Judges 2:16–23

The Lord Raises Up Judges

^16dThen the Lord raised up judges, ^ewho saved them out of the hand of those who plundered them. ¹⁷Yet they did not listen to their judges, for ^fthey whored after other gods and bowed down to them. ^gThey soon turned aside from the way in which their fathers had walked, who had obeyed the commandments of the Lord, and they did not do so. ¹⁸Whenever the Lord raised up judges for them, ^hthe Lord was with the judge, and he saved them from the hand of their enemies all the days of the judge. ⁱFor the Lord was moved to pity by ^jtheir groaning because of those who afflicted and oppressed them. ¹⁹But ^kwhenever the judge died, they turned back and were more corrupt than their fathers, going after other gods, serving them and bowing down to them. They did not drop any of their practices or their stubborn ways. ^20lSo the anger of the Lord was kindled against Israel, and he said, “Because this people ^mhave transgressed my covenant that I commanded their fathers and have not obeyed my voice, ²¹ⁿI will no longer drive out before them any of the nations that Joshua left when he died, ²²in order ^oto test Israel by them, whether they will take care to walk in the way of the Lord as their fathers did, or not.” ²³So the Lord left those nations, not driving them out quickly, and he did not give them into the hand of Joshua.