Old Testament · 21 chapters
Read Judges.
Judges follows a repeated cycle of Israel abandoning God, suffering oppression, and receiving deliverance through judges. Its increasingly troubled stories expose the damage caused by idolatry, violence, and leadership without faithfulness.
Choose a chapter Judges · 21 chapters
Read a chapter. Find its meaning.
Choose a chapter for the complete Bible text and a short summary to guide your reading.
Chapter 1.
The tribes’ early campaigns show both victories and failures to remove remaining inhabitants. Incomplete possession becomes part of the setting for Israel’s later troubles.
Read chapter 23 versesChapter 2.
An angel confronts Israel’s covenant failure, and a new generation turns to other gods. The recurring pattern of oppression, deliverance, and renewed rebellion is introduced.
Read chapter 31 versesChapter 3.
Israel lives among surrounding peoples and adopts their worship. Othniel, Ehud, and Shamgar arise as deliverers during successive periods of oppression.
Read chapter 24 versesChapter 4.
Deborah summons Barak to confront Sisera’s army. The victory culminates when Jael kills the fleeing commander, ending a period of severe oppression.
Read chapter 31 versesChapter 5.
Deborah and Barak sing about the victory, honoring willing participants and exposing those who held back. The poem celebrates God’s intervention and Jael’s decisive action.
Read chapter 40 versesChapter 6.
Midian’s oppression leaves Israel impoverished, and God calls Gideon to deliver them. Gideon confronts his household’s idol worship and seeks reassurance about his calling.
Read chapterChapter 7.
God reduces Gideon’s army so that victory cannot be credited to its size. With trumpets, jars, and torches, the small force throws Midian’s camp into confusion.
Read chapter 35 versesChapter 8.
Gideon completes the pursuit but becomes entangled in vengeance and an object of worship made from gold. After his death, Israel returns to idolatry.
Read chapter 57 versesChapter 9.
Abimelech murders his brothers and seizes power in Shechem. Jotham’s warning and the later conflict reveal the destructive consequences of their violent alliance.
Read chapter 18 versesChapter 10.
After brief notices about Tola and Jair, Israel again turns to other gods. Oppression by surrounding enemies leads the people to confess and seek deliverance.
Read chapter 40 versesChapter 11.
Jephthah is called back from exile to lead against Ammon. His military victory is overshadowed by a rash vow and its tragic consequences for his daughter.
Read chapter 15 versesChapter 12.
A dispute between Jephthah and Ephraim becomes a deadly internal conflict. Brief accounts of Ibzan, Elon, and Abdon follow.
Read chapter 25 versesChapter 13.
An angel announces Samson’s birth and his special dedication before God. His parents receive instructions, and the chapter anticipates his role against the Philistines.
Read chapter 20 versesChapter 14.
Samson seeks a Philistine wife and poses a riddle arising from his encounter with a lion. Deception and anger turn the wedding into violence.
Read chapter 20 versesChapter 15.
Samson’s conflict with the Philistines escalates through destruction, retaliation, and battle. After his victory with a donkey’s jawbone, God provides water for his thirst.
Read chapter 31 versesChapter 16.
Delilah obtains the secret connected with Samson’s strength, and he is captured and blinded. His final prayer leads to the destruction of a Philistine gathering and his own death.
Read chapter 13 versesChapter 17.
Micah establishes a private shrine with images and hires a Levite as priest. The account exposes confused worship in a society lacking faithful direction.
Read chapter 31 versesChapter 18.
The Danites seek territory, steal Micah’s religious objects, and take his priest. They conquer Laish and establish an enduring center of idolatrous worship.
Read chapter 30 versesChapter 19.
A Levite’s concubine is brutally abused in Gibeah and dies. His response spreads the shocking news throughout Israel, setting the stage for national conflict.
Read chapter 48 versesChapter 20.
Israel assembles against Benjamin over Gibeah’s crime. A devastating civil war nearly destroys the tribe after repeated battles.
Read chapter 25 versesChapter 21.
Israel seeks wives for Benjamin’s survivors through further violence and coercion. The book ends with a bleak picture of people doing what seems right in their own eyes.
Read chapterKing James Version (KJV). Bible text supplied by eBible.org and the CrossWire Bible Society. Summaries are written with AI assistance and are separate from Scripture. Read the chapter itself when considering its meaning.