The History of Israel and Judah.

Introductory Note upon the Book of Judges.

From the opening of this Book it seems to me that a period of anarchy intervened after the death of Joshua, during which the whole, or at least a great part, of his conquests in South Palestine were lost, and fell back into the possession of the former inhabitants; for it is certain from the words of the Historian that they had to be reconquered, and, as we learn by the subsequent history of the Period of Samuel, this was only very partially accomplished until the days of David, nearly 400 years afterwards. Of that period of anarchy immediately after the death of joshua the historian Isaiah takes no notice, for it was out of his line of intention, as being merely political. Chronologists have been blind to these facts, and so have allowed no time for them, by which the dates of the following history have been confused, and lead to puzzles that seem inexplicable to commentators and readers. It would repay the labour for some competent scholar to clear up this confusion, I think.—F.F.