Judges

This commentary will feature the most extensive text critical notes available in any modern commentary on Judges. It will present a theological reading of the present text of the book and seek to show that current literary and source theories attributing various parts and even minute pieces of the book to a long series of editors over almost a millennium of time are not needed to explain the origin and purposes of the book. This volume of the WBC will argue for a much earlier date of the book in the reigns of Rehoboam and Jeroboam and will show how Judges is designed as a reversal of the structure and achievements of the "Book of Joshua", preparing the way for the Davidic line of kings. The commentary will underline Judges' ironic presentation of its major characters as heroes and failures. The commentary will wrestle with the nature and expectations of leadership in Judges.