“O Lord, the God of Israel, why has this happened in Israel ...?” (v3). The Israelites vowed not to give their daughters in marriage to the tribe of Benjamin (v1,18), as punishment for the war. Just like Jephath’s foolish oath (11:30), this decision led to more harm. Worried that Benjamin’s tribe would die out, the Israelites slaughtered the men of Jabesh-Gilead, stole the women, and later kidnapped the “daughters of Shiloh” (v21). While the book opened with Israel fighting the Canaanites, it concludes with Israel in chaos, acting just like the Canaanites. 

Judges illustrates the terrible consequences of distorted ‘freedom’: everyone doing “what was right in their own eyes” (v25). Jesus the King calls us to submit to him, together, so that we experience true life.