Judges 2:4

4 When God's angel had spoken these words to all the People of Israel, they cried out - oh! how they wept!

Judges 2:4 Meaning and Commentary

Judges 2:4

And it came to pass, when the angel of the Lord spake these
words unto all the children of Israel
This being either one of the three solemn feasts, when all the males appeared at the tabernacle of the Lord; or else here was now a solemn convention of all the tribes to inquire of the Lord the reason why they were not able to drive out the Canaanites in some places, and why they prevailed over them in many:

that the people lift up their voice, and wept;
being affected with what the angel said, and convicted in their consciences of their sins, and so fearing the bad consequences thereof, they wept because of the sins they had been guilty of, and because of the evils that were like to befall them on account of them.

Judges 2:4 In-Context

2 And you're never to make a covenant with the people who live in this land. Tear down their altars! But you haven't obeyed me! What's this that you're doing?
3 "So now I'm telling you that I won't drive them out before you. They'll trip you up and their gods will become a trap."
4 When God's angel had spoken these words to all the People of Israel, they cried out - oh! how they wept!
5 They named the place Bokim (Weepers). And there they sacrificed to God.
6 After Joshua had dismissed them, the People of Israel went off to claim their allotted territories and take possession of the land.
Published by permission. Originally published by NavPress in English as THE MESSAGE: The Bible in Contemporary Language copyright 2002 by Eugene Peterson. All rights reserved.