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The Book of Judges

⭑ Berean Study Bible :: World English Bible Catholic ⭑

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- Chapter 2 -

1
Now the angel (a) of the LORD went up from Gilgal to Bochim and said, “I brought you up out of Egypt and led you into the land that I had promised to your fathers, and I said, ‘I will never break My covenant with you,
2
and you are not to make a covenant with the people of this land, but you shall tear down their altars.’ Yet you have not obeyed My voice. What is this you have done?
3
So now I tell you that I will not drive out these people before you; they will be thorns in your sides, and their gods will be a snare to you.”
4
When the angel of the LORD had spoken these words to all the Israelites, the people lifted up their voices and wept.
5
So they called that place Bochim (b) and offered sacrifices there to the LORD.

Joshua’s Death and Burial

(Joshua 24:29–33)
6
After Joshua had dismissed the people, the Israelites went out to take possession of the land, each to his own inheritance.
7
And the people served the LORD throughout the days of Joshua and of the elders who outlived him, who had seen all the great works that the LORD had done for Israel.
8
And Joshua son of Nun, the servant of the LORD, died at the age of 110.
9
They buried him in the land of his inheritance, at Timnath-heres (c) in the hill country of Ephraim, north of Mount Gaash.

Israel’s Unfaithfulness

(Isaiah 43:22–28; Jeremiah 2:23–37)
10
After that whole generation had also been gathered to their fathers, another generation rose up who did not know the LORD or the works that He had done for Israel.
11
And the Israelites did evil in the sight of the LORD and served the Baals.
12
Thus they forsook the LORD, the God of their fathers, who had brought them out of the land of Egypt, and they followed after various gods of the peoples around them. They bowed down to them and provoked the LORD to anger,
13
for they forsook Him and served Baal and the Ashtoreths.
14
Then the anger of the LORD burned against Israel, and He delivered them into the hands of those who plundered them.(d) He sold them into the hands of their enemies all around, whom they were no longer able to resist.
15
Wherever Israel marched out, the hand of the LORD was against them to bring calamity, just as He had sworn to them. So they were greatly distressed.

Judges Raised Up

16
Then the LORD raised up judges,(e) who saved them from the hands of those who plundered them.
17
Israel, however, did not listen to their judges. Instead, they prostituted themselves with other gods and bowed down to them. They quickly turned from the way of their fathers, who had walked in obedience to the LORD’s commandments; they did not do as their fathers had done.
18
Whenever the LORD raised up a judge for the Israelites, He was with that judge and saved them from the hands of their enemies while the judge was still alive; for the LORD was moved to pity by their groaning under those who oppressed them and afflicted them.
19
But when the judge died, the Israelites became even more corrupt than their fathers, going after other gods to serve them and bow down to them. They would not give up their evil practices and stubborn ways.
20
So the anger of the LORD burned against Israel, and He said, “Because this nation has transgressed the covenant I laid down for their fathers and has not heeded My voice,
21
I will no longer drive out before them any of the nations Joshua left when he died.
22
In this way I will test whether Israel will keep the way of the LORD by walking in it as their fathers did.”
23
That is why the LORD had left those nations in place and had not driven them out immediately by delivering them into the hand of Joshua.

Footnotes

(a)2:1 Or Angel; also in verse 4
(b)2:5 Bochim means weepers.
(c)2:9 Timnath-heres is also known as Timnath-serah; see Joshua 19:50 and Joshua 24:30.
(d)2:14 Literally of plunderers who plundered them
(e)2:16 Or governors or leaders; here and throughout the book of Judges
1
The LORD’s angel came up from Gilgal to Bochim. He said, “I brought you out of Egypt, and have brought you to the land which I swore to give your fathers. I said, ‘I will never break my covenant with you.
2
You shall make no covenant with the inhabitants of this land. You shall break down their altars.’ But you have not listened to my voice. Why have you done this?
3
Therefore I also said, ‘I will not drive them out from before you; but they shall be in your sides, and their gods will be a snare to you.’”
4
When the LORD’s angel spoke these words to all the children of Israel, the people lifted up their voice and wept.
5
They called the name of that place Bochim,(a) and they sacrificed there to the LORD.

Joshua’s Death and Burial

(Joshua 24:29–33)
6
Now when Joshua had sent the people away, the children of Israel each went to his inheritance to possess the land.
7
The people served the LORD all the days of Joshua, and all the days of the elders who outlived Joshua, who had seen all the great work of the LORD that he had worked for Israel.
8
Joshua the son of Nun, the servant of the LORD, died, being one hundred ten years old.
9
They buried him in the border of his inheritance in Timnath Heres, in the hill country of Ephraim, on the north of the mountain of Gaash.

Israel’s Unfaithfulness

(Isaiah 43:22–28; Jeremiah 2:23–37)
10
After all that generation were gathered to their fathers, another generation arose after them who didn’t know the LORD, nor the work which he had done for Israel.
11
The children of Israel did that which was evil in the LORD’s sight, and served the Baals.
12
They abandoned the LORD, the God of their fathers, who brought them out of the land of Egypt, and followed other gods, of the gods of the peoples who were around them, and bowed themselves down to them; and they provoked the LORD to anger.
13
They abandoned the LORD, and served Baal and the Ashtaroth.
14
The LORD’s anger burned against Israel, and he delivered them into the hands of raiders who plundered them. He sold them into the hands of their enemies all around, so that they could no longer stand before their enemies.
15
Wherever they went out, the LORD’s hand was against them for evil, as the LORD had spoken, and as the LORD had sworn to them; and they were very distressed.

Judges Raised Up

16
The LORD raised up judges, who saved them out of the hand of those who plundered them.
17
Yet they didn’t listen to their judges; for they prostituted themselves to other gods, and bowed themselves down to them. They quickly turned away from the way in which their fathers walked, obeying the LORD’s commandments. They didn’t do so.
18
When the LORD raised up judges for them, then the LORD was with the judge, and saved them out of the hand of their enemies all the days of the judge; for it grieved the LORD because of their groaning by reason of those who oppressed them and troubled them.
19
But when the judge was dead, they turned back, and dealt more corruptly than their fathers in following other gods to serve them and to bow down to them. They didn’t cease what they were doing, or give up their stubborn ways.
20
The LORD’s anger burned against Israel; and he said, “Because this nation transgressed my covenant which I commanded their fathers, and has not listened to my voice,
21
I also will no longer drive out any of the nations that Joshua left when he died from before them;
22
that by them I may test Israel, to see if they will keep the LORD’s way to walk therein, as their fathers kept it, or not.”
23
So the LORD left those nations, without driving them out hastily. He didn’t deliver them into Joshua’s hand.

Footnotes

(a)2:5 “Bochim” means “weepers”.
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