ABSTRACT

The essay delves into the question of how the book of Judges

represents God – in particular the character of God. It deals with

some of the hard topics that appear to be attributed to Yahweh

either directly or indirectly. It starts of discussing the command

to totally destroy all men, women and children of the Canaanite

cities that Israel conquer. The essay explains how the apparent

genocide is in fact God’s divine judgement upon a people who were

abhorrent in all their practices and their constant violation of

others. It then tackles a similar question by questioning God’s

role in the story of Gideon and Abimelek. The story of Jepthah is

raised to particularly question the notion of whether God delights

or responds to human sacrifice. The essay responds to all these

charges by highlighting that many of these stories merely highlight,

not Yahweh as a tyrannical God, but rather the outcome of abandoning

Yahweh in exchange for foreign gods. The essay does attribute

Yahweh’s hand in the judgement that comes upon Israel and also the

surrounding nations, however, in every case this is a just

judgement. The conclusion of the essay attempts to highlight God’s

grace and faithfulness to His covenant with Israel despite their

unfaithfulness and idolatry.

 When reading the book of Judges, that which stands out most and immediately confronts you are

the repeated acts of violent atrocities against other people. What becomes even more confronting

is that these atrocities are being committed by the Israelites – the chosen people of God! In fact, as

you read through the book, it seems that Yahweh is behind these atrocities and is the cause of them,

or at the very least that He approves and condones what is happening. There is no doubt that

throughout the narrative of this book we see examples of constant idolatry as the Israelites

repeatedly turned to worship other gods, however it is hard to digest the events that occur as a

result. God seems to be very different to how He is depicted when we read accounts of Jesus in the

New Testament, and it may cause us to sympathise, in part, with what Richard Dawkins writes in his

book The God Delusion, in his scathing rendition of God as he sees Him in the Old Testament.

Dawkins says, “The God of the Old Testament is arguably the most unpleasant character in all fiction:

jealous and proud of it; a petty, unjust, unforgiving control-freak; a vindictive, bloodthirsty ethnic

cleanser; a misogynistic, homophobic, racist, infanticidal, genocidal, filicidal, pestilential,

megalomaniacal, sadomasochistic, capriciously malevolent bully.”1 A similar sentiment is echoed by

atheist Charles Templeton who states: “The God of the Old Testament is utterly unlike the God

believed in by most practicing Christians… His justice is, by modern standards, outrageous…. He is

biased, querulous, vindictive, and jealous of his prerogatives.”2 Indeed, on a preliminary reading of

Judges this seems to be the picture of God that emerges; a cruel and ruthless deity that

indiscriminately orders the execution of seemingly innocent men, women, and children, or carries

out their deaths by various means, who responds favourably to human sacrifice, and who seeks

occasion to stir up strife. If this is indeed the case then we must consider whether we are prepared

to place our lives into the care of a God who is not always good, loving and merciful, but is instead

1
Richard Dawkins, The God Delusion (Boston: Houghton Mifflin Co., 2006).31
2
Charles Templeton, Farewell to God : My Reasons for Rejecting the Christian Faith (Toronto: M&S, 1996).
evil and capricious. Such a God, is not consistent with the loving Creator or Father figure that the

New Testament offers, and should in no way be worshiped or venerated.3

As a result of calling the character of God into question, more issues arise that are specific to us

today. For example, if Yahweh is as described above then He can not be trusted to work for our best

interests, we can not hold to our assurance of eternal salvation as His chosen people, and we can

not have any confidence in His love for us. Furthermore, to worship such a god would likely

generate attitudes where there would be no concern for people who are not considered to be part

of His chosen, and where women, children, the weak, disadvantaged and defenceless in our

communities would merely become expendable objects to use and abuse at will, rather than people

whom we seek to protect. Such attitudes would naturally be expected of a people who serve a

tyrannical god and reflect his characteristics.

However, when we examine the book of Judges more closely we find that rather than it being a story

that reveals a tyrannical Yahweh, it very much refutes those charges and instead reveals a righteous,

patient, merciful, and loving God who does indeed mirror the picture painted by Jesus and the rest

of the New Testament writers. To look closely at all the disturbing passages in Judges is far too great

a task to contain within this essay, therefore, by looking at only a few different scriptures I will firstly

discuss the questions or objections raised which may cause us to think negatively about God, and

then I will seek to address the issues raised so that we can see a more accurate and positive

representation of His character. In doing so, I hope to also show how the understanding of God’s

character as revealed in Judges helps us to understand the reasons for similar issues which may

arise in our world today regarding the presence of evil and suffering.

3
Robin Schumacher, "Is the God of the Old Testament a Merciless Monster?," in Christian Apologetics and
Research Ministry (Nampa, Idaho2014).
 Probably one of the first references in Judges that causes us to stop and question God’s character

is the reference in 1:8 which tells of the men of Judah attacking Jerusalem and putting “…the city to

the sword…”, and then the reference in 1:17 where “…they totally destroyed the city.” The Hebrew

for, “totally destroyed” in this verse refers to (ḥērem); the irrevocable giving over of things or

persons to Yahweh, often by totally destroying them.4 In Deuteronomy 20:16-17 it is defined by the

clause, “do not leave alive anything that breathes.”5 It is clear from 1:2 that Yahweh had guaranteed

their success6, and furthermore, in reference to the above mentioned passage in Deuteronomy, it

was actually Yahweh who had commanded the Israelites to carry out this total slaughter of the

Canaanite people – men, women, children, and even animals, (also in Deuteronomy 7:1-2 and later

commanded of King Saul in 1 Samuel 15:3).7 In fact, so serious is God regarding this command that

we see His judgement fall on the Israelites for not obeying Him, (Judges 2:1-3).

Such a divinely appointed mission of slaughter without doubt would cause anyone to question

Yahweh’s supposedly good, merciful and loving character. There is no doubt that this directive came

from God, yet it seems that God, on a genocidal mission, is ordering Israel to violently bring about

the deaths of innocent people whose only crime is living in the land that Israel is to possess.8 People

may accept that in war there are always human casualties in the form of fallen soldiers, however it is

an entirely different request to ask people to similarly accept the savage destruction of every living

thing; men and women, young and old, and also animals. This treatment appears totally extreme

4
Niv Gift & Award Bible, (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2011).130, J. Gordon Harris, Cheryl Anne Brown, and
Michael S. Moore, Joshua, Judges, Ruth, New International Biblical Commentary Old Testament Series
(Peabody, Mass.
Carlisle, Cumbria: Hendrickson Publishers ;
Paternoster Press, 2000).142
5
K. Lawson Younger, Judges and Ruth, The Niv Application Commentary (Grand Rapids, Mich.: Zondervan,
2002).29, 69
6
Tokunboh Adeyemo, Africa Bible Commentary (Nairobi, Kenya
Grand Rapids, Mich.: WordAlive Publishers ;
Zondervan, 2006).297, Daniel Isaac Block, Judges, Ruth, The New American Commentary (Nashville, Tenn.:
Broadman & Holman Publishers, 1999).60,1, Harris, Brown, and Moore, Joshua, Judges, Ruth.141
7
Block, Judges, Ruth.62, Henry Hampton Halley, Halley's Bible Handbook with the New International Version,
Completely rev. and expanded. ed. (Grand Rapids, Mich.: ZondervanPublishingHouse, 2000).169, Schumacher,
"Is the God of the Old Testament a Merciless Monster?."
8
"Is the God of the Old Testament a Merciless Monster?."
and ruthless. In reference to such events, Robert Anton Wilson states, “The Bible tells us to be like

God, and then on page after page it describes God as a mass murderer."9

On closer inspection, however, it seems that the Canaanite inhabitants were not exactly innocent

people, therefore before we accuse God of atrocities we must understand His divine judgement on

the wicked. A just God can not be just if He allows the wicked to continue in their wickedness,

violence and debauchery towards themselves and others. In a similar way that a judge who allows

criminals to go unpunished is considered corrupt, so to would God be considered corrupt, if He

allows the wicked to proceed without consequence. Apart from their constant attempts to

exterminate the Israelites10, in their ritual worship the Canaanites would re-enact the stories of their

gods, (Baals and Asherahs), which are stories of violence, cruelty and lust. To please their gods, they

would indulge in behaviour that would range from prostitution, gross acts of indecency to child

sacrifice. The degradation and cruelty of the Canaanite religions is a major reason for the judgment

of God brought about by the conquest by Israel.11 God’s chosen people, Israel, were to be a holy

nation who did not participate in the evil practices of their neighbours. In Deuteronomy 18:9-10

Yahweh commands them not to imitate the ways of Canaan, and to ensure these practices were not

continued Yahweh commanded the total destruction of their Canaanite enemies.12 This too is why

He forbade them to intermarry – lest the Israelites adopt their pagan ways in which they were so

entrenched.

In regard to the total destruction of animals also, Robin Schumacher seems to believe this was

probably commanded due to the Canaanite practices of bestiality.13 Although this may be true, I am

more inclined to believe that it was commanded in order that the Israelites were not tempted to

9
Jonas E. Alexis, Christianity's Dangerous Idea : How the Christian Principle & Spirit Offer the Best Explanation
for Life & Why Other Alternatives Fail (Bloomington, IN: AuthorHouse, 2010).13
10
Halley, Halley's Bible Handbook with the New International Version.
11
Andrew Knowles, The Bible Guide, [New ed.] ed. (Oxford: Lion, 2006).120-24, Ted Cabal, The Apologetics
Study Bible (Nashville, Tennessee: Holman Bible Publishers, 2007).427
12
Schumacher, "Is the God of the Old Testament a Merciless Monster?."
13
Ibid.
conduct a human war for glory and physical gain, but rather to serve the purposes of Yahweh,

(similarly to the account in 1 Samuel 15:3).14 The harder objection to satisfy however, is the killing

also of children. There are various different attempts by people to explain why God would request

such a thing. Some say that ultimately we are all God’s property and therefore just as we have the

right to dispose of the things we own, so too does God have the right to dispose of the things He

owns.15 This is ultimately true, however this hardly deals with the brutal and merciless image that is

conjured when we think of the kind of person would issue such a command, and it certainly does not

help us to understand Yahweh as a loving, compassionate God whose tender mercies never come to

an end. Most commentators would say that this is God’s judgement on a people who have persisted

in grave sin, and therefore in His righteous judgement God decrees their annihilation.16 Whilst this

explanation may provide an acceptable motive for judgement, it still does not deal with why

children, specifically, were also to be put to death. Some argue that God’s judgement falls on the

people as a group and does not discriminate amongst individuals, much the same way that the

radiation from an atomic blast affects all people,17 but this not only makes Yahweh appear unjust,

but also restricted in His power to save the innocent. This also is not consistent with the character

of Yahweh revealed in Genesis 18:23-33 where He says that He would spare the whole city for the

sake of ten righteous people. Rather than destruction falling on people as a group because of the sin

of the majority, if anything, the reverse is true – God’s judgement is withheld from the whole group,

in His mercy, because of the few righteous.

14
Francesca Aran Murphy, 1 Samuel, Brazos Theological Commentary on the Bible (Grand Rapids, Mich.:
Brazos Press, 2010).138, Joyce Baldwin, 1 and 2 Samuel (Inter-Varsity, 1988).123, John H. Walton, Victor
Harold Matthews, and Mark W. Chavalas, The Ivp Bible Background Commentary : Old Testament (Downers
Grove, Ill.: InterVarsity Press, 2000).303, Paul Miller, "Moral Formation and the Book of Judges," Evangelical
Quarterly 75, no. 2 (2003).
15
Adeyemo, Africa Bible Commentary.349
16
Walton, Matthews, and Chavalas, The Ivp Bible Background Commentary : Old Testament.303, Earl D.
Radmacher, Ronald Barclay Allen, and H. Wayne House, The Nelson Study Bible : New King James Version
(Nashville: T. Nelson Publishers, 1997).475, David G. Firth, 1 & 2 Samuel (Nottingham, England: Apollos ;
Downers Grove : InterVarsity, 2009).172, D. A. Carson, New Bible Commentary, 4th ed. / consulting editors, D.
A. Carson ... [et al.] ed. (Leicester: Inter-Varsity Press, 1994).312
17
Walton, Matthews, and Chavalas, The Ivp Bible Background Commentary : Old Testament.303, Cabal, The
Apologetics Study Bible.427
There are three reasons which I see, (and I admit they are not without flaw), why God would

command the death of children. Firstly, if an entire people were to be destroyed with the exception

of their children, it would pose a great challenge to then provide shelter, food, and homes for them

all. The sheer number of children requiring care would possibly be more than the conquering nation

could accommodate. The children would be exposed to the natural elements and most likely die a

slow death. In a sense, the destruction of the children was a mercy killing. If this is coupled with the

belief that young children who die go to be with Yahweh, (as some believe is suggested by 2 Samuel

12:23)18, then it suggests their physical death was their passage to spiritual life. Secondly, if the

children were left to survive there would be some who would definitely remember the slaughter of

their parents and later seek revenge and retribution upon the people who were responsible.

However, this still does not account for the very young who would not be able to remember the

event. Lastly, recent research has indicated that a child may actually genetically inherit the

propensity to engage in the actions, habits and even personal preferences and behavioural traits

that their parents were displaying prior to the time of the child’s conception. The research shows

that babies may be prone to their parents’ youthful behaviour, from gorging as obese teenagers to a

preference for fruit or even dislike of smells.19 This new research seems to line up with Exodus

20:520 which suggests not that Yahweh would condemn children because of their parents’

misbehaviour,21 but rather that it results in a pattern of repetition of their parents sinful choices.22 If

this is indeed the case, then the purpose for their destruction is in order to prevent them from re-

introducing their parents’ wicked behaviour into Israel as they begin to practice the same evils.

18
Schumacher, "Is the God of the Old Testament a Merciless Monster?.", Firth, 1 & 2 Samuel.429
19
Michelle Lane, Rebecca L. Robker, and Sarah A. Robertson, "Parenting from before Conception," Science 345,
no. 6198 (2014).
20
You shall not bow down to them or worship them; for I, the Lord your God, am a jealous God, punishing the
children for the sin of the parents to the third and fourth generation of those who hate me (NIV 2011)
21
This would be contrary to other scriptures like Deuteronomy 24:16 and Ezekiel 18:20
22
Cabal, The Apologetics Study Bible.115
 Another difficult passage to reconcile is Judges 9 which tells of the rise and fall of Abimelek. Once

again, it seems that God indirectly brings about the death of thousands of people. Although this

may have come about as a direct result of Abimelek’s actions, the narrator makes God’s involvement

quite clear in 9:56-57. Furthermore, 9:23 explicitly says that God sent an evil spirit between

Abimelek and the citizens of Shechem that caused them to act treacherously. Rather than use the

term ‘evil spirit’ as indicated by the Hebrew (rȗaḥ rā‹ȃ) the 2011 NIV has interpreted this as “stirring

animosity”. Either way it is clear that God is behind the fraction that occurs between them.23 This is

similar also to the account of Samson’s demand for a Philistine wife where in 14:4 it states, “His

parents did not know that this was from YHWH, who was seeking an occasion to confront the

Philistines…” Once again it seems like the character of Yahweh is in question, however this time as a

God who stirs up trouble. With the account of Samson the purpose for this, as seen in 13:5, is in

order to deliver Israel from the brutal oppression of the Philistines who were ruling over them. A

clear example of their violence and cruelty is seen in 14:15 and then 15:6 where the Philistines first

threaten their own people with death and destruction by burning, and then afterwards carry out

their threats.24 It seems logical that God should seek occasion to deliver His people from a nation

such as this. Yet, unlike the story of Samson, what we read of Abimelek tells of an internal Israelite

fraction – brother against brother - which Yahweh seems to have stirred up.

When considering this we must see the story of Abimelek as a continuation of Gideon’s story. In 6:6

- 14 we read of the Israelites being so impoverished by the Midianites that they cried out to Yahweh

for help. Yahweh responds by reminding them of their disobedience and idolatry in the face of His

faithfulness. Despite Israel’s sin, Yahweh still raises up a deliver to save them from the power of

Midian. Further on, 6:25-26, God’s first request of Gideon is for him to demolish the altar to Baal

and the Asherah pole, and to make Him an offering on a proper kind of altar. As a result, Gideon

23
Younger, Judges and Ruth.232, Harris, Brown, and Moore, Joshua, Judges, Ruth.210, 14, Block, Judges,
Ruth.275, 286-88
24
Schumacher, "Is the God of the Old Testament a Merciless Monster?."
was given the name Jerub-Baal. I would suggest that this whole story from Gideon to the death of

Abimelek is about showing that Yahweh, not Baal, is the one true God. Even the signs of

confirmation Gideon asked from God were a means by which Gideon could be assured that Yahweh

is mightier than Baal, the Canaanite storm god. It is interesting to note that both the signs asked by

Gideon required Yahweh to control the dew, especially when one considers that based on Canaanite

religion, Baal’s daughter was named “Tallaya”, which means ‘dew’.25 Throughout Gideon’s life, it

seems as though Baal was not able to avenge the breaking down of his altar, (see 6:31-32), and

Yahweh was shown to be mighty. However, the tables seem to turn when Abimelek murders his 70

brothers like sacrificial animals26, in what may seem to be a repudiation of Israel’s covenant with

Yahweh on a single stone in Ophrah - the same place where Gideon offered his sacrifice to Yahweh,

and possibly also on the same stone.27 The narrator tells us (9:4) that these murders were funded

with silver from the temple of Baal-Berith. The exclusive use of Jerub-Baal, and not Gideon, in

chapter nine also shows how the narrator is playing on the theme of Baal contending with Gideon,

and also by default, Yahweh – his God. We know by the end of chapter 9 that Yahweh is sovereign,

as not only are Abimelek and the corrupt people of Shechem defeated, but in doing so the temple of

Baal is destroyed, (9:46-49).

God must defend His reputation as Israel’s covenant God, but also as the only true God. When His

people turn to not just worshipping Baal, but also naming him as their covenant god,28 Yahweh

responds with His just judgement. The depth of Israel’s idolatry can be seen by their stronger

allegiance and identification with Canaan than with Israel, as indicated in 9:28 with the reference to

Hamor being the father of Shechem, (see Gen 34:4).29 In fact as a result of them abandoning

Yahweh, Israel’s actions, as represented by Abimelek, were worse than those of Canaan,

25
RB Chisholm, "Yahweh Versus the Canaanite Gods: Polemic in Judges and 1 Samuel 1-7," BIBLIOTHECA
SACRA-DALLAS- 164, no. 654 (2007).
26
Adeyemo, Africa Bible Commentary.306
27
Harris, Brown, and Moore, Joshua, Judges, Ruth.207
28
See 9:4 – Baal-Berith literally master or lord of the covenant, Younger, Judges and Ruth.218
29
Harris, Brown, and Moore, Joshua, Judges, Ruth.209
represented by Gaal, who was shown to work with his brothers, (9:26, 31, 41), unlike Abimelek who

killed his.30 So we see here, that God stirring up animosity was His judgement upon a people who

were guilty of the blood of innocent people and of grave idolatry. It was also His way of reasserting

to Israel that He alone is their covenant God who is sovereign over all people and gods – which the

narrator of Judges highlights using verses such as 9:23 and 14:4, as discussed above. Note that in this

story, chapters 6-9, God’s mercy, patience and faithfulness to His covenant is seen in that He raises

up a deliverer and still remains patient with Israel despite their lack of repentance. Apart from

Gideon tearing down Baal’s altar, there is no further record of any similar action done out of

repentance and devotion to Yahweh.

In 11:29-40 it seems that God has responded favourably to human sacrifice, or at the very least

allowed it to occur. There are two main questions which need to be wrestled with; firstly, Was

Jephthah’s rash vow the result of the Spirit of Yahweh coming upon him?, and secondly, Did God

give Jepthah victory because of his vow?

Firstly, just because the Spirit of Yahweh has come upon a person, it does not mean that the judges

become models of moral purity and devotion to Yahweh. When the Spirit of Yahweh came upon

Gideon, (6:34), he still remained self seeking and self serving. Samson, a man upon whom the Spirit

of Yahweh falls several times, (13:25, 14:6, 14:19, 15:14), is never free from motives of lust and

aggression, and then there is Jepthah who offers rash vows to Yahweh, (11:31). In fact, of the seven

times that the Spirit of Yahweh is said to come upon someone, only in 3:10 do we have an example

of someone, Othniel, who can be seen in a positive light.31 Instead of the Spirit of Yahweh coming

upon these men in such a way which dictates or determines their actions, it seems that the Spirit

serves to accentuate what is already in their hearts, whether good or bad, and then in an act of

30
Ibid.211
31
Lee Roy Martin, "Power to Save!?: The Role of the Spirit of the Lord in the Book of Judges," Journal of
Pentecostal Theology 16, no. 1 (2008).
sovereignty which displays a complex interaction of God’s divine will and human will, Yahweh

channels their poor decisions and grossly flawed actions to serve His purpose.32

Secondly, despite the high probability that Jepthah had a human sacrifice in mind when he uttered

his vow33, God did not give him victory based on this attempt to manipulate Him. From 11:29 it’s

clear that Yahweh had already determined to give Israel the victory seeing as every other time the

Spirit of Yahweh falls on a person it ultimately ends in victory. Yahweh here intervenes for the sake

of Israel and their deliverance. In this account we see how Yahweh accomplishes His purposes

despite the intrigues of the Gileadites and Japtheh who instead of seeking God, sought out their own

solutions and agendas. Despite this, and Israel’s persistent worship of false gods, it was because of

His compassion and mercy as we see in 10:16, that Yahweh gave Jepthah the victory. The very fact

that Jepthah was trying to manipulate God by vowing to offer a human sacrifice is evidence of

Israel’s Canaanisation. Had Jepthah been committed to keeping the law of the covenant he would

have known that God abhors human sacrifice. In the end we see how his syncretism ripped the life

away from an innocent victim, and left Jepthah without an heir.

As we progress through the book of Judges from chapter 17 onwards we see how depraved Israel

had become. In all the stories from here on it is not foreign armies who are the aggressors and

oppressors but it is the Israelites themselves. In chapter 18 the Danites unlawfully attack and

destroy an innocent and peaceful people in order to find an allotment for their tribe, even though

this was outside of the territory that Yahweh had allocated to Israel. We read the terrible story of

32
David S. Dockery, Trent C. Butler, and Holman Bible Publishers (Nashville Tenn.), Holman Bible Handbook
(Nashville, Tenn.: Holman Bible Publishers, 1992).214, PE Satterthwaite and Gordon McConville, Exploring the
Old Testament. Volume 2: The Histories (SPCK, 2007).88, 95-6, Cabal, The Apologetics Study Bible.383
33
Block, Judges, Ruth.310-12, Walton, Matthews, and Chavalas, The Ivp Bible Background Commentary : Old
Testament.262, Harris, Brown, and Moore, Joshua, Judges, Ruth.227-28, Radmacher, Allen, and House, The
Nelson Study Bible : New King James Version.422, Lauren AS MONROE, "Disembodied Women: Sacrificial
Language and the Deaths of Bat-Jephthah, Cozbi, and the Bethlehemite Concubine," The Catholic Biblical
quarterly 75, no. 1 (2013)., Meredith Brown, "The Problematic Absence of Yhwh in Judges 11:29-40," Journal of
Theta Alpha Kappa 36, no. 1 (2012).
the concubine of a Levite who was thrown like trash to a group of reprobate men who gang raped

her and left her for dead – a story which strongly echoes Sodom and Gomorrah but with much more

tragic outcome. As Israel becomes more and more depraved the actions they consider “right”

become increasingly catastrophic. The defenceless, weak, and women in particular lose their voice

and become objects of possession to be used as one wishes. To avenge the rape and death of the

concubine mentioned above, the Israelite elders vow the slaughter of the tribe of Benjamin. The

end result is that the Benjamites are decimated with exception of 600 men, the tribes of Israel suffer

heavy casualties by the thousands, Jabesh Gilead is completely slaughtered, 400 virgins kidnapped

and forced into marriage, and the abduction of further Israelite women.

The closing chapters of Judges really shows the depths of depravity to which Israel sinks as a result

of their adoption of Canaanite gods and practices. Although they invoke the name of Yahweh, they

have no regard for Him or His laws. In the end Yahweh enacts judgement on Israel by their own

swords, (20:18-41), and they suffer the consequences of their own turpitude. It is important to

recognise that the atrocities committed are done so by the hand of people who have forsaken

Yahweh.

Yahweh detests the practises of the Canaanites and pours out His judgement upon them, (as

discussed earlier), and in this regard, Israel is not exempt. Constantly Israel’s actions become more

and more depraved as she prostitutes herself to foreign gods, and for this reason God hands them

into the hands of their enemy neighbours who oppress them, (10:6-8). As Israel abandons Yahweh,

their very capacity to make moral judgments diminishes. We see how, as breakers of the covenant,

they become capable of any evil and adapt to the culture around them. Their conscience has shifted

from the internalisation of Yahweh’s unfailing love and holiness, to the internalisation of Canaanite
cruelty and depravity.34 Not only does it become impossible to do what is right, it becomes

impossible to know what is right.35 As Andrew Knowles correctly points out, “Without God’s law,

there are no healthy relationships, no safe communities and there is no hope of justice.”36 Therefore

when Israel falls short of it covenant obligations and does not uphold the law, God upholds His law

by using foreign oppressors to bring Israel to repentance from false gods, and back into obedience.37

Rather than being a God of questionable character the book of Judges juxtaposes the infidelity of

Israel, God’s chosen people, with the faithfulness, patience, mercy and grace of Yahweh. In a like

manner we must observe the current world we live in and understand the existing suffering as a

result of humankind’s depraved behaviour, and simultaneously recognise the patience and righteous

of a just and loving God who still seeks to bring us to repentance.

34
Elaine A. Heath, We Were the Least of These : Reading the Bible with Survivors of Sexual Abuse (Grand
Rapids, Mich.: Brazos, 2011).39-47
35
Miller, "Moral Formation and the Book of Judges."
36
Knowles, The Bible Guide.126
37
Dockery, Butler, and Holman Bible Publishers (Nashville Tenn.), Holman Bible Handbook.208
 Bibliography

Adeyemo, Tokunboh. Africa Bible Commentary. Nairobi, Kenya

Grand Rapids, Mich.: WordAlive Publishers ;
Zondervan, 2006.
Alexis, Jonas E. Christianity's Dangerous Idea : How the Christian Principle & Spirit Offer the Best
Explanation for Life & Why Other Alternatives Fail. Bloomington, IN: AuthorHouse, 2010.
Baldwin, Joyce. 1 and 2 Samuel. Inter-Varsity, 1988.
Block, Daniel Isaac. Judges, Ruth. The New American Commentary. Nashville, Tenn.: Broadman &
Holman Publishers, 1999.
Brown, Meredith. "The Problematic Absence of Yhwh in Judges 11:29-40." Journal of Theta Alpha
Kappa 36, no. 1 (2012): 19-30.
Cabal, Ted. The Apologetics Study Bible [in English]. Nashville, Tennessee: Holman Bible Publishers,
2007.
Carson, D. A. New Bible Commentary. 4th ed. / consulting editors, D. A. Carson ... [et al.] ed.
Leicester: Inter-Varsity Press, 1994.
Chisholm, RB. "Yahweh Versus the Canaanite Gods: Polemic in Judges and 1 Samuel 1-7."
BIBLIOTHECA SACRA-DALLAS- 164, no. 654 (2007): 165.
Dawkins, Richard. The God Delusion. Boston: Houghton Mifflin Co., 2006.
Dockery, David S., Trent C. Butler, and Holman Bible Publishers (Nashville Tenn.). Holman Bible
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