Main body: the judges

Seven judges (Judges 3:7–16:31)

David A. Dorsey, The Literary Structure of the Old Testament

1. a
   Othniel3:7–11evaluation: positive; procures a good Israelite wife by obeying Yahweh; drives Canaanites from the land and settles there; wife presses him for a good thing: to extend their territory; good judge, leading a united Israel; blessed by his Israelite father-in-law (cf. 1:11–15)
2. b
   Ehud3:12–30evaluation: positive; Transjordanian king oppresses Israel eighteen years; occurs in Benjamin; Ehud has a secret message and message from God for enemy king; captures fords of Jordan and with help of Ephraimites kills thousands of enemies attempting to cross; Israelites united
3. c
   Deborah and Barak4:1–5:31evaluation: positive; woman crushes Sisera's skull in a careless moment; Israelites united
4. d
   TURNING POINT: Gideon6:1–8:32evaluation: positive/negative
5. c′
   Abimelech8:33–9:57evaluation: negative; woman crushes Abimelech's skull in careless moment; Israelites fragmented; civil war
6. b′
   Jephthah10:6–12:7evaluation: negative; Transjordanian king oppresses Israel eighteen years; occurs in Benjamin; Jephthah sends messages twice to enemy king; captures fords of Jordan and kills thousands of Ephraimites who cross; Israelites fragmented; civil war
7. a′
   Samson13:1–16:31evaluation: negative; procures bad wives from Canaan's native population, disobeying Yahweh; settles among the pagan inhabitants of Canaan; wives press him for bad things: to betray his secrets; bad judge, fragmenting Israel; betrayed by his cowardly pagan father-in-law