Chiasmus Resources

The narration in Judges 1 is dependent from a literary standpoint on Joshua 13-19. It utilizes many of Joshua 13-19's macro-structures—with some expansions—to make explicit what Joshua only implies: the general success of Judah and the increasing failure of the other Israelite tnbes, especially Dan.

These macro-structures include: 1) the use of a concentric design that parallels the roles of the tribes of Judah and Joseph; and 2) a geographically-arranged narration that delineates the moral degeneration of Israel. The latter employs a four-stage pattern (seen in the use of the terms yrš, yšb and ms) and builds to a literary climax and moral nadir in the Dan episode.