JUDGES : Several "judges" led the people of Israel,
turning them from their worship of "Baal" and
"Ashtaroth" idols. The people often strayed from God
and were punished by God -- then directed back to God, then again
straying. One female "judge" was Deborah, said to be a
"mother of Israel." Gideon was another judge who led
Israel back to God, but, once again, when he died, they worshiped
"Baal and Baal-berith." One of Gideon's sons,
Abimelech, was acclaimed "king of Israel," for a short
time, until he was defeated. Heathen gods again were worshipped
and again the Hebrews were punished by being beaten in battle.
SAMSON (Judges 13-16):
Samson was given great strength from God, and became a
judge over Israel for 20 years. At one point, (Judges 15: 15),
Samson killed a thousand Philistines with a donkey's jawbone. He
fell in love with Delilah, who nagged him into revealing his
secret of his strength -- his uncut hair. She told the
Philistines, who cut Samson's hair and then blinded him. His hair
grew back, his strength returned, and he pulled down pillars
supporting a temple -- killing many Philistines and himself.
A story (Judges 19-21) of a "horrible deed" of some
men of the tribe of Benjamin against the wife of a Levite led to
the other eleven tribes of Israel virtually eliminating the tribe
of Benjamin -- all but a small number.