Judges 2:16-18

2:16 The Lord raised up leaders ¹  who delivered them from these robbers. ²  2:17 But they did not obey ³  their leaders. Instead they prostituted themselves to other gods and worshiped ⁴  them. They quickly turned aside from the path ⁵  their ancestors ⁶  had walked. Their ancestors had obeyed the Lord’s commands, but they did not. ⁷  2:18 When the Lord raised up leaders for them, the Lord was with each leader and delivered the people ⁸  from their enemies while the leader remained alive. The Lord felt sorry for them ⁹  when they cried out in agony because of what their harsh oppressors did to them. ¹⁰ 

[2:16]  ¹ 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.”

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

[2:17]  ³ tn Or “did not listen to.”

[2:17]  ⁴ tn Or “bowed before.”

[2:17]  ⁵ tn Or “way [of life].”

[2:17]  ⁶ tn Or “fathers.”

[2:17]  ⁷ tn Heb “…walked, obeying the Lord’s commands. They did not do this.”

[2:18]  ⁸ tn Heb “them”; the referent (the people) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[2:18]  ⁹ tn The phrase “for them” is supplied in the translation for clarity.

[2:18]  ¹⁰ tn 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.