16 Nevertheless, zthe Lord raised up judges who delivered them out of the hand of those who plundered them. 17 Yet they would not listen to their judges, but they aplayed the harlot with other gods, and bowed down to them. They turned quickly from the way in which their fathers walked, in obeying the commandments of the Lord; they did not do so. 18 And when the Lord raised up judges for them, bthe Lord was with the judge and delivered them out of the hand of their enemies all the days of the judge; cfor the Lord was moved to pity by their groaning because of those who oppressed them and harassed them. 19 And it came to pass, dwhen the judge was dead, that they reverted and behaved more corruptly than their fathers, by following other gods, to serve them and bow down to them. They did not cease from their own doings nor from their stubborn way.

20 Then the anger of the Lord was hot against Israel; and He said, “Because this nation has etransgressed My covenant which I commanded their fathers, and has not heeded My voice, 21 I also will no longer drive out before them any of the nations which Joshua fleft when he died, 22 so gthat through them I may htest Israel, whether they will keep the ways of the Lord, to walk in them as their fathers kept them, or not.” 23 Therefore the Lord left those nations, without driving them out immediately; nor did He deliver them into the hand of Joshua.