Judges Chapter 2

2 Naphtali drove not out the inhabitants of Beth-shemesh, nor the inhabitants of Beth-anath; but he dwelt among the Canaanites, the inhabitants of the land: nevertheless the inhabitants of Beth-shemesh and of Beth-anath became subject to taskwork.

3 And the Amorites forced the children of Dan into the hill-country; for they would not suffer them to come down to the valley;

4 but the Amorites would dwell in mount Heres, in Aijalon, and in Shaalbim: yet the hand of the house of Joseph prevailed, so that they became subject to taskwork.

5 And the border of the Amorites was from the ascent of Akrabbim, from the rock, and upward.

6 And the angel of Jehovah came up from Gilgal to Bochim. And he said, I made you to go up out of Egypt, and have brought you unto the land which I sware unto your fathers; and I said, I will never break my covenant with you:

7 and ye shall make no covenant with the inhabitants of this land; ye shall break down their altars. But ye have not hearkened unto my voice: why have ye done this?

8 Wherefore I also said, I will not drive them out from before you; but they shall be

9 as thorns in your sides, and their gods shall be a snare unto you.

10 And it came to pass, when the angel of Jehovah spake these words unto all the children of Israel, that the people lifted up their voice, and wept.

11 And they called the name of that place Bochim: and they sacrificed there unto Jehovah.

12 Now when Joshua had sent the people away, the children of Israel went every man unto his inheritance to possess the land.

13 And the people served Jehovah all the days of Joshua, and all the days of the elders that outlived Joshua, who had seen all the great work of Jehovah that he had wrought for Israel.

14 And Joshua the son of Nun, the servant of Jehovah, died, being a hundred and ten years old.

15 And 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.

16 And also all that generation were gathered unto their fathers: and there arose another generation after them, that knew not Jehovah, nor yet the work which he had wrought for Israel.

17 And the children of Israel did that which was evil in the sight of Jehovah, and served the Baalim;

18 and they forsook Jehovah, the God of their fathers, who brought them out of the land of Egypt, and followed other gods, of the gods of the peoples that were round about them, and bowed themselves down unto them: and they provoked Jehovah to anger.

19 And they forsook Jehovah, and served Baal and the Ashtaroth.

20 And the anger of Jehovah was kindled against Israel, and he delivered them into the hands of spoilers that despoiled them; and he sold them into the hands of their enemies round about, so that they could not any longer stand before their enemies.

21 Whithersoever they went out, the hand of Jehovah was against them for evil, as Jehovah had spoken, and as Jehovah had sworn unto them: and they were sore distressed.

22 And Jehovah raised up judges, who saved them out of the hand of those that despoiled them.

23 And yet they hearkened not unto their judges; for they played the harlot after other gods, and bowed themselves down unto them: they turned aside quickly out of the way wherein their fathers walked, obeying the commandments of Jehovah;

darby (darby) - eBible.org Darby 1890 plaintext

1 And the Angel of Jehovah came up from Gilgal to Bochim, and said, I made you to go up out of Egypt, and have brought you to the land which I swore unto your fathers; and I said, I will never break my covenant with you; and as for you,

2 ye shall make no covenant with the inhabitants of this land; ye shall throw down their altars: but ye have not hearkened unto my voice. Why have ye done this?

3 Wherefore I also said, I will not drive them out from before you; but they shall be [scourges] in your sides, and theirgods shall be a snare unto you.

4 And it came to pass, when the Angel of Jehovah spoke these words to all the children of Israel, that the people lifted up their voice and wept.

5 And they called the name of that place Bochim; and they sacrificed there to Jehovah.

6 And Joshua dismissed the people, and the children of Israel went every man to his inheritance to possess the land.

7 And the people served Jehovah all the days of Joshua, and all the days of the elders whose days were prolonged after Joshua, who had seen all the great works of Jehovah, which he had done for Israel.

8 And Joshua the son of Nun, the servant of Jehovah, died, a hundred and ten years old.

9 And they buried him in the border of his inheritance in Timnath-Heres, in mount Ephraim, on the north side of the mountain of Gaash.

10 And also all that generation were gathered to their fathers; and there arose another generation after them, which knew not Jehovah, nor yet the works which he had done for Israel.

11 And the children of Israel did evil in the sight of Jehovah, and served the Baals.

12 And they forsook Jehovah theGod of their fathers, who had brought them up out of the land of Egypt, and followed othergods of thegods of the peoples that were round about them, and bowed themselves to them, and provoked Jehovah to anger.

13 And they forsook Jehovah, and served Baal and the Ashtoreths.

14 And the anger of Jehovah was hot against Israel, and he delivered them into the hands of spoilers that spoiled them, and he sold them into the hands of their enemies round about; and they could not any longer stand before their enemies.

15 Whithersoever they went out the hand of Jehovah was against them for evil, as Jehovah had said, and as Jehovah had sworn unto them; and they were greatly distressed.

16 And Jehovah raised up judges, and they saved them out of the hand of those that spoiled them.

17 But they did not even hearken to their judges, for they went a whoring after othergods, and bowed themselves to them; they turned quickly out of the way that their fathers had walked in, obeying the commandments of Jehovah; they did not so.

18 And when Jehovah raised them up judges, then Jehovah was with the judge, and saved them out of the hand of their enemies all the days of the judge; for it repented Jehovah because of their groanings by reason of them that oppressed them and crushed them.

19 And it came to pass when the judge died, that they turned back and corrupted themselves more than their fathers, in following othergods to serve them, and to bow down to them: they ceased not from their own doings, nor from their stubborn way.

20 And the anger of Jehovah was hot against Israel; and he said, Because this nation hath transgressed my covenant which I commanded their fathers, and hath not hearkened unto my voice,

21 I also will not henceforth dispossess from before them any of the nations that Joshua left when he died;

22 that through them I may prove Israel, whether they will keep the way of Jehovah to walk therein, as their fathers did keep [it], or not.

23 Therefore Jehovah left those nations, without dispossessing them hastily, neither delivered he them into the hand of Joshua.

lxxbrent (lxxbrent) - Septuagint (Brenton 1851) eBible USFM

1 And an angel of the Lord went up from Galgal to the [place of] weeping, and to Bæthel, and to the house of Israel, and said to them, Thus says the Lord, I brought you up out of Egypt, and I brought you into the land which I sware to your fathers; and I said, I will never break my covenant that I have made with you.

2 And ye shall make no covenant with them that dwell in this land, neither shall ye worship their gods; but ye shall destroy their graven images, ye shall pull down their altars: but ye hearkened not to my voice, for ye did these things.

3 And I said, I will not drive them out from before you, but they shall be for a distress to you, and their gods shall be to you for an offence.

4 And it came to pass when the angel of the Lord spoke these words to all the children of Israel, that the people lifted up their voice, and wept.

5 And they named the name of that place Weepings; and they sacrificed there to the Lord.

6 And Joshua dismissed the people, and they went every man to his inheritance, to inherit the land.

7 And the people served the Lord all the days of Joshua, and all the days of the elders that lived many days with Joshua, as many as knew all the great work of the Lord, what things he had wrought in Israel.

8 And Joshua the son of Naue, the servant of the Lord, died, a hundred and ten years old.

9 And they buried him in the border of his inheritance, in Thamnathares, in mount Ephraim, on the north of the mountain of Gaas.

10 And all that generation were laid to their fathers: and another generation rose up after them, who knew not the Lord, nor yet the work which he wrought in Israel.

11 And the children of Israel wrought evil before the Lord, and served Baalim.

12 And they forsook the Lord God of their fathers, who brought them out of the land of Egypt, and walked after other gods, of the gods of the nations round about them; and they worshipped them.

13 And they provoked the Lord, and forsook him, and served Baal and the Astartes.

14 And the Lord was very angry with Israel; and he gave them into the hands of the spoilers, and they spoiled them; and he sold them into the hands of their enemies round about, and they could not any longer resist their enemies,

15 among whomsoever they went; and the hand of the Lord was against them for evil, as the Lord spoke, and as the Lord sware to them; and he greatly afflicted them.

16 And the Lord raised up judges, and the Lord saved them out of the hands of them that spoiled them: and yet they hearkened not to the judges,

17 for they went a whoring after other gods, and worshipped them; and they turned quickly out of the way in which their fathers walked to hearken to the words of the Lord; they did not so.

18 And because the Lord raised them up judges, so the Lord was with the judge, and saved them out of the hand of their enemies all the days of the judge; for the Lord was moved at their groaning by reason of them that besieged them and afflicted them.

19 And it came to pass when the judge died, that they went back, and again corrupted [themselves] worse than their fathers to go after other gods to serve them and to worship them: they abandoned not their devices nor their stubborn ways.

20 And the Lord was very angry with Israel, and said, Forasmuch as this nation has forsaken my covenant which I commanded their fathers, and has not hearkened to my voice,

21 therefore I will not any more cast out a man of the nations from before their face, which Joshua the son of Naue left in the land. And [the Lord] left [them],

22 to prove Israel with them, whether they would keep the way of the Lord, to walk in it, as their fathers kept it, or no.

23 So the Lord will leave these nations, so as not to cast them out suddenly; and he delivered them not into the hand of Joshua.

vul1914 (vul1914) - Vulgate 1914 UTF-8 (sacredbible.org)

1 Ascenditque Angelus Domini de Galgalis ad Locum flentium, et ait: Eduxi vos de Ægypto, et introduxi in Terram, pro qua iuravi patribus vestris: et pollicitus sum ut non facerem irritum pactum meum vobiscum in sempiternum:

2 ita dumtaxat ut non feriretis fœdus cum habitatoribus Terræ huius, sed aras eorum subverteretis: et noluistis audire vocem meam: cur hoc fecistis?

3 Quam ob rem nolui delere eos a facie vestra: ut habeatis hostes, et dii eorum sint vobis in ruinam.

4 Cumque loqueretur Angelus Domini hæc verba ad omnes filios Israel: elevaverunt ipsi vocem suam, et fleverunt.

5 Et vocatum est nomen loci illius: Locus flentium, sive lacrymarum: immolaveruntque ibi hostias Domini.

6 Dimisit ergo Iosue populum, et abierunt filii Israel unusquisque in possessionem suam, ut obtinerent eam:

7 servieruntque Domino cunctis diebus eius, et seniorum, qui longo post eum vixerunt tempore, et noverant omnia opera Domini, quæ fecerat cum Israel.

8 Mortuus est autem Iosue filius Nun, famulus Domini, centum et decem annorum,

9 et sepelierunt eum in finibus possessionis suæ in Thamnathsare in monte Ephraim, a Septentrionali plaga montis Gaas.

10 Omnisque illa generatio congregata est ad patres suos: et surrexerunt alii, qui non noverant Dominum, et opera quæ fecerat cum Israel.

11 Feceruntque filii Israel malum in conspectu Domini, et servierunt Baalim.

12 Ac dimiserunt Dominum Deum patrum suorum, qui eduxerat eos de Terra Ægypti: et secuti sunt deos alienos, deosque populorum, qui habitabant in circuitu eorum, et adoraverunt eos: et ad iracundiam concitaverunt Dominum,

13 dimittentes eum, et servientes Baal et Astaroth.

14 Iratusque Dominus contra Israel, tradidit eos in manus diripientium: qui ceperunt eos, et vendiderunt hostibus, qui habitabant per gyrum: nec potuerunt resistere adversariis suis:

15 sed quocumque pergere voluissent, manus Domini super eos erat, sicut locutus est, et iuravit eis: et vehementer afflicti sunt.

16 Suscitavitque Dominus iudices, qui liberarent eos de vastantium manibus: sed nec eos audire voluerunt,

17 fornicantes cum diis alienis, et adorantes eos. Cito deseruerunt viam, per quam ingressi fuerant patres eorum: et audientes mandata Domini, omnia fecere contraria.

18 Cumque Dominus iudices suscitaret, in diebus eorum flectebatur misericordia, et audiebat afflictorum gemitus, et liberabat eos de cæde vastantium.

19 Postquam autem mortuus esset iudex, revertebantur, et multo faciebant peiora quam fecerant patres eorum, sequentes deos alienos, servientes eis, et adorantes illos. Non dimiserunt adinventiones suas, et viam durissimam, per quam ambulare consueverunt.

20 Iratusque est furor Domini in Israel, et ait: Quia irritum fecit gens ista pactum meum, quod pepigeram cum patribus eorum, et vocem meam audire contempsit:

21 et ego non delebo gentes, quas dimisit Iosue, et mortuus est:

22 ut in ipsis experiar Israel, utrum custodiant viam Domini, et ambulent in ea, sicut custodierunt patres eorum, an non.

23 Dimisit ergo Dominus omnes nationes has, et cito subvertere noluit, nec tradidit in manus Iosue.

web (web) - WorldEnglish.Bible — CC0 modern update of ASV

1 The LORD’s angel came up from Gilgal to Bochim. He said, “I brought you out of Egypt, and have brought you to the land which I swore to give your fathers. I said, ‘I will never break my covenant with you.

2 You shall make no covenant with the inhabitants of this land. You shall break down their altars.’ But you have not listened to my voice. Why have you done this?

3 Therefore I also said, ‘I will not drive them out from before you; but they shall be in your sides, and their gods will be a snare to you.’”

4 When the LORD’s angel spoke these words to all the children of Israel, the people lifted up their voice and wept.

5 They called the name of that place Bochim, and they sacrificed there to the LORD.

6 Now when Joshua had sent the people away, the children of Israel each went to his inheritance to possess the land.

7 The people served the LORD all the days of Joshua, and all the days of the elders who outlived Joshua, who had seen all the great work of the LORD that he had worked for Israel.

8 Joshua the son of Nun, the servant of the LORD, died, being one hundred ten years old.

9 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.

10 After all that generation were gathered to their fathers, another generation arose after them who didn’t know the LORD, nor the work which he had done for Israel.

11 The children of Israel did that which was evil in the LORD’s sight, and served the Baals.

12 They abandoned the LORD, 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 the LORD to anger.

13 They abandoned the LORD, and served Baal and the Ashtaroth.

14 The LORD’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.

15 Wherever they went out, the LORD’s hand was against them for evil, as the LORD had spoken, and as the LORD had sworn to them; and they were very distressed.

16 The LORD raised up judges, who saved them out of the hand of those who plundered them.

17 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 the LORD’s commandments. They didn’t do so.

18 When the LORD raised up judges for them, 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 grieved the LORD because of their groaning by reason of those who oppressed them and troubled them.

19 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.

20 The LORD’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,

21 I also will no longer drive out any of the nations that Joshua left when he died from before them;

22 that by them I may test Israel, to see if they will keep the LORD’s way to walk therein, as their fathers kept it, or not.”

23 So the LORD left those nations, without driving them out hastily. He didn’t deliver them into Joshua’s hand.

ylt (ylt) - Bible.com YLT98 plain UTF-8

1 And a messenger of Jehovah goeth up from Gilgal unto Bochim,

2 and saith, `I cause you to come up out of Egypt, and bring you in unto the land which I have sworn to your fathers, and say, I do not break My covenant with you to the age; and ye--ye make no covenant with the inhabitants of this land--their altars ye break down; and ye have not hearkened to My voice--what <FI>is<Fi> this ye have done?

3 And I also have said, I do not cast them out from your presence, and they have been to you for adversaries, and their gods are to you for a snare.'

4 And it cometh to pass, when the messenger of Jehovah speaketh these words unto all the sons of Israel, that the people lift up their voice and weep,

5 and they call the name of that place Bochim, and sacrifice there to Jehovah.

6 And Joshua sendeth the people away, and the sons of Israel go, each to his inheritance, to possess the land;

7 and the people serve Jehovah all the days of Joshua, and all the days of the elders who prolonged days after Joshua, who saw all the great work of Jehovah which He did to Israel.

8 And Joshua son of Nun, servant of Jehovah, dieth, a son of a hundred and ten years,

9 and they bury him in the border of his inheritance, in Timnath-Heres, in the hill-country of Ephraim, on the north of mount Gaash;

10 and also all that generation have been gathered unto their fathers, and another generation riseth after them who have not known Jehovah, and even the work which He hath done to Israel.

11 And the sons of Israel do the evil thing in the eyes of Jehovah, and serve the Baalim,

12 and forsake Jehovah, God of their fathers, who bringeth them out from the land of Egypt, and go after other gods (of the gods of the peoples who <FI>are<Fi> round about them), and bow themselves to them, and provoke Jehovah,

13 yea, they forsake Jehovah, and do service to Baal and to Ashtaroth.

14 And the anger of Jehovah burneth against Israel, and He giveth them into the hand of spoilers, and they spoil them, and He selleth them into the hand of their enemies round about, and they have not been able any more to stand before their enemies;

15 in every <FI>place<Fi> where they have gone out, the hand of Jehovah hath been against them for evil, as Jehovah hath spoken, and as Jehovah hath sworn to them, and they are distressed--greatly.

16 And Jehovah raiseth up judges, and they save them from the hand of their spoilers;

17 and also unto their judges they have not hearkened, but have gone a-whoring after other gods, and bow themselves to them; they have turned aside <FI>with<Fi> haste out of the way <FI>in<Fi> which their fathers walked to obey the commands of Jehovah--they have not done so.

18 And when Jehovah raised up to them judges--then was Jehovah with the judge, and saved them out of the hand of their enemies all the days of the judge; for it repenteth Jehovah, because of their groaning from the presence of their oppressors, and of those thrusting them away.

19 And it hath come to pass, at the death of the judge--they turn back and have done corruptly above their fathers, to go after other gods, to serve them, and to bow themselves to them; they have not fallen from their doings, and from their stiff way.

20 And the anger of Jehovah doth burn against Israel, and He saith, `Because that this nation have transgressed My covenant which I commanded their fathers, and have not hearkened to My voice--

21 I also continue not to dispossess any from before them of the nations which Joshua hath left when he dieth,

22 in order to try Israel by them, whether they are keeping the way of Jehovah, to go in it, as their fathers kept <FI>it<Fi> or not.'

23 And Jehovah leaveth these nations, so as not to dispossess them hastily, and did not give them into the hand of Joshua.

Explanations by Age Level

Explain Like I'm 5

A long, long time ago, there was nothing at all - no earth, no sky, no animals, no people. It was all dark and empty. But God was there! God is so powerful that He can make anything just by speaking. So God said "Let there be light!" and BOOM! There was light everywhere! God saw that the light was beautiful and good. He called the light "day" and the darkness "night." This was the very first day when God started making our wonderful world!

Explain Like I'm 10

Before anything existed - no planets, stars, or life - God decided to create the universe. The earth started out as a dark, empty place covered with water. But God's Spirit was there, ready to bring order and beauty to everything. When God spoke and said "Let there be light," light immediately appeared because God's words have incredible power. God looked at the light and was pleased with what He had made. He organized time by separating light (day) from darkness (night), creating the first 24-hour period. This shows us that God is organized and purposeful in everything He does.

Explain Like I'm 15

Genesis 1:1-5 establishes fundamental theological truths about God and creation. The Hebrew word "bara" (created) indicates creation from nothing (ex nihilo), demonstrating God's absolute sovereignty and power. The phrase "without form and void" (tohu wa-bohu) describes a state of chaos that God transforms into order. The Spirit of God "hovering" or "brooding" over the waters suggests active, caring involvement in creation. The creation of light before the sun (created on day 4) indicates that God Himself is the ultimate source of light and energy. The establishment of day and night creates the framework of time, showing that God operates within orderly patterns while transcending them. This passage refutes both atheistic materialism and pantheism, establishing that God is both transcendent (separate from creation) and immanent (actively involved in it).