When Written: Not entirely sure as it covers approximately 272 years of history up to 1155 B.C.
Synopsis: This is a historical book which covers a long period time in which the Hebrew people would fall away from God and His leadership, then repent, then fall away, repent, and continue the cycle, seeming to never learn from their sins and mistakes against God. During this time, God raised up various rulers or judges to rescue the people from enemy oppression and captivity and to restore order to the kingdom. Foreign nations were allowed by God to trouble and/or to persecute the Hebrews because of their rejection of His rule over them. But when they repented and cried out to the LORD for help, He was faithful and sent a deliverer in the form of a judge to rescue them. The story of Sampson and Delilah is told in this book.
Key Verse: And the children of Israel did evil in the sight of the LORD, and served Baalim. And they forsook the LORD God of their fathers, which brought them out of the land of Egypt, and followed other gods, of the gods of the people that were round about them, and bowed themselves unto them, and provoked the LORD to anger. And they forsook the LORD, and served Baal and Ashtaroth. Judges 2:11-13
In those days there was no king in Israel: every man did that which was right in his own eyes. Judges 21:25