The angel of the LORD rebukes Israel at Bochim for not driving out the inhabitants. After Joshua's generation dies, the people turn to other gods. A cycle begins: they sin, are oppressed, cry out, and God raises up a judge to save them.
1 And an angel of the LORD came up from Gilgal to Bochim , and said , I made you to go up out of Egypt , and have brought you unto the land which I sware unto your fathers ; and I said , I will never break my covenant with you.
2 And ye shall make no league with the inhabitants of this land ; ye shall throw down their altars : but ye have not obeyed my voice : why have ye done this?
3 Wherefore I also said , I will not drive them out from before you; but they shall be as thorns in your sides , and their gods shall be a snare unto you.
4 And it came to pass, when the angel of the LORD spake these words unto all the children of Israel , that the people lifted up their voice , and wept .
5 And they called the name of that place Bochim : and they sacrificed there unto the LORD .
6 And when Joshua had let the people go , the children of Israel went every man unto his inheritance to possess the land .
7 And the people served the LORD all the days of Joshua , and all the days of the elders that outlived Joshua , who had seen all the great works of the LORD , that he did for Israel .
8 And Joshua the son of Nun , the servant of the LORD , died , being an hundred and ten years old .
9 And they buried him in the border of his inheritance in Timnathheres , in the mount of Ephraim , on the north side of the hill Gaash .
10 And also all that generation were gathered unto their fathers : and there arose another generation after them, which knew not the LORD , nor yet the works which he had done for Israel .
11 And the children of Israel did evil in the sight of the LORD , and served Baalim :
12 And they forsook the LORD God of their fathers , which brought them out of the land of Egypt , and followed other gods , of the gods of the people that were round about them, and bowed themselves unto them, and provoked the LORD to anger .
13 And they forsook the LORD , and served Baal and Ashtaroth .
14 And the anger of the LORD was hot against Israel , and he delivered them into the hands of spoilers that spoiled them, and he sold them into the hands of their enemies round about , so that they could not any longer stand before their enemies .
15 Whithersoever they went out , the hand of the LORD was against them for evil , as the LORD had said , and as the LORD had sworn unto them: and they were greatly distressed .
16 Nevertheless the LORD raised up judges , which delivered them out of the hand of those that spoiled them.
17 And yet they would not hearken unto their judges , but they went a whoring after other gods , and bowed themselves unto them: they turned quickly out of the way which their fathers walked in , obeying the commandments of the LORD ; but they did not so.
18 And when the LORD raised them up judges , then the LORD was with the judge , and delivered them out of the hand of their enemies all the days of the judge : for it repented the LORD because of their groanings by reason of them that oppressed them and vexed them.
19 And it came to pass, when the judge was dead , that they returned , and corrupted themselves more than their fathers , in following other gods to serve them, and to bow down unto them; they ceased not from their own doings , nor from their stubborn way .
20 And the anger of the LORD was hot against Israel ; and he said , Because that this people hath transgressed my covenant which I commanded their fathers , and have not hearkened unto my voice ;
21 I also will not henceforth drive out any from before them of the nations which Joshua left when he died :
22 That through them I may prove Israel , whether they will keep the way of the LORD to walk therein, as their fathers did keep it, or not.
23 Therefore the LORD left those nations , without driving them out hastily ; neither delivered he them into the hand of Joshua .