Judges: A Chapter-by-Chapter Summary

Read Judges one chapter at a time, following what happens and why it matters.

About JudgesPermalink

Judges traces Israel’s repeated collapse after Joshua, showing the need for faithful leadership and the mercy of God amid moral confusion.

Testament

Old Testament

Genre

Historical narrative

Chapters

21

Chapter index

Judges, chapter by chapterPermalink

Choose a chapter to open the complete summary, meaning, and key verse.

01

The cycle beginsPermalink

Judges 1–3 · Incomplete obedience, oppression, and deliverance

• Chapter 1 →
• Chapter 2 →
• Chapter 3 →

02

Deliverers and declinePermalink

Judges 4–16 · Deborah, Gideon, Jephthah, Samson, and deepening instability

• Chapter 4 →
• Chapter 5 →
• Chapter 6 →
• Chapter 7 →
• Chapter 8 →
• Chapter 9 →
• Chapter 10 →
• Chapter 11 →
• Chapter 12 →
• Chapter 13 →
• Chapter 14 →
• Chapter 15 →
• Chapter 16 →

03

No king in IsraelPermalink

Judges 17–21 · Idolatry, violence, and social collapse

• Chapter 17 →
• Chapter 18 →
• Chapter 19 →
• Chapter 20 →
• Chapter 21 →

Read Judges offlinePermalink

Get the printable Judges guide as a PDF and ebook from VerseNotes Press.

Where to Go NextPermalink

Keep reading

Continue to Ruth in the Chapter By Chapter library.

Read the previous book

Step back to Joshua if you want the surrounding context.

Choose another book

Browse the Chapter By Chapter library and pick the next book you want to study.

Build a reading plan

Use the Bible Reading Plan Generator to turn this or another book into a manageable plan.

Free worksheet

Try Chapter By Chapter yourselfPermalink

Want to use this method in your own Bible reading? Download the free worksheet below.