Read & explore together
Why Israel Needed Judges
This passage explains the pattern that shapes the book of Judges. It shows why Israel kept needing judges, what Israel kept doing, how Yahweh responded, and why some nations remained in the land.
Understanding the passage
Understanding the passage
After one generation died, another arose that did not know Yahweh or the work he had done for Israel. These verses step back to explain Israel’s repeated failures, Yahweh’s rescue through judges, and the testing that came from living among other nations.
Judges 2:10–3:6Main takeaway
Israel needed judges because they repeatedly abandoned Yahweh, and the nations left in the land revealed whether they would listen to his commandments.
Explore the teaching
Open a card to explore the full explanation and its Bible references.
01A generation that did not know YahwehThe passage begins with a change between generations. After the earlier generation died, another arose that did not know Yahweh or the work he had done for Israel.
Explanation
The passage begins with a change between generations. After the earlier generation died, another arose that did not know Yahweh or the work he had done for Israel. As a result, Israel did evil in Yahweh’s sight, serving the Baals and the Ashtaroth instead of staying faithful to him.
02Abandoning Yahweh brought distressIsrael abandoned Yahweh, the God who brought them out of Egypt, and followed the gods of surrounding peoples.
Explanation
Israel abandoned Yahweh, the God who brought them out of Egypt, and followed the gods of surrounding peoples. This provoked Yahweh to anger. He gave them over to raiders and enemies, so they could not stand against them. Wherever they went, they experienced deep distress under Yahweh’s hand.
03Judges brought rescue, but only for a timeYahweh raised up judges who saved Israel from those who plundered them. Yet the people did not listen to their judges and quickly turned aside from the way of obedience.
Explanation
Yahweh raised up judges who saved Israel from those who plundered them. Yet the people did not listen to their judges and quickly turned aside from the way of obedience. When Yahweh raised a judge, he was with that judge and saved them, moved by their groaning under oppression and trouble.
04After each judge, the pattern returnedWhen a judge died, the people turned back and became even more corrupt, continuing in stubborn ways.
Explanation
When a judge died, the people turned back and became even more corrupt, continuing in stubborn ways. Because they broke Yahweh’s covenant and did not listen to his voice, he said he would no longer drive out the nations Joshua had left. Those nations remained to test whether Israel would keep Yahweh’s way.
05The nations left in the land exposed Israel’s choicesThe text names another purpose for these remaining nations: later generations who had not known the wars of Canaan would learn war.
Explanation
The text names another purpose for these remaining nations: later generations who had not known the wars of Canaan would learn war. These peoples were left to test whether Israel would listen to Yahweh’s commandments through Moses. Living among them, Israel intermarried with them and served their gods.
Questions to explore
Pause, look back at the verses and talk together.
01What is the first reason this passage gives for Israel’s trouble?
Start at the opening change between generations and notice what the later generation did not know.
02How does the passage describe the repeating cycle in the book of Judges?
Trace the order from serving other gods, to distress under enemies, to rescue through judges, and then turning back after the judge died.
03Why were some nations left in the land according to these verses?
Look for both stated purposes in the text, not just one.
Read the Bible passages
World English Bible ClassicScripture quotation · Public domain
Judges 2:10–23
10After all that generation were gathered to their fathers, another generation arose after them who didn’t know Yahweh, nor the work which he had done for Israel.
11The children of Israel did that which was evil in Yahweh’s sight, and served the Baals.
12They abandoned Yahweh, the God of their fathers, who brought them out of the land of Egypt, and followed other gods, of the gods of the peoples who were around them, and bowed themselves down to them; and they provoked Yahweh to anger.
13They abandoned Yahweh, and served Baal and the Ashtaroth.
14Yahweh’s anger burned against Israel, and he delivered them into the hands of raiders who plundered them. He sold them into the hands of their enemies all around, so that they could no longer stand before their enemies.
15Wherever they went out, Yahweh’s hand was against them for evil, as Yahweh had spoken, and as Yahweh had sworn to them; and they were very distressed.
16Yahweh raised up judges, who saved them out of the hand of those who plundered them.
17Yet they didn’t listen to their judges; for they prostituted themselves to other gods, and bowed themselves down to them. They quickly turned away from the way in which their fathers walked, obeying Yahweh’s commandments. They didn’t do so.
18When Yahweh raised up judges for them, then Yahweh was with the judge, and saved them out of the hand of their enemies all the days of the judge; for it grieved Yahweh because of their groaning by reason of those who oppressed them and troubled them.
19But when the judge was dead, they turned back, and dealt more corruptly than their fathers in following other gods to serve them and to bow down to them. They didn’t cease what they were doing, or give up their stubborn ways.
20Yahweh’s anger burned against Israel; and he said, “Because this nation transgressed my covenant which I commanded their fathers, and has not listened to my voice,
21I also will no longer drive out any of the nations that Joshua left when he died from before them;
22that by them I may test Israel, to see if they will keep Yahweh’s way to walk therein, as their fathers kept it, or not.”
23So Yahweh left those nations, without driving them out hastily. He didn’t deliver them into Joshua’s hand.
Judges 3:1–6
1Now these are the nations which Yahweh left, to test Israel by them, even as many as had not known all the wars of Canaan;
2only that the generations of the children of Israel might know, to teach them war, at least those who knew nothing of it before:
3the five lords of the Philistines, all the Canaanites, the Sidonians, and the Hivites who lived on Mount Lebanon, from Mount Baal Hermon to the entrance of Hamath.
4They were left to test Israel by them, to know whether they would listen to Yahweh’s commandments, which he commanded their fathers by Moses.
5The children of Israel lived among the Canaanites, the Hittites, the Amorites, the Perizzites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites.
6They took their daughters to be their wives, and gave their own daughters to their sons and served their gods.