And the anger of the Lord was hot against Israel ,.... As at first, so whenever they fell into idolatry; see Judges 2:14 , and he said, because this people have transgressed my covenant which I commanded their fathers ; made at Sinai, in which they were enjoined to have no other gods before him: and have not hearkened to my voice ; in his commands, and particularly what related to his worship and against idolatry. read more
I also henceforth will not drive out and from before them ,.... At least not as yet, not very soon nor hastily, as in Judges 2:23 , of the nations which Joshua left when he died ; that is, unsubdued; which was owing either to the infirmities of old age coming upon him, which made him incapable of engaging further in war with the Canaanites; or to the sloth and indolence of the people, being weary of war, and not caring to prosecute it; or to want of men to cultivate any more land, and... read more
That through them I may prove Israel ,.... Afflict them by them, and so prove or try them, their faith and patience, which are tried by afflictions; and such were the Canaanites to them, as afflictions and temptations are to the spiritual Israel of God; or rather, whether they would keep in the ways of God, or walk in those the Canaanites did, as follows: whether they will keep the way of the Lord, as their fathers did keep it , or not ; whether they would worship the true God their... read more
Therefore the Lord left these nations, without driving them out hastily ,.... Left them unsubdued, or suffered them to continue among the Israelites, and did not drive them out as he could have done; which was permitted, either that it might be seen and known whether Israel would give into the idolatry of these nations or not, Judges 2:22 ; of which there could have been no trial, if they and their idols had been utterly destroyed; or because the children of Israel had transgressed the... read more
Served Baalim - The word בעלים baalim signifies lords. Their false gods they considered supernatural rulers or governors, each having his peculiar district and office; but when they wished to express a particular בעל baal , they generally added some particular epithet, as Baal-zephon, Baal-peor, Baal-zehub, Baal-shamayim, etc., as Calmet has well observed. The two former were adored by the Moabites; Baal-zebub by the Ekronites. Baal-berith was honored at Shechem; and Baal-shamayim,... read more
Which brought them out of the land of Egypt - This was one of the highest aggravations of their offense; they forsook the God who brought them out of Egypt; a place in which they endured the most grievous oppression and were subjected to the most degrading servitude, from which they never could have rescued themselves; and they were delivered by such a signal display of the power, justice, and mercy of God, as should never have been forgotten, because the most stupendous that... read more
Served Baal and Ashtaroth - In a general way, probably, Baal and Ashtaroth mean the sun and moon; but in many cases Ashtaroth seems to have been the same among the Canaanites as Venus was among the Greeks and Romans, and to have been worshipped with the same obscene rites. read more
The hands of spoilers - Probably marauding parties of the Canaanites, making frequent incursions in their lands, carrying away cattle, spoiling their crops, etc. read more
The hand of the Lord was against them - The power which before protected them when obedient, was now turned against them because of their disobedience. They not only had not God with them, but they had God against them. read more
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John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Judges 2:19
And it came to pass, when the judge was dead ,.... Any one of them, the first and so all succeeding ones: that they returned ; to their evil ways and idolatrous practices, from which they reformed, and for which they showed outward repentance during the life of the judge; but he dying, they returned again to them: and corrupted themselves more than their fathers ; in Egypt and in the wilderness; or rather than their fathers that lived in the generation after the death of Joshua;... read more