Judges

1. Chapter 1Judah, Simeon, and Joseph continue to conquer the Canaanites—Remnants of the Canaanites remain in the lands of Judah, Manasseh, Ephraim, Zebulun, Asher, Naphtali, and Dan.
2. Chapter 2An angel rebukes Israel for not serving the Lord—As a pattern of future events, a new generation arises that forsakes the Lord and serves Baal and Ashtaroth—The Lord is angry with the children of Israel and ceases to preserve them—He raises up judges to guide and lead them—The Canaanites are left in the land to test Israel.
3. Chapter 3The children of Israel intermarry with the Canaanites, worship false gods, and are cursed—Othniel judges the Israelites—They serve Moab and are delivered by Ehud, who slays Eglon.
4. Chapter 4Deborah, a prophetess, judges Israel—She and Barak deliver Israel from the Canaanites—Jael, a woman, slays Sisera, the Canaanite.
5. Chapter 5Deborah and Barak sing a song of praise because Israel is delivered from Canaanite bondage.
6. Chapter 6Israel is in bondage to the Midianites—An angel appears to Gideon and calls him to deliver Israel—He overthrows the altar of Baal, the Spirit of the Lord rests upon him, and the Lord gives him a sign to show he is called to deliver Israel.
7. Chapter 7Gideon’s army is reduced to 300—They frighten the Midianite armies with trumpets and lights—The Midianites fight among themselves, flee, and are defeated by Israel.
8. Chapter 8Gideon pursues and destroys the Midianites—He frees the children of Israel but refuses their invitation to reign as king over them—Gideon dies, and Israel returns to idolatry.
9. Chapter 9Gideon’s son Abimelech is made king—He slays his seventy brothers—Jotham tells a fable of trees choosing a king—The Shechemites conspire against Abimelech—He is slain at Thebez.
10. Chapter 10Tola and then Jair judge Israel—The children of Israel worship false gods, are forsaken by the Lord, and are distressed by their enemies—They repent and ask the Lord for deliverance.
11. Chapter 11Jephthah is chosen as the captain of the armies of Israel—The Ammonites assail Israel in war—Jephthah is guided by the Spirit and defeats Ammon with a great slaughter—He makes a rash vow, which leads to the sacrifice of his only daughter.
12. Chapter 12The Gileadites slay 42,000 Ephraimites—Jephthah, Ibzan, Elon, and Abdon each in turn judge Israel.
13. Chapter 13Israel is in Philistine bondage for forty years—An angel comes to Manoah’s wife and promises a son who will begin to deliver Israel—The angel comes again; he ascends in a flame from the altar—Samson is born, and the Spirit of the Lord moves upon him.
14. Chapter 14Samson slays a young lion with his bare hands—He marries a Philistine wife, propounds a riddle, is deceived by his wife, and slays thirty Philistines.
15. Chapter 15Samson burns the grain of the Philistines—They burn his wife and father-in-law—Samson slays a thousand Philistines at Lehi with the jawbone of an ass.
16. Chapter 16Samson carries away the doors of the gate of Gaza—He loves Delilah, who delivers him to the Philistines—He destroys a building, killing himself and 3,000 others.
17. Chapter 17Micah has a house of gods (images) and consecrates his own priests.
18. Chapter 18The Danites send men to seek an inheritance—They take Micah’s images and priest, burn the city of Laish, and set up idolatry.
19. Chapter 19A Levite’s concubine returns to her father—Her husband takes her back, and they lodge overnight in Gibeah—The men of Gibeah abuse the concubine and she dies—The Levite husband cuts her into twelve pieces and sends them to the tribes of Israel.
20. Chapter 20All Israel arises against the Benjamites, who refuse to deliver up the men of Gibeah—The Benjamites are smitten and destroyed.
21. Chapter 21The people lament the desolation of Benjamin—The inhabitants of Jabesh-gilead are destroyed for not engaging in the war with Benjamin—Wives are provided for the remnant of Benjamin.