Biblical Hebrew Forum

["George Athas" <george.athas AT moore.edu.au>]

Yep, I can't take credit for the earlier email with the reference to the
commentary -- thanks Dave.
 
In regard to the downward spiral in Judges, I think the case can be made
that it is there. The explanation in Jdg 2 about the cycle of
sin-oppression-deliverance makes the point that the next time the cycle
began the Israelites sinned even worse. That imples a downward spiral which,
as Jerry and Bryant alluded to, ends with serious problems in the
leadership.
 
Also, whatever the historical situation of the period was, the book of
Judges portrays the judges in a sequence, and this allows for the concept of
a downward spiral. Whether the judges historically overlapped is, I think,
beside the point when we consider the literary concerns and structure of
Judges.
 

Best Regards, 

GEORGE ATHAS 
Moore Theological College (Sydney) 
1 King St, Newtown, NSW 2042, Australia 
Ph: (+61 2) 9577 9774