Judges 2
Overview
Judges 2 presents a critical overview of Israel’s cycle of disobedience and the LORD’s response, setting the stage for the rise of judges who would lead and rescue the people. This chapter is pivotal in understanding the recurring themes throughout the Book of Judges. Key points include:
The Angel of the LORD’s Rebuke: The chapter opens with the Angel of the LORD rebuking the Israelites at Bochim for their failure to drive out the Canaanites and for making covenants with them, warning of future consequences.
Israel’s Failure and Its Consequences: Despite the conquests, many nations are left in Canaan, which the LORD intends to use to test Israel’s faithfulness to His commandments. Israel’s failure to fully conquer the land and their intermingling with Canaanites lead to idolatry and disobedience.
The Death of Joshua: The chapter briefly mentions the death of Joshua and his generation, who had experienced the LORD's great works. Following their deaths, a new generation arises that does not know the LORD or what He had done for Israel.
Cycle of Disobedience: The Israelites fall into a pattern of forsaking the LORD and serving Baals and Ashtaroth. This disobedience angers the LORD, leading to their subjugation by surrounding enemies.
Raising of Judges: In response to Israel's distress due to these oppressions, the LORD raises judges to save them. However, the cycle of sin continues as the people repeatedly turn away from God after the death of each judge.
Persistent Rebellion and Divine Mercy: Despite God’s efforts to rescue them through judges, the Israelites persist in their rebellion, following other gods. Yet, the LORD is moved to pity by their groaning under oppression.
Judges 2 critically outlines the fundamental pattern that defines the era of the judges – a cycle of Israel’s sin, punishment by subjugation, crying out to the LORD, and deliverance through judges. This cycle not only highlights Israel’s inconsistency in faithfulness but also God’s persistent mercy and intervention in their history.
The Angel of the LORD’s Rebuke: The chapter opens with the Angel of the LORD rebuking the Israelites at Bochim for their failure to drive out the Canaanites and for making covenants with them, warning of future consequences.
Israel’s Failure and Its Consequences: Despite the conquests, many nations are left in Canaan, which the LORD intends to use to test Israel’s faithfulness to His commandments. Israel’s failure to fully conquer the land and their intermingling with Canaanites lead to idolatry and disobedience.
The Death of Joshua: The chapter briefly mentions the death of Joshua and his generation, who had experienced the LORD's great works. Following their deaths, a new generation arises that does not know the LORD or what He had done for Israel.
Cycle of Disobedience: The Israelites fall into a pattern of forsaking the LORD and serving Baals and Ashtaroth. This disobedience angers the LORD, leading to their subjugation by surrounding enemies.
Raising of Judges: In response to Israel's distress due to these oppressions, the LORD raises judges to save them. However, the cycle of sin continues as the people repeatedly turn away from God after the death of each judge.
Persistent Rebellion and Divine Mercy: Despite God’s efforts to rescue them through judges, the Israelites persist in their rebellion, following other gods. Yet, the LORD is moved to pity by their groaning under oppression.
Judges 2 critically outlines the fundamental pattern that defines the era of the judges – a cycle of Israel’s sin, punishment by subjugation, crying out to the LORD, and deliverance through judges. This cycle not only highlights Israel’s inconsistency in faithfulness but also God’s persistent mercy and intervention in their history.
Judges 2
1 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.
🔑 Devotion
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:
🔑 Devotion
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.
End of Judges 2
1 Year Plan: Apr 10 - Jdg 1, Jdg 2, John 3
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.
🔑 Devotion
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:
🔑 Devotion
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.
End of Judges 2
1 Year Plan: Apr 10 - Jdg 1, Jdg 2, John 3
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