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2:1 And an angel of the LORD came up from Gilgal to Bochim, and 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.
2:2 And ye shall make no league with the inhabitants of this land; ye shall throw down their altars: but ye have not obeyed my voice: why have ye done this? 2:3 Wherefore I also said, I will not drive them out from before you; but they shall be as thorns in your sides, and their gods shall be a snare unto you.
2:4 And it came to pass, when the angel of the LORD spake these words unto all the children of Israel, that the people lifted up their voice, and wept.
2:5 And they called the name of that place Bochim: and they sacrificed there unto the LORD.
2:6 And when Joshua had let the people go, the children of Israel went every man unto his inheritance to possess the land.
2:7 And the people served the LORD all the days of Joshua, and all the days of the elders that outlived Joshua, who had seen all the great works of the LORD, that he did for Israel.
2:8 And Joshua the son of Nun, the servant of the LORD, died, being an hundred and ten years old.
2:9 And they buried him in the border of his inheritance in Timnathheres, in the mount of Ephraim, on the north side of the hill Gaash.
2:10 And also all that generation were gathered unto their fathers: and there arose another generation after them, which knew not the LORD, nor yet the works which he had done for Israel.
2:11 And the children of Israel did evil in the sight of the LORD, and served Baalim: 2:12 And they forsook the LORD God of their fathers, which brought them out of the land of Egypt, and followed other gods, of the gods of the people that were round about them, and bowed themselves unto them, and provoked the LORD to anger.
2:13 And they forsook the LORD, and served Baal and Ashtaroth.
2:14 And the anger of the LORD 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, so that they could not any longer stand before their enemies.
2:15 Whithersoever they went out, the hand of the LORD was against them for evil, as the LORD had said, and as the LORD had sworn unto them: and they were greatly distressed.
2:16 Nevertheless the LORD raised up judges, which delivered them out of the hand of those that spoiled them.
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.
2:18 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 judge: for it repented the LORD because of their groanings by reason of them that oppressed them and vexed them.
2:19 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.
2:20 And the anger of the LORD was hot against Israel; and he said, Because that this people hath transgressed my covenant which I commanded their fathers, and have not hearkened unto my voice; 2:21 I also will not henceforth drive out any from before them of the nations which Joshua left when he died: 2:22 That through them I may prove Israel, whether they will keep the way of the LORD to walk therein, as their fathers did keep it, or not.
2:23 Therefore the LORD left those nations, without driving them out hastily; neither delivered he them into the hand of Joshua.


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Everything King James Bible:Judges
Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on the Whole Bible
back to: Judges
Book: Judges
Chapter: 2

Overview:
The Angel of the Lord rebukes the people. (1-5) The wickedness
of the new Generation after Joshua. (6-23)

1-5 It was the great Angel of the Covenant, the Word, the Son
of God, who spake with Divine authority as Jehovah, and now
called them to account for their disobedience. God sets forth
what he had done for Israel, and what he had promised. Those who
throw off Communion with God, and have Fellowship with the
unfruitful Works of Darkness, know not what they do now, and
will have nothing to say for themselves in the Day of account
shortly. They must expect to suffer for this their folly. Those
deceive themselves who expect advantages from friendship with
God's enemies. God often makes men's Sin their Punishment; and
thorns and snares are in the way of the froward, who will walk
contrary to God. The people wept, crying out against their own
folly and ingratitude. They trembled at the Word, and not
without cause. It is a wonder sinners can ever read the Bible
with dry eyes. Had they kept close to God and their duty, No
voice but that of singing had been heard in their Congregation;
but By their Sin and folly they made other work for themselves,
and nothing is to be heard but the voice of weeping. The Worship
of God, in its own nature, is joy, praise, and thanksgiving; our
sins alone render weeping needful. It is pleasing to see men
weep for their sins; but our tears, prayers, and even amendment,
cannot atone for Sin.

6-23 We have a general idea of the course of things in Israel,
during the time of the Judges. The nation made themselves as
mean and miserable By forsaking God, as they would have been
great and happy if they had continued Faithful to him. Their
Punishment answered to the evil they had done. They served the
gods of the nations round about them, even the meanest, and God
made them serve the princes of the nations round about them,
even the meanest. Those who have found God true to his promises,
may be sure that he will be as true to his threatenings. He
might in Justice have abandoned them, but he could not for pity
do it. The Lord was with the Judges when he raised them up, and
So they became saviours. In the days of the greatest distress of
the Church, there shall be some whom God will find or make fit
to help it. The Israelites were not thoroughly reformed; So mad
were they upon their idols, and So obstinately bent to
Backslide. Thus those who have forsaken the good ways of God,
which they have once known and professed, commonly grow most
daring and desperate in Sin, and have their hearts hardened.
Their Punishment was, that the Canaanites were spared, and So
they were beaten with their own rod. Men cherish and indulge
their corrupt appetites and passions; therefore God justly
leaves them to themselves, under the power of their sins, which
will be their ruin. God has told us how deceitful and
desperately wicked our hearts are, but we are not willing to
believe it, until By making bold with Temptation we find it true
By sad experience. We need to examine how matters stand with
ourselves, and to pray without ceasing, that we may be rooted
and grounded in Love, and that Christ may Dwell in our hearts By
Faith. Let us declare War against every Sin, and follow after
Holiness all our days.

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