Judges 2:6 to Judges 3:6. The Deuteronomist's Introduction to the Book of Judges proper (Judges 3:5 to Judges 16:31). In the view of this interpreter of sacred history, the whole era of the Judges falls into longer or shorter times of national prosperity, in which Yahweh protects and blesses His faithful people, alternating with times of national calamity, in which He withdraws His favour and blessing from apostates. On the beneficent strength of the Judge the pillars of state rest secure for a whole generation, and his decease is like the removal of the key-stone of an arch. The writer's general principle his philosophy of history is based on sound prophetic teaching, but his application of it to the period of the Judges involves a tour de force, for the traditions deal for the most part not with national but with local heroes whose exploits affect, in the first instance, only their own tribe or group of tribes.
Judges 2:6-9 is almost identical with Joshua 24:28-30. The influence of Joshua and the elders that outlived him a phrase of frequent occurrence in Dt. (Deuteronomy 4:26; Deuteronomy 4:40; Deuteronomy 5:33, etc.) kept all Israel true to Yahweh during their lifetime.
Judges 2:7. The great work of the Lord was the miracles of the Exodus, the Wanderings, and the Conquest.
Judges 2:9. Timnath-heres, where Joshua was buried, may be the modern Tibneh, about 10 m. NW. of Bethel. Gaash is unknown
Judges 2:11. The Baalim (p. 87), whom the Israelites of the generation after Joshua began to serve, were the local gods of Canaan, the lords of different cities and districts, who were distinguished from one another by the addition of place-names, e.g. Baal of Hermon (Judges 3:3), Baal of Tamar (Judges 20:33). For centuries after the Conquest it was legitimate to call Yahweh himself the Baal of the country, and Hosea (Judges 2:16 f.) was apparently the first to denounce this practice. Thereafter it became the custom to change such names as Ish-baal (man of Baal) into Ish-bosheth (man of shame), Jerubbaal into Jerubbesheth (2 Samuel 11:21). See p. 280.
Judges 2:13. For the Ashtaroth read Ashtoreth, i.e. the goddess who was the Phœ nician Astarte and the Babylonian Ishtar (1 Kings 11:5 *).
Judges 2:14-23. The Israelites having become apostate, God's anger is kindled (Judges 2:14); He gives them over to His enemies (Judges 2:14); they are distressed, and groan under oppression (Judges 2:14; Judges 2:18); He is moved to pity and raises up a Judge (Judges 2:16); and when the Judge dies, the people return to their evil ways (Judges 2:19).
Judges 2:17 breaks the connexion between Judges 2:16 and Judges 2:18, and is probably an editorial insertion. The figure of whoring after other gods spiritual adultery is taken from Hosea (Hosea 1-3) (cf. Judges 8:27-33; Exodus 34:15 f., Deuteronomy 31:16).
Judges 2:18. Instead of it repented the Lord read the Lord was moved to pity.