THE BOOK OF JUDGES
The book of Judges describes a cycle that repeats 12 times :Idolatry → captivity → repentance → salvation
The general pattern in Judges is A. The people turn to other gods --> captivity / invasion / being conquered.
B. The people repent --> a saviour --> conquers enemies and sets people freeThis pattern is repeated each generation because the people forget their previous salvation. The book of Judges
describes 12 such cycles with 6 minor judges and 6 major judges.

A. The first stage of the cycle relates to the cause of oppression
Why did the Israelites suffer oppression? Why couldn’t they simply merge and blend with other peoples? Theywould only become oppressed if the oppressors saw them as a threat or as different and incompatible withthem. In Moses time, the Egyptians certainly saw the Hebrews (Habiru) as a political threat, and also as
neglecting traditional Egyptian gods.
But why could the Israelites not simply merge and intermarry and blend with the other nations? They tried to doso 12 times, and each time they failed. Why?
They Were Feared (Chosen people)
A possible reason is that they were a militant people – they were recent invaders and were feared by the othernations. They viewed themselves as God’s chosen people, and inheritors of a Promised Land. They were viewed
as foreigners and usurpers.Even if they wanted to blend with other peoples, those other peoples did not want toblend with them. They let down their defences, but the other nations still feared them. This led to a one-sided
relationship of exploitation and captivity.
They Were Separate (Holy)
Another reason might be that the Israelites had a strong ethnic identity that could not be compromised orblended. Their beliefs and religion set them apart as a distinct, holy people. They had strict rules concerning
morality and purity – and a strong historical belief that they were chosen by GOD as a special people - they kept
themselves separate so as to preserve their identity. Perhaps it made them intolerant of aspects of other nations.
Perhaps it caused them to hold together and not intermarry.
They were Different (Literate)
The Israelites were a literate people compared to all other nations. They could all read and write and were taught
to question and debate. So they became administrators, bankers and doctors. This set them apart from otherpeoples. They were feared because their literacy gave them positions of power and influence.

B. The second stage of the cycle is the effect of oppression
The second stage of this cycle is a psychological process. Oppression of an ethnic minority will naturally lead toan US-THEM attitude, so the oppressed will develop a strong ethnic identity, and a desire for asserting thatidentity and separating from their oppressors. If this persists then it is natural that militants and warriors willarise and may defeat the oppressors and set their people free.
Such a process depends upon1. The degree of oppression
2. The strength of their ethnic identity
3. The strength of their militant resistance
Oppression --> US-THEM attitude --> formation of an ethnic identity --> desire for asserting their identity andseparating from oppressors --> the rising up of a warrior who defeats oppressors and sets his people free.
C. The Mosaic Covenant
These elements are all present in the Mosaic Covenant –
A.
B.
C.
D.
E.

To be the Chosen People
Submitted to the One God only
To be Separate and HolyTo be the People of the Book – literate – a nation of Priests
To be dedicated to Law, to Purity, to Worship

Even when they wanted to embrace other cultures, you can see how their essential identity and history as apeople might make such a union incompatible – giving rise to separation, hostility and persecution.
D. Israelite and Canaanite Religion
In the Bible, Yahweh is very clear that the Israelites should not intermarry with any of the surrounding nations.
Also, the Israelites were instructed to drive out all the foreign nations from the promised land.
A question arises, therefore, as to why Yahweh commanded these things. Was the religion of Yahweh socompletely different from the religion of the Canaanites that it required this complete separation? Or were thereligions broadly similar, like different brands of the same thing, and the only difference was the name?
An additional question is why the religion of the Canaanites was viewed as so seductive that it would inevitably
lead the Israelites astray if they were exposed to it?
An answer to these questions can be found in looking at the similarities and differences between Canaanite andIsraelite culture. The best references I have found that identify the differences are
1. Web site :2.

Web site :What Is The Difference Between A Canaanite and an Israelite
Four Differences Between Canaanite Religion (mbci.mb.ca)

The table below summarises the main differences.
Canaanite
Polytheistic
NaturalRitualistic focusDriven by passion / appetite / selfish /animalistic /law of jungle / might is right
InformalAppeasement
General revelation
Defining characteristic : Trade : Traders andcraftsmen (materialistic culture)

Israelite
Monotheistic
Transcendental
Legalistic focus
Righteous / ethical / impartial / divine
FormalObedience
Special revelation - Covenants
Defining characteristic : Religion : A nationof priests (puritanical culture)

E. Israelite Identity
The Israelites defined themselves by their religion – it was the defining characteristic of their identity – it waswhat they were renowned for.
The centrality of religion to the Israelites can be seen in the structure of their society. The 12 tribes were alldescended from a single family, and were ruled over by judges – a theocracy.
Their religion required more than ritual observance – there had to be an ongoing obedience to the laws andcommandments of God.
The Israelites were a pastoral people living in small villages – a relatively humble and poor existence – theirgreatest love was to follow GodF. Canaanite Identity
In comparison, the Canaanites were traders and craftsmen, and were renowned for their economic savvy. This
fits the stereotype of the Philistine – opportunistic and money-making. The Canaanites were renowned as
traders, having shipping routes throughout the Mediterranean – which led to their amalgamation of manydifferent beliefs and religions.
The Canaanites consisted of independent city states, with gods varying between each city, and held together bytrade and agricultural alliances – an economy rather than a theocracy.
Canaanite religion was mainly to do with ritual observance to appease the Gods of nature - only requiring anoccasional external ritual – rather than any ongoing behavioural change.
G. General vs Special Revelation
The gods of the Canaanite religion were the gods of nature, fertility, trade. They represented the natural forces.
To this extent, we can think of Canaanite religion as a “general revelation” based on experience of physicalcreation.
In contrast, Israelite religion was based on special revelations of God to the Hebrew people. God had intervened
into history – made covenants with the people and revealed Himself to them. This was so much the case that theIsraelites attributed the origin of their nation to such an intervention and covenant – at the time of the Exodus.
So, special revelation defined the origin and identity of Israel.
So we have the following dichotomies ••••Polytheistic vs Monotheistic
Ritual vs Law
General vs Special
Materialistic vs Priestly

H. Materialism
The Canaanite religions were seductive because materialistic needs were always present – the need to makemoney, the need for trade and wealth. In comparison, special revelation was easily forgotten by succeeding
generations. The Canaanites held out the lure of trade, riches, exotic travel, informal religion, sexual freedom.
The Canaanites were wealthy city dwellers, in contrast to the Israelites who were pastoral people mostly living insmall villages. Whilst the Canaanites aspired to materialistic wealth, the Israelites valued a more puritanicallifestyle.
I.

Ethical Monotheism vsEthical monotheism began with the Israelites. Ethical monotheism – means a belief in one supreme God, whocommands love and justice. This contrasts with the Canaanite religion where there were many gods with humanappetites who needed to be appeased. The Israelite religion was transcendent, where as the Canaanite religion
was natural / driven by animal passions.
Canaanite religion was relatively free of any requirements for behaviour change in terms of ethical codes ofconduct. Sexual freedom was a characteristic of Canaanite society, as is evident from the stories of Sodom andGomorrah.

J.

Separation or Seduction
What made the Canaanite religion seductive was its appeal to giving in to natural passions, its informal nature,and its emphasis on wealth and success. In contrast, the Israelite religion feels transcendent – the imposition of adivine order upon the natural world – expressing God’s will rather than human will.
Perhaps this is why Yahweh required the Israelites to drive out the Canaanites – because the Canaanite religion
and way of life were far too seductive and corrupt.
Yahweh chose Israel to be a special nation of priests – to stand apart as pure and holy, and act as a mediator
between God and the nations.
In Exodus 19:6, God said to Moses, “And you shall be to me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation” . What doesthis mean? It means that the Israelites were called to be •••Separate from sin – transcendence – separate / above the natural order
One God : Devoted to God above all else –above money, wealth, desire, everything else., not having
divided loyalties
Righteous and just in all their actions and thoughts

This explains why the Israelites had to keep themselves separate. A strong monotheism implies an intolerance ofand rejection of all the other gods.
K. Special Revelation
The imposition of an ethical code that goes beyond natural impulse suggests divine intervention. The birth of Israel
was through a special intervention of God – as demonstrated by the Exodus. There were 5 such interventions
throughout Israel’s history. Each intervention of God was marked by a new covenant (an agreement between God
and the Israelites). And each covenant is separated by the same time interval.
•••

Noahic Covenant (2348 B.C.)
then 427 years
Abrahamic Covenant (1921 B.C.)
then 430 years
Mosaic Covenant (1491 B.C.)
then 437 years

••Davidic Covenant(1055 B.C.)
then 430 years
New Covenant (625 B.C.) announced by Jeremiah

The Israelites failed to drive the Canaanites out of the land, and instead adopted their religions and forgot about
Yahweh. Solomon and the succeeding kings of Israel fell into idolatry. Curiously, exactly 430 years later the Israelites
were removed from the promised land and taken into captivity by the Babylonians.

A Parallel ?
God had promised Abraham that his descendants would inherit a land of their own, but the sins of the Canaanites
had not yet reached their full measure. After 430 years the Israelites were freed from Egyptian captivity, and started
on their way to the promised land.
So its curious that when Solomon and his successors fell into idolatry, they were given 430 years until they werereturned to captivity, this time under the Babylonians.

God had created the world, but was not the world. God preceded and transcended all the earthly creation.. The Bookof Judges provides an interesting contrast between the nature ethic of the Canaanites and the transcendent ethic ofthe Israelites. It emphasises the importance of remaining separate from sinful peoples and adopting a strong stanceagainst a “nature ethic” that is really an ethic of rebellion.

References :1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.

https://www.historytoday.com/archive/why-were-jews-persecuted
Cantor and R. Waddington, The Sacred Chain - A History of the Jews: The Expulsion of the Jews - 1492 and after(HarperCollins, 1995)
Farmer, Anti-Semitism and the Holocaust (Hodder & Stoughton, 1998)
N Faulkner, 'Apocalypse: The Great Jewish Revolt against Rome,
66-73CE', History Today, October 2002.
R. Ovendale, The Origins of The Arab-Israeli Wars (Longman, 1999)

Understanding The Distinction: What Is The Difference Between A Canaanite And An Israelite?
Four Differences Between Canaanite Religion (mbci.mb.ca)
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Monotheism
https://www.lukeford.net/essays/contents/ethical_monotheism.htm
https://www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/ethical-monotheism
https://www.lukeford.net/essays/contents/ethical_monotheism.htm
https://www.timesargus.com/opinion/perspective/on-faith-ethical-monotheism/article_7fbcda28-23ab-5c8b-b539https://www.julianspriggs.co.uk/pages/CanaaniteReligion
https://www.newworldencyclopedia.org/entry/Canaanite_Religion