The Book of Judges was intended to give due credit to the various tribal heroes of the pre-monarchial age. On the other hand, the book stressed the shortcomings of even the most renowned of the judges, or deliverers.
The reign of Abimelech, the son of Gideon, which lasted for three years, represents a peculiar episode in the period of the Judges – an attempt to pass leadership on through inheritance, to establish a kingship.
The kingdom of Israel reached the height of its military and political power under David. The larger kingdoms in the Ancient East were at their nadir, leaving a vacuum in the western part of the “Fertile Crescent.” In David, Israel found a brilliant and far-sighted military and political leader, able to exploit the prevailing...
The narrative in Genesis 14 about the four kings who came to attack the five kings of the "cities on the plain" is the oldest military tradition preserved in the Bible. It contained pre-Israelite geographical data exemplified by the double names of most of the towns, e.g. "Bela, that is Zoar."
The best-known narrative of a tribe’s migration after failure to occupy its assigned territory is that of the Danites (Judg 17–18). It should not be assumed that this was the only such movement.
The miracle stories of crossing the Jordan and the conquest of Jericho are well known and elicit the most heated debate and the strongest emotions. The waters of the Jordan are said to have piled up at Adam, near Zarethan (Josh 3:15b–16), traditionally located at Tell ed-Dâmiyeh.
Spheres of Influence. Later tradition has imbued Solomon, the son of David, with an aura of glory that continued into post-biblical times, on to the Qurân and other fable traditions.
The first, and crucial stage in Saul’s war against his most formidable enemy, the Philistines, was his expulsion of their oppressive military presence in the central hill country.
Saul’s first trial as a military leader was the rescue of the beleaguered residents of Jabesh-gilead (1 Sam 11:1–11). Nahash, king of the sons of Ammon, laid siege to their town and had demanded cruel and humiliating terms of surrender.
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