1.
And an angel of the LORD came up from Gilgal to Bochim, and said, I made you to go up out of Egypt, and have brought you unto the land which I sware unto your fathers; and I said, I will never break my covenant with you.
an Angel = the Angel or Captain of Jehovah's host, Who had appeared to Joshua in Gilgal. Joshua 5:13-15
the LORD. Hebrew. Jehovah. App-4 .
Bochim = weepers.
I said. Compare Genesis 17:7 .
2.
And ye shall make no league with the inhabitants of this land; ye shall throw down their altars: but ye have not obeyed my voice: why have ye done this?
ye shall make no league. Compare Exodus 23:32 .Deuteronomy 7:2 , Deuteronomy 7:5 , &c.
ye shall throw down. Compare Exodus 34:12 , Exodus 34:13 .Deuteronomy 12:3 .
why. ? Figure of speech Erotesis ( App-6 ). Or, "what [is] this [that] ye have done? "
3.
Wherefore I also said, I will not drive them out from before you; but they shall be as thorns in your sides, and their gods shall be a snare unto you.
be as thorns in your sides. Some codices read "be adversaries to you". Compare Numbers 33:55 .Joshua 23:13 .
4.
And it came to pass, when the angel of the LORD spake these words unto all the children of Israel, that the people lifted up their voice, and wept.
children = sons.
5.
And they called the name of that place Bochim: and they sacrificed there unto the LORD.
6.
And when Joshua had let the people go, the children of Israel went every man unto his inheritance to possess the land.
let the People go. Compare Joshua 24:28-31 .
7.
And the people served the LORD all the days of Joshua, and all the days of the elders that outlived Joshua, who had seen all the great works of the LORD, that he did for Israel.
who. Some codices, with two early printed editions, Syriac, and Vulgate, read "and who".
works = work.
8.
And Joshua the son of Nun, the servant of the LORD, died, being an hundred and ten years old.
9.
And they buried him in the border of his inheritance in Timnath-heres, in the mount of Ephraim, on the north side of the hill Gaash.
Timnath-heres. Some codices, with Syriac and Vulg, read "Timnathserah". Compare Joshua 19:50 ; Joshua 24:30 .
mount = hill country.
10.
And also all that generation were gathered unto their fathers: and there arose another generation after them, which knew not the LORD, nor yet the works which he had done for Israel.
knew not. Figure of speech Metonymy (of Cause). App-6 . Put for obeyed not or cared not for.
11.
And the children of Israel did evil in the sight of the LORD, and served Baalim:
evil = the evil. Hebrew. ra ' a '. See App-44 . Six "evil" doings recorded in this book ( App-10 ): Judges 3:7 , Judges 3:12 ; Judges 4:1 ; Judges 6:1 ; Judges 10:6 ; Judges 13:1 .
12.
And they forsook the LORD God of their fathers, which brought them out of the land of Egypt, and followed other gods, of the gods of the people that were round about them, and bowed themselves unto them, and provoked the LORD to anger.
forsook. Religion is not a gradual evolution to what is higher, but a declension to what is lower. See note on Joshua 24:14 .
God. Hebrew. Elohim. App-4 .
people = peoples.
13.
And they forsook the LORD, and served Baal and Ashtaroth.
Ashtaroth. The special evil of Canaanite nations. Name derived from the Asherah (see App-42 ). The Asherah was idolatry of the most revolting form of immorality under the guise of religion. All virtue surrendered. The "going a whoring" is more than a figure of speech. See Exodus 34:13 .Deuteronomy 7:5 ; Deuteronomy 12:3 ; Deuteronomy 16:21 . Note all the occurrences of 'Ashtaroth : Deuteronomy 1:4 .Joshua 9:10 ; Joshua 12:4 ; Joshua 13:12 , Joshua 13:31 .Joshua 2:13 ; Jos 10:6 . 1 Samuel 7:3 , 1Sa 7:4 ; 1 Samuel 12:10 ; 1 Samuel 31:10 .
14.
And the anger of the LORD was hot against Israel, and he delivered them into the hands of spoilers that spoiled them, and he sold them into the hands of their enemies round about, so that they could not any longer stand before their enemies.
spoilers . . . enemies. Six oppressors and servitudes named: Judges 3:8 , Judges 3:12 ; Judges 4:2 ; Judges 6:1 ; Judges 10:7 ; Judges 13:1 .
15.
Whithersoever they went out, the hand of the LORD was against them for evil, as the LORD had said, and as the LORD had sworn unto them: and they were greatly distressed.
evil. Hebrew. ra'a' . App-44 .
as = according as. Compare Leviticus 26 . Deuteronomy 28 .
16.
Nevertheless the LORD raised up judges, which delivered them out of the hand of those that spoiled them.
judges. This word gives the name to the book = one who put right what was wrong; hence, a ruler.
delivered = saved. Six deliverances: Judges 3:9 , Judges 3:15 ; Judges 4:23 ; Judges 8:28 ; Judges 11:33 ; Judges 16:30 .
17.
And yet they would not hearken unto their judges, but they went a whoring after other gods, and bowed themselves unto them: they turned quickly out of the way which their fathers walked in, obeying the commandments of the LORD; but they did not so.
18.
And when the LORD raised them up judges, then the LORD was with the judge, and delivered them out of the hand of their enemies all the days of the judge: for it repented the LORD because of their groanings by reason of them that oppressed them and vexed them.
all the days, &c. This raises the question as to Deborah's call. See note on Judges 4:4 .
19.
And it came to pass, when the judge was dead, that they returned, and corrupted themselves more than their fathers, in following other gods to serve them, and to bow down unto them; they ceased not from their own doings, nor from their stubborn way.
when. Compare Judges 3:12 .
20.
And the anger of the LORD was hot against Israel; and he said, Because that this people hath transgressed my covenant which I commanded their fathers, and have not hearkened unto my voice;
people = nation.
transgressed. Hebrew. 'abar. App-44 .
21.
I also will not henceforth drive out any from before them of the nations which Joshua left when he died:
22.
That through them I may prove Israel, whether they will keep the way of the LORD to walk therein, as their fathers did keep it, or not.
therein. A special various reading called Sevir ( App-34 ), with some codices, Septuagint, and Vulgate, read "in it": i.e. in Jehovah's way.
23.
Therefore the LORD left those nations, without driving them out hastily; neither delivered he them into the hand of Joshua.
driving them out = dispossessing.