Judges 2

The Angel of God reproveth Isreal at Bochim, v.1. & c. Where they bewail their sins, 4. A relation of the state of Israel under the judges, wherein their former worship of God, in the time of Joshua, and of the pious Eldest is compared with the sub seuent back –sliding unto all manner of idolatry, for which they are ever and anon punished of God by the enemies, and being delivered by the judges, do again relapse and fall from evil to worse, 6,7, etc. Wherefore God would not expel the Heathen, to try Israel, 20.

1. And an angel of the LORD [Understand the Son of God, as clearly appeareth out of the whole sequel. See also on Judg. 6. V.11.] came upward from Gilgal [See jos. 5.9.] to Bochim: [so called from the weeping of the people, below v.5. lying near Gilgal] and he said, I carried you up out of Egypt, and brought you into a land which I sware unto your fathers, and said; I will not break my covenant with you in eternity.

2. And as for you, ye shall make no league with the inhabitants of this land; ye shall break down their altars: but ye obeyed not my voice; wherefore have ye done this ?

3. Therefore I also said, I will not drive them out before your face; [viz. the Heathen that dwell in Canaan] but they shall be on your sides, [see a further explaining hereof, Numb. 33. 55.] and their gods shall be a snare unto you.

4. And it came to pass, when the Angel of the LORD had spoken these words unto all the children of Israel, that the people lift up their voice and wept.

5. Therefore they called the name of that place Bochim: [i.e, the weeping] and they offered there unto the LORD.

6. When Josua [In the sequel is given the reason wherefore God would not drive out the inhabitants of this land, to wit Israels back-sliding from God] had let the people go, [after he had earnestly exhorted; and strongly engaged to the pure worship of God, jos. 24.] the children of Israel went away every one to his inheritance, for to possess the land hereditarily.

7. And the people served the LORD all the days of Josua: and all the days of the eldest, who had lived long after Josua, [i.e. who had out lived Josua] who had seen all the great works of the LORD, which he had done to Israel.

8. But when Josua the son of Nun, the servant of the LORD, was dead; being an hundred and ten years old; [heb. a son of an hundred and ten years.]

9. And they had buried him in the border of his inheritance, at Timnath-Heres, [Otherwise called timnath-Sereh, jos. 24.30.] upon an hill of Ephraim, toward the north of mount-Jaas;

10. And also0 all that same generation were gathered unto their fathers, there arose then another generation, which knew not the LORD, nor yet the work, which he had done to Israel.

11. Then the children of Israel did that which was evil in the eyes of the LORD: and they served Baalim. [By the name Baal, which signifieth a Lord, did the gentiles commonly call their Idols, because they held them for their Lords, and givers of all good things: and to distinguish them, in regard they were divers, not onely the Heathen, but also the idolatrous Jews, did give or adde unto them certain sirnames, as Baal-Berith, below chap.8.33. Baal-Peor, Numb.25.3. Baal-Zebub, 2 King.1.6 Baal-Astareth, compare below on v.13.and 1King .16.31 the idolatry commited with these was a total departing from God although the backsliding Israelites persuaded themselves that they could honor god by and together with them as that did also with the golden calves 1 Kings 12:28 see Hosea 2:15 and below chapter 8 on verse 33.]

12. And the forsook the Lord the God of their father who had brought them out of the land of Egypt and followed after other Gods of the gods of the nations which were round about them and bowed themselves before them and they provoked the Lord to anger.

13. For they forsook the Lord and served Baal and Asharoth [that is the images of the idols whether male or female called of the heathen Arstarte which the Zidonations and the Philistines had set up in the shape of the sheep see 1Samuel 31.10 1 Kings 11:5,33 2kings 23.14.]

14. That the anger of the Lord kindled against Israel and he gave them into the hand of the spoiler who spoiled them and he sold them into the hand of the enemies [that is he delivered them over as the seller delivereth over the ware that are sold into the hands of the buyer so below chapter 4 on verse 2,19 and chapter 10.7 compare Psalms 44:13] round about and they could no more subsist before the face of their enemies.

15. Everywhere whithersoever they went forth the hand of the Lord was against them for evil [to punish them with all manner of plagues detesters and calamities] according as the Lord had spoken and according as the Lord had sworn unto them and they were greatly distressed [or he viz. the Lord distressed them greatly.]

16. And the Lord stirred up [by a special call and instigation of the spirit] Judges [understand not Lords of the land or kings neither such as executed the ordinary office of a judge and administered justice between man and man which continued among the tribes according to the order appointed and instituted of God by Moses but such as executed the public right and interest of God’s people against their enemies and oppressors and delivered them out of their hand purged and preserved religion paid and protected the commonwealth of Israel in their liberty and assisted the common good both by their service and good counsel see below chapter 3.9 10,15 &c. and 4.1 and 6.25 and 8.23 and so forth] who delivered them out of the hand of those that spoiled them.

17. Yet hearkened not unto the Judges but went a whoring after other gods [see Leviticus 17 on verse 7 and 20 on verse 5] and bowed themselves before them they quickly departed out of the way in which their fathers had walked hearkened to the commandments of the Lord so did not they.

18. 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 judges [that is as long as that judge lived] for it repented the Lord [see genesis 6 on verse 6] because of their groaning by reason of them who distressed them and who oppressed them.

19. But it came to pass with the dying of the Judge that they turned about and corrupted it more then their fathers followed after strange gods serving them and bowing themselves before them they let nothing fall off their works [having no remorse or sorrow or ceasing from their purpose and practice] nor of their hard way [that is of their obstinate and obdurate manner of life and practice whereby they provoked God and hurted themselves as a hard way hurteth and gauleth him that walketh in it .]

20. Therefore the wrath of the Lord kindled against Israel that he said because these people have transgressed my covenant which I commanded their and they have not hearkened unto my voice.

21. Therefore also I will not proceed to drive out of possession anyone of the heathen which Joshua left behind when he died understand which remained of those Joshua had driven out together with the other of whom chapter 1 mention is made.]

22. That through them I may tempt Israel [see Genesis 22 on verse 1below chapter 3.1,4] whether they will keep the way of the Lord to walk in it as their fathers have kept in it or no.

23. So the Lord let those heathen to remain that he drave them not hastily out of possession whom he had not delivered up [or and he gave them not over or had given them over] into the hand of Joshua.