The three books (Joshua, Judges, and Ruth) considered in this volume constitute the principal biblical witness to Israel's early history in her land. According to A. Graeme Auld, 'they tell the story of how under Joshua the land was first taken by Israel and then apportioned to her various tribes. They tell how after Joshua there was a long period of ups and downs; of religious apostasy within the community and repeated harassment from abroad answered by a series of divinely impelled 'Judges' or 'Deliverers.' They offer some samples of life in Israel, 'in the days when the Judges ruled' or 'when there was not yet a king in Israel.''
