But after they had rest
 From their enemies, enjoyed their liberty, and were in prosperity: 
 they did evil again before thee;
 relapsed into idolatry: 
 therefore leftest thou them in the hand of their enemies, so that they
 had the dominion over them;
 as the Philistines had for the space of forty years, ( Judges 13:1 ) , 
 yet when they returned and cried unto thee, thou heardest them from
 heaven, and many times didst thou deliver them, according to thy
 mercies;
 this was their case frequently in the times of the judges; they sinned and fell into the hands of their enemies, then they repented, and cried to God for help, and he had compassion upon them, and saved them.