Reading for January 8th

 Read Judges 16.23--31. In 16.23.31: Samson's retaliation. In verse 23: Dagon was a Canaanite grain god adopted by the Philistines (1 Sam 5.1-5). In verse 26: The house is ether Dagon's temple or a large hall. In verse 28: This one act will avenge two wrongs. Comments or Questions..

Reading for January 7th

 Read Judges 16.1-22. In 16.1-22: Delilah betrays Samson. In verses 1-3: Gaza was one of the five Philistine cities. Hebron is about forty miles (sixty kilometers) uphill from Gaza. In verse 4: Because she lives in the valley of Sorek, she is probably a Philistine. In verse 7: Bowstrings were made of animal tendons. They are to be fresh because new things were thought to have magical powers. In verse 11: Specifying new ropes again points to magical notions. In verse 13: The web and the pin were parts of a loom (v. 14). Perhaps to entangle Samson in something so domestic as weaving would magically drain his warrior powers. By involving his hair, Samson has revealed part of his secret. In verse 20: The loss of his nazirite status (13.5) means the Lord had left him so that the spirit would no longer empower his mighty feats (14.6, 19; 15.14). In verse 21: Samson grinds grain with a hand mill, a menial task performed by women and slaves (compare Lam 5.13). Comments or Questions..

Reading for January 6th

 Read Judges 15.9-20. In 15.9-20: Samson retaliates at Lehi. In verse 11: The dispatch of three thousand men to capture a single individual is humorous. In verse 13: That these are two new ropes adds to the wonder of his escape. In verse 14: Shouting (Heb., "yelling a war cry") conveys their triumph and jubilation. Two vivid images communicate the strength infused by the Spirit of the Lord. In verse 16: The words for donkey and heap are the same in Hebrew. In verse 17: The story of Samson's exploit was preserved by its attachment to two landmarks. In verse 19: His spirit returned, that is his vigor and positive attitude. Comments or Questions..

Reading for January 5th

 Read Judges 15.1-8. In 15.1-8: Samson's revenge. In verse 1: This may have been a form of marriage in which the woman continued to live with her parents. In verse 2; That he had rejected her (divorced her) was a reasonable conclusion in light of 14.19. Ancient readers would have seen the offer of her younger sister as a sensible  compromise. In verse 4: The foxes are a way of spreading the fire widely and quickly. In verse 6: This was precisely the fate Samson's wife had hoped to avoid (14.15). In verse 8: The meaning of hip and thigh is uncertain, but implies ferocious physical combat. Comments or  Questions..

Reading for January 4th

 Read Judges 14.1-20. In 14.1-20: Samson's riddle. In verse 3: Their hesitation is fitting for intermarriage often leads to apostasy (Deut 7.3-4). In verse 4: God works behind ordinary human events (compare 9.24). In verse 5: The first trip to Timnah is for parental negotiations and a  meeting of the couple (v. 7). In verse 6: The Spirit of the Lord gave other judges the ability to serve as military leaders (3.10; 6.34; 11.29) but infuses Samson with physical strength (v. 19). In verses 8-9: Samson's second trip was to marry her. Does he discover the honey on his way back from Timnah? In verse 10: Now his father arrives in Timnah, and Samson gives a feast. In verse 11: Companions were a standard feature of marriage celebrations (Ps 45.14). In verse 14: Proposing and solving riddles was a favorite intellectual exercise in the ancient world. In verses 16-17: Her persistence is akin to Deliah's (16.6-17; compare you do not really love me with 16.15). In verse 18: Their solution sounds like a riddle itself. Is "love" a more profound answer to their question? Samson's response also occurs in riddle form. By exploiting his wife, they have plowed with his heifer. In verse 19: The people of Ashketon were also Philistines. Samson can pay off his wager and still not lose love. Comments or Questions..

Reading for January 3rd

 Read Judges 13.8-25. In 13.8-25: The angel reappears. In verses 13-14: Manoah discovers nothing new from the second appearance for which he has prayed. In verses 15-16: Manoah offers the customary hospitality for important victors (6.19; Gen 18.3-5). He still has no idea who this is. In verse 18: Wonderful implies that the name is beyond human understanding. In verses 19-20: Gideon's experience was similar (6.20-21). In verse 22: This is the standard reaction after experiencing a visible manifestation of God 9.6, 22). In verse 23: Throughout the narrative, she is more perceptive than her husband. In verse 25: At this point, the spirit of the Lord is only a latent stirring or agitation (Contrast 14.6) Comments or Questions...

Reading for January 2nd

 Read Judges 13.1-7. In 13.1-7: Samson's birth foretold. In verse 3: The angel of the Lord represents the Lord's visible presence. In verse 4: Wine or strong drink (Num 6.3) were forbidden to a nazirite. She is to keep away from these because her unborn son must be untouched by them. In verse 5: A nazirite lived a special lifestyle dedicated to God's purpose (Num 6.1-21; 1 Sam 1.11). Normally nazirites took a temporary vow of dedication, Samson was to be a permanent nazirite from birth. In verse 6: She supposes she has encountered a man of God, that is a prophet, but from his striking appearance she comes close to sensing the actual truth-that he was a divine messenger. Comments or Questions..

Reading for January 1st

 Read Judges 12.1-15. In 12.1-7: War between Ephraim and Gilead. In verses 1-3: The reader does not know which side to believe. No such appeal to Ephraim by Jephthah has been reported. In verse 4; Ephraim insults Gilead as being nothing that Gilead is really only a part of Ephraim and Manasseh. In verse 5: Gilead blocks the way back across the Jordan and uses a difference in local dialect as a password. The phrase fugitives of Ephraim grimly echoes their earlier taunt (v. 4). In verse 7: This information seems to derive frim the list of minor judges (10.1-5; 12.8-15). In verse 8-15: Minor judges: Ibzan, Elon, and Abdon. In verse 12 Elon is remembered as a clan ancestor in Zebulun (Gen 48.14). Comments or Questions..

Reading for December 31st

 Read Judges 11.29-40. In 11.29-40: Jephthah's vow. In verse 29: Only now the spirit of the Lord empowers Jephthah, perhaps reflecting the Lord's earlier reluctance to deliver Israel (10.13-16). In verse 30: Another example of a war vow can be found in Num21.2. In verse 31: His vow is rash, careless, and egocentric. The language does not necessarily specify that this will be a human sacrifice (NRSV whoever could also be "whatever"). Israelites shared their houses with farm animals. Burnt offerings suggest an animal, although human sacrifice was not unknown in Israel. In verse 34: She is doing an expected and predictable thing. Israelite women customarily celebrated victories with tumbrels and with dancing (Ex 15.20-21; 1 Sam 18.6-7). In verse 35: He is distraught (tore his clothes), but also sounds as though he is blaming her. Every ancient reader would agree that his vow was irrevocable. In verses 36-37: She is courageous and suitably devout, but also seizes control of she will spend the last months of her life. Bewail my virginity; To die without the possibility of motherhood was a dreadful tragedy in Israelite culture. (re-emphasized in v. 39). Jephthah too is now childless (v. 34). In verse 40: This annual commemoration may have preserved her story for later generations. Comments or Questions..

Reading for December 30th

 Read Judges 11.12-28. In 11.12-28: Jephthah's diplomacy fails. In verse 13: The king asserts that Israel has unlawfully occupied land north of the Amon River and south of the Jabbok, directly west of the Ammonites homeland. Later statements indicate that Ammon is claiming this territory on the basis that it once belonged to Moab. In verse 15: Jephthah's position is that Israel did not take this territory from either Moab or the Ammonites, but rather obtained it 300 years ago (v. 26) by conquering the Amorite king Sihon (vv. 21-22). In verse 18: He emphasizes that Israel did not go into Moab, Even at the time the Amon was the boundary of Moab. In verse 24: Early Israel believed that the gods of other nations existed and legitimately guarded the interests of their own people. Chemosh, the god of Moab, was associated with the territory under dispute. Comments or Question...

Reading for December 29th

 Read Judges 11.1-11. In 11.1-11: Jephthah becomes leader of Gilead. In verse 3: Jephthah's career as a brigand parallel David's early history (1 Sam 22.2). In verse 6: The elders first offer the apparently temporary position of military commander. In verse 8: Jephthah holds out for a better offer: permanent head or ruler over all the inhabitants of  Gilead (10.18). In verse 11: He validates the agreement by reciting it in the witnessing presence of the lord at the shrine at Mizpah. Comments or Questions..

Reading for December 28th

 Read Judges 10.1-18. In verses 1-5: Minor judges: Tola and Jair. In verses 1-2: Tola is the only minor judge credited with military role (rose to deliver Israel). Tradition preserves the names Tola and Puah (as Puvah) as clans of Issachar (Gen 46.13). In verses 3-5: Jair remembered as a pioneer in the voth-jair means "tent villages of Jair." In verses 6-18: Oppression by Ammon. In verse 6: A long catalog of gods emphasizes the magnitude of Israel's infidelity. In verses 7-8: The Ammonites lived to the east and south of Israel's territory in Gilead. In verses 12: Traditions of deliverance from the Sidonians or the otherwise unknown Maoonites are not preserved elsewhere. In verse 13: The Lord has fulfilled the threat made in 2.3. In verse 16: To put away the foreign gods may reflect an established ceremony (Gen 35,2-4; Josh 24.23) The Lord's relationship to Israel is described as an emotional attachment. Comments or Questions..

Reading for December 27th

 Read Judges 9.50-57. In 9.50-57: The death of Abimelech. In verse 51-52: This narrative begins as a replay of his assault on Shechem.. In verse 53: An upper millstone was commonly used by women. It was of a size to be picked up in two hands and thrown. In verse 54: Although Abimelech seeks to avoid the notoriety of being killed by a woman (compare 4.9), he became a proverbial example of such a death (2 Sam 11.21). In verses 56-57; God's retributive justice (v. 24) and Jotham's curse (v. 20) have worked together to achieve a satisfying conclusion. Comments or Questions..

Reading for December 26th

 Read Judges 9.34- 49. In 9.34-49: Abimelech defeats Shechem. In verse 34: By dividing his troops into four companies, Abimelech improves their chance of approaching unobserved. In verse 39: Gaal leads out Shechem's aristocrats (the lords of Shechem), who are driven back into the city with heavy losses. In verse 41: Although Abimelech does not storm the city at this point, Zebul is able to expel Gaal and his supporters. In verse 42: The ordinary farmers go out to work in the fields, perhaps to harvest (v. 27). In verse 44: The detachment under Abimelech's direct command blocks escape back into Shechem, while the other two contingents trap and slaughter the common folk. In verse 45: This is total war. Abimelech. pulls down buildings and blocks resettlement by sowing Shechem with salt as a symbolic curse. In verse 46: Although the identity of the lords of the Tower of Shechem is unclear, they are an aristocratic group who seek safety in the city's last citadel. Ancient temples were often constructed as strongholds. Comments or Questions...

Reading for December 25th

 Read Judges 9.22--33. In 9.22-33: The plot against Abimelech. In verse 23: An evil spirit creates a relationship of mutual distrust (1 Sam 16.14). In verse 24: Israel believed that evil deeds spontaneously brought on their own appropriate penalty. Violence brought on their own appropriate penalty. Violence and blood (bloodshed) would naturally rebound on the culprits. In verse 25: A breakdown in civil order (compare 5.6) undermines Abimelech's authority and diminishes the collection of royal tolls. In     verse26: Gaal and his relatives relocate to Shechem, but his nationalistic rhetoric (vv. 28-29) indicates that he has ethnic ties there. In verse 27: Talk would be loose and emotions would run high at this celebration of the wine harvest. In verse28: Gaal's argument appeals to ethnic pride: Abimelech is an upstart outsider. Both Jerubbaal and Zebul (Abimelech's deputy, v. 30) once served the authentic native leadership of Shechem, the men Hamor. Hamor was a renowned character for Shechem's past (Gen 33.19). In verse 33: Zebul intends to make sure that Gaal and his troops come out against Abimelech (v. 38). Comments or Questions..

Reading for December 24th

 Read Judges 9.7--21. In 9.7-21: Jotham's fable. In verses 8-13: This fable displays cynicism about kingship similar to 1 Samuel 8. The useful plants (representing Gideon 8.22-21) refuse kingship as a waste of their valuable aptitudes. In verses 14-15: The worthless bramble (Abimelech) accepts. But beware! The bramble's shade is prickly and meager, and its potential for fire threatens danger. In verse 16: The rest of Jotham's speech is an extended curse that culminates in 19-20. In verses 17-18: The curse is interrupted to demonstrate that the leaders of Shechem have not acted fairly. In verse 20: Fire represents the dissension that is soon to unfold. Jotham's curse reaches fulfillment in 56-57. Comments or  Questions..

Reading for December 23rd

 Read Judges 9.1-6. In 9.1-6: Abimelech seizes royal power. In verses 1-3: Abimelech's mother belonged to a clan of Shechem (8.31). In verse 5: On one stone may indicate a parody of sacrifice (1 Sam 14.33-34), but clearly communicates that the killing was deliberate and cold-blooded. In verse 6: Beth-millo indicates a building (literally "house on Filled-Up Ground"), but here must refer to a group on Shechem's system of government (v. 20 compare "white House"). Comments or Questions..

Reading for December 22nd

 Read Judges 8.22-35. In 8.22-35: Israel offers Gideon hereditary rule. In verse 23: The Lord will rule over you expresses the traditional notion that choosing human kings violates the Lord's kingship (1 Sam 8.7). In verse 24: Ishmaelites were similar in culture to the Midianites, but these were distinct nationalities (Gen 16; 25.1-4). In verse 27: Ephod usually describes a priestly vestment, which could be used for divination. perhaps this gold ephod was used to robe an idol. In verse 31: A concubine was a subordinate wife with lower legal status. In verse 33: Baal-berith (Baal of the Covenant; 9.4) was a god worshipped in Shechem, possibly the same as El-berith (9.46). Comments or Questions... 

Reading for December 21st

 Read Judges 8.4-21. In 8.4-21: Pursuit and vengeance. In verse 5: Zebah and Zalmunna represent a different story-telling tradition from that featuring Oreb and Zeeb (.25). In verse 6: The hands of the enemy could be cut off to serve as evidence of their capture or death. In verse 19: Gideon demands personal blood vengeance. Sons of my mother indicates these were his full brothers, an important consideration in a polygamous society. In verses 20-21: To have a mere boy kill them would be a grave insult. Comments or Questions..

Reading for December 20th

Read Judges 17.15-8.3. In 7.15-8.3: Victory over Midian. In 7.16: The torches remain inside the jars to preserve the element of surprise. In verse 19: The beginning of the middle watch is a psychologically appropriate moment to attack. In verses 21-22: The result is panic, the classic weapon of the divine warrior (4.15). This victory became a proverbial example (Ps 83.9-11; Isa 9.4). In 8.1-2: The Ephraimites resent being left out of the original summons (6.35; 7.23), but Gideon responds wisely with a soothing compliment; The dregs of Ephraim are better than the very best my clan has to offer. Comments or Questions..

Reading for December 19th

 Read Judges 7.1-14. In 7.1-14: Preparing for battle.  In verse 2: In holy war, the Lord alone wins the victory. In verse 3: Sending home the fearful accords with Deut 20.8. In verses 4-6: The Hebrew text of the second test is perplexing and the point of preferring those who lap over those who kneel (v. 5) is baffling. Few Israelites lap water, so that only a tiny fraction of the original ten thousand remain. In verse 8: Those who stay take the provisions of those who are leaving (retaining the Hebrew text). In verse 10: That Gideon would still fear to attack after the Lord's word of assurance in v. 9 typifies his character. In verses 13-14: Dreams were regarded as premonitions of the future. The symbols are appropriate: a tent for Midianites nomads and barley bread for Israelite farmers. Comments or Questions..

Reading for December 18th

 Read Judges 6.33-40. In 6.33-40: Assembling troops and seeking a sign. In verses 34-35: The dynamic power of the spirit of the Lord inspires an unexpected act of leadership. Beginning with his own clan, the Abiezrites, Gideon attracts his own tribe and three neighboring ones. In verses 36-40: Gideon's repeated quest for certainty corresponds to his ambivalent character (6.15, 17, 27),but is not actually condemned in the narrative. Assurance of victory was an important element in holy war tradition. Comments or Questions..

Reading for December 17th

 Read Judges 6.25-32. In 6.25-32: Gideon pulls down Baal's altar. In verse 25-26: The sacred pole was a symbol of the goddess Asherah. Using it as firewood would be a calculated desecration. In verse 27: Gideon is an ambivalent hero (v. 15, 17); he prefers to act by night.. In verse 31: If he is a god: a god unable to defend its own interests is not really a god at all. In verse 32: Gideon's other name, Jerubbaal (let "Baal contend"); would have been offensive to later believers. Here it receives an orthodox interpretation as a reminder of Baal's humiliation. Comments or Questions..

Reading for December 16th

 Read Judges 6.11- In 6.11-24: The call of Gideon. In verse 11: The angel of the Lord is a visible manifestation of the Lord's presence (compare v. 14). Wheat would normally be beaten or threshed on a windy hilltop, not in the confined space of a wine press. In verse 15 Objections are a standard element of a call stories (ex 3.10-1. In verse 24: One purpose of this traditional story was to authenticate a local altar of sacrifice. Comments or Questions...

Reading for December 15th

 Read Judges 6.1-10. In 6.1-10: Oppression by Midian. In verses 3-4: Nomadic raiders are divesting the local food supply. In verses 7-10: These accusation reflect the indictment delivered at Bochim  (2.1-5). To give heed to the Lord's voice (v.10) means to obey. Comments or Questions.

Reading for december 14th

 Read Judges 5.28-30. In 5.28-30: With delicious sarcasm, the poet describes Sisera's mother waiting in vain. Her reference to hoofbeats (v. 28) is ironic in light of 22. Her son is not ravishing captive women (v. 30), but has been ravished himself. Comments or Questions..

Reading for December 13th

 Read Judges 5.19-27. In verses 20-21: The heavenly forces of the divine warrior fight, and  the Kishon River overwhelms the enemy. In verse 22: The escaping chariot horses are vividly described. In verse 23: Both the town Meroz and the incident cited are otherwise unknown. In verses 26-27: In this version Sisera seems to be standing when attacked (contrast 4.21). The penetrating tent peg and his fall "between her feet" (NRSV: at her feet) probably have sexual implications. This scene may be a reversal of the customary rape alluded to in v. 30. Comments or Questions..

Reading for December 12th

 Read Judges 5.10-18. In 5.10-18: Everyone is to celebrate, both aristocrats who ride and sit on rich carpets and ordinary folk who walk. Watering places were customary spots for social interaction.. In verses 14-18: Reflecting a stage of tribal affinity earlier than conventional twelve-tribe system, the poem alludes to ten groups and censures four of them for not participating. Machar (v. 14) and Gilead (v. 17) appear in place of Manasseh and Gad. Judah, Simeon, and Levi are not mentioned at all. Comments or Questions..

Reading for December 11th

Read Judges 5.1-9. In 5.1-31: The song of Deborah. In verse 2: Archaic language makes this poem difficult to interpret. Locks are long may refer to vows of military dedication similar to Samson's long hair. In verse 4-5: The poetic format of a "theophany" describes the awe-inspiring approach of the divine warrior (compare Deut 33.2-3). In verses 6-8: Israel's precarious situation before the victory (vv. 6, 8), is contrasted with the good fortune that followed (v. 7). Mother in Israel (v. 7) is an honorific title signifying authority and leadership. Comments or Questions..

Reading for December 10th

 Read Judges 4.12-24. In 4.12-24: Sisera's defeat and Jael's exploit.  In verse 13.: The battle takes place in the plain of the Wadi Kishon, west of Mount Tabor. In verse 15: Panic is a standard weapon of the divine warrior (Josh 10.10). The circumstances behind this panic are not described (but see 5.20-21). In verse 16: Barak pursued the chariots, but Sisera has abandoned his and run off ( vv. 15, 17). In verse 17: This peace explains why Sisera feels comfortable seeking refuge with Jael. In verses 18-19: Jael takes the initiative, going out to invite him in. The rug and milk sound like the courteous hospitality, but by encouraging sleep Jeal is setting him up for the kill. In verse 20: Sisera's request reveals both his unmanly fear and his misplaced confidence in Jeal. In verse 21: Hammering tent pegs would have been a routine task for a woman in this culture. Comments or Questions..

Reading for December 9th

 Read Judges 4.1-11. In 4.1-11: Deborah and Barak prepare for battle. In verse 2: Jabin is also named as king of Hazor in Josh 11.1-11. In verse 3: Chariots with iron fittings gave a decisive tactical advantage. In verse 4: Here judging refers to settling disputes, but the verb also means to serve as military leader (3.10). As a prophetess Deborah delivers messages from the Lord (vv. 6-7, 14). In verses 6-7: In accord with holy war tradition, the Lord dictates tactics and gives an assurance of victory. The territories of Naphtali and Zebulun touched at Mount Tabor. In verse 9: Barak is penalized for his fainthearted response. The reader who assumes that the hand of a woman refers to Deborah is in for a surprise. Comments or Questions..