19 And it came to pass, when the judge H8199 was dead, H4194 that they returned, H7725 and corrupted H7843 themselves more than their fathers, H1 in following H3212 H310 other H312 gods H430 to serve H5647 them, and to bow down H7812 unto them; they ceased H5307 not from their own doings, H4611 nor from their stubborn H7186 way. H1870
And the children H1121 of Israel H3478 again H3254 did H6213 evil H7451 in the sight H5869 of the LORD, H3068 when Ehud H164 was dead. H4191
And it came to pass, as soon as Gideon H1439 was dead, H4191 that the children H1121 of Israel H3478 turned again, H7725 and went a whoring H2181 after H310 Baalim, H1168 and made H7760 Baalberith H1170 their god. H430
And the people H5971 served H5647 the LORD H3068 all the days H3117 of Joshua, H3091 and all the days H3117 of the elders H2205 that outlived H748 H3117 H310 Joshua, H3091 who had seen H7200 all the great H1419 works H4639 of the LORD, H3068 that he did H6213 for Israel. H3478
And the land H776 had rest H8252 forty H705 years. H8141 And Othniel H6274 the son H1121 of Kenaz H7073 died. H4191 And the children H1121 of Israel H3478 did H6213 evil H7451 again H3254 in the sight H5869 of the LORD: H3068 and the LORD H3068 strengthened H2388 Eglon H5700 the king H4428 of Moab H4124 against Israel, H3478 because they had done H6213 evil H7451 in the sight H5869 of the LORD. H3068
Now after H310 the death H4194 of Jehoiada H3077 came H935 the princes H8269 of Judah, H3063 and made obeisance H7812 to the king. H4428 Then the king H4428 hearkened H8085 unto them. And they left H5800 the house H1004 of the LORD H3068 God H430 of their fathers, H1 and served H5647 groves H842 and idols: H6091 and wrath H7110 came upon Judah H3063 and Jerusalem H3389 for this their trespass. H819
And might not be as their fathers, H1 a stubborn H5637 and rebellious H4784 generation; H1755 a generation H1755 that set H3559 not their heart H3820 aright, H3559 and whose spirit H7307 was not stedfast H539 with God. H410
At that time H6256 they shall call H7121 Jerusalem H3389 the throne H3678 of the LORD; H3068 and all the nations H1471 shall be gathered H6960 unto it, to the name H8034 of the LORD, H3068 to Jerusalem: H3389 neither shall they walk H3212 any more after H310 the imagination H8307 of their evil H7451 heart. H3820
And ye have done H6213 worse H7489 than your fathers; H1 for, behold, H2009 ye walk H1980 every one H376 after H310 the imagination H8307 of his evil H7451 heart, H3820 that they may not hearken H8085 unto me:
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible » Commentary on Judges 2
Commentary on Judges 2 Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
CHAPTER 2
Jud 2:1-10. An Angel Sent to Rebuke the People at Bochim.
1-3. an angel … came from Gilgal to Bochim—We are inclined to think, from the authoritative tone of his language, that he was the Angel of the Covenant (Ex 23:20; Jos 5:14); the same who appeared in human form and announced himself captain of the Lord's host. His coming from Gilgal had a peculiar significance, for there the Israelites made a solemn dedication of themselves to God on their entrance into the promised land [Jos 4:1-9]; and the memory of that religious engagement, which the angel's arrival from Gilgal awakened, gave emphatic force to his rebuke of their apostasy.
Bochim—"the weepers," was a name bestowed evidently in allusion to this incident or the place, which was at or near Shiloh.
I said, I will never break my covenant with you … but ye have not obeyed my voice—The burden of the angel's remonstrance was that God would inviolably keep His promise; but they, by their flagrant and repeated breaches of their covenant with Him, had forfeited all claim to the stipulated benefits. Having disobeyed the will of God by voluntarily courting the society of idolaters and placing themselves in the way of temptation, He left them to suffer the punishment of their misdeeds.
4, 5. when the angel of the Lord spake these words … the people lifted up their voice, and wept—The angel's expostulation made a deep and painful impression. But the reformation was but temporary, and the gratifying promise of a revival which this scene of emotion held out, was, ere long, blasted by speedy and deeper relapses into the guilt of defection and idolatry.
6-10. And when Joshua had let the people go—This passage is a repetition of Jos 24:29-31. It was inserted here to give the reader the reasons which called forth so strong and severe a rebuke from the angel of the Lord. During the lifetime of the first occupiers, who retained a vivid recollection of all the miracles and judgments which they had witnessed in Egypt and the desert, the national character stood high for faith and piety. But, in course of time, a new race arose who were strangers to all the hallowed and solemnizing experience of their fathers, and too readily yielded to the corrupting influences of the idolatry that surrounded them.
Jud 2:11-19. Wickedness of the New Generation after Joshua.
11-19. the children of Israel did evil in the sight of the Lord—This chapter, together with the first eight verses of the next [Jud 2:11-3:8], contains a brief but comprehensive summary of the principles developed in the following history. An attentive consideration of them, therefore, is of the greatest importance to a right understanding of the strange and varying phases of Israelitish history, from the death of Joshua till the establishment of the monarchy.
served Baalim—The plural is used to include all the gods of the country.
13. Ashtaroth—Also a plural word, denoting all the female divinities, whose rites were celebrated by the most gross and revolting impurities.
14. the anger of the Lord was hot against Israel, and he delivered them into the hands of spoilers that spoiled them—Adversities in close and rapid succession befell them. But all these calamities were designed only as chastisements—a course of correctional discipline by which God brought His people to see and repent of their errors; for as they returned to faith and allegiance, He "raised up judges" (Jud 2:16).
16. which delivered them out of the hand of those that spoiled them—The judges who governed Israel were strictly God's vicegerents in the government of the people, He being the supreme ruler. Those who were thus elevated retained the dignity as long as they lived; but there was no regular, unbroken succession of judges. Individuals, prompted by the inward, irresistible impulse of God's Spirit when they witnessed the depressed state of their country, were roused to achieve its deliverance. It was usually accompanied by a special call, and the people seeing them endowed with extraordinary courage or strength, accepted them as delegates of Heaven, and submitted to their sway. Frequently they were appointed only for a particular district, and their authority extended no farther than over the people whose interests they were commissioned to protect. They were without pomp, equipage, or emoluments attached to the office. They had no power to make laws; for these were given by God; nor to explain them, for that was the province of the priests—but they were officially upholders of the law, defenders of religion, avengers of all crimes, particularly of idolatry and its attendant vices.