JUDGES.

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• Preface. Judg. 1:1-3:6.
• History of the Judges. Judg. 3:7-16:31.
• Appendix. Judg. 17:1-21:25.
• Review: Preface.
• Review: History of the Judges.
• Review: Appendix.

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PREFACE.

i. 1-iii. 6.

§ I. JUDAH AND SIMEON DEFEATED ADONI-BEZEK. i. 1-8.

• How did they ask the Lord? 1, cf. Num. xxvii. 21.
• When this?
• Why the thumbs and great toes? 6, 7.

§ II. OTHER CONQUESTS OF SAME TRIBE. i. 9-20.

• What "the hill country," "the South," and "the lowland"? 9.
• When was Hebron taken? Josh. xiv. 6, 13, cf. Josh. xiv. 1.
• What the city of palm trees? 16. See Deut. xxxiv. 3.
• What of Arad and Hormah? 16, 17, cf. Num. xxi. 1-3.

§ III. EXPLOITS AND FAILURES OF OTHER TRIBES. i. 21-36.

• How of Jerusalem? 21, cf. 8: II. Sam. v. 6, 7,
• When was Beth-el called Luz? 23. See Gen. xxviii. 19.
• What kind of tribute? 28, 30, 33, 35. [137]

§ IV. ISRAEL REBUKED BY AN ANGEL. ii. 1-5.

• Where Bochim? 1, 5.

§ V. DEATH OF JOSHUA AND CONDUCT OF HIS GENERATION. ii. 6-10.

• In what sense did they serve God? 7, cf. 2.
• Exact site of Joshua's grave? 9.

§ VI. CONDUCT OF SUBSEQUENT GENERATIONS. ii. 11-23.

• God's purpose in leaving Canaanites? 21-23.

§ VII. THE NATIONS THAT WERE LEFT. iii. 1-6.

• In verse 2 read, "that he might know," etc., cf. 4.
• Connection of intermarriage with idolatry? 6.

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HISTORY OF THE JUDGES.

iii. 7-xvi. 31.

§ I. THE CAREER OF OTHNIEL. iii. 7-11.

• Where were Baalim? iii. 7.
• For "groves" read wooden images. [The word groves is, or the words wooden images are, not here in here in R. V.] 7.
• At what period was this? 9.
• What were Ashtaroth? 7.

§ II. CAREER OF EHUD. iii. 12-30.

• Extent of this oppression? 13.
• Advantage of being left-handed? 15, cf. 21.
• What tribes followed Ehud? 27, cf. 15.

§ III. CAREER OF SHAMGAR. iii. 31.

• In what time the slaying?
• In what part of the land? [138]

§ IV. CAREER OF DEBORAH AND BARAK. iv. 1-v. 31.

1. The Sin and Oppression. iv. 1-3.

• What of Jabin and Hazor? 2, 3, cf. Josh. xi. 1, 4.
• Meaning of "sold"?

2. Deborah Calls Out an Army. 4-11.

• Why a woman in authority. 4.
• What judging, and where? 5.
• Why of Naphtali and Zebulun? 6.
• Where the Kishon and mount Tabor? 7, cf. 12.
• Whence had Heber come? 11, cf. i. 16.

3. Barak's Victory and Death of Sisera. 12-24.

• Why flee on foot? 15.
• Jael's motive? 17, 11.

4. The Song of Deborah. v. 1-31.

• Dangers in days of Shamgar? 6, 11.
• The curse of Meroz? 23.
• Picture of the mother of Sisera. 28-30.

§ V. CAREER OF GIDEON. vi. 1-viii. 32.

1. The Midianite Oppression. vi. 1-6.

• Who with the Midianites? 3.

2. The People Rebuked by a Prophet. 7-10.

• Design of this?

3. Gideon Selected as a Deliverer. 11-24.

• Where Ophrah? 11, 15.
• Why by the winepress? 11.
• Purpose of asking for a sign? 17.
• Design of the altar? 24.

4. The Altar of Baal and the Wooden Idol Destroyed. 25-32.

• How the altars distinguished? 25, 26.
• Why suspect Gideon? [139] 29.
• What opened the eyes of Joash? 31.
• Meaning of Jerubbaal? 32.

5. A Fresh Invasion and Four Tribes Aroused. 33-35.

• Where the valley of Jezreel? 33.
• Who Abiezer? 34.
• Why not Issachar? 35.

6. Gideon Asks Another Sign. 36-40.

• Why wish so many signs? See 15.

7. The Army Diminished. vii. 1-8.

• Where the spring of Harod, and the hill of Moreh? 1.
• The law observed. 3; Deut. xx. 8.
• To what water? 4.
• Why take those who lapped? 7.
• Read (verse 8), "the victuals and trumpet of the people," i. e., of the nine thousand and seven hundred.

8. Gideon Encouraged by a Soldier's Dream. 9-15.

• Why the interpretation? 13, 14.

9. The Enemy Routed. 16-25.

• Why divide his force? 16.
• Whence the trumpets and pitchers? 16, cf. 8.
• How these articles used? 20.
• What the rock of Oreb and winepress of Zeeb? 25.

10. A Complaint by Ephraim. viii. 1-3.

• Meaning of Gideon's answer?

11. The Kings Pursued and Captured. 4-12.

12. Succoth and Penuel Punished, and the Kings Put to Death. 13-21. [140]

• Meaning of "taught"? 16, cf. 7.
• When Gideon's brothers slain? 18, 19.

13. Remainder of Gideon's Career. 22-32.

• How make an ephod, and why? 27.
• Character of Gideon?

§ VI. CAREER OF ABIMELECH. viii. 33-ix. 57.

1. His Usurpation. viii. 33-ix. 6.

• What was Baal-berith, and where his temple? viii. 33; ix. 4.
• Who his mother's brethren? ix. 1, cf. viii. 31.

2. Jotham's Fable. ix. 7-21.

• Points in the fable?
• Why the olive first?
• How so near and yet escape? 7; Lands of the Bible, 509.
• This is the oldest fable.

3. The Shechemites Rebel Under Gaal. 22-33.

• How did God send the evil spirit? 22-24.
• The season? 27.
• How tread the grapes?

4. Shechem Captured and Destroyed. 34-45.

5. The Remnant Burned in the Stronghold. 46-49.

6. The Death of Abimelech. 50-57.

• The curse of Jotham. 57, cf. 20.
• Extent of the strife?
• Contrast between father and son?

§ VII. CAREERS OF TOLA AND JAIR. x. 1-6.

• Why no exploits given?

§ VIII. CAREER OF JEPHTHAH. x. 6-xii. 7.

1. Idolatry, Punishment and Repentance. x. 6-13.

• Comparative extent of idolatry?
• How in that year, eighteen [141] years? 8.
• Where the worst oppression? 8, 9, 17.
• Why say, "I will save you no more"? 13, 16.
• Why at loss for a leader? 18.
• What Mizpah? 17, cf. Gen. xxxi. 49.

2. Jephthah and His Election. xi. 1-11.

• Of what tribe? 1, cf. Josh. xvii. 1.
• Why flee to Tob, and what done there? 3, cf. 1.
• Contrast with Gideon. 9.
• What words, and how before the Lord. 11.

3. Jephthah Argues with the Ammonites. 12-28.

• Had it been three hundred years? 26.
• Why resort to argument?
• Whence his information?

4. His Vow and Its Execution. 29-40.

• Meaning of devoted to the Lord? Josh. vi. 17-19; vii. 11-13.
• Was there no alternative? Lev. xxvii. 1-8.

5. The Complaint and Punishment of Ephraim. xii. 1-7.

• Ground of complaint?
• Why not able to pronounce the word?

§ IX. CAREERS OF IBZAN, ELON, AND ABDON. xii. 8-15.

• State of affairs indicated?

§ X. CAREER OF SAMSON. xiii. 1-xvi. 31.

1. Oppression by Philistines. xiii. 1.

• When this?

2. Account of the Birth of Samson. 2-25.

• Where was Zorah? 2; Lands of the Bible, 263.
• How a Nazarite? 5, cf. Num. vi. 1-21.
• What right to make an [142] offering?
• Why fear that they would die?
• How the Spirit of the Lord move him? 25.

3. Samson's Courtship. xiv. 1-9.

• Where was Timnath? 1: Lands of the Bible, 294.
• Why would bees hive in the carcase? 8.
• Why not tell his parents? 9.

4. The Marriage Feast and a Riddle. 10-20.

• Why kill the thirty men? 19.
• How did the Spirit of Lord cause this? 19, cf. 4.

5. His Wife Taken from Him and His Revenge. xv. 1-8.

• Loose notions of marriage. 2.
• How catch the foxes: i. e., jackals? 4.
• Why tail to tail? 4.
• Why burn the woman and her father? 6.

6. He Is Taken and Slays One Thousand Men. 9-20.

• Why a new jawbone?

7. His Exploit at Gaza. xvi. 1-3.

• Where Gaza?
• What kind of gate?

8. He Is Betrayed and Captured. 4-21.

• Where the valley of Sorek? 4: Lands of the Bible, 243.
• Why his strength gone with loss of his hair? 17.

9. The Death of Samson. 22-31.

• How the building constructed? 29, 30.
• How did his brethren get his body? 31.
• Lessons of his career?
(1.) Illustration of heathen marriages.
(2.) Folly of lust and revenge.
(3.) Rebuke of rude desire for strength. [143]

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APPENDIX.

xvii. 1-xxi. 25.

§ I. IMAGE WORSHIP ESTABLISHED AT DAN. xvii. 1-xviii. 31.

1. Micah's Image. xvii. 1-13.

• What God represented? and what house? 5, 13.
• Bearing of remark about no king? 6.
• Bearing of this on the date of the book?
• Why the Levite so poor and so easily contented? 9, 10.

2. An Expedition of Spies from Dan. xviii. 1-10.

• When this? 1, cf. Josh. xix. 47; Judg. i. 34.
• Why the land so good?

3. Micah's Image Stolen and Set Up at Dan. 11-31.

• How expect a stolen god to help them?
• Bearing of 30, 31 on date of book?

§ II. CIVIL WAR AGAINST BENJAMIN. xix. 1-xxi. 25.

1. A Levite and His Concubine. xix. 1-15.

• Evils of concubinage? 2.
• Easy habits of the time? 5-9.
• Distances traveled?

2. Sodom Imitated. 16-30.

• Where the house of the Lord? 18; Josh. xix. 51.
• Where was Gibeah?
• What word sent with the pieces? 29, 30.

3. The Tribes Prepare for War. xx. 1-11.

• Where Mizpah? 3; Lands of the Bible, 241.

4. The Criminals Demanded. 12-17.

• Why not surrender them? [144]

5. Israel Twice Defeated. 18-26.

• Why these defeats when God approved?

6. Third Battle, Benjamin Defeated. 27-48.

• At what period was this? 28.
• Phinehas was priest.

7. Regret at Loss of a Tribe. xxi. 1-7.

• Why the oath? 1.
• Why the question about wives? 7.

8. Wives Obtained from Jabesh-gilead. 8-14.

• Another rash oath. 8, 5.

9. Other Wives Obtained. 15-25.

• What yearly feast? 19.
• Design of the Appendix?
• How were cities and tribes held to account? [145]

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REVIEW.
PREFACE.

• What the general character of the first five sections of this book?
• Give the account of Adoni-bezek.
• Give the account of taking Beth-el.
• What rebuke of the tribes for their neglect?
• What the general course of later generations.

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HISTORY OF THE JUDGES.

§§ I.-III.
• Who were the first three judges?
• From what oppressors did each deliver Israel?
• Describe the act on which Ehud's success depended.
• What tribes fought under him?

§ IV.
• What was peculiar about the next judgeship?
• What justified a woman in taking this position?
• Describe the defeat of Sisera. 3.
• Give the account of his assassination. 3.
• Recite the graphic passage in the close of Deborah's song. 4.

§ V.
• Against what oppressors did Gideon contend?
• Describe his appointment. 3.
• Describe his first exploit. 4.
• When his army assembled what signs did he ask for, and why? 6.
• Where did the two armies assemble? 7.
• How was Gideon's army reduced? and why? 7.
• By what device did he put the enemy to flight? 9.
• What trouble had he with Ephraim? and how was it settled? 10.
• What with Succoth and Penuel? 10-12.
• What was notable in Gideon's career after the war? 22, 23.

§ VI.
• Who was the next judge, and how did he become [146] one. 1.
• What the expectation?
• Why disappointed?
• Give the account of Jotham's fable? 2.
• What was the first step toward the overthrow to Abimelech? 3.
• Show the fulfillment of Jotham's fable. 4, 5.
• Describe the death of Abimelech. 6.

§ VII.
• What is known of Tola and Jair?
• What, of the Jair mentioned in Num. xxii. 41: Deut. iii. 14?

§ VIII.
• How did the next apostasy compare with those preceding? 1.
• By whom was the next judge selected, and how? 2.
• What was Jephthah first effort to get rid of the enemy? 3.
• What was his vow and its fulfillment? 4.
• What trouble had he with Ephraim, and why?
• What traits of character exhibited by Jephthah?
• Explain the allusion to him. Heb. xi. 32-35.

§ IX.
• Who were the next three judges? and for what distinguished?

§ X.
• Describe the birth of Samson? 2.
• Why did he marry a Philistine? 3.
• Why did the Lord allow it?
• How long the marriage feast, and what its principal incident? 4.
• Why did he abandon his wife and then return for her? 4, 5.
• Did he have assistance in burning the fields of the Philistines? 5.
• Why flee to the rock Etam?
• What his purpose in surrendering to the men of Judah? 6.
• What miraculous relief came to him? and why granted?
• Why dare to venture into Gaza? 7.
• By what device was he finally captured? 8.
• Describe his death. 9.
• What the lessons of his career? [147]

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APPENDIX.

§ I.
• State the principal facts which led to the establishment of image worship at Dan.
• How long was that worship kept up? 3.
• What priesthood served in it?
• Where was Dan?
• Give the history of the name.

§ II.
• State the cause of the war between Benjamin and the other tribes.
• Had such crimes become common in Israel?
• What was God's purpose in the first two battles? 5.
• Why did the people weep over the destruction of Benjamin? 7.
• How was the tribe restored?
• Design of this appendix?
• General design of this book?
• Was the political government of this period that provided in the law?
• Trace out the indications of organization. [148]

[CNSH1 137-148]