< Judges 2 >

1 And an angel of the Lord went up from Galgal to the place of weepers, and said: I made you go out of Egypt, and have brought you into the land for which I swore to your fathers: and I promised that I would not make void my covenant with you for ever:
And the messenger of Yahweh came up from Gilgal, unto Bochim. And he said—I led you up out of Egypt, and brought you into the land, which I had sworn unto your fathers, And I said, I will not break my covenant with you, to times age-abiding;
2 On condition that you should not make a league with the inhabitants of this land, but should throw down their altars: and you would not hear my voice: why have you done this?
But, ye, must not solemnise a covenant with the inhabitants of this land, Their altars, must ye tear down, —But ye have not hearkened unto my voice, what is this ye have done?
3 Wherefore I would not destroy them from before your face: that you may have enemies, and their gods may be your ruin.
Wherefore also I said, I will not drive them out from before you, —but they shall be your adversaries, and, their gods, shall become unto you a snare.
4 And when the angel of the Lord spoke these words to all the children of Israel, they lifted up their voice, and wept.
And it came to pass, when the messenger of Yahweh had spoken these words unto all the sons of Israel, that the people lifted up their voice, and wept.
5 And the name of that place was called, The place of weepers, or of tears: and there they offered sacrifices to the Lord.
So they called the name of that place, Bochim, and offered sacrifice there, unto Yahweh.
6 And Josue sent away the people, and the children of Israel went every one to his own possession to hold it:
Now, when Joshua had let the people go, the sons of Israel went their way, every man to his inheritance, to take possession of the land.
7 And they served the Lord all his days, and the days of the ancients, that lived a long time after him, and who knew all the works of the Lord, which he had done for Israel.
And 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 which he had wrought for Israel.
8 And Josue the son of Nun, the servant of the Lord, died, being a hundred and ten years old,
So then Joshua, the son of Nun, the servant of Yahweh, died, —being a hundred and ten years old.
9 And they buried him in the borders of his possession in Thamnathsare in mount Ephraim, on the north side of mount Gaas.
And they buried him within the bounds of his inheritance, in Timnath-heres, in the hill country of Ephraim, —on the north of Mount Gaash.
10 And all that generation was gathered to their fathers: and there arose others that knew not the Lord, and the works which he had done for Israel.
All that generation also, were gathered unto their fathers, —and there arose another generation, after them, who had not known Yahweh, nor even the work which he had wrought for Israel.
11 And the children of Israel did evil in the sight of the Lord, and they served Baalim.
So the sons of Israel did the thing that was wicked in the sight of Yahweh, —and served the Baals;
12 And they left the Lord the God of their fathers, who had brought them out of the land of Egypt: and they followed strange gods, and the gods of the people that dwelt round about them, and they adored them: and they provoked the Lord to anger.
and forsook Yahweh, the God of their fathers, who brought them up out of the land of Egypt, and went after other gods, from among the gods of the peoples who were round about them, and bowed themselves down unto them, —and angered Yahweh.
13 Forsaking him, and serving Baal and Astaroth.
Yea, they forsook Yahweh, —and did service unto the Baal and unto Ashtaroth.
14 And the Lord being angry against Israel, delivered them into the hands of plunderers: who took them and sold them to their enemies, that dwelt round about: neither could they stand against their enemies:
Then kindled the anger of Yahweh upon Israel, and he delivered them into the hand of spoilers, who plundered them, —and he sold them into the hand of their enemies round about, so that they could no longer stand before their enemies.
15 But whithersoever they meant to go, the hand of the Lord was upon them, as he had said, and as he had sworn to them: and they were greatly distressed.
Whithersoever they went out, the hand of Yahweh was found to be against them for misfortune, as spake Yahweh, and as sware Yahweh unto them, —and they were distressed exceedingly.
16 And the Lord raised up judges, to deliver them from the hands of those that oppressed them: but they would not hearken to them,
And, though Yahweh raised up judges, —who saved them out of the hand of them that plundered them,
17 Committing fornication with strange gods, and adoring them. They quickly forsook the way, in which their fathers had walked: and hearing the commandments of the Lord, they did all things contrary.
yet, even unto their judges, did thy not hearken, for they went unchastely astray after other gods, and bowed themselves down to them, —they turned aside speedily out of the way wherein their fathers who hearkened unto the commandments of Yahweh, walked, they did not so.
18 And when the Lord raised them up judges, in their days he was moved to mercy, and heard the groanings of the afflicted, and delivered them from the slaughter of the oppressors.
And, when Yahweh raised them up judges, then was Yahweh with the judges, and saved them out of the hand of their enemies, all the days of the judge, —for Yahweh was grieved at their outcry, because of them who oppressed them, and ill-treated them.
19 But after the judge was dead, they returned, and did much worse things than their fathers had done, following strange gods, serving them and adoring them. They left not their own inventions, and the stubborn way, by which they were accustomed to walk.
But, when the judge was dead, they again broke faith more than their fathers, by going their way after other gods, by serving them, and bowing themselves down to them, —they ceased not from their doings nor from their stubborn way.
20 And the wrath of the Lord was kindled against Israel, and he said: Behold this nation hath made void my covenant, which I had made with their fathers, and hath despised to hearken to my voice:
So then the anger of Yahweh kindled upon Israel, and he said—Forasmuch as this nation have transgressed my covenant, which I commanded their fathers, and have not hearkened unto my voice,
21 I also will not destroy the nations which Josue left, when he died:
I also, will no further dispossess a man from before them, —from among the nations which Joshua left remaining, when he died;
22 That through them I may try Israel, whether they will keep the way of the Lord, and walk in it, as their fathers kept it, or not.
that I may, by them, put Israel to the proof, —whether they are going to be observant of the way of Yahweh, to walk therein as their fathers observed it, or not.
23 The Lord therefore left all these nations, and would not quickly destroy them, neither did he deliver them into the hands of Josue.
Thus then Yahweh left these nations, not dispossessing them speedily, —neither had he delivered them into the hand of Joshua

< Judges 2 >