With Samson’s death, the series of judges and heroes concludes. The book’s epilogue highlights two horrible acts committed by the children of Israel in the mountains of Ephraim. The lack of authority allows priests to act freely. Remember that the men of the tribe of Levi were dedicated to worship (Num 3). As the story unfolds, the epilogue shows that there was no king in Israel at that time. Everyone did what was right in their own eyes (17:6; 18:1; 19:1; 21:25). Each new section begins with the expectation of the worst, as God remains “silent,” and the Israelites are unable to seek justice. There is no leader with the moral strength to unite the tribes in worshiping the Lord. What happens when we attempt to live without God, each of us doing what seems reasonable in our own eyes?