Victor H. Matthews on Judges

Victor H. Matthews, Judges and Ruth, New Cambridge Bible Commentary (Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2004).

The Introduction to this commentary is available as a sample from Cambridge University Press.

After some opening comments dealing mostly with the historical setting of the book of Judges (‘the settlement period prior to the establishment of the Israelite monarchy’, 4) and its date of final composition (‘the latter portion of the sixth century bce’, 5), Matthews’ introduction focuses on three areas:

• Literary analysis
• Cultural analysis
• Archaeological analysis

Literary analysis
Matthews holds that unrelated stories have been ‘compiled and systematically arranged and edited into a coherent whole’ (6), with a three-part division:

(1) Introductory and explanatory narrative (1:1-3:6)
(2) A collection of tales about the judges (3:7-16:31)
(3) Four episodes that accentuate the anarchic character of the period (17:1-21:25)

The introduction provides a transition from Joshua’s leadership to the period of the judges, explaining why the Israelites were unable to complete the conquest of the land.

The stories of the judges themselves ‘are progressively chaotic’ and told in a way which enhances the importance of the ‘later stability of the Davidic dynasty’ (8). The cycle of events highlighted in 2:11-19 provides a literary and theological unity, showing that the Israelites ‘always resume the pattern of disobedience that caused God’s displeasure in the first place’ (8) – although this structure begins to break down in Judges 9.

The final section contains episodes of lawlessness, civil war, and idolatry which characterise the rest of the book, except that no judge arises to meet the problems, the progressive anarchy providing ‘a crowning argument for the establishment of the monarchy’ (10).

Cultural analysis
Matthews described this as a ‘wild’ period in the history of Israel, which was at this stage a loose confederation of tribes with an agriculturally-based village culture. There was some cooperation between tribes, though with some feuding, making a case ‘for law and order and the establishment of a government to ensure stability’ (12). Matthews also holds that during this period there would be no discernible ethnic difference between the Canaanites and the people who would eventually become the Israelites (12).

Archaeological analysis
Patterns of settlements suggests a migration of population into the hill country during the period between 1200 and 1000 bce. There is some evidence of new housing styles – four-room houses with a central courtyard. Philistine cities of Ashkelon, Ashdod, Ekron, Gaza, and Canaanite and Phoenician cities of Meggido, Acco, Sidon, Beth-shemesh, Jebus, and Hazor have all been located and it has been ascertained that they were inhabited in the early Iron Age. It is more difficult, however, to authenticate social and religious practices of the period.