Judges 2:11

And the children of Israel - Here begins the narrative of what really did happen “after the death of Joshua,” but of which Judges 1:0 conveys no hint. Israel served the Lord all the days of Joshua Judges 2:7. But when Joshua was dead ... “the children of Israel did evil in the sight of the Lord, and served Baalim, and forsook the God of their fathers.” And then follows from Judges 2:14 to the end of the chapter, a summary of the whole contents of the book.

Did evil in the sight of the Lord - Through this book and all the historical books, this is the regular phrase for falling into idolatry. It occurs seven times in Judges, as descriptive of the seven apostasies of Israel, which drew down upon them the seven servitudes under

(1) Chushan-Rishathaim,

(2) Eglon,

(3) Jabin,

(4) Midian,

(5) the tyranny of Abimelech,

(6) the Ammonites,

(7) the Philistines.

The recurrence of the phrase marks the hand of one author and of one book. For the opposite phrase, see 1 Kings 15:5, 1 Kings 15:11, etc.

The plural of Baal, “Baalim,” refers to the numerous images of Baal which they set up and worshipped, as does the plural form, “Ashtaroth” Judges 2:13, to those of the female divinity, Astarte.