2:1 The Lord’s angelic messenger 1 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. 2 I said, ‘I will never break my agreement 3 with you, 2:2 but you must not make an agreement with the people who live in this land. You should tear down the altars where they worship.’ 4 But you have disobeyed me. 5 Why would you do such a thing? 6 2:3 At that time I also warned you, 7 ‘If you disobey, 8 I will not drive out the Canaanites 9 before you. They will ensnare you 10 and their gods will lure you away.’” 11
2:4 When the Lord’s messenger finished speaking these words to all the Israelites, the people wept loudly. 12 2:5 They named that place Bokim 13 and offered sacrifices to the Lord there.
2:6 When Joshua dismissed 14 the people, the Israelites went to their allotted portions of territory, 15 intending to take possession of the land. 2:7 The people worshiped 16 the Lord throughout Joshua’s lifetime and as long as the elderly men 17 who outlived him remained alive. These men had witnessed 18 all the great things the Lord had done for Israel. 19 2:8 Joshua son of Nun, the Lord’s servant, died at the age of one hundred ten. 2:9 The people 20 buried him in his allotted land 21 in Timnath Heres in the hill country of Ephraim, north of Mount Gaash. 2:10 That entire generation passed away; 22 a new generation grew up 23 that had not personally experienced the Lord’s presence or seen what he had done for Israel. 24
2:11 The Israelites did evil before 25 the Lord by worshiping 26 the Baals. 2:12 They abandoned the Lord God of their ancestors 27 who brought them out of the land of Egypt. They followed other gods – the gods of the nations who lived around them. They worshiped 28 them and made the Lord angry. 2:13 They abandoned the Lord and worshiped Baal and the Ashtars. 29
2:14 The Lord was furious with Israel 30 and handed them over to robbers who plundered them. 31 He turned them over to 32 their enemies who lived around them. They could not withstand their enemies’ attacks. 33 2:15 Whenever they went out to fight, 34 the Lord did them harm, 35 just as he had warned and solemnly vowed he would do. 36 They suffered greatly. 37
2:16 The Lord raised up leaders 38 who delivered them from these robbers. 39
1 sn See Exod 14:19; 23:20.
2 tn Heb “the land that I had sworn to your fathers.”
3 tn Or “covenant” (also in the following verse).
4 tn Heb “their altars.”
5 tn Heb “you have not listened to my voice.”
6 tn Heb “What is this you have done?”
7 tn Heb “And I also said.” The use of the perfect tense here suggests that the messenger is recalling an earlier statement (see Josh 23:12-13). However, some translate, “And I also say,” understanding the following words as an announcement of judgment upon those gathered at Bokim.
8 tn The words “If you disobey” are supplied in the translation for clarity. See Josh 23:12-13.
9 tn Heb “them”; the referent (the Canaanites) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
10 tn The meaning of the Hebrew word צִדִּים (tsiddim) is uncertain in this context. It may be related to an Akkadian cognate meaning “snare.” If so, a more literal translation would be “they will become snares to you.” Normally the term in question means “sides,” but this makes no sense here. On the basis of Num 33:55 some suggest the word for “thorns” has been accidentally omitted. If this word is added, the text would read, “they will become [thorns] in your sides” (cf. NASB, NIV, NLT).
11 tn Heb “their gods will become a snare to you.”
12 tn Heb “lifted their voices and wept.”
13 sn Bokim means “weeping ones” and is derived from the Hebrew verb בָּכָא (bakha’, “to weep”).
14 tn Or “sent away.”
15 tn Heb “the Israelites went each to his inheritance.”
16 tn Or “served”; or “followed.”
17 tn Or perhaps “elders,” which could be interpreted to mean “leaders.”
18 tn Heb “all the days of Joshua and all the days of the old men who outlived him, who had seen.”
19 tn Heb “the great work of the
20 tn Heb “they”; the referent (the people) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
21 tn Heb “in the territory of his inheritance.”
22 tn Heb “All that generation were gathered to their fathers.”
23 tn Heb “arose after them.”
24 tn Heb “that did not know the
25 tn Heb “in the eyes of.”
26 tn Or “serving”; or “following.”
27 tn Or “fathers.”
28 tn Or “bowed before” (the same expression occurs in the following verse).
29 tn Some English translations simply transliterate the plural Hebrew term (“Ashtaroth,” cf. NAB, NASB), pluralize the transliterated Hebrew singular form (“Ashtoreths,” cf. NIV), or use a variation of the name (“Astartes,” cf. NRSV).
30 tn Or “The
31 tn Heb “robbers who robbed them.” (The verb שָׁסָה [shasah] appears twice in the verse.)
32 tn Heb “sold them into the hands of.”
33 tn The word “attacks” is supplied in the translation both for clarity and for stylistic reasons.
34 tn The expression “to fight” is interpretive.
35 tn Heb “the
36 tn Heb “just as he had said and just as he had sworn to them.”
37 tn Or “they experienced great distress.”
38 tn Or more traditionally, “judges” (also in vv. 17, 18 [3x], 19). Since these figures carried out more than a judicial function, also serving as rulers and (in several instances) as military commanders, the translation uses the term “leaders.”
39 tn Heb “and they delivered them from the hand of the ones robbing them.”