The Israelites served the Lord while Joshua lived; but when he was dead
they forgot the Lord, married the daughters of the Canaanites and served
strange gods. Then the anger of the Lord was kindled against them, and
He gave them into the hands of the heathens. They then cried unto the
Lord, and he raised up men to save them. Such men were called Judges.
(Judges 2.)
One of these judges was Gideon. The hand of the Midianites rested
heavily on Israel. Then the angel of the Lord came to Gideon, as he was
threshing wheat, and bade him deliver Israel. Gideon sent messengers to
the tribes, and 32,000 men responded. But the Lord said: There are too
many people. Israel might boast and say: My own hand hath saved me.
Proclaim therefore that whoever is afraid may go home. Then 22,000 went
home, and 10,000 remained. The Lord said: The people are yet too many.
Choose thee 300 men. Gideon chose 300 men and divided them into three
companies, and gave each man a trumpet and an empty pitcher with a torch
in it. At midnight he went with them to the camp of the Midianites; they
blew the trumpets, broke the pitchers and held up their torches. The
Midianites cried and fled, and the Lord turned every man’s sword against
his neighbor, and Gideon pursued them. (Judges 6-9.)
Another judge was Jephthah. When he went out against the enemy he made a
vow to sacrifice to the Lord whatever first came to meet him from his
house, when he returned with victory. He came home victorious, and his
daughter, his only child, came out to meet him with timbrels and with
dances. Jephthah rent his garments, but did with her according to his
vow. And the maidens of Israel lamented Jephthah’s daughter for four
days every year. (Judges 11.)
When the Philistines oppressed the children of Israel, the Lord sent
them a deliverer in Samson. He smote the Philistines again and again,
for the Lord had given him such strength that he with his hands tore
asunder a young lion which came roaring against him. But he was deluded
by a woman called Delilah. She succeeded in coaxing out of him the
secret that his strength was in his seven locks of hair. These she
shaved off and delivered him to the lords of the Philistines, who put
out his eyes and set him to grinding corn. Once when they were assembled
for a great feast in the temple of Dagon, their god, they brought out
Samson to make sport for them. His hair had now grown, and his strength
had returned. The temple rested on pillars. Samson prayed to the Lord,
laid hold on the two middle pillars, and bowed himself with might. The
temple fell and buried both Samson and his enemies. (Judges 13-16.)