There is a reason. The oppressions were regional in nature with the rule of some Judges taking place in tribal areas not affected by the invasions; they were ruling elsewhere during the same period. For example, in Deborah's victory song she made mention of her predecessor Shamgar being a contemporary of Jael,
"In the days of Shamgar, son of Anath, in the days of Jael, the highways were abandoned, and travellers kept to the byways." (Judges 5:6)
Perhaps the best examples of overlapping leaders and timelines come from the record of the later Judges. In 1122 BC the Ammonites invaded Gilead (the eastern tribes) and in the same year the Philistines began to push from the south-west.
"Because the Israelites forsook the LORD and no longer served him, he became angry with them. He sold them into the hands of the Philistines and the Ammonites, who that year shattered and crushed them." (Jdg. 10:6-7)
So, the Ammonites ruled for eighteen years in the east, and during that time the Philistines had taken control of large swathes of Dan and Judah in the south-west. They ruled for forty years. (Jdg. 13:1) This left a thin strip of hill country where Eli operated tenuously as a judge at Shiloh. Then Jephthah was bought from Tob to deliver the people of Gilead. His letter of defence is a vital key to the chronology of the Judges era. In writing his argument to the invading king, Jephthah said:
"For three hundred years Israel occupied Heshbon, Aroer, the surrounding settlements and all the towns along the Arnon. Why didn't you retake them during that time?" (Judges 11:26)
For my full Judges chronology,
together with printable charts, maps,
timeline, and commentary, please go here:
Great insight! Thanks for this.
Thanks Aijalon. This area of study has been neglected by Bible believers. However it has not passed the notice of skeptics. If Christian parents are unfortunate enough to send their children to university, the first thing hurled at them is how unreliable the Bible is as a historical resource.
The date of the Exodus is a favorite criticism, and if we can't explain the Judges, it is hard to rebut their arguments.