A historico-critical study of the whole of the Book of Judges, based on the latest developments in the history and archaeology of Israel. A six stages scenario is presented for the growth of Judges: from a Retterbuch in Assyrian Bethel, Jerusalem under Kings Manasseh and Josiah, Babylonian Mizpah and its fight with Persian Jerusalem until the insertion of the book in the Historical Books, each editorial stage is set into a precise historical context. Richter's Retterbuch is confirmed (excepted for the date), Noth's Deuteronomistic History is discarded while a new proposal for the canonization of the Former Prophets is offered.