Judg 2 | BSB | STEP | Now the Angel of the LORD went up from Gilgal to Bochim and said, “I brought you up out of Egypt and led you into the land I had promised to your fathers, and I said, ‘I will never break My covenant with you,

‏ Judges 2

Israel Rebuked at Bochim

1 Now the Angel of the LORD went up from Gilgal to Bochim and said, “I brought you up out of Egypt and led you into the land I had promised to your fathers, and I said, ‘I will never break My covenant with you, 2 and you are not to make a covenant with the people of this land, but you shall tear down their altars.’ Yet you have not obeyed Me. What is this you have done? 3 So now I tell you that I will not drive out [these people] before you; they will be [thorns] in your sides, and their gods will be a snare to you.” 4 When the Angel of the LORD had spoken these words to all the Israelites, the people lifted up their voices and wept. 5 So they called that place Bochim ^{▼▼Bochim means weepers} and offered sacrifices there to the LORD.

Joshua's Death and Burial

6 After Joshua had dismissed the people, the Israelites went out to take possession of the land, each to his own inheritance. 7 And the people served the LORD all the days of Joshua [and] of the elders who outlived [him] [and] had seen all the great works the LORD had done for Israel. 8 And Joshua son of Nun, the servant of the LORD, died at the age of 110 . 9 They buried him in the land of his inheritance, at Timnath-heres ^{▼▼Also known as Timnath-Serah (see Joshua 19:50 and 24:30)} in the hill country of Ephraim, north of Mount Gaash.

Israel's Unfaithfulness

10 After that whole generation had also been gathered to their fathers, another generation rose up, who did not know the LORD or the works He had done for Israel. 11 And the Israelites did evil in the sight of the LORD and served the Baals. 12 Thus they forsook the LORD, the God of their fathers, who had brought them out of the land of Egypt, and they followed after various gods of the people all around them. They bowed down to them and provoked the LORD {to anger} , 13 for they forsook Him and served Baal and the Ashtoreths. 14 Then the anger of the LORD burned against Israel, and He handed them over to raiders who plundered them. He sold them into the hands of their enemies all around, whom they were no longer able to resist. 15 Wherever [Israel] marched out, the hand of the LORD was against them to bring calamity, just as He had sworn to them. So they were greatly distressed .

Judges Raised Up

16 Then the LORD raised up judges, who delivered them from the hands of these raiders. 17 [Israel,] however, did not listen to their judges. Instead, they prostituted themselves with other gods and bowed down to them. They quickly turned from the way of their fathers, who had walked in obedience to the LORD’s commandments; they did not do as their fathers [had done] . 18 Whenever the LORD raised up a judge for the Israelites, [He] was with that judge and delivered them from the hands of their enemies while the judge was still alive; for the LORD was moved to pity by their groaning under those who oppressed and afflicted them. 19 But when the judge died, the Israelites became even more corrupt than their fathers, going after other gods to serve them and bow down to them. They would not turn from their evil practices and stubborn ways. 20 So the anger of the LORD burned against Israel, and He said, “Because this nation has transgressed the covenant I laid down for their fathers and has not heeded My voice, 21 I will no longer drive out before them any of the nations Joshua left when he died. 22 In this way I will test whether Israel will keep the way of the LORD by walking in it as their fathers did.” 23 That is why the LORD had left those nations in place and had not driven them out immediately by delivering them into the hand of Joshua.