Judges 2:17-20

2:17 But they did not obey ¹  their leaders. Instead they prostituted themselves to other gods and worshiped ²  them. They quickly turned aside from the path ³  their ancestors ⁴  had walked. Their ancestors had obeyed the Lord’s commands, but they did not. ⁵  2:18 When the Lord raised up leaders for them, the Lord was with each leader and delivered the people ⁶  from their enemies while the leader remained alive. The Lord felt sorry for them ⁷  when they cried out in agony because of what their harsh oppressors did to them. ⁸  2:19 When a leader died, the next generation ⁹  would again ¹⁰  act more wickedly than the previous one. ¹¹  They would follow after other gods, worshiping them ¹²  and bowing down to them. They did not give up ¹³  their practices or their stubborn ways.

A Divine Decision

2:20 The Lord was furious with Israel. ¹⁴  He said, “This nation ¹⁵  has violated the terms of the agreement I made with their ancestors ¹⁶  by disobeying me. ¹⁷ 

[2:17]  ¹ tn Or “did not listen to.”

[2:17]  ² tn Or “bowed before.”

[2:17]  ³ tn Or “way [of life].”

[2:17]  ⁴ tn Or “fathers.”

[2:17]  ⁵ tn Heb “…walked, obeying the Lord’s commands. They did not do this.”

[2:18]  ⁶ tn Heb “them”; the referent (the people) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[2:18]  ⁷ tn The phrase “for them” is supplied in the translation for clarity.

[2:18]  ⁸ 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.

[2:19]  ⁹ tn Heb “they”; the referent (the next generation) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[2:19]  ¹⁰ tn 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]  ¹¹ tn Heb “their fathers.”

[2:19]  ¹² tn Or “serving [them]”; or “following [them].”

[2:19]  ¹³ tn Or “drop.”

[2:20]  ¹⁴ tn Or “The Lord’s anger burned [or “raged”] against Israel.”

[2:20]  ¹⁵ tn Heb “Because this nation.”

[2:20]  ¹⁶ tn Heb “my covenant which I commanded their fathers.”

[2:20]  ¹⁷ tn Heb “and has not listened to my voice.” The expression “to not listen to [God’s] voice” is idiomatic here for disobeying him.