Judges 2:11-19

Context

A Monotonous Cycle

2:11 The Israelites did evil before¹ the Lord by worshiping² the Baals. 2:12 They abandoned the Lord God of their ancestors³ who brought them out of the land of Egypt. They followed other gods – the gods of the nations who lived around them. They worshiped⁴ them and made the Lord angry. 2:13 They abandoned the Lord and worshiped Baal and the Ashtars.⁵

2:14 The Lord was furious with Israel⁶ and handed them over to robbers who plundered them.⁷ He turned them over to⁸ their enemies who lived around them. They could not withstand their enemies’ attacks.⁹ 2:15 Whenever they went out to fight,¹⁰ the Lord did them harm,¹¹ just as he had warned and solemnly vowed he would do.¹² They suffered greatly.¹³

2:16 The Lord raised up leaders¹⁴ who delivered them from these robbers.¹⁵ 2:17 But they did not obey¹⁶ their leaders. Instead they prostituted themselves to other gods and worshiped¹⁷ them. They quickly turned aside from the path¹⁸ their ancestors¹⁹ had walked. Their ancestors had obeyed the Lord’s commands, but they did not.²⁰ 2:18 When the Lord raised up leaders for them, the Lord was with each leader and delivered the people²¹ from their enemies while the leader remained alive. The Lord felt sorry for them²² when they cried out in agony because of what their harsh oppressors did to them.²³ 2:19 When a leader died, the next generation²⁴ would again²⁵ act more wickedly than the previous one.²⁶ They would follow after other gods, worshiping them²⁷ and bowing down to them. They did not give up²⁸ their practices or their stubborn ways.

[2:11] ¹tn Heb “in the eyes of.”

[2:11] ²tn Or “serving”; or “following.”

[2:12] ³tn Or “fathers.”

[2:12] ⁴tn Or “bowed before” (the same expression occurs in the following verse).

[2:13] ⁵tn 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).

[2:14] ⁶tn Or “The Lord’s anger burned [or “raged”] against Israel.”

[2:14] ⁷tn Heb “robbers who robbed them.” (The verb שָׁסָה [shasah] appears twice in the verse.)

[2:14] ⁸tn Heb “sold them into the hands of.”

[2:14] ⁹tn The word “attacks” is supplied in the translation both for clarity and for stylistic reasons.

[2:15] ¹⁰tn The expression “to fight” is interpretive.

[2:15] ¹¹tn Heb “the Lord’s hand was against them for harm.”

[2:15] ¹²tn Heb “just as he had said and just as he had sworn to them.”

[2:15] ¹³tn Or “they experienced great distress.”

[2:16] ¹⁴tn 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.”

[2:16] ¹⁵tn Heb “and they delivered them from the hand of the ones robbing them.”

[2:17] ¹⁶tn Or “did not listen to.”

[2:17] ¹⁷tn Or “bowed before.”

[2:17] ¹⁸tn Or “way [of life].”

[2:17] ¹⁹tn Or “fathers.”

[2:17] ²⁰tn Heb “…walked, obeying the Lord’s commands. They did not do this.”

[2:18] ²¹tn Heb “them”; the referent (the people) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[2:18] ²²tn The phrase “for them” is supplied in the translation for clarity.

[2:18] ²³tn Heb “the ones oppressing them and afflicting them.” The synonyms “oppressing” and “afflicting” are joined together in the translation as “harsh oppressors” to emphasize the cruel character of their enemies.

[2:19] ²⁴tn Heb “they”; the referent (the next generation) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[2:19] ²⁵tn The verb שׁוּב (shuv, “to return; to turn”) is sometimes translated “turn back” here, but it is probably used in an adverbial sense, indicating that the main action (“act wickedly”) is being repeated.

[2:19] ²⁶tn Heb “their fathers.”

[2:19] ²⁷tn Or “serving [them]”; or “following [them].”

[2:19] ²⁸tn Or “drop.”