Judges

The Israelites, after the death of Joshua, failed to drive out the Canaanites and instead intermarried and served other gods, leading to God's anger and their oppression by surrounding enemies. God raised up judges to save them, but the Israelites continued to turn back to their corrupt ways after the judges died. The book of Judges tells the stories of various judges, including Othniel, Ehud, Deborah, Gideon, Jephthah, and Samson, who were raised up by God to deliver the Israelites from their enemies. However, the Israelites continued to disobey God, and the cycle of sin, oppression, and deliverance repeated itself throughout the book. The book also tells the story of the decline of the Israelites, including the idolatry of Micah, the migration of the tribe of Dan, and the moral decay of the Israelites, as seen in the story of the Levite's concubine and the war against the Benjaminites. Ultimately, the book of Judges ends with the Israelites doing what was right in their own eyes, highlighting the need for a king to lead them.