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The Israelites do not obey God

2 The angel of the Lord went from Gilgal to Bokim. He said, ‘I have brought you out from Egypt. I brought you here to this land that I promised to give to your ancestors. I said that I would always do for you what I promised in my Covenant. 2 I told you not to make any agreement with the people who live in this land. I told you to destroy the altars where they worship their gods. But you have not done as I told you. Why have you not obeyed me? 3 So now I tell you, I will not chase the Canaanites away so that you can take their land. Instead, they will cause trouble for you. Their false gods will cause you to turn away from me.’

4 When the Lord 's angel had said this, the Israelites began to weep loudly. 5 They called that place Bokim. [ a ] They offered sacrifices to the Lord there.

Joshua dies

6 Joshua sent the people away. Each Israelite tribe went to take the part of the land that would belong to them. [ b ] 7 The Israelites continued to serve the Lord while Joshua and the old men were still alive. Joshua and those men had seen the great things that the Lord had done to help Israel.

8 Then the Lord 's servant Joshua, the son of Nun, died at 110 years old. 9 The people buried him in the land that had been given to his family. That was at Timnath Heres, in Ephraim's hill country, on the north side of Gaash mountain.

A new generation turns away from the Lord

10 All the people of Joshua's generation died. The younger people no longer served the Lord . They themselves had not seen the great things that he had done to help Israel. 11 The Israelites did things that the Lord saw were evil. They worshipped the idols of Baal. 12 They turned away from the Lord God that their ancestors had worshipped. He was the one who had brought them safely out of Egypt. Instead, they served the false gods of the people who lived near them. They worshipped those gods and the Lord became very angry. 13 They turned away from the Lord and they worshipped the idols of Baal and Ashtoreth instead.

14 The Lord was very angry with the Israelites and he punished them. He sent robbers to attack them and take their animals and their food. He put them under the power of their enemies who lived around them. They were not strong enough to fight against their enemies. 15 When the Israelites went to fight against their enemies, the Lord turned against them. He punished them, as he said he would do. So the Israelites were in great trouble.

God chooses leaders for his people

16 After that, the Lord chose judges to lead his people. These leaders rescued the Israelites from their enemies who were robbing them. 17 But the people did not obey their leaders. They refused to serve the Lord faithfully. Instead, they worshipped false gods. They did not live in the way that their ancestors had lived. Their ancestors had obeyed the Lord 's commands, but they refused to obey him.

18 Every time that the Lord chose a judge to lead them, the Lord helped the leader to rescue them from their enemies. While the leader was still alive, the Lord was kind to them. When the Israelites called out to the Lord for help, he was sorry for them. He saw the cruel things that their enemies were doing to give them pain.

19 But when the leader died, the people would stop serving the Lord . They would do even more wicked things than their fathers had done. They would serve false gods and they would worship them. They refused to stop doing the wicked things that they wanted to do.

20 Because of this, the Lord became very angry with the Israelites. He said, ‘This nation of my people has not obeyed the covenant that I made with their ancestors. 21 So I will not chase out the nations that are still living in the land. They are the people who were still there when Joshua died. 22 I will use those nations to test the Israelites. I will see if my people will live carefully, in the way that I have shown them. That is the way that their ancestors lived.’

23 So the Lord let some of the Canaanite nations continue to live in the land. He did not chase them all away. He did not put them all under Joshua's power.

Footnotes

  1. 2:5 ‘Bokim’ means ‘people who weep’.
  2. 2:6 Joshua and the Israelite leaders had decided which parts of the land would belong to each tribe. See Joshua 13—21 .

The Angel of the Lord at Bokim

2 The angel of the Lord went up to the city of Bokim from the city of Gilgal. The angel spoke this message from the Lord to the Israelites: “I brought you out of Egypt and led you to the land that I promised to give to your ancestors. I told you I would never break my agreement with you. 2 But in return, you must never make any agreement with the people living in that land. You must destroy their altars. I told you that, but you didn’t obey me.

3 “Now I will tell you this, ‘I will not force the other people to leave this land any longer. These people will become a problem for you. They will be like a trap to you. Their false gods will become like a net to trap you.’”

4 After the angel gave the Israelites this message from the Lord , the people cried loudly. 5 So they named the place Bokim. [ a ] There they offered sacrifices to the Lord .

Disobedience and Defeat

6 Then Joshua told the people to go home, so each tribe went to take their area of land. 7 The Israelites served the Lord as long as Joshua was alive, and they continued serving the Lord during the lifetimes of the elders who lived after Joshua had died. These old men had seen all the great things the Lord had done for the Israelites. 8 Joshua son of Nun, the servant of the Lord , died at the age of 110 years. 9 The Israelites buried Joshua on the land that he had been given. That was at Timnath Heres, in the hill country of Ephraim, north of Mount Gaash.

10 After that whole generation died, the next generation grew up. This new generation did not know about the Lord or what he had done for the Israelites. 11 So the Israelites did something very evil before the Lord . They began serving the false god Baal. 12 It was the Lord , the God their ancestors worshiped, who had brought the Israelites out of Egypt. But they stopped following him and began to worship the false gods of the people living around them. This made the Lord angry. 13 The Israelites stopped following the Lord and began worshiping Baal and Ashtoreth.

14 The Lord was angry with the Israelites, so he let enemies attack them and take their possessions. He let their enemies who lived around them defeat them. The Israelites could not protect themselves from their enemies. 15 When the Israelites went out to fight, they always lost. They lost because the Lord was not on their side. He had already warned them that they would lose if they served the gods of the people living around them. The Israelites suffered very much.

16 Then the Lord chose leaders called judges. These leaders saved the Israelites from the enemies who took their possessions. 17 But the Israelites did not listen to their judges. The Israelites were not faithful to God—they followed other gods. [ b ] In the past, the ancestors of the Israelites obeyed the Lord ’s commands. But now the Israelites changed and stopped obeying the Lord.

18 Many times the enemies of Israel did bad things to the people, so the Israelites would cry for help. And each time the Lord felt sorry for the people and sent a judge to save them from their enemies. The Lord was always with those judges. Each time the Israelites were saved from their enemies. 19 But when each judge died, the Israelites again sinned and started worshiping the false gods. They acted worse than their ancestors did. The Israelites were very stubborn and refused to change their evil ways.

20 So the Lord became angry with the Israelites, and he said, “This nation has broken the agreement that I made with their ancestors. They have not listened to me. 21 So I will no longer defeat the nations and clear the way for the Israelites. Those nations were still in this land when Joshua died, and I will let them stay in this land. 22 I will use them to test the Israelites. I will see if the Israelites can keep the Lord ’s commands as their ancestors did.” 23 The Lord allowed those nations to stay in the land. He did not quickly force them to leave the country. He did not help Joshua’s army defeat them.

Footnotes

  1. Judges 2:5 Bokim This name means “people crying.”
  2. Judges 2:17 were not faithful … gods Literally, “acted like a prostitute with other gods.”

2 And an angel of the Lord came up from Gilgal to Bochim, and said, I made you to go up out of Egypt, and have brought you unto the land which I sware unto your fathers; and I said, I will never break my covenant with you.

2 And ye shall make no league with the inhabitants of this land; ye shall throw down their altars: but ye have not obeyed my voice: why have ye done this?

3 Wherefore I also said, I will not drive them out from before you; but they shall be as thorns in your sides, and their gods shall be a snare unto you.

4 And it came to pass, when the angel of the Lord spake these words unto all the children of Israel, that the people lifted up their voice, and wept.

5 And they called the name of that place Bochim: and they sacrificed there unto the Lord .

6 And when Joshua had let the people go, the children of Israel went every man unto his inheritance to possess the land.

7 And the people served the Lord all the days of Joshua, and all the days of the elders that outlived Joshua, who had seen all the great works of the Lord , that he did for Israel.

8 And Joshua the son of Nun, the servant of the Lord , died, being an hundred and ten years old.

9 And they buried him in the border of his inheritance in Timnathheres, in the mount of Ephraim, on the north side of the hill Gaash.

10 And also all that generation were gathered unto their fathers: and there arose another generation after them, which knew not the Lord , nor yet the works which he had done for Israel.

11 And the children of Israel did evil in the sight of the Lord , and served Baalim:

12 And they forsook the Lord God of their fathers, which brought them out of the land of Egypt, and followed other gods, of the gods of the people that were round about them, and bowed themselves unto them, and provoked the Lord to anger.

13 And they forsook the Lord , and served Baal and Ashtaroth.

14 And the anger of the Lord was hot against Israel, and he delivered them into the hands of spoilers that spoiled them, and he sold them into the hands of their enemies round about, so that they could not any longer stand before their enemies.

15 Whithersoever they went out, the hand of the Lord was against them for evil, as the Lord had said, and as the Lord had sworn unto them: and they were greatly distressed.

16 Nevertheless the Lord raised up judges, which delivered them out of the hand of those that spoiled them.

17 And yet they would not hearken unto their judges, but they went a whoring after other gods, and bowed themselves unto them: they turned quickly out of the way which their fathers walked in, obeying the commandments of the Lord ; but they did not so.

18 And when the Lord raised them up judges, then the Lord was with the judge, and delivered them out of the hand of their enemies all the days of the judge: for it repented the Lord because of their groanings by reason of them that oppressed them and vexed them.

19 And it came to pass, when the judge was dead, that they returned, and corrupted themselves more than their fathers, in following other gods to serve them, and to bow down unto them; they ceased not from their own doings, nor from their stubborn way.

20 And the anger of the Lord was hot against Israel; and he said, Because that this people hath transgressed my covenant which I commanded their fathers, and have not hearkened unto my voice;

21 I also will not henceforth drive out any from before them of the nations which Joshua left when he died:

22 That through them I may prove Israel, whether they will keep the way of the Lord to walk therein, as their fathers did keep it, or not.

23 Therefore the Lord left those nations, without driving them out hastily; neither delivered he them into the hand of Joshua.

Israel Rebuked

2 Now ( A ) the angel of the Lord came up from Gilgal to ( B ) Bochim. And he said, “ ( C ) I brought you up out of Egypt and led you into the land which I have sworn to your fathers; and I said, ‘ ( D ) I will never break My covenant with you, 2 and as for you, ( E ) you shall not make a covenant with the inhabitants of this land; ( F ) you shall tear down their altars.’ But you have not [ a ] obeyed Me; what is this thing that you have done? 3 Therefore I also said, ‘ ( G ) I will not drive them out from you; but they will [ b ] become ( H ) like thorns in your sides, and their gods will be a snare to you.’” 4 Now when the angel of the Lord spoke these words to all the sons of Israel, the people raised their voices and wept. 5 So they named that place [ c ] Bochim; and there they sacrificed to the Lord .

Joshua Dies

6 ( I ) When Joshua had dismissed the people, the sons of Israel went, each one to his inheritance, to take possession of the land. 7 The people served the Lord all the days of Joshua, and all the days of the elders who [ d ] survived Joshua, who had seen all the great work of the Lord which He had done for Israel. 8 Then Joshua the son of Nun, the servant of the Lord , died at the age of 110. 9 And they buried him in the territory of ( J ) his inheritance in Timnath-heres, in the hill country of Ephraim, north of Mount Gaash. 10 All that generation also were gathered to their fathers; and another generation rose up after them who ( K ) did not know the Lord , nor even the work which He had done for Israel.

Israel Serves the Baals

11 Then the sons of Israel did ( L ) evil in the sight of the Lord and [ e ] served the ( M ) Baals, 12 and ( N ) they abandoned the Lord , the God of their fathers, who had brought them out of the land of Egypt, and they followed other gods from the gods of the peoples who were around them, and bowed down to them; so they provoked the Lord to anger. 13 They abandoned the Lord and ( O ) served Baal and the Ashtaroth. 14 ( P ) Then the anger of the Lord burned against Israel, and He handed them over to plunderers, and they plundered them; and ( Q ) He sold them into the hands of their enemies around them , so that they could no longer stand [ f ] against their enemies. 15 Wherever they went, the hand of the Lord was against them for [ g ] evil, as the Lord had spoken and ( R ) just as the Lord had sworn to them, so that they were severely distressed.

16 ( S ) Then the Lord raised up judges [ h ] who saved them from the hands of those who plundered them. 17 Yet they did not listen to their judges, for they [ i ] committed infidelity with other gods and bowed down to them. They turned aside quickly from the way ( T ) in which their fathers had walked in obeying the commandments of the Lord ; they did not do the same as their fathers . 18 And when the Lord raised up judges for them, ( U ) the Lord was with the judge and saved them from the hand of their enemies all the days of the judge; for the Lord was ( V ) moved to pity by their groaning because of those who tormented and oppressed them. 19 But it came about, when the judge died, that they would turn back and act more corruptly than their fathers, in following other gods to serve them and bow down to them; they did not abandon their practices or their obstinate ways. 20 ( W ) So the anger of the Lord burned against Israel, and He said, “Because this nation has violated My covenant which I commanded their fathers, and has not listened to My voice, 21 ( X ) I in turn will no longer drive out from them any of the nations which Joshua left when he died, 22 in order to ( Y ) test Israel by them, whether they will keep the way of the Lord to walk in it as their fathers [ j ] did, or not.” 23 So the Lord allowed those nations to remain, not driving them out quickly; and He did not hand them over to Joshua.

Footnotes

  1. Judges 2:2 Lit listened to My voice
  2. Judges 2:3 Some ancient mss become adversaries to you and
  3. Judges 2:5 I.e., weepers
  4. Judges 2:7 Lit prolonged days after
  5. Judges 2:11 Or worshiped
  6. Judges 2:14 Lit before
  7. Judges 2:15 Or misfortune
  8. Judges 2:16 Lit and they
  9. Judges 2:17 I.e., against God
  10. Judges 2:22 Lit kept

The Angel of the Lord at Bokim

2 The angel of the Lord ( A ) went up from Gilgal ( B ) to Bokim ( C ) and said, “I brought you up out of Egypt ( D ) and led you into the land I swore to give to your ancestors. ( E ) I said, ‘I will never break my covenant with you, ( F ) 2 and you shall not make a covenant with the people of this land, ( G ) but you shall break down their altars. ( H ) ’ Yet you have disobeyed ( I ) me. Why have you done this? 3 And I have also said, ‘I will not drive them out before you; ( J ) they will become traps ( K ) for you, and their gods will become snares ( L ) to you.’”

4 When the angel of the Lord had spoken these things to all the Israelites, the people wept aloud, ( M ) 5 and they called that place Bokim. [ a ] ( N ) There they offered sacrifices to the Lord .

Disobedience and Defeat ( O )

6 After Joshua had dismissed the Israelites, they went to take possession of the land, each to their own inheritance. 7 The people served the Lord throughout the lifetime of Joshua and of the elders who outlived him and who had seen all the great things the Lord had done for Israel. ( P )

8 Joshua son of Nun, ( Q ) the servant of the Lord , died at the age of a hundred and ten. 9 And they buried him in the land of his inheritance, at Timnath Heres [ b ] ( R ) in the hill country of Ephraim, north of Mount Gaash.

10 After that whole generation had been gathered to their ancestors, another generation grew up who knew neither the Lord nor what he had done for Israel. ( S ) 11 Then the Israelites did evil ( T ) in the eyes of the Lord ( U ) and served the Baals. ( V ) 12 They forsook the Lord , the God of their ancestors, who had brought them out of Egypt. They followed and worshiped various gods ( W ) of the peoples around them. ( X ) They aroused ( Y ) the Lord ’s anger ( Z ) 13 because they forsook ( AA ) him and served Baal and the Ashtoreths. ( AB ) 14 In his anger ( AC ) against Israel the Lord gave them into the hands ( AD ) of raiders who plundered ( AE ) them. He sold them ( AF ) into the hands of their enemies all around, whom they were no longer able to resist. ( AG ) 15 Whenever Israel went out to fight, the hand of the Lord was against them ( AH ) to defeat them, just as he had sworn to them. They were in great distress. ( AI )

16 Then the Lord raised up judges, [ c ] ( AJ ) who saved ( AK ) them out of the hands of these raiders. 17 Yet they would not listen to their judges but prostituted ( AL ) themselves to other gods ( AM ) and worshiped them. ( AN ) They quickly turned ( AO ) from the ways of their ancestors, who had been obedient to the Lord ’s commands. ( AP ) 18 Whenever the Lord raised up a judge for them, he was with the judge and saved ( AQ ) them out of the hands of their enemies as long as the judge lived; for the Lord relented ( AR ) because of their groaning ( AS ) under those who oppressed and afflicted ( AT ) them. 19 But when the judge died, the people returned to ways even more corrupt ( AU ) than those of their ancestors, ( AV ) following other gods and serving and worshiping them. ( AW ) They refused to give up their evil practices and stubborn ( AX ) ways.

20 Therefore the Lord was very angry ( AY ) with Israel and said, “Because this nation has violated the covenant ( AZ ) I ordained for their ancestors and has not listened to me, 21 I will no longer drive out ( BA ) before them any of the nations Joshua left when he died. 22 I will use them to test ( BB ) Israel and see whether they will keep the way of the Lord and walk in it as their ancestors did.” 23 The Lord had allowed those nations to remain; he did not drive them out at once by giving them into the hands of Joshua. ( BC )

Footnotes

  1. Judges 2:5 Bokim means weepers.
  2. Judges 2:9 Also known as Timnath Serah (see Joshua 19:50 and 24:30)
  3. Judges 2:16 Or leaders ; similarly in verses 17-19
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