Gov. 3. Tri. Jeal. 4. Idol. Ten. |
| II. | Jud. Isr. 1. Off. 2. App. 3. Auth. 4. Ex. Ru. |
Review Questions
Between what events was this period? What were its traits? What were the conditions favorable to Is´ra-el during this period? How did their location aid the Is´ra-el-ites? Wherein were the Is´ra-el-ites one people? How did their religious institutions keep them together? What were the unfavorable and dangerous elements in the condition of Is´ra-el? How were they in danger from the native races? What was lacking in the government of Is´ra-el? What two tribes were in rivalry? What was the effect of this jealousy? What analogy is found in ancient history? How was the same principle illustrated in modern times? What evil tendency was manifested in Is´ra-el through nearly all its history? What causes are assigned for this tendency? What was the office of a judge in Is´ra-el? How were the judges appointed? What was their authority? How widely did their rule extend?
III. The Oppressions and Deliverers. During these centuries the influences already named brought Is´ra-el many times under the domination of foreign power. The story was always the same: forsaking God, following idols, subjection, reformation, victory, and temporary prosperity. We notice the seven oppressions. Some of these were undoubtedly contemporaneous.
1. The Mes-o-po-ta´mi-an Oppression (Judg. 3. 7-11). Probably this was over the southern portion, and the invaders came by the east and around the Dead Sea, as earlier invaders from the same land had come (Gen. 14. 1-7). The deliverer was Oth´ni-el, the first judge, and the only judge of the tribe of Ju´dah.