THE history of Israel as a nation may be said to commence with their entrance into their own land. All

previous to this - from the Paschal night on which Israel was born as a people to the overthrow of Sihon and

of Og, the last who would have barred Israel's way to their home - had been only preparatory. During the

forty years' wanderings the people had, so to speak, been welded together by the strong hand of Jehovah.

But now, when the Lion of Judah couched by the banks of Jordan, Israel was face to face with its grand

mission, and the grand task of its national life commenced: to dispossess heathenism, and to plant in its

stead the kingdom of God (Psalm 80:8-11), which was destined to strike root and to grow, till, in the fullness

of time, it would extend to all nations of the world.1

Accordingly, when the camp of Israel was pitched at Shittim, a new period commenced. Its history records,

first, certain events which had to take place immediately before entering the Land of Promise; next, the

conquest, and then the apportionment of the land among the tribes of Israel; and, lastly, in the time of the

Judges, side by side, the unfolding of Israel's religious and national condition, and the assertion of those

fundamental principles which underlay its very existence as a God-called people. These principles are: - The

special relationship of Israel as the people of God towards Jehovah, and Jehovah's special dealings towards

them as their King.2

The history of the wilderness period had, indeed, been shaped by this two -fold relationship, but its

consequences appeared more clearly under Joshua, and most fully in the time of the Judges. When not only

Moses, but Joshua, and even the elders who had been his contemporaries had passed away, the people,

now settled in the land, were left free to develop those tendencies which had all along existed. Then ensued

that alternation of national apostasy and judgment, and of penitent return to God and deliverance, which

constitutes, so to speak, the framework on which the Book of Judges is constructed. This part of Israel's

history attained alike its highest and its lowest point in Samson, with whom the period of the Judges

appropriately closes. For, the administration of Samuel forms only the transition to, and preparation for the

establishment of royalty in Israel. But the spiritual import of the whole history of that period is summed up in

these words of Holy Scripture (Psalm 44:2-4):

"Thou didst drive out the heathen with Thy hand, and plantedst them: Thou didst afflict

the people, and cast them out. For they got not the land in possession by their own

sword, neither did their own arm save them, but Thy right hand, and Thine arm, and the

light of Thy countenance, because Thou hadst a favor unto them. Thou art my King, O

God: command deliverances for Jacob."

The Books of Joshua and of the Judges form the two first portions of what in the Hebrew Canon are

designated as the "Former Prophets."  3 This, not because their narratives are largely connected with the rise

and activity of the prophets, nor yet because their authors were prophets, but rather because the character

and contents of these books are prophetic.

They give the history of Israel from the prophet's point of view - not a succinct and successive chronicle of

the nation, but a history of the Kingdom of God in Israel. This also explains its peculiarities of form and

style. For, neither are the Judges, for example, mentioned in the order of their succession, nor must it be

supposed that they ruled over all the tribes of Israel. Similarly, there are evidently large blanks left in the

history of the times, and while some events or reigns of considerable duration are only cursorily mentioned,

very detailed and circumstantial narratives are given of persons and occurrences, which only occupied the

scene for a comparatively short period. But as, from the frequent references to authorities, and from their

evident knowledge of details, the writers of these books must have had at command ample material for a full

history, we conclude that the selection, Divinely guided, was made in accordance with the "Spirit of

Prophecy," to mark the progress of the Kingdom of God in connection with Israel.