Farms, orchards and vineyards were foreign to them. Following Joshua's death, no one assumed the role of central leadership, leaving little more than a rough confederation of autonomous tribes. None of the tribes was terribly strong, resulting in a constant pummeling by their neighbors. Those who would have ridden in wearing the white hats, had horses and hats been available, were called the judges. Their individual and collective stories are chronicled, not surprisingly, in the Book of Judges.
Biblical judges are hero figures who save the day, dispatch the villain and disappear once more.
Deborah, Gideon, Samson. As one might expect, a couple of centuries of being the weak, unwelcome, victimized strangers in a new land was more than enough. Change was needed and desperately wanted. And so began the march toward monarchy and real national identity. If you read the passage and listen closely, you may still hear Samuel's resigned sigh rise from the page as, flask in hand, he sets off to anoint the first king of Israel, a handsome lad named Saul.