Expository Notes on the Bible (Constable)

• Abram's war with four kings 14:1-16
  A major significance of this literary unit is that it describes two more challenges to God's faithfulness and Abram's faith. So far Abram had had to contend with several barriers to God's fulfilling His promises to him. His w...
• 11. Abraham's sojourn at Gerar ch. 20
  The writer composed chapter 20 as another chiasm with the focal point being Abimelech warning his servants (v. 8). Two dialogues dominate the story: the one between God and Abimelech (vv. 3-7) and the one between Abimelech an...
• Moses' last campaign ch. 31
  The writer now recorded the fulfillment of God's instructions to Moses that Israel should destroy the Midianites (25:16-18). In this account, the aftermath of the battle receives more attention than the battle itself. Evident...
• Outline
  I. The reason for Israel's apostasy 1:1-3:6A. Hostilities between the Israelites and the Canaanites after Joshua's death 1:1-2:51. Initial successes and failures ch. 12. The announcement of God's discipline 2:1-5B. Israel's c...
• I. THE REASONS FOR ISRAEL'S APOSTASY 1:1--3:6
  The first major section in the book (1:1-3:6) explains very clearly why the period of the judges was a dark chapter in Israel's history. God revealed the reasons for Israel's apostasy and consequent national problems in terms...
• II. THE RECORD OF ISRAEL'S APOSTASY 3:7--16:31
  Israel's JudgesJudgeScriptureIsrael's OppressorsLength in YearsNation(s)King(s)OppressionJudgeshipPeaceOthniel3:7-11MesopotamiaCushan-rishathaim8(ca. 1358-1350 B.C.)40(ca. 1350-1310 B.C.)Ehud3:12-30Moab (with Ammon & Amal...
• D. The fourth apostasy 6:1-10:5
  The writer of Judges structured this book so the story of Gideon would be its focal center."Within the main body of the book, seven major narrative blocks can be noted. Moreover, there are certain parallel features between th...
• 1. The story of Gideon 6:1-8:32
  Tanner also pointed out that the Gideon narrative consists of five primary structural sections."The first section (6:1-10) provides the introduction and setting before Gideon's debut, the second section (6:11-32) gives the co...
• The mobilizing of four tribes in fear 6:33-35
  Some time later Israel's enemies from the East again crossed the Jordan and massed their forces in the Valley of Jezreel near Gideon's home (v. 33). They numbered 135,000, or 135 units, depending on the meaning of elephhere (...
• God's command to reduce the troops 7:1-8
  Presumably God willingly gave Gideon the signs of the fleece because He knew the command He would give him to reduce his army would stretch his faith to its limit. The Israelite soldiers numbered only 32,000 (or 32 units, v. ...
• God's command to visit the Midianites' camp 7:9-11
  God then commanded Gideon to prepare for battle that very night (v. 9). He offered the judge a further sign that He would be victorious, and Gideon immediately seized it. God did not rebuke Gideon's normal fear of going into ...
• The resentment of the Ephraimites 8:1-3
  Gideon had not invited the men of Ephraim to join him when he recruited the tribes of Manasseh, Asher, Zebulon, and Naphtali (6:35). I assume he did this at the Lord's command since he did not need more soldiers. The men of E...
• Gideon's capture of the two Midianite kings 8:4-12
  Succoth and Penuel (a variant of Peniel, cf. Gen. 32:30) were towns that stood on the east side of the Jordan beside the Jabbok River. The residents of these villages lived closer to the Midianites than most of the Israelites...
• The punishment of Succoth and Penuel 8:13-17
  The ascent of Heres (v. 13) appears to have been an inclined roadway or pass leading to that town presumably in the Jabbok Valley near Penuel and Succoth. Gideon's severe punishment of the men of these towns was just. They ha...
• The execution of the Midianite kings 8:18-21
  Gideon took his prisoners back to Ophrah where the following events evidently took place. The Midianite kings had apparently executed Gideon's brothers sometime before the recent battle, perhaps during one of the Midianites' ...
• Later events in Gideon's life 8:22-32
  Even though the next events recorded (vv. 22-28) followed immediately the ones just reported (vv. 18-21), they had greater significance in later years than at that moment in history....
• Gideon's compromise 8:22-28
  The supernatural victory God had given His people elevated Gideon into national recognition. Some of the men of Israel invited Gideon to be their king and to begin a dynasty of rulers (v. 22). Perhaps they were from the north...
• Gideon's family 8:29-32
  These verses wrap up the story of Gideon and introduce the story of Abimelech that follows (ch. 9).Gideon enjoyed the fruits of his heroism for the rest of his life. He was wealthy enough to afford many wives who bore him 70 ...
• 2. Israel's departure from Yahweh 8:33-35
  After Gideon's death the Israelites again wandered from the Lord (cf. 3:7, 12; 4:1; 6:1; 10:6; 13:1). They even made a covenant with Baal in disobedience to God's law. "Baal-berith"(v. 33) means "Baal of the covenant."Ironica...
• Abimelech's murders and election as king 9:1-6
  Though Gideon had rejected kingship officially (8:23), though not practically, Abimelech desired it for himself. He also hated his half-brothers, presumably because he was the son of a concubine rather than the son of one of ...
• Abimelech's reign 9:22-49
  Abimelech's rule over Israel appears to have been very small in scope as well as short in duration. He was only the ruler of Shechem and its surrounding territory. He evidently lived in Arumah about five miles to the southeas...
• Jair's judgeship 10:3-5
  The only unusual feature of Jair's life, other than that he came from Transjordan, was that he maintained a network of 30 cities over which his 30 sons ruled in Gilead. His name means "may [God] enlighten."An ancestor named J...
• 2. Oppression under the Ammonites 10:8-18
  The Israelites felt the main influence of the Ammonites on the east side of the Jordan River that bordered Ammon (v. 8). However the Ammonites also attacked the tribes of Judah, Benjamin, and Ephraim west of the Jordan (v. 9)...
• The choice of Jephthah as Gilead's leader 11:1-11
  Verses 1-3 provide information about Jephthah's personal background. His name means "He [an unspecified deity] has opened [the womb]."Jephthah lived on the east side of the Jordan River. Unlike Gideon he was a courageous and ...
• The fate of Jephthah's daughter 11:34-40
  Verses 1-33 record Jephthah's success. The rest of his story (11:34-12:7) relates his failure. The writer likewise recorded Gideon's success first (6:1-8:23) and then his failure (8:24-9:57). We shall find a similar pattern w...
• Jephthah's battle with the Ephraimites 12:1-7
  The writer's emphasis now shifts from Jephthah's foolishness to Ephraim's arrogance.The Ephraimites were the Gileadites' neighbors to the west. They resented the fact that Jephthah had not requested their assistance in the wa...
• Ibzan's judgeship 12:8-10
  Ibzan, whose name comes from a root meaning "swift,"was notable for his 30 sons and 30 daughters, a sign of prestige and wealth in the ancient Near East (cf. 8:30). He contrasts with Jephthah who had only one daughter. Appare...
• III. THE RESULTS OF ISRAEL'S APOSTASY chs. 17--21
  The following two extended incidents (ch. 17-21) differ from the records of the judges just completed (chs. 3-16). They are not accounts of the activities of any of Israel's judges. They are the record of events that took pla...
• Micah's unlawful worship 17:1-6
  The writer told us nothing about Micah's background except that he originally lived in the Hill Country of Ephraim with or near his mother (vv. 1-2). Micah's name means "Who is like Yahweh."As is true of so many details in th...
• The establishment of idolatry at Dan 18:27-31
  The Danites' defeat of the inhabitants of Laish appears cruel and unjustified (cf. 9:45-49). The town that seemed so desirable to the spies was really vulnerable and isolated. Its advantages proved to be weaknesses. Since God...
• Conclusion
  The Book of Joshua recorded Israel's victory over her enemies through trust in and obedience to God. The Book of Judges shows the defeat of the nation by its enemies from without and within due to refusal to trust and obey Go...
• Bibliography
  Aharoni, Yohanan. Land of the Bible. Phildelphia: Westminster Press, 1962.Aharoni, Yohanan, and Michael Avi-Yonah. The Macmillan Bible Atlas. Revised ed. New York: Macmillan Publishing Co., 1977.Albright, William Foxwell. The...
• 2. Hannah's song 2:1-10
  Some commentators have seen Hannah's prayer as a non-essential song of praise included in the text for sentimental reasons, but this magnificent prayer provides the key to interpreting the rest of 1 and 2 Samuel. In this pray...
• B. Pagan Fertility Foiled by God ch. 5
  The primary purpose of this chapter, I believe, is to demonstrate the superiority of Yahweh over Dagon, the fertility god of the Philistines.655:1-5 Having captured the ark the Philistines brought it from Ebenezer to their ma...
• 2. National repentance and deliverance 7:5-14
  Mizpah (lit. watchtower, signifying an elevated site) was about two miles northwest of Samuel's hometown, Ramah, on the central Benjamin plateau. Pouring out water symbolized the people's feeling of total inability to make an...
• The reason for requesting a king 8:4-9
  God had made provision for kings to rule His people in the Mosaic Law (Deut. 17:14-20; cf. Gen. 1:26-28; 17:6, 16; 35:11; 49:10). The request in itself was not what displeased Samuel and God. It was the reason they wanted a k...
• 2. The desire for deliverance 83:9-18
  83:9-12 Asaph prayed that God would deliver His people as He had in the past during the judges' period. God had destroyed the Midianites with Gideon's small band of soldiers (Judg. 7-8). Oreb and Zeeb were the Midianite comma...
• 1. The promise of divine enablement 1:4-10
  1:4 The prophet now began speaking to his readers and telling them what the Lord had said to him. Throughout this book, an indication that the Lord had told Jeremiah something is often the sign of a new pericope, as here (cf....
• 4. The second coming of the Son of Man 21:25-28 (cf. Matt. 24:29-31; Mark 13:24-27)
  Luke omitted Jesus' warnings about false prophets that Matthew and Mark recorded (Matt. 24:23-28; Mark 13:21-23). Perhaps he did this because he had included similar warnings in his account of Jesus' earlier teachings (17:21-...
• 4. The sentencing of Jesus 19:1-16 (cf. Matt. 27:22-26; Mark 15:12-15; Luke 23:20-25)
  There is quite a bit of unique material in this pericope. This includes the details of the Roman soldiers' abuse of Jesus (vv. 1-5) and the situation that Pilate's learning that Jesus claimed to be the Son of God instigated (...