The book of Judges presents Israel's need for deliverance and God's use of flawed leaders to guide his chosen people through a dark period of their history. The book of Ruth tells a smaller story within this narrative, showing God quietly at work in the lives of a few individuals. This replacement Tyndale commentary places each book in its historical and canonical context, examines key theological themes, and addresses issues facing readers today.

Mary J. Evans is a visiting lecturer in Old Testament and former academic dean at the Ethiopian Graduate School of Theology, Addis Ababa, and a former lecturer at the London School of Theology. She is the author of The Message of Samuel and Woman in the Bible, and she is a coeditor of The IVP Women's Bible Commentary.