2:1 | The Lord’s angelic messenger* went up from Gilgal to Bokim. He said, “I brought you up from Egypt and led you into the land I had solemnly promised to give to your ancestors.* I said, ‘I will never break my agreement* with you, |
2:2 | but you must not make an agreement with the people who live in this land. You should tear down the altars where they worship.’* But you have disobeyed me.* Why would you do such a thing?* |
2:3 | At that time I also warned you,* ‘If you disobey,* I will not drive out the Canaanites* before you. They will ensnare you* and their gods will lure you away.’”* |
2:4 | When the Lord’s messenger finished speaking these words to all the Israelites, the people wept loudly.* |
2:5 | They named that place Bokim* and offered sacrifices to the Lord there. |
2:6 | When Joshua dismissed* the people, the Israelites went to their allotted portions of territory,* intending to take possession of the land. |
2:7 | The people worshiped* the Lord throughout Joshua’s lifetime and as long as the elderly men* who outlived him remained alive. These men had witnessed* all the great things the Lord had done for Israel.* |
2:8 | Joshua son of Nun, the Lord’s servant, died at the age of one hundred ten. |
2:9 | The people* buried him in his allotted land* in Timnath Heres in the hill country of Ephraim, north of Mount Gaash. |
2:10 | That entire generation passed away;* a new generation grew up* that had not personally experienced the Lord’s presence or seen what he had done for Israel.* |
2:11 | The Israelites did evil before* the Lord by worshiping* the Baals. |
2:12 | They abandoned the Lord God of their ancestors* who brought them out of the land of Egypt. They followed other gods – the gods of the nations who lived around them. They worshiped* them and made the Lord angry. |
2:13 | They abandoned the Lord and worshiped Baal and the Ashtars.* |
2:14 | The Lord was furious with Israel* and handed them over to robbers who plundered them.* He turned them over to* their enemies who lived around them. They could not withstand their enemies’ attacks.* |
2:15 | Whenever they went out to fight,* the Lord did them harm,* just as he had warned and solemnly vowed he would do.* They suffered greatly.* |
2:16 | The Lord raised up leaders* who delivered them from these robbers.* |
2:17 | But they did not obey* their leaders. Instead they prostituted themselves to other gods and worshiped* them. They quickly turned aside from the path* their ancestors* had walked. Their ancestors had obeyed the Lord’s commands, but they did not.* |
2:18 | When the Lord raised up leaders for them, the Lord was with each leader and delivered the people* from their enemies while the leader remained alive. The Lord felt sorry for them* when they cried out in agony because of what their harsh oppressors did to them.* |
2:19 | When a leader died, the next generation* would again* act more wickedly than the previous one.* They would follow after other gods, worshiping them* and bowing down to them. They did not give up* their practices or their stubborn ways. |
2:20 | The Lord was furious with Israel.* He said, “This nation* has violated the terms of the agreement I made with their ancestors* by disobeying me.* |
2:21 | So I will no longer remove before them any of the nations that Joshua left unconquered when he died. |
2:22 | Joshua left those nations* to test* Israel. I wanted to see* whether or not the people* would carefully walk in the path* marked out by* the Lord, as their ancestors* were careful to do.” |
2:23 | This is why* the Lord permitted these nations to remain and did not conquer them immediately;* he did not hand them over to Joshua. |