This book gains its name from the twelve people who led Israel between the times of Joshua and Saul. We have the stories of only six of them-together with an introduction and an appendix.

These judges did not all reign over the same territory and may have sometimes overlapped. Strictly they did not judge but led. But by them, God declared his judgment in favour of his people when they called to him, and in chastening when they ignored him. He was the Judge (11:27), so that, although there was no Moses or Joshua to appeal to as before, or David as there would be late, God was very much present. This had been the faith of Abraham (Gen. 18:25). In fact, every generation must have direct dealings with their God (Acts 17:31).

The book is the story of Israel learning to live in the land of promise. It is largely the story of their appalling failure and could be depressing because of their monotonous turning from God to idols. However, the Bible is not the story of man's faithfulness to God but of God's faithfulness to man. It may therefore be justly subtitled 'Grace Abounding'.

When this book begins, the name of the Lord is revered because of the decisive conquests already gained under Joshua. But ground remained to be taken after his death.