Bible Overview 13 - Judges

During the period of the Judges, Israel was living in the Promised Land, but everyone did as he saw fit. God ruled the people directly as a "theocracy," but still the pattern of the people was one of continual rebellion.

When the people rebelled aganst God, He would raise up enemies who would conquer parts of the territory. The people would cry out to God for deliverance, and God would raise up "Judges" who would turn the peoples' hearts back toward God and would defeat the invading enemies.

In the book of Judges, this cycle of disobedience occurs seven distinct times.