Yet they didn’t listen to their judges; for they prostituted themselves to other gods, and bowed themselves down to them. They quickly turned away from the way in which their fathers walked, obeying Yahweh’s commandments. They didn’t do so. When Yahweh raised up judges for them, then Yahweh was with the judge, and saved them out of the hand of their enemies all the days of the judge; for it grieved Yahweh because of their groaning by reason of those who oppressed them and troubled them. But when the judge was dead, they turned back, and dealt more corruptly than their fathers in following other gods to serve them and to bow down to them. They didn’t cease what they were doing, or give up their stubborn ways.
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Judges 2:17-19 sits inside this longer paragraph.
When Yahweh’s angel spoke these words to all the children of Israel, the people lifted up their voice and wept. They called the name of that place Bochim, and they sacrificed there to Yahweh. Now when Joshua had sent the people away, the children of Israel each went to his inheritance to possess the land. The people served Yahweh all the days of Joshua, and all the days of the elders who outlived Joshua, who had seen all the great work of Yahweh that he had worked for Israel. Joshua the son of Nun, the servant of Yahweh, died, being one hundred ten years old. They buried him in the border of his inheritance in Timnath Heres, in the hill country of Ephraim, on the north of the mountain of Gaash. After all that generation were gathered to their fathers, another generation arose after them who didn’t know Yahweh, nor the work which he had done for Israel. The children of Israel did that which was evil in Yahweh’s sight, and served the Baals. They abandoned Yahweh, the God of their fathers, who brought them out of the land of Egypt, and followed other gods, of the gods of the peoples who were around them, and bowed themselves down to them; and they provoked Yahweh to anger. They abandoned Yahweh, and served Baal and the Ashtaroth. Yahweh’s anger burned against Israel, and he delivered them into the hands of raiders who plundered them. He sold them into the hands of their enemies all around, so that they could no longer stand before their enemies. Wherever they went out, Yahweh’s hand was against them for evil, as Yahweh had spoken, and as Yahweh had sworn to them; and they were very distressed. Yahweh raised up judges, who saved them out of the hand of those who plundered them. Yet they didn’t listen to their judges; for they prostituted themselves to other gods, and bowed themselves down to them. They quickly turned away from the way in which their fathers walked, obeying Yahweh’s commandments. They didn’t do so. When Yahweh raised up judges for them, then Yahweh was with the judge, and saved them out of the hand of their enemies all the days of the judge; for it grieved Yahweh because of their groaning by reason of those who oppressed them and troubled them. But when the judge was dead, they turned back, and dealt more corruptly than their fathers in following other gods to serve them and to bow down to them. They didn’t cease what they were doing, or give up their stubborn ways. Yahweh’s anger burned against Israel; and he said, “Because this nation transgressed my covenant which I commanded their fathers, and has not listened to my voice, I also will no longer drive out any of the nations that Joshua left when he died from before them; that by them I may test Israel, to see if they will keep Yahweh’s way to walk therein, as their fathers kept it, or not.” So Yahweh left those nations, without driving them out hastily. He didn’t deliver them into Joshua’s hand.
Parallel Translations
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Yet they didn’t listen to their judges; for they prostituted themselves to other gods, and bowed themselves down to them. They quickly turned away from the way in which their fathers walked, obeying Yahweh’s commandments. They didn’t do so.
When Yahweh raised up judges for them, then Yahweh was with the judge, and saved them out of the hand of their enemies all the days of the judge; for it grieved Yahweh because of their groaning by reason of those who oppressed them and troubled them.
But when the judge was dead, they turned back, and dealt more corruptly than their fathers in following other gods to serve them and to bow down to them. They didn’t cease what they were doing, or give up their stubborn ways.
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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.
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And yet they hearkened not unto their judges, for they went astray after other gods, and worshipped them; they turned aside quickly out of the way wherein their fathers walked, obeying the commandments of the LORD; they did not so.
And when the LORD raised them up judges, then the LORD was with the judge, and saved them out of the hand of their enemies all the days of the judge; for it repented the LORD because of their groaning by reason of them that oppressed them and crushed them.
But it came to pass, when the judge was dead, that they turned back, and dealt more corruptly than their fathers, in following other gods to serve them, and to worship them; they left nothing undone of their practices, nor of their stubborn way.
Cross-references (46)
- Deuteronomy 32:36 (v18) For Yahweh will judge his people, and have compassion on his servants, when he sees that their power is gone; that there is no one…
- Joshua 1:5 (v18) No man will be able to stand before you all the days of your life. As I was with Moses, so I will be with you. I will not fail you nor…
- Judges 8:33 (v19) As soon as Gideon was dead, the children of Israel turned again and played the prostitute following the Baals, and made Baal Berith their…
- Exodus 2:24 (v18) God heard their groaning, and God remembered his covenant with Abraham, with Isaac, and with Jacob.
- Deuteronomy 9:12 (v17) Yahweh said to me, “Arise, get down quickly from here; for your people whom you have brought out of Egypt have corrupted themselves. They…
Show all 44 cross-references
- Judges 4:1 (v19) The children of Israel again did that which was evil in Yahweh’s sight, when Ehud was dead.
- Galatians 1:6 (v17) I marvel that you are so quickly deserting him who called you in the grace of Christ to a different “good news”,
- Judges 2:7 (vv17, 19) The people served Yahweh all the days of Joshua, and all the days of the elders who outlived Joshua, who had seen all the great work of…
- 2 Kings 13:22-23 (v18) Hazael king of Syria oppressed Israel all the days of Jehoahaz. But Yahweh was gracious to them, and had compassion on them, and had…
- Psalms 106:44-45 (v18) Nevertheless he regarded their distress, when he heard their cry. He remembered for them his covenant, and repented according to the…
- Hosea 11:8 (v18) “How can I give you up, Ephraim? How can I hand you over, Israel? How can I make you like Admah? How can I make you like Zeboiim? My heart…
- Genesis 6:6 (v18) Yahweh was sorry that he had made man on the earth, and it grieved him in his heart.
- Judges 3:11-12 (v19) The land had rest forty years, then Othniel the son of Kenaz died. The children of Israel again did that which was evil in Yahweh’s sight,…
- 2 Kings 13:4 (v18) Jehoahaz begged Yahweh, and Yahweh listened to him; for he saw the oppression of Israel, how the king of Syria oppressed them.
- 2 Chronicles 24:17-18 (v19) Now after the death of Jehoiada, the princes of Judah came, and bowed down to the king. Then the king listened to them. They abandoned the…
- Judges 10:16 (v18) They put away the foreign gods from among them and served Yahweh; and his soul was grieved for the misery of Israel.
- Hosea 2:2 (v17) Contend with your mother! Contend, for she is not my wife, neither am I her husband; and let her put away her prostitution from her face,…
- Matthew 23:32 (v19) Fill up, then, the measure of your fathers.
- Revelation 17:1-5 (v17) One of the seven angels who had the seven bowls came and spoke with me, saying, “Come here. I will show you the judgment of the great…
- Joshua 24:31 (vv17, 19) Israel served Yahweh all the days of Joshua, and all the days of the elders who outlived Joshua, and had known all the work of Yahweh, that…
- Exodus 3:12 (v18) He said, “Certainly I will be with you. This will be the token to you, that I have sent you: when you have brought the people out of Egypt,…
- Exodus 32:8 (v17) They have turned away quickly out of the way which I commanded them. They have made themselves a molded calf, and have worshiped it, and…
- Exodus 34:15-16 (v17) “Don’t make a covenant with the inhabitants of the land, lest they play the prostitute after their gods, and sacrifice to their gods, and…
- Leviticus 17:7 (v17) They shall no more sacrifice their sacrifices to the goat idols, after which they play the prostitute. This shall be a statute forever to…
- Deuteronomy 9:16 (v17) I looked, and behold, you had sinned against Yahweh your God. You had made yourselves a molded calf. You had quickly turned away from the…
- Joshua 24:24 (v17) The people said to Joshua, “We will serve Yahweh our God, and we will listen to his voice.”
- 1 Samuel 8:5-8 (v17) They said to him, “Behold, you are old, and your sons don’t walk in your ways. Now make us a king to judge us like all the nations.” But…
- 1 Samuel 12:12 (v17) “When you saw that Nahash the king of the children of Ammon came against you, you said to me, ‘No, but a king shall reign over us;’ when…
- 1 Samuel 12:17 (v17) Isn’t it wheat harvest today? I will call to Yahweh, that he may send thunder and rain; and you will know and see that your wickedness is…
- 1 Samuel 12:19 (v17) All the people said to Samuel, “Pray for your servants to Yahweh your God, that we not die; for we have added to all our sins this evil, to…
- 2 Chronicles 36:15-16 (v17) Yahweh, the God of their fathers, sent to them by his messengers, rising up early and sending, because he had compassion on his people, and…
- Psalms 73:27 (v17) For, behold, those who are far from you shall perish. You have destroyed all those who are unfaithful to you.
- Psalms 106:39 (v17) Thus they were defiled with their works, and prostituted themselves in their deeds.
- Psalms 106:43 (v17) He rescued them many times, but they were rebellious in their counsel, and were brought low in their iniquity.
- Jeremiah 18:7-10 (v18) At the instant I speak concerning a nation, and concerning a kingdom, to pluck up and to break down and to destroy it; if that nation,…
- Jeremiah 23:17 (v19) They say continually to those who despise me, ‘Yahweh has said, “You will have peace;” ’ and to everyone who walks in the stubbornness of…
- 1 Samuel 15:23 (v19) For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, and stubbornness is as idolatry and teraphim. Because you have rejected Yahweh’s word, he has…
- Psalms 12:5 (v18) “Because of the oppression of the weak and because of the groaning of the needy, I will now arise,” says Yahweh; “I will set him in safety…
- Psalms 78:8 (v19) and might not be as their fathers, a stubborn and rebellious generation, a generation that didn’t make their hearts loyal, whose spirit was…
- Psalms 90:13 (v18) Relent, Yahweh! How long? Have compassion on your servants!
- Jeremiah 3:17 (v19) At that time they will call Jerusalem ‘Yahweh’s Throne;’ and all the nations will be gathered to it, to Yahweh’s name, to Jerusalem. They…
- Jeremiah 16:12 (v19) You have done evil more than your fathers, for behold, you each walk after the stubbornness of his evil heart, so that you don’t listen to…
- Jonah 3:10 (v18) God saw their works, that they turned from their evil way. God relented of the disaster which he said he would do to them, and he didn’t do…
- Acts 18:9-10 (v18) The Lord said to Paul in the night by a vision, “Don’t be afraid, but speak and don’t be silent; for I am with you, and no one will attack…
44 distinct cross-references across this passage (46 total citations).
Cross-references from openbible.info (CC BY 4.0)
Explain this passage (14 sources)
Historical commentary, presented as a primary source — not an endorsement.
Private notes
Saved on this device only — never synced or sent anywhere.
Geneva Bible translators 1599 · Public Domain On vv17–19 Meaning, from the true religion.
Meaning, from the true religion.
Geneva Bible (1599) marginal notes — public domain.
John Trapp 1656 · Public Domain On vv17–19 Jdg 2:17 And yet they would not hearken unto…
Jdg 2:17 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.
Ver. 17. But they went a whoring.] Carried on by a spirit of fornication, a strong inclination, a vehement impetus to whoredom; so that they care not how they waste all upon it, and will not be reclaimed: so idolaters.
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They turned quickly out of the way.] See Gal 1:6, with the note.
Which their fathers walked in.] Grace is not hereditary. Good progenitors may have a degenerate and unregenerate offspring.
John Trapp, A Commentary or Exposition upon All the Books of the Old and New Testament (1647–1656) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
Matthew Poole 1685 · Public Domain On vv17–19 Their judges admonished them of their sin and folly,…
Their judges admonished them of their sin and folly, and of the danger and misery which would certainly befall them.
Matthew Poole's English Annotations on the Holy Bible (1683–1685) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.
John Gill 1763 · Public Domain On vv17–19 And yet they would not hearken unto their judges,....…
And yet they would not hearken unto their judges,.... Afterwards, or not always; but when they admonished them of their sins, and advised them to walk in the good ways of God, and serve him only; they turned a deaf ear to them, and went on in their own ways, which is a sad aggravation of their iniquities:
but they went a whoring after their gods, and bowed themselves unto them; committing spiritual adultery, for such idolatry is, and is often so represented in Scripture; for by it they broke the covenant God made with them, which had the nature of a matrimonial contract, and in which God was an husband to them; and therefore serving other gods was rejecting him as such, and committing whoredom with others; than which nothing was more provoking to God, jealous of his honour and glory:
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they turned quickly out of the way which their fathers walked in; as soon as ever Joshua and the elders were dead, they departed from the God of their fathers, and the way in which they worshipped him; and so likewise quickly after they had been delivered by the judges, or however as soon as they were dead:
obeying the commandments of the Lord; serving him at his tabernacle, according to the laws, commands, and ordinances he gave to Moses, which is to be understood of their fathers:
but they did not so; did not walk in the same way, nor serve the Lord, and obey his commands, as their fathers did; but all the reverse.
John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible (1746–1763) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.
John Wesley 1765 · Public Domain On vv17–19 Their Judges - Who admonished them of their sin…
Their Judges - Who admonished them of their sin and folly, and of the danger and misery which would certainly befall them.
John Wesley, Explanatory Notes Upon the Whole Bible (1754–1765) — public domain. Text via the GEBible commentary corpus.
Adam Clarke 1810 · Public Domain On vv17–19 Verse 17. Went a whoring after other gods] Idolatry,…
Verse 17. Went a whoring after other gods] Idolatry, or the worship of strange gods, is frequently termed adultery, fornication, and whoredom, in the sacred writings. As many of their idolatrous practices were accompanied with impure rites, the term was not only metaphorically but literally proper.
Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible (1810–1826) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.
Joseph Benson 1811 · Public Domain On v18 Jdg 2:18-19. For it repented the Lord — That…
Jdg 2:18-19. For it repented the Lord — That is, the Lord changed his course and dealings with them, as penitent men use to do; removed his judgments, and returned to them in mercy. When the judge was dead they returned — To their former and usual course. More than their fathers — In Egypt, or in the wilderness. Their own doings — That is, from their evil practices, which he calls their own, because they were agreeable to their own natures, which in all mankind are deeply and universally corrupted, and because they were familiar and customary to them.
Joseph Benson's Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1811–1818) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
Albert Barnes 1834 · Public Domain On v18 It repented the Lord - Rather, “the Lord was…
It repented the Lord - Rather, “the Lord was moved with compassion,” or “was grieved,” “because of their groanings.” (Compare Jdg 21:15.)
Albert Barnes' Notes on the Bible (1834–1885) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.
Haydock's Catholic Bible Commentary 1859 · Public Domain On vv17–19 Quickly. They had persevered in virtue under the government…
Quickly. They had persevered in virtue under the government of Josue and of the elders, for the space of forty years, according to Marsham and Houbigant. The former places the first state of anarchy and of idolatry 34 years after Josue, allowing 15 years for the administration of the surviving ancients, and the remainder to bring the nation to such a pitch of wickedness as to force God to abandon it to the dominion of Chusan, for eight years. --- Walked. Hebrew and Septuagint, "walked, obeying the commands of the Lord: they did not so."
George Leo Haydock (1774–1849), Haydock's Catholic Family Bible and Commentary, 1859 edition — public domain. Excludes Psalms (Douay-Rheims chapter numbering differs from Protestant) and Deuterocanonical books (Catholic canon only).
Daniel D. Whedon 1874 · Public Domain On vv17–19 17. And yet they would not hearken unto their…
17. And yet they would not hearken unto their judges — It is natural that they who have redeemed a nation should be its first rulers. Against the commands of these, the ungrateful people ran headlong into those idolatries for which they had just been suffering punishment.
Went a whoring after other gods — The covenant of God is regarded as sacred as the marriage tie. To break that covenant, and worship another god, corresponds to an act of infidelity on the part of a wife. Hence idolatry is spiritual adultery.
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They turned quickly out of the way — The leaven of idolatry, with its moral abominations, was brought into contact with the people at so many points that the whole commonwealth was quickly pervaded with the dreadful abomination. Worship is a powerful assimilator. Men become like their gods.
Daniel D. Whedon (gen. ed.), Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1874–1909) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges 1878 · Public Domain On vv17–19 17. they went a whoring after other gods] As…
17. they went a whoring after other gods] As notoriously after the death of Gideon Jdg_8:33 (cf. Jdg_8:27). This figurative expression occurs in the Pent., and especially in the prophets Hos. and Ezek., to denote forcibly Israel’s unfaithfulness to Jehovah. As prostitution was a common feature of Semitic cults, the words may have been used originally in a literal sense, and afterwards metaphorically.
their fathers] i.e. Joshua and his contemporaries, Jdg_2:7.
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This verse interrupts the connexion between Jdg_2:16; Jdg_2:18, and the phraseology and thought are not so distinctly Deuteronomic as the rest of the passage. The verse “seems to be the exclamation of a reader rather than the reflexion of a compiler” (Lagrange).
The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges (gen. ed. J. J. S. Perowne; Cambridge University Press, 1878–1918) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers 1878 · Public Domain On vv17–19 (17) Went a whoring.—Idolatry throughout the Bible is regarded…
(17) Went a whoring.—Idolatry throughout the Bible is regarded as a spiritual adultery. (Exo_34:15; Isa_54:5; Jer_3:8; Eze_23:37; Hos_2:7; 2Co_11:2, &c.)
The way which their fathers walked in.—As described in Jdg_2:7.
A Bible Commentary for English Readers, edited by Charles John Ellicott (1878–1897) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
C. I. Scofield 1917 · Public Domain On v18 The judges were tribesmen in Israel upon whom the…
judges
The judges were tribesmen in Israel upon whom the Lord laid the burden of Israel’s apostate and oppressed state. They were the spiritual ancestors of the prophets; that is to say, men raised up of God, the theocratic King, to represent Him in the nation. They were patriots and religious reformers because national security and prosperity were inseparably connected with loyalty and obedience to Jehovah. Not one of the chosen deliverers had anything whereof to glory in the flesh. Othniel was but the son of the younger brother of Caleb; Ehud was a left-handed man and an assassin; Shamgar, a rustic with an ox-goad; Deborah, a woman; Gideon, of an obscure family in the smallest tribe, etc. Each of the classes mentioned in 1Co 1:27; 1Co 1:28 is illustrated among the judges.
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repented
(See Scofield "Zec 8:14").
The Scofield Reference Bible (1917 edition), notes by C. I. Scofield — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
unfoldingWord translationNotes 2017 · CC BY-SA 4.0 On v18 When Yahweh raised up judges
When Yahweh raised up judges
Yahweh appointing persons to be judges is spoken of as if he raised or lifted up the persons. (See: Metaphor)
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judges for them ... rescued them
The word "them" refers to the Israelites.
the hand of their enemies
Here "hand" refers to power of the enemies to hurt Israel. AT: "the power of their enemies" (See: Metonymy)
all the days the judge lived
"as long as the judge lived"
pity
to have compassion for someone or something
as they groaned
The sound made by a person who suffers is used to describe the pain of the Israelites as they suffer. AT: "as they suffered" (See: Metonymy)
they would turn away
The people no longer obeying Yahweh is spoken of as if they would physically turn away from Yahweh. (See: Metaphor)
their fathers
"their ancestors" or "their forefathers"
They would go after other gods to serve them and worship them
The Israelites worshiping other gods is spoken of as if they were walking and going after other gods. AT: "They would serve and worship other gods" (See: Metaphor)
They refused to give up any of their evil practices or their stubborn ways
"They refused to stop doing evil things and being stubborn." This can be stated in positive form. AT: "They continued doing evil things and being stubborn" (See: Litotes)
translationWords
Yahweh
raise
judge, judges
power
adversary
life
oppress
afflicted
die
turn
corrupt
ancestor
false god
servant
worship
evil
stiff-necked
unfoldingWord translationNotes — © Distant Shores Media and the Door43 World Missions Community, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Source: git.door43.org/Door43/en_tn.