16 aThen the Lord raised up judges 1who delivered them from the hands of those who plundered them.

17 Yet they did not listen to their judges, for they played the harlot after other gods and bowed themselves down to them. They turned aside quickly from the way ain which their fathers had walked in obeying the commandments of the Lord; they did not do as their fathers.

18 When the Lord raised up judges for them, athe Lord was with the judge and delivered them from the hand of their enemies all the days of the judge; for the Lord was bmoved to pity by their groaning because of those who oppressed and afflicted them.

19 But it came about when the judge died, that they would turn back and act more corruptly than their fathers, in following other gods to serve them and bow down to them; they did not abandon their practices or their stubborn ways.

20 aSo the anger of the Lord burned against Israel, and He said, “Because this nation has transgressed My covenant which I commanded their fathers and has not listened to My voice,

21 aI also will no longer drive out before them any of the nations which Joshua left when he died,

22 in order to atest Israel by them, whether they will keep the way of the Lord to walk in it as their fathers 1did, or not.”

23 So the Lord allowed those nations to remain, not driving them out quickly; and He did not give them into the hand of Joshua.