Judges 2
1 Yahweh [appeared in the form of] an angel [and] went up from Gilgal to [a place that was later called] Bokim. He said [to the Israeli people], “I brought your [ancestors] up here from Egypt. I led them into this land that I solemnly promised to give to your ancestors. I said to them, ‘The agreement that I made with you, as for me, I will never (break it/say that it is ended).
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 But as for you, you must never make a peace agreement with the people who live in this land. You must tear down the altars [where they make sacrifices to idols].’ But you have not obeyed me.
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 So now, I am telling you that I will not expel [your enemies] as you advance. They will be like thorns in your sides. And [they] will try to trap you [by making you worship] their idols.”
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 After he told that to all the Israelis, the people cried loudly.
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 They called that place Bokim, [which means ‘weeping’]. There they offered sacrifices to Yahweh.
So they called the name of that place, Bochim, and offered sacrifice there, unto Yahweh.
6 After Joshua sent the Israeli people away, each group went to possess the land that had been allotted to them.
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 They served Yahweh as long as Joshua was alive, and as long as the elders, those who had seen all the great things that Yahweh had done for Israel, were alive.
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 Then Yahweh’s servant Joshua died. He was 110 years old when he died.
So then Joshua, the son of Nun, the servant of Yahweh, died, —being a hundred and ten years old.
9 They buried his body in the area he had received [from Moses], at Timnath-Serah, in the area where the descendants of Ephraim lived, north of Gaash Mountain.
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 After all the people died who lived at the same time as Joshua [EUP], a group of people grew up who did not know Yahweh, and did not know what great things he had done for the Israeli people.
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 They did things that Yahweh said were very evil. They worshiped [idols that represented the god] Baal and the goddess Astarte. They worshiped [DOU] the various gods that the people-groups around them worshiped. They stopped worshiping Yahweh, the God their ancestors worshiped, the one who had brought their ancestors out of Egypt. That caused Yahweh to be very angry.
So the sons of Israel did the thing that was wicked in the sight of Yahweh, —and served the Baals;
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.
Yea, they forsook Yahweh, —and did service unto the Baal and unto Ashtaroth.
14 So he allowed people from other groups to raid them and steal their crops and animals. They were no longer able to resist their enemies, and Yahweh allowed all their enemies around them to defeat them.
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 Whenever the Israelis went to fight [their enemies], Yahweh [MTY] was opposing them, and allowed their enemies to defeat them, just as he had promised he would do. So the Israelis 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 Then Yahweh gave leaders to them. These leaders rescued the Israelis from the people who were raiding them.
And, though Yahweh raised up judges, —who saved them out of the hand of them that plundered them,
17 But the Israelis still would not pay attention to their leaders. Instead, they went to the idols, [acting like] prostitutes [who gave themselves to men who were not their husbands] [MET], and they worshiped those idols. They were not like their ancestors. Their ancestors obeyed what Yahweh commanded, but their descendants quickly stopped behaving as their ancestors had behaved.
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 Whenever Yahweh gave a leader to them, he helped that leader and enabled him to rescue the people from their enemies. He helped them like that as long as that leader was alive. Yahweh pitied them as they groaned because they were being oppressed and caused to suffer.
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 that leader died, the people went back to behaving in ways even more evil than their ancestors had behaved. They worshiped other gods and bowed down to them and did all [LIT] the things that they thought those gods wanted them to do.
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 So Yahweh was very angry with the Israeli people. He said, “These people have disobeyed the agreement I made with their ancestors. They have not done what I told them to do.
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 So I will no longer expel the people-groups that Joshua left in this land 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 I will use them to test the Israeli people to see whether they will do what I want them to do, as their ancestors did.”
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 Yahweh had allowed those people-groups to stay in that land. He did not expel them by allowing Joshua [and his men] to defeat them.
Thus then Yahweh left these nations, not dispossessing them speedily, —neither had he delivered them into the hand of Joshua
