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.
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?
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.
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.
And they called the name of that place Bochim: and they sacrificed there unto the Lord.
And when Joshua had let the people go, the children of Israel went every man unto his inheritance to possess the land.
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.
And Joshua the son of Nun, the servant of the Lord, died, being an hundred and ten years old.
And they buried him in the border of his inheritance in Timnath–heres, in the mount of Ephraim, on the north side of the hill Gaash.
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.
And the children of Israel did evil in the sight of the Lord, and served Baalim:
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.
And they forsook the Lord, and served Baal and Ashtaroth.
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.
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.
Nevertheless the Lord raised up judges, which delivered them out of the hand of those that spoiled them.
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.
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.
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.
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;
I also will not henceforth drive out any from before them of the nations which Joshua left when he died:
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.
Therefore the Lord left those nations, without driving them out hastily; neither delivered he them into the hand of Joshua.
Judges 2 is a pivotal chapter in the Book of Judges, setting the stage for the cyclical pattern that defines this period of Israel's history. It highlights Israel's failure to fully obey God's command to drive out the Canaanites, leading to a cycle of sin, oppression, repentance, and deliverance. This chapter serves as a solemn warning and a testament to God's enduring patience and justice.
The Angel of the Lord's Rebuke (Judges 2:1-5)
Judges 2:1-5 should be understood as a continuation of the narrative from chapter 1, where we see the individual tribes of Israel failing to completely expel the Canaanites from their allotted territories. This failure, stemming from a mix of indifference and fear, draws a sharp response from God.
The "angel of the Lord" who appears at Bochim (meaning "weeping") is likely a Christophany, a pre-incarnate appearance of the Son of God. This is supported by the angel's claim to have brought Israel out of Egypt and into the Promised Land (Judges 2:1), actions attributed to God Himself. The angel's presence echoes the encounter in Joshua 5:13-15, where the "commander of the Lord's army" receives worship and declares the ground holy.
This divine messenger reminds the Israelites of God's faithfulness in fulfilling His covenant to bring them out of Egypt and into the Promised Land. He emphasizes that God's commitment to the covenant was contingent on their obedience. However, they broke this covenant by failing to destroy the Canaanite altars and gods (Judges 2:2), thus aligning themselves with a worldview fundamentally opposed to the God who delivered them. As a consequence, God declares He will not drive out the remaining Canaanites (Judges 2:3). This decision has dual implications: the Canaanites will become a constant source of temptation and trouble, and Israel will face attacks and plundering from the unconquered territories.
The people's initial reaction is one of grief and repentance. They weep loudly and offer sacrifices to God (Judges 2:4-5). However, this sorrow proves to be short-lived and superficial, failing to bring about lasting change.
A Generational Breakdown (Judges 2:6-10)
In Judges 2:6-10, the narrative rewinds to provide context and explain the recurring pattern that will unfold in the subsequent chapters. The author reminds us that the people worshiped the LORD throughout Joshua’s lifetime (Judges 2:7). This section mirrors the content of Joshua 24:28-31, highlighting Joshua's faithful leadership, which not only secured victories but also maintained the people's obedience to God.
However, after Joshua and his generation passed away, a new generation arose "who did not know the Lord or the works that he had done for Israel" (Judges 2:10). This generational spiritual breakdown is a stark warning. Parents had failed to transfer their faith in God to their children. Repeatedly Moses had told the Israelites to teach their children the ways of God to avoid this very situation (Deuteronomy 6:4-7). The failure to transmit faith from one generation to the next resulted in a tragic decline. The family breaks down, and with it, civilization crumbles.
The Cycle of Sin, Oppression, and Deliverance (Judges 2:11-19)
With the passing of Joshua's generation, the Israelites turned away from the Lord and embraced the idolatry of the Canaanites (Judges 2:11-13). They worshiped false gods like Baal and Ashtaroth, fertility deities associated with degrading practices such as temple prostitution and even human sacrifice. Idols are anything that you look to as your source—of meaning, provision, deliverance, and fulfillment. The Israelites had lost faith in God as their source and began to look to the natural realm.
This apostasy provoked God's anger, leading Him to use Israel's enemies to punish them (Judges 2:14-15). The Lord handed them over to marauders and sold them to the enemies around them. Since they submitted to the evil system, God allowed that system to rule them. Unconquered enemy groups raided and enslaved Israel, causing great distress. From the people’s perspective, the bad things that happened to them might have just seemed like bad luck, but in reality God himself was working against them. If God is against you, it doesn’t matter what you have going for you.
In His mercy, God would then raise up a deliverer, a "judge," to rescue Israel from their oppressors (Judges 2:16-18). These judges, empowered by God, combined spiritual, civic, and military leadership to deliver Israel. As a result of Israel’s unfaithfulness, God’s anger burned against them and whenever the Israelites went out, the LORD brought disaster on them (Judges 2:15). The Lord would continue to guide His people through that human judge until the judge died.
Sadly, the cycle would repeat itself after each judge's death. The Israelites would revert to worshiping other gods, their sin becoming even worse with each cycle (Judges 2:19). This pattern highlights the people’s lack of spiritual depth and a failure to internalize the lessons of their history.
God's Purpose in Leaving the Canaanites (Judges 2:20-23)
In response to Israel's persistent sin, God ceased to fully enable their conquest of the Promised Land (Judges 2:20-21). He allowed the Canaanites to remain as a test for Israel, to see whether they would turn back to Him and obey (Judges 2:22-23). A test is a negative reality that God allows in your life so that you can see how serious (or lacking) your spiritual devotion to him is. God uses a test to validate or invalidate your commitment. A divine test, then, is a blessing because it enables you to know the strength of your commitment to the Lord.
This chapter demonstrates the consequences of disobedience and the importance of intergenerational faith. It also reveals God's patient but firm hand in guiding His people, even through painful consequences, towards repentance and a deeper relationship with Him. The enduring question is not whether God will remain faithful, but whether His people will choose to do the same.
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.
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?
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.
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.
And they called the name of that place Bochim: and they sacrificed there unto the Lord.
And when Joshua had let the people go, the children of Israel went every man unto his inheritance to possess the land.
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.
And Joshua the son of Nun, the servant of the Lord, died, being an hundred and ten years old.
And they buried him in the border of his inheritance in Timnath–heres, in the mount of Ephraim, on the north side of the hill Gaash.
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.
And the children of Israel did evil in the sight of the Lord, and served Baalim:
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.
And they forsook the Lord, and served Baal and Ashtaroth.
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.
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.
Nevertheless the Lord raised up judges, which delivered them out of the hand of those that spoiled them.
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.
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.
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.
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;
I also will not henceforth drive out any from before them of the nations which Joshua left when he died:
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.
Therefore the Lord left those nations, without driving them out hastily; neither delivered he them into the hand of Joshua.
Judges 2 is a pivotal chapter in the Book of Judges, setting the stage for the cyclical pattern that defines this period of Israel's history. It highlights Israel's failure to fully obey God's command to drive out the Canaanites, leading to a cycle of sin, oppression, repentance, and deliverance. This chapter serves as a solemn warning and a testament to God's enduring patience and justice.
The Angel of the Lord's Rebuke (Judges 2:1-5)
Judges 2:1-5 should be understood as a continuation of the narrative from chapter 1, where we see the individual tribes of Israel failing to completely expel the Canaanites from their allotted territories. This failure, stemming from a mix of indifference and fear, draws a sharp response from God.
The "angel of the Lord" who appears at Bochim (meaning "weeping") is likely a Christophany, a pre-incarnate appearance of the Son of God. This is supported by the angel's claim to have brought Israel out of Egypt and into the Promised Land (Judges 2:1), actions attributed to God Himself. The angel's presence echoes the encounter in Joshua 5:13-15, where the "commander of the Lord's army" receives worship and declares the ground holy.
This divine messenger reminds the Israelites of God's faithfulness in fulfilling His covenant to bring them out of Egypt and into the Promised Land. He emphasizes that God's commitment to the covenant was contingent on their obedience. However, they broke this covenant by failing to destroy the Canaanite altars and gods (Judges 2:2), thus aligning themselves with a worldview fundamentally opposed to the God who delivered them. As a consequence, God declares He will not drive out the remaining Canaanites (Judges 2:3). This decision has dual implications: the Canaanites will become a constant source of temptation and trouble, and Israel will face attacks and plundering from the unconquered territories.
The people's initial reaction is one of grief and repentance. They weep loudly and offer sacrifices to God (Judges 2:4-5). However, this sorrow proves to be short-lived and superficial, failing to bring about lasting change.
A Generational Breakdown (Judges 2:6-10)
In Judges 2:6-10, the narrative rewinds to provide context and explain the recurring pattern that will unfold in the subsequent chapters. The author reminds us that the people worshiped the LORD throughout Joshua’s lifetime (Judges 2:7). This section mirrors the content of Joshua 24:28-31, highlighting Joshua's faithful leadership, which not only secured victories but also maintained the people's obedience to God.
However, after Joshua and his generation passed away, a new generation arose "who did not know the Lord or the works that he had done for Israel" (Judges 2:10). This generational spiritual breakdown is a stark warning. Parents had failed to transfer their faith in God to their children. Repeatedly Moses had told the Israelites to teach their children the ways of God to avoid this very situation (Deuteronomy 6:4-7). The failure to transmit faith from one generation to the next resulted in a tragic decline. The family breaks down, and with it, civilization crumbles.
The Cycle of Sin, Oppression, and Deliverance (Judges 2:11-19)
With the passing of Joshua's generation, the Israelites turned away from the Lord and embraced the idolatry of the Canaanites (Judges 2:11-13). They worshiped false gods like Baal and Ashtaroth, fertility deities associated with degrading practices such as temple prostitution and even human sacrifice. Idols are anything that you look to as your source—of meaning, provision, deliverance, and fulfillment. The Israelites had lost faith in God as their source and began to look to the natural realm.
This apostasy provoked God's anger, leading Him to use Israel's enemies to punish them (Judges 2:14-15). The Lord handed them over to marauders and sold them to the enemies around them. Since they submitted to the evil system, God allowed that system to rule them. Unconquered enemy groups raided and enslaved Israel, causing great distress. From the people’s perspective, the bad things that happened to them might have just seemed like bad luck, but in reality God himself was working against them. If God is against you, it doesn’t matter what you have going for you.
In His mercy, God would then raise up a deliverer, a "judge," to rescue Israel from their oppressors (Judges 2:16-18). These judges, empowered by God, combined spiritual, civic, and military leadership to deliver Israel. As a result of Israel’s unfaithfulness, God’s anger burned against them and whenever the Israelites went out, the LORD brought disaster on them (Judges 2:15). The Lord would continue to guide His people through that human judge until the judge died.
Sadly, the cycle would repeat itself after each judge's death. The Israelites would revert to worshiping other gods, their sin becoming even worse with each cycle (Judges 2:19). This pattern highlights the people’s lack of spiritual depth and a failure to internalize the lessons of their history.
God's Purpose in Leaving the Canaanites (Judges 2:20-23)
In response to Israel's persistent sin, God ceased to fully enable their conquest of the Promised Land (Judges 2:20-21). He allowed the Canaanites to remain as a test for Israel, to see whether they would turn back to Him and obey (Judges 2:22-23). A test is a negative reality that God allows in your life so that you can see how serious (or lacking) your spiritual devotion to him is. God uses a test to validate or invalidate your commitment. A divine test, then, is a blessing because it enables you to know the strength of your commitment to the Lord.
This chapter demonstrates the consequences of disobedience and the importance of intergenerational faith. It also reveals God's patient but firm hand in guiding His people, even through painful consequences, towards repentance and a deeper relationship with Him. The enduring question is not whether God will remain faithful, but whether His people will choose to do the same.