Week 1 Judges 1 - 3:6

[Camilla]

Okay, guys and gals, this begins our first week of our Bible Reading Group. This week we'll read Judges chapters 1 and 2, as well as chapter 3, verses 1-6 (I'm going by the titles and separation within the chapters in my NIV Bible). Please help us gauge how many chapters we should read each week-if we ever assign too many chapters for one week, please let us know! For now, however, we'll start out with two chapters.

This is the thread for discussing the chapter. You can post the different things that stuck out to you in the chapters, or (in this case, perhaps), if you really liked the story. Just misc. things like that. So, as Peter said to Edmund and Trumpkin, "Begin!"

[Daisy]

So this part is kind of like a prologue to the rest of the book, telling you the backstory and the things going on at the time. It seems like time after time the Isrealites would "play the harlot" with other gods, yet when they repent God always takes them back.

[Camilla]

And that seems to happen over and over again. But, if you think about it, we, as humans, do the same thing. Though not to the extent, perhaps, of Israel. We sin time and again, but God still loves us, still takes us back.

One thing that I thought was interesting, was in Chapter 1 verses 12 through 15 it says:

And Caleb said, "I will give my daughter Acsah in marriage to the man who attacks and captures Kiriath Sepher." Otheniel son of Kenaz, Caleb's younger brother, took it; so Caleb gave his daugher Acsah to him in marriage. One day when she came to Othniel, she urged him to ask he father for a field. When she got off her donkey, Caleb asked her, "What can I do for you?" She replied, "Do me a special favor. Since you have given my land in the Negev, give me also springs of water." Then Caleb gave her the upper and lower springs.

And that's all it ever says about that. I just thought it was interesting that those four verses talked about something that basically had nothing to do with the rest of the story...

One last thing I noticed, and this may just be me, but a lot of the names of places sound like names that you would find in LoTR somewhere.

Anyway...you probably didn't want to read all that!

[Josiah]

Where are we up to? (Sorry I missed a bit)

[Takara]

Judges chapters 1 and 2, as well as chapter 3, verses 1-6

<<< Here

I love it how God is the one controlled what their enemies did.
Judges 2:20-22: So the anger of the LORD burned against Israel, and He said, "Because this nation has transgressed My covenant which I commanded their fathers and has not listened to My voice,

21 I also will no longer drive out before them any of the nations which Joshua left when he died,

22 in order to test Israel by them, whether they will keep the way of the LORD to walk in it as their fathers did, or not."

God's sovereignty is so evident here. I'm going to ask my dad about Caleb and his daughter bit.

[Josiah]

Thanks! *Runs off and snatches a bible of the bookshelf*

[Josiah]

That's impressive! God helped the Isrealites slay the Caaninites & the Perizzites!

[Takara]

God didn't only help them, He did it. Chapter 2 verse 21.

My dad said that the whole Caleb bit could just simply be a historical account that God decided to put there.

[Josiah]

Yeah, that's true!

[Josiah]

This is a very Gory book in the bible. It's just amazing how God helps His children defeat their enemies! I just realized, that The Tombs of Anak, has the same name as a man in the bible! His name is Anak, if I'm not mistaken. This is a very interesting book to read!

[Takara]

So this part is kind of like a prologue to the rest of the book, telling you the backstory and the things going on at the time. It seems like time after time the Isrealites would "play the harlot" with other gods, yet when they repent God always takes them back.

Yeah, prologue and overview.

[Josiah]

It is very sad how the Israelites forgot who was God, and who delivered them from Egypt after Joshua died. I wish I could live up to 110 years old too! It's good to know that God raised up judges to deliver them (Although the people didn't listen to them). It's funny, as soon as Joshua dies, everyone turns away from God.

[Eirwyn]

I know I'm really late. Sorry about that!

In chapter two we see how the Isrealites are influenced by the gods of other peoples and turn away from the one true God. That's exactly what God said would happen if they made a covenant with the people of the land (in other words marry them).

One last thing I noticed, and this may just be me, but a lot of the names of places sound like names that you would find in LotR somewhere.

I noticed that too Arien!

[Josiah]

Good point Eirwyn!

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