Pattern of Sin and Judgment
1The Angel of the Lord Gn 22:11; Ex 3:2; Ps 34:7; 35:5-6 went up from Gilgal to Bochim LXX reads to the weeping place and to Bethel and to the house of Israel and said, “I brought you out of Egypt and led you into the land Ex 6:8; Nm 14:3,8; Ezk 20:15 I had promised to your fathers. Nm 14:23; Dt 6:10,23; 10:11; Jos 1:6 I also said: I will never break My covenant with you.
2You are not to make a covenant Ex 23:32; Dt 7:2 with the people who are living in this land, and you are to tear down their altars. LXX reads with those lying in wait in this land; neither are you to fall down in worship to their gods, but their carved images you must break to pieces and their altars you must destroy Ex 34:13; Dt 7:5; 12:3; Jdg 6:30-32; 2Ch 34:7 But you have not obeyed Me. What is this you have done?
3Therefore, I now say: I will not drive out these people before you. Ex 23:29 They will be thorns LXX reads affliction Lit traps in your sides, Nm 33:55 and their gods will be a trap for you.” Ex 23:33; 34:12; Dt 7:16; Jos 23:13
4When the Angel of the Lord had spoken these words to all the Israelites, the people wept loudly.
Joshua’s Death
6Joshua sent the people away, and the Israelites went to take possession of the land, each to his own inheritance. Dt 9:4; 11:31; Jos 1:11; 18:3; Jdg 18:9; Neh 9:15
7The people worshiped the Lord throughout Joshua’s lifetime and during the lifetimes of the elders who outlived Lit extended their days after Joshua. They had seen all the Lord’s great works Dt 11:7 He had done for Israel.
8Joshua son of Nun, the servant of the Lord, died at the age of 110.
9They buried him in the territory of his inheritance, in Timnath-heres, in the hill country of Ephraim, Jos 19:50; 1Sm 1:1; 14:22; 1Ch 6:67 north of Mount Gaash.
10That whole generation was also gathered to their ancestors. After them another generation rose up who did not know the Lord Ex 5:2; 1Sm 2:12 or the works He had done for Israel.
11The Israelites did what was evil in the Lord’s sight. Nm 32:12; Dt 4:25; 31:29; 1Kg 11:6 They worshiped the Baals Jdg 3:7; 8:33; 1Sm 12:10; 2Kg 17:16; Jr 2:23; 9:14
12and abandoned the Lord, the God of their fathers, who had brought them out of Egypt. They went after other gods from the surrounding peoples Dt 6:14; 13:7 and bowed down to them. They infuriated the Lord, 1Kg 14:15; 15:30; 2Kg 17:11; 2Ch 28:25
13for they abandoned Him and worshiped Baal and the Ashtoreths. Jdg 10:6; 1Sm 7:3-4; 12:10; 1Kg 11:5,33; 2Kg 23:13
14The Lord’s anger burned against Israel, and He handed them over to marauders who raided them. He sold Jdg 3:8; 4:2,9; 10:7; Ps 44:12; Is 50:1; Ezk 30:12; Jl 3:8 them to Lit into the hand of the enemies around them, and they could no longer resist their enemies.
15Whenever the Israelites went out, the Lord Lit the hand of the Lord was against them Dt 2:15 and brought disaster on them, just as He had promised and sworn to them. Lv 26:14-46; Dt 28:15-68 So they suffered greatly.
16The Lord raised up Jdg 3:9,15; 1Kg 11:14; 14:14 judges, who saved them from the power of their marauders,
17but they did not listen to their judges. Instead, they prostituted Dt 4:30; 1Sm 13:6; 30:6; 2Sm 22:7; Jb 20:22; Ps 59:16; Hs 5:15 themselves with other gods, bowing down to them. They quickly turned from the way Ex 32:8; Dt 9:12,16 of their fathers, who had walked in obedience to the Lord’s commands. They did not do as their fathers did.
18Whenever the Lord raised up a judge for the Israelites, the Lord was with Gn 39:2,21; Jos 6:27; 1Sm 18:12 him and saved the people from the power of their enemies while the judge was still alive. Lit enemies all the days of the judge The Lord was moved to pity whenever they groaned because of those who were oppressing and afflicting them.
19Whenever the judge died, the Israelites would act even more corruptly Gn 6:12; Dt 31:29; Is 1:4 than their fathers, going after other gods to worship and bow down to them. They did not turn from their evil practices or their obstinate Ex 32:9; Dt 9:6,13; Ezk 2:4 ways.
20The Lord’s anger burned against Israel, and He declared, “Because this nation has violated My covenant Jos 7:11,15; 23:16; Jr 34:18; Hs 6:7 that I made with their fathers Jdg 3:4; 1Kg 8:58; 2Kg 17:13; Ps 78:5; Jr 11:4 and disobeyed Me,
21I will no longer drive out before them any of the nations Joshua left Jos 13:1-7; 23:1-16 when he died. Jos 24:29-30
22I did this to test Israel and to see whether they would keep the Lord’s way Gn 18:19; 2Sm 22:22; Ps 138:5 by walking in it, as their fathers had.” Jos 24:31
23The Lord left these nations and did not drive them out immediately. He did not hand them over to Joshua.
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