Judges 2 - 5

After Joshua died, and the elders who were alive in his time, the people gradually fell into worshipping idols, and as God had promised to them through Moses and Joshua, He allowed the enemies of Israel to persecute His people. When the people would repent, and cry out to God for help, He would then raise up judges to lead the people, and fight against their oppressors.

In the decades that followed, God raised up Othniel to defeat the king of Mesopotamia, and then many years later He raised up Ehud to lead Israel in defeating the king of Moab. After the days of Ehud, the Canaanite king Jabin oppressed the people, and God raised up Deborah as judge in Israel, and Barak to fight against the Canaanite general Sisera.