Judges 3:6

B. Israel’s conduct toward Yahweh and Yahweh’s treatment of Israel in the period of the Judges 2:6-3:6

This section of the book provides a theological introduction to the judges’ deeds, whereas Judges 1:1 to Judges 2:5 is a historical introduction. It also explains further the presence of Canaanites in the Promised Land. The first introduction (Judges 1:1 to Judges 2:5) is from Israel’s perspective and the second (Judges 2:6 to Judges 3:6) is from God’s. [Note: Lilian R. Klein, The Triumph of Irony in the Book of Judges, p. 13.] The first deals with military failure, and the second with religious failure. [Note: K. Lawson Younger, "Judges 1 in Its Near Eastern Literary Contest," in Faith, Tradition, and History, pp. 222-23.]