Judges 2 Study Notes

2:14-15 The consequence of Israel’s covenant unfaithfulness was the covenant curse (Dt 28:48). Instead of the Lord fighting for Israel and handing their enemies over into their power, the Lord gave them over into the hand of their enemies, and they suffered greatly.

2:16-19 Because of their distress, the Lord raised up judges for Israel, and they saved them from the power of their marauders. There is no mention of repentance by the people; the judges were raised up as the result of the Lord’s pity on their groaning. In relenting from the punishment he had imposed on his people, the Lord showed himself to be “a compassionate and gracious God, slow to anger and abounding in faithful love and truth” (Ex 34:6). The judges typically governed Israel (or part of it) and sought to lead them in the ways of the Lord during their lifetimes—a ministry that is most evident in the life of the final judge, Samuel. Yet their influence on the people was limited, and after each judge died Israel invariably reverted to their idolatrous ways. This period of Israel’s history was a downward spiral, with each generation acting more corruptly than their fathers. The judges slowed rather than stemmed the rising tide of iniquity.

2:20-23 It was a mark of the Lord’s anger that he no longer referred to Israel as “my people” but as this nation. Since they refused to drive out the Canaanites, the Lord would leave the Canaanites among Israel as a test of their faithfulness. Each generation would now have to demonstrate its own faithfulness to the Lord in a hostile environment.