Judging the Judges

Judging the Judges: A Narrative Appraisal Analysis, Volume 1, provides a rigorous examination of the book of Judges. Author Mary L. Conway explores the moral ambiguity of figures like Jael and Jephthah, utilizing a blend of narrative and functional linguistic theories. This work of biblical criticism and interpretation focuses on the six major judges to identify the unifying ideological stance of the ancient text without imposing modern ethics.

By applying appraisal theory and narrative perspective, this study of Old Testament historical books determines if the actions of the judges are normative or aberrant. Conway uses lexicogrammatical and ideational evidence to analyze the relationship between the Israelites and YHWH. This academic contribution to narrative criticism offers a new methodology for biblical interpretation, serving as a resource for seminary students, pastors, and scholars of the Bible.