(1425 B.C.?) After Moses and Joshua, Israelites now speak directly to God. Request leader. God chooses tribe of Judah. Judah and Simeon battle Canaanites, Perizzites. King Adonibezek's thumbs, big toes severed. His confession to similar treatment of 70 other kings, now requited by God. Brought to and dies in Jerusalem. Jerusalem burned. More battles: Hebron and Debir. Caleb gives younger daughter to valiant warrior, Othniel, younger brother's son. Caleb's blessings and gifts. Family of Moses' father-in-law lives with Judah. Additional battles: Hormah, Gaza, Askelon, and Ekron. Mountain cities defeated, but not valleys. (They had chariots of iron.) Benjamin fails to drive out Jebusites. Joseph takes Bethel. None of 9½ tribes drive out all the Canaanites. (Violation of God's earlier command, Num.33:55.) Israel exacts tribute from Canaanites.

Israel rebuked by angel of the Lord. Declares their punishment: Canaanites forever a thorn in their side. Israel wept. Built altar and sacrificed at Bochim. Record of Joshua's death and burial. Another generation now does evil. God angered, sells them into oppression. Raised up Judges for deliverance. Soon returned to old ways. God delivers them. People stubborn. Canaanites left in land by God to test Israel's fidelity.

(1406 B.C.?) Nations left for testing enumerated: Philistines, Canaanites, Sidonians, and Hivites. Israelites intermarry with Canaanites, serving their pagan gods, Baalim. God angered. Israel sold to Mesopotamia for 8 years of oppression. People cry out. Othniel, first deliverer (Judge) provided. 40 years rest. Othniel dies. Israel backslides again. Oppressed by Moab (Eglon) 18 years. Ehud, second deliverer (Judge). 80 years rest. Shamgar, 3rd Judge, against Philistine oppression.

(1316 B.C.?) Ehud dies. Backslide again. Sold to Canaan (Jabin, king of Canaan). 20 years oppression. Deborah, a prophetess, 4th Judge, with Barak. Together, with aid of Zebulun and Naphtali tribes, deliver Israel. Heber (Kenite of Jethro's kin) allies with Canaanite king, betraying Barak. Heber's wife tricks fleeing Canaanite commander, Sisera, slaying him in her tent. Jabin later killed. Israel delivered.

(1296 B.C.?) Deborah and Barak's Song. 40 years rest again.

(1256 B.C.?) Again Israel backslides. Sold to Midian. Seven years oppression. Prophet sent. Angel appears to Gideon. Gideon, 5th Judge, chosen. Asks for sign. Signs given. Erects mini altar (for sign). Gideon convinced. Builds altar called Jehovah-shalom. Destroys father's altar to Baal and erects one to God. Offers sacrifice. City angrily demands Gideon's death. Father's defense. Gideon called Jerubbaal, meaning "let Baal plead against him." Midianites and Amalekites gather for war at Jezreel Valley. Spirit upon Gideon. Calls for tribal assistance from Manasseh, Asher, Zebulun, and Naphtali. Fleece sign asked and given.

(1249 B.C.?) Army chosen. Too many. 22,000 faint of heart leave. 10,000 remain. Still too many. God chooses 300 observant at drink. Gibeon and servant ordered by God into Midianite camp at night. Overhears dream told and interpreted among two Midianite soldiers, giving him courage. Battle plans with trumpets, pitchers, and torches (psychological warfare). Midianites defeated. Two Midianite princes (Oreb and Zeeb) slain and heads taken to Gideon across Jordan.

Ephraim chides Gideon for not enlisting them. His defense appeases Ephraim. Gideon and 300 warriors, chasing two kings of Midian across Jordan, denied hospitality by Succoth and Penuel. Gideon promises retribution. Midianite kings captured. Gideon returns to exact revenge on Succoth and Penuel: 77 elders of Succoth thrashed with thorns, tower of Penuel destroyed, and men of city slain. Gideon orders oldest son to execute Midianite kings. Young son, fearful, hesitates. Gideon slays them. Israel petitions Gideon and son to rule as king. Denied, God declared to be their ruler. Ephod made by Gideon from victims' gold earrings; taken to his city; becomes a snare. 40 years peace. 70 sons born to Gideon. Concubine from Shechem bears son, Abimelech. Gideon dies, buried in father's sepulcher. Israel sins again.

(1209 B.C.?) Abimelech goes to Shechem, to mother's brethren. Inquires whether 70 sons or one will reign. Confidence given. 70 silver pieces given, used for enlisting base men to slay 70 sons of Gideon. Youngest (Jotham) escapes. Abimelech crowned king at Shechem (6th Judge, albeit unchosen by God). Jotham goes to Mt. Gerizim. Issues warning parable (olive tree) to Shechem. Flees to Beer. Abimelech reigns three years. Evil spirit caused by God to come between king and the men of Shechem. Gaal chosen by Shechem. Challenges Abimelech. Zebel (Shechem's ruler) angered, advises Abimelech. Abimelech with four companies advance on Shechem. Gaal interrogates Zebul. Zebul mocks him. Gaal defeated and Shechem destroyed and salted. 1000 men and women burned. Captures Thebez. Woman from city tower crushes Abimelech's skull. Abimelech requests swordbearer to finish him. Israel departs. Abimelech's wickedness and Shechem's evil now avenged by God.

(1206 B.C.?) Tolah, 7th Judge, 23 years. Dies. Jair, 8th Judge, 22 years. His 30 sons owned 30 cities in Gilead. Jair dies. Israel whores with Baal, Astaroth, and every manner of Canaanite god. God angered. Sold to Philistines and Ammonites. Oppressed 18 years. God reluctant to deliver unappreciative Israelites. Rebukes them but loves them still and intervenes. Ammon assembles at Gilead. Israel assembles at Mizpeh, seeking a leader.

(1161 B.C.?) Jephthah (son of Gilead's harlot), a valiant man, thrown out of Gilead by half- brothers. Lives in Tob with vain men. Sought as leader by Israel. Agreement entered to deliver Israel. Emissaries sent to Ammon. Rejected. Jephthah makes abominable pledge to God for victory. Ammonites defeated. Pledge fulfilled: daughter sacrificed after allowed to bewail her virginity two months. Israelite women honor her four days yearly.

(1143 B.C.?) Ephraim, as before with Gideon, chides Jephthah for not enlisting them. Jephthah, angered because he had called them and they refused earlier, attacks Ephraim. Ephraim's escapees tested with password at Jordan, detected, and slain. 42,000 Ephraimites killed. Jephthah, 9th Judge, 6 years. Dies. Izban, 10th Judge, 7 years. 30 sons marry foreign wives. Izban dies. Elon, 11th Judge, 11 years. Dies. Abdon, 12th Judge, 8 years. 40 sons and 10 nephews. Abdon dies.

(1141 B.C.?) Again Israel backslides. Sold to Philistines. Oppressed 40 years. Angel prophesies birth of Samson. Gives prenatal instructions (Samson to be a Nazarite). Woman and husband entreat angel, offering sacrifice to God. Husband afraid. Wife offers insight in angel's appearance. Samson born.

Samson requests Philistine wife. Parents, not aware of God's plan, object. Samson and parents visit Timnath, Philistine city of Samson's love. Lion slain by Samson enroute. Kept from parents. Obtains Philistine wife on second trip. Eats honey from lion's carcass enroute home. Proposes riddle to men. Men enlist aid of Samson's wife. She betrays him. Samson slays 30 men of Ashkelon to obtain payment for riddle debt (clothing). Upset with wife, separates, each returning to own father's home. Father of wife gives her to Samson's friend.

(1140 B.C.?) Samson returns for wife too late. Offered youngest daughter by father-in-law. Samson enraged; burns Philistines' fields. Philistines retaliate, killing Samson's wife and father-in-law. Samson grateful for their consideration, but slays them anyway. Retreats to rock of Etam. Betrayed by Judah. Shackled and led to enemies. Frees self and slays 1000 Philistines with jawbone of an ass. Divinely revived. Samson, 13th Judge, 20 years.

(1120 B.C.?) Samson entreats harlot of Gaza. Trap set for him. Escapes. Falls in love with and marries Delilah of Sorek. Philistines conspire with her to discover source of Samson's strength. Samson tests her loyalty three times. Fails each. Plans to leave her. Her plea. He succumbs and reveals his secret. She betrays him. Seven locks shorn while asleep. Spirit departs. Philistines subdue him. Eyes gouged out and enslaved. Hair regrows. Used for sport by Philistines. Entreats God for strength to displace pillars of pagan temple, killing self, all the Philistine lords who were present, and more than he had killed his entire life.

(1406 B.C.?) Perhaps an earlier time when the ark was still in Shiloh?) Micah's idolatry. Young Levite comes to him and is consecrated as his priest.

Danites (unable to drive out all Philistines from plain, and growth in numbers) seek out place of inheritance to north. Five surveyors sent north. Visit Micah enroute. Take Levite priest and idols. Micah pursues, but is rebuffed, wisely returning. Dan razes defenseless Laish and builds own city establishing idolatrous worship while house of the Lord was still in Shiloh.

Levite retrieves runaway concubine from Bethlehem-judah. Wife raped by Benjaminites at Gibeah. Dies enroute home. Enraged, Levite sues for revenge, dismembering body and sending twelve parts to all twelve tribes of Israel. Israel enraged at Benjaminites horrific sinful acts.

Israel gathers for war. Embassy sent to Benjamin for guilty. Refused to extradite. Israel wars with Benjamin, suffering great losses themselves, until on third visit to house of the Lord make a sacrifice to God. He assures them of next day victory. 25,000 Benjaminites slain by God and Israel, almost to extinction. Cities burned.

Method described to circumvent oath Israel took at Mizpeh not to give daughters for Benjaminite wives. Benjamin's tribe saved from extinction. Israel departs, each tribe to his own homeland. Each man did right in his own eyes, with no king as a ruler.