Judges 2

The Messenger of the Lord Reacts to Israel’s Failure

1 The Messenger of the Lord went from Gilgal to Bochim. He said, “I brought you out of Egypt into the land that I swore to give to your ancestors. I said, ‘I will never break my promiset to you.2 You must never make a treaty with the people who live in this land. You must tear down their altars.’ But you didn’t obey me. What do you think you’re doing?

3 So I have this to say, ‘I will not force them out of your way. They will be like thorns in your sides, and their gods will become a trap for you.’ ”
4 While the Messenger of the Lord was saying this to all the people of Israel, they began to cry loudly.

5 So they called that place Bochim [Those Who Cry]. They offered sacrifices there to the Lord.

The Death of Joshua

6 Now, Joshua sent the people of Israel home. So each family went to take possession of the territory they had inherited.7 The people served the Lord throughout Joshua’s lifetime and throughout the lifetimes of the leaders who had outlived him and who had seen all the spectacular works the Lord had done for Israel.8 The Lord’s servant Joshua, son of Nun, died at the age of 110.9 He was buried at Timnath Heres within the territory he had inherited. This was in the mountains of Ephraim north of Mount Gaash.

10 That whole generation had joined their ancestors in death. So another generation grew up after them. They had no personal experience with the Lord or with what he had done for Israel.

The Sin of the Next Generation

11 The people of Israel did what the Lord considered evil. They began to serve other gods—the Baals.12 The Israelites abandoned the Lord God of their ancestors, the God who brought them out of Egypt. They followed the other gods of the people around them. They worshiped these gods, and that made the Lord angry.13 They abandoned the Lord to serve the god Baal and the goddess Astarte.14 So the Lord became angry with the people of Israel. He handed them over to people who robbed them. He also used their enemies around them to defeat them. They could no longer stand up against their enemies.

15 Whenever the Israelites went to war, the power of the Lord brought disaster on them. This was what the Lord said he would do in an oath. So he made them suffer a great deal.
16 Then the Lord would send judgest to rescue them from those who robbed them.17 But the people wouldn’t listen to the judges. The Israelites chased after other gods as though they were prostitutes and worshiped them. They quickly turned from the ways of their ancestors who had obeyed the Lord’s commands. They refused to be like their ancestors.18 But when the Lord appointed judges for the Israelites, he was with each judge. The Lord rescued them from their enemies as long as that judge was alive. The Lord was moved by the groaning of those who were tormented and oppressed.

19 But after each judge died, the people went back to their old ways and acted more corruptly than their parents. They followed, served, and worshiped other gods. They never gave up their evil practices and stubborn ways.

The Lord Allows the Nations to Stay in Order to Test His People

20 The Lord became angry with Israel. He said, “Because the people of this nation have rejected the promise I gave their ancestors and have not obeyed me,21 I will no longer force out the nations Joshua left behind when he died.22 I will test the people of Israel with these nations to see whether or not they will carefully follow the Lord’s ways as their ancestors did.”

23 So the Lord let these nations stay. He had not handed them over to Joshua or forced them out quickly.

Judges 2

Confrontation and Repentance at Bokim

1 The Lord’s angelic messengers went up from Gilgal to Bokim. He said, “I brought you up from Egypt and led you into the land I had solemnly promised to give to your ancestors.t I said, ‘I will never break my agreementt with you,2 but you must not make an agreement with the people who live in this land. You should tear down the altars where they worship.’t But you have disobeyed me.t Why would you do such a thing?t

3 At that time I also warned you,t ‘If you disobey,t I will not drive out the Canaanitest before you. They will ensnare yout and their gods will lure you away.’”t
4 When the Lord’s messenger finished speaking these words to all the Israelites, the people wept loudly.t

5 They named that place Bokims and offered sacrifices to the Lord there.

The End of an Era

6 When Joshua dismissedt the people, the Israelites went to their allotted portions of territory,t intending to take possession of the land.7 The people worshipedt the Lord throughout Joshua’s lifetime and as long as the elderly ment who outlived him remained alive. These men had witnessedt all the great things the Lord had done for Israel.t8 Joshua son of Nun, the Lord’s servant, died at the age of one hundred ten.9 The peoplet buried him in his allotted landt in Timnath Heres in the hill country of Ephraim, north of Mount Gaash.

10 That entire generation passed away;t a new generation grew upt that had not personally experienced the Lord’s presence or seen what he had done for Israel.t

A Monotonous Cycle

11 The Israelites did evil beforet the Lord by worshipingt the Baals.12 They abandoned the Lord God of their ancestorst who brought them out of the land of Egypt. They followed other gods – the gods of the nations who lived around them. They worshipedt them and made the Lord angry.

13 They abandoned the Lord and worshiped Baal and the Ashtars.ts
14 The Lord was furious with Israelt and handed them over to robbers who plundered them.ts He turned them over tot their enemies who lived around them. They could not withstand their enemies’ attacks.t

15 Whenever they went out to fight,t the Lord did them harm,t just as he had warned and solemnly vowed he would do.t They suffered greatly.t
16 The Lord raised up leaderst who delivered them from these robbers.t17 But they did not obeyt their leaders. Instead they prostituted themselves to other gods and worshipedt them. They quickly turned aside from the patht their ancestorst had walked. Their ancestors had obeyed the Lord’s commands, but they did not.t18 When the Lord raised up leaders for them, the Lord was with each leader and delivered the peoplet from their enemies while the leader remained alive. The Lord felt sorry for themt when they cried out in agony because of what their harsh oppressors did to them.t

19 When a leader died, the next generationt would againt act more wickedly than the previous one.ts They would follow after other gods, worshiping themt and bowing down to them. They did not give upt their practices or their stubborn ways.

A Divine Decision

20 The Lord was furious with Israel.t He said, “This nationt has violated the terms of the agreement I made with their ancestorst by disobeying me.t21 So I will no longer remove before them any of the nations that Joshua left unconquered when he died.22 Joshua left those nationst to testt Israel. I wanted to seet whether or not the peoplet would carefully walk in the patht marked out byt the Lord, as their ancestorst were careful to do.”

23 This is whyt the Lord permitted these nations to remain and did not conquer them immediately;t he did not hand them over to Joshua.