After the passing of Joshua, the Jewish people were led by a series of “shoftim” (literally, “judges”). The book of Judges chronicles the events that transpired during their leadership. Major events in this period of history include Ehud’s assassination of Eglon; the heroism of the female judge, Deborah; the tragedy of Jephthah’s daughter; Samson’s war against the Philistines; and the Concubine at Givah incident.