1And an Angel of the LORD came up from Gilgal to Bochim, and said, “I brought you up out of Egypt, and have led you into the land which I promised to your fathers; and I said, ‘I will never break My covenant with you. 2And you shall make no treaty with the inhabitants of this land; you shall throw down their altars.’ But you have not obeyed My voice. Why have you done this? 3Therefore I also said, ‘I will not drive them out from before you; but they shall be thorns in your sides, and their gods shall be a snare to you.’” 4And when the Angel of the LORD spoke these words to all the Israelites, the people wept aloud. 5And they called the name of that place Bochim (meaning “weeping”): and they offered sacrifices there unto the LORD. 6And when Joshua had dismissed the people, each Israelite went to his inheritance to take possession of the land. 7And the people served the LORD during the life of Joshua, and of the elders that outlived Joshua, who had seen all the great works that the LORD did for Israel. 8And Joshua, son of Nun, the servant of the LORD, died at the age of a hundred ten years. 9And they buried him within the border of his inheritance in Timnath-heres, in the hill country of Ephraim, on the north side of Mount Gaash. 10And after all that generation died (were gathered unto their fathers): there arose another generation, who did not know the LORD, nor all that He had done for Israel. 11And those Israelites did evil in the eyes of the LORD, and served Baalim. 12And they forsook the LORD God of their fathers, Who had brought them out of the land of Egypt; and worshipped various other gods of the people living around them, bowing themselves down to them, and provoking the LORD to anger. 13They forsook the LORD, and served Baal and Ashtaroth. 14And the anger of the LORD was hot against Israel, and He delivered them into the hands of those who raided them, and into the hands of their enemies all around, so that they could no longer stand before their enemies. 15Wherever they went, the hand of the LORD was against them to their defeat, as the LORD had said, and as the LORD had sworn to them; and they were greatly distressed. 16Then the LORD raised up judges, who rescued them from the hand of those who spoiled them. 17And even then, they would not listen to their judges, but prostituted themselves with other gods, and bowed down to them: they turned quickly out of the way that their fathers had walked in obedience to the commandments of the LORD. 18And whenever the LORD raised up judges, the LORD was with the judge, and saved them from their enemies as long as the judges lived; for the LORD was grieved because of their groanings when they were oppressed and vexed. 19But when the judge was dead, they would defile themselves even more than their fathers, following and serving other gods, bowing down to them. They refused to give up their evil and stubborn ways. 20And so the anger of the LORD burned hot against Israel; and He said, “Because these people have violated My covenant which I made with their fathers, and have disobeyed My voice, 21I also will no longer drive out any of the nations that remained when Joshua died from before them; 22I will use those nations to test Israel, whether they will keep and walk in the way of the LORD, as their fathers did, or not.” 23Therefore, the LORD left those nations, without promptly driving them out; nor did He deliver them into the hand of Joshua. Reader-Friendly Bible: Purple Letter Edition © 2024 by Jim Musser. Used by Permission. All rights Reserved. Bible Hub |