In Those Days There Was No King

As so often before, the concluding chapters of Judges puzzled me. Chapters 13 – 16 recount the Samson cycle; chapters 17 – 18 describe the migration of the tribe of Dan; and chapters 19 – 21 culminate in the grim story of the concubine of Gibeah and the ensuing civil war within Israel. But what did they wish to convey? Before long, I wondered whether to contact Theophil to obtain his counsel. In the past, his manner – measured, observant, and sparing in speech – reflected discipline rather than detachment. I concluded that he would – once again – be a strong counterparty. ...

Declaration of Message and Pattern “With the groundwork now laid,” I began, “we can turn to the Book of Judges itself. Its message and pattern are already indicated in the opening verses of Chapter 2.” “Actually, why not in chapter 1?” asked Theophil. “Chapter 1 and verses 6 – 10 of chapter 2 are an extension of Joshua,” I replied. “They are a bridge. Chapter 2 as a whole conveys the message. An angel of Jehova reminds Israel: ‘I caused you to go out of Egypt … and I will never break my covenant with you’ [Jud. 2:1]. Yet the people are also warned that they must not worship other deities.” ...

Announcement and Calling “The Samson sage is rather lengthy, Maestro,” I started. “The narrative opens not with a collective cry for help, but with a divine intervention directed at a single household. The angel appears to Manoah’s wife and foretells the birth of a child who ‘shall begin to save Israel from the hand of the Philistines.’ The initiative lies entirely with Jehova; the people themselves are passive.” “A significant shift,” he observed. “In the earlier cycles, distress leads to supplication, and supplication to deliverance. Here, the chain is broken at its very first link.” ...

“We may now proceed to the closing chapters of Judges,” I started. “It soon becomes apparent that we are entering different terrain.” Theophil inclined his head slightly. “Indeed, Peter’le. The pattern you have traced begins to dissolve. What follows is no longer cyclical, but centrifugal.” “Centrifugal?” I asked. “Yes. Instead of returning to equilibrium, the forces at work now drive the elements of society apart. The narratives that follow do not describe deliverance, but disintegration.” ...

The Breakdown of Order: The Concubine of Gibeah “Having considered Gideon, Abimelech, Samson and the migration of Dan,” I resumed, “we now approach the closing chapters of Judges.” Theophil inclined his head. “You are referring to the account of the Levite and his concubine?” “Precisely, Maestro. In chapters 19 to 21, we are confronted with unrestrained violence, moral disintegration, and the absence of any stabilising force.” “And how does the story begin?” he asked. ...

I remained silent for a moment, letting the preceding discussion settle. “Maestro,” I said at last, “if we draw together the threads of our enquiry, the Book of Judges presents itself in a rather particular light. It is not merely a record of episodic deliverance. It appears to stand between two stages of being.” Theophil regarded me attentively. “Go on, Peter’le.” “On the one hand,” I continued, “we have the beginnings: loosely connected groups emerging within Canaan, bound by shared narratives, practices, and an evolving devotion to Jehova. On the other hand, we know that this condition does not endure. In the books that follow, we encounter monarchy – structure, continuity, and central authority.” ...