7 And the people H5971 served H5647 the LORD H3068 all the days H3117 of Joshua, H3091 and all the days H3117 of the elders H2205 that outlived H748 H3117 H310 Joshua, H3091 who had seen H7200 all the great H1419 works H4639 of the LORD, H3068 that he did H6213 for Israel. H3478
And Israel H3478 served H5647 the LORD H3068 all the days H3117 of Joshua, H3091 and all the days H3117 of the elders H2205 that overlived H748 H3117 H310 Joshua, H3091 and which had known H3045 all the works H4639 of the LORD, H3068 that he had done H6213 for Israel. H3478
And when they had finished H3615 it, they brought H935 the rest H7605 of the money H3701 before H6440 the king H4428 and Jehoiada, H3077 whereof were made H6213 vessels H3627 for the house H1004 of the LORD, H3068 even vessels H3627 to minister, H8335 and to offer H5927 withal, and spoons, H3709 and vessels H3627 of gold H2091 and silver. H3701 And they offered H5927 burnt offerings H5930 in the house H1004 of the LORD H3068 continually H8548 all the days H3117 of Jehoiada. H3077 But Jehoiada H3077 waxed old, H2204 and was full H7646 of days H3117 when he died; H4191 an hundred H3967 and thirty H7970 years H8141 old H1121 was he when he died. H4194 And they buried H6912 him in the city H5892 of David H1732 among the kings, H4428 because he had done H6213 good H2896 in Israel, H3478 both toward God, H430 and toward his house. H1004 Now after H310 the death H4194 of Jehoiada H3077 came H935 the princes H8269 of Judah, H3063 and made obeisance H7812 to the king. H4428 Then the king H4428 hearkened H8085 unto them. And they left H5800 the house H1004 of the LORD H3068 God H430 of their fathers, H1 and served H5647 groves H842 and idols: H6091 and wrath H7110 came upon Judah H3063 and Jerusalem H3389 for this their trespass. H819 Yet he sent H7971 prophets H5030 to them, to bring them again H7725 unto the LORD; H3068 and they testified H5749 against them: but they would not give ear. H238 And the Spirit H7307 of God H430 came H3847 upon Zechariah H2148 the son H1121 of Jehoiada H3077 the priest, H3548 which stood H5975 above the people, H5971 and said H559 unto them, Thus saith H559 God, H430 Why transgress H5674 ye the commandments H4687 of the LORD, H3068 that ye cannot prosper? H6743 because ye have forsaken H5800 the LORD, H3068 he hath also forsaken H5800 you. And they conspired H7194 against him, and stoned H7275 him with stones H68 at the commandment H4687 of the king H4428 in the court H2691 of the house H1004 of the LORD. H3068 Thus Joash H3101 the king H4428 remembered H2142 not the kindness H2617 which Jehoiada H3077 his father H1 had done H6213 to him, but slew H2026 his son. H1121 And when he died, H4194 he said, H559 The LORD H3068 look H7200 upon it, and require H1875 it.
Wherefore, G5620 my G3450 beloved, G27 as G2531 ye have G5219 always G3842 obeyed, G5219 not G3361 as G5613 in G1722 my G3450 presence G3952 only, G3440 but G235 now G3568 much G4183 more G3123 in G1722 my G3450 absence, G666 work out G2716 your own G1438 salvation G4991 with G3326 fear G5401 and G2532 trembling. G5156
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible » Commentary on Judges 2
Commentary on Judges 2 Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
CHAPTER 2
Jud 2:1-10. An Angel Sent to Rebuke the People at Bochim.
1-3. an angel … came from Gilgal to Bochim—We are inclined to think, from the authoritative tone of his language, that he was the Angel of the Covenant (Ex 23:20; Jos 5:14); the same who appeared in human form and announced himself captain of the Lord's host. His coming from Gilgal had a peculiar significance, for there the Israelites made a solemn dedication of themselves to God on their entrance into the promised land [Jos 4:1-9]; and the memory of that religious engagement, which the angel's arrival from Gilgal awakened, gave emphatic force to his rebuke of their apostasy.
Bochim—"the weepers," was a name bestowed evidently in allusion to this incident or the place, which was at or near Shiloh.
I said, I will never break my covenant with you … but ye have not obeyed my voice—The burden of the angel's remonstrance was that God would inviolably keep His promise; but they, by their flagrant and repeated breaches of their covenant with Him, had forfeited all claim to the stipulated benefits. Having disobeyed the will of God by voluntarily courting the society of idolaters and placing themselves in the way of temptation, He left them to suffer the punishment of their misdeeds.
4, 5. when the angel of the Lord spake these words … the people lifted up their voice, and wept—The angel's expostulation made a deep and painful impression. But the reformation was but temporary, and the gratifying promise of a revival which this scene of emotion held out, was, ere long, blasted by speedy and deeper relapses into the guilt of defection and idolatry.
6-10. And when Joshua had let the people go—This passage is a repetition of Jos 24:29-31. It was inserted here to give the reader the reasons which called forth so strong and severe a rebuke from the angel of the Lord. During the lifetime of the first occupiers, who retained a vivid recollection of all the miracles and judgments which they had witnessed in Egypt and the desert, the national character stood high for faith and piety. But, in course of time, a new race arose who were strangers to all the hallowed and solemnizing experience of their fathers, and too readily yielded to the corrupting influences of the idolatry that surrounded them.
Jud 2:11-19. Wickedness of the New Generation after Joshua.
11-19. the children of Israel did evil in the sight of the Lord—This chapter, together with the first eight verses of the next [Jud 2:11-3:8], contains a brief but comprehensive summary of the principles developed in the following history. An attentive consideration of them, therefore, is of the greatest importance to a right understanding of the strange and varying phases of Israelitish history, from the death of Joshua till the establishment of the monarchy.
served Baalim—The plural is used to include all the gods of the country.
13. Ashtaroth—Also a plural word, denoting all the female divinities, whose rites were celebrated by the most gross and revolting impurities.
14. the anger of the Lord was hot against Israel, and he delivered them into the hands of spoilers that spoiled them—Adversities in close and rapid succession befell them. But all these calamities were designed only as chastisements—a course of correctional discipline by which God brought His people to see and repent of their errors; for as they returned to faith and allegiance, He "raised up judges" (Jud 2:16).
16. which delivered them out of the hand of those that spoiled them—The judges who governed Israel were strictly God's vicegerents in the government of the people, He being the supreme ruler. Those who were thus elevated retained the dignity as long as they lived; but there was no regular, unbroken succession of judges. Individuals, prompted by the inward, irresistible impulse of God's Spirit when they witnessed the depressed state of their country, were roused to achieve its deliverance. It was usually accompanied by a special call, and the people seeing them endowed with extraordinary courage or strength, accepted them as delegates of Heaven, and submitted to their sway. Frequently they were appointed only for a particular district, and their authority extended no farther than over the people whose interests they were commissioned to protect. They were without pomp, equipage, or emoluments attached to the office. They had no power to make laws; for these were given by God; nor to explain them, for that was the province of the priests—but they were officially upholders of the law, defenders of religion, avengers of all crimes, particularly of idolatry and its attendant vices.