Getting Biblical in Daily Life
Like most of the Bible, Judges was written, at least for the most part, by a variety of authors well after the events it describes, probably over the course of several centuries. The version we know and love was probably written during Israel's Babylonian Exile around 550 BCE, which explains the authors's obsession with foreign captivity (source). Some events in Judges are thought to be historical, while some are usually considered fables, but all were included by the authors for a reason.
Some scholars think the purpose of the whole book was to teach the Israelites stuck in Babylon how to avoid the problems Judges describes, and to give them a pattern they could follow to escape: repent of their idolatry, pray to God, and wait for him to send a deliverer like Deborah or Gideon or Samson (source). The alternative, Judges's authors seem to say, is for Israel to continue its endless hot-and-cold relationship with God and maybe just be stuck in Babylon… forever.
Speaking of the God/Israel theological love battle, we as readers can go back and forth between the two sides. If we side with God, we can say: Wow. The Israelites are being total butt-heads—murderous, raping, kidnapping, genocidal butt-heads. And still God shows them mercy time and time again. They gotta get their act together and realize how good they have it.
If we side with Israel, we can say: Wow. Israel is going through so much hard stuff, and it's being so brave and strong, given the difficulty of its situation, and God's just sitting there doing nothing! Why doesn't he step in? Send more help! Look, they're only human, and for the most part they're doing the best they know how. We don't have to condone rape and murder, but what about the innocent thousands (millions?) suffering for their actions? What about the Levite's concubine who got chopped to pieces? What about the kidnapped daughters of Shiloh? What about Jephthah's daughter? Do something, deity!
Both arguments are valid and ought to prompt a lot of thought. We'll leave that to you, Shmoop-ites.