Scroll to the bottom for thoughts/discussion questions!
One-sentence summary: A summary is given on the various battles of Israel, a new generation arises who doesn't know the Lord or His ways and turns to serve other gods, and the Lord is angry and hands them over to their enemies, but He feels compassion for them and gives them judges to deliver them- who they listen to for a while only to go back to their old ways once the judges have died respectively.
Judges does not appear to be written linearly, but fills in some of the gaps in Deuteronomy. (The story of Caleb's daughter and the field is retold, for example.) There is a story of how Israel cuts off a king's thumbs and big toes, and the king acknowledges that this is his punishment from God because he cut off 70 kings thumbs and big toes and made them to eat scraps under his table. Judah takes Jerusalem and sets it on fire. Various battles are described. It is highlighted that many tribes of Israel do not drive out all the nations because "the Canaanites were determined to dwell in it." In other words, they encountered resistance. They put some Canaanites under tribute but did not completely drive them out. The Amorites force Dan into the mountains, then Joseph becomes strong and puts them under tribute, etc. And many nations were also put under tribute.
The Angel of the Lord comes from Gilgal and says to all Israel, "I led you up from Egypt and brought you to the land I swore to your fathers and said I will make my covenant with you, and you shall make no covenant with the inhabitants of this land. you shall tear down their altars. But you have not obeyed My voice. Why have you done this? Therefore, I will not drive them out before you. They shall be thorns in your side, and their gods will be a snare to you." When Israel hears this, they weep and sacrifice to the Lord. This appears to have happened when Joshua was still alive, as it says that Joshua dismisses them, and they go to their lands. Again it says that they serve the Lord all of Joshua's days and of the elders who served with him. Joshua's death is recounted again.
After Joshua dies, it says that "a generation [arises] that did not know the Lord and what He had done for Israel.," and the people "do evil in the sight of the Lord." It says they forsake the Lord and serve the Baals and the Asherahs and follow the gods of the people, and they provoke the Lord to anger. So, He delivers them into the hands of plunderers and their enemies, and "wherever they go, the hand of the Lord [is] against them for calamity," and they "[are] greatly distressed." However, the Lord raises up judges to deliver them out of the hands of the plunderers. Yet, they still do not listen, "but [play] the harlot with other gods," and "[turn] quickly from the way their fathers walked." It says that every time, the Lord would be with the judge and deliver them all the days of the judge because He felt pity on them, because of all their groaning from oppression. But as soon as the judge dies, they go back to their old ways. They "[do] not cease from their own doings or their stubborn way." The Lord says because they have not listened to Him or heeded His covenant, He will not drive out the nations, to test them to see whether they will keep His ways or not.
Thoughts/discussion questions:
When we disobey the Lord, we may go through a period of chastisement, which may include a time of testing. We need to submit to Him during this time.
We need to be aware of our human nature apart from Him and not rely on it whatsoever.