1 The angel of Yahweh came up from Gilgal to Bochim. He said, I made
you to go up out of Egypt, and have brought you to the land which I swore to
your fathers; and I said, I will never break my covenant with you: 2 and
you shall make no covenant with the inhabitants of this land; you
shall break down their altars. But you have not listened to my voice:
why have you done this? 3 Therefore 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 to you. 4 It happened, when the angel of
Yahweh spoke these words to all the children of Israel, that the people
lifted up their voice, and wept. 5 They called the name of that place
Bochim: and they sacrificed there to Yahweh. 6 Now when Joshua had sent
the people away, the children of Israel went every man to his inheritance to
possess the land. 7 The people served Yahweh all the days of Joshua, and
all the days of the elders who outlived Joshua, who had seen all the great
work of Yahweh that he had worked for Israel. 8 Joshua the son of Nun, the
servant of Yahweh, died, being one hundred ten years old. 9 They buried
him in the border of his inheritance in Timnath Heres, in the hill- country
of Ephraim, on the north of the mountain of Gaash. 10 Also all that
generation were gathered to their fathers: and there arose another generation
after them, who didn't know Yahweh, nor yet the work which he had worked for
Israel. 11 The children of Israel did that which was evil in the sight of
Yahweh, and served the Baals; 12 and they forsook 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 round about them, and bowed themselves
down to them: and they provoked Yahweh to anger. 13 They forsook Yahweh,
and served Baal and the Ashtaroth. 14 The anger of Yahweh was kindled
against Israel, and he delivered them into the hands of spoilers who
despoiled 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 Wherever
they went out, the hand of Yahweh was against them for evil, as Yahweh had
spoken, and as Yahweh had sworn to them: and they were sore distressed.
16 Yahweh raised up judges, who saved them out of the hand of those who
despoiled them. 17 Yet they didn't listen to their judges; for they played
the prostitute after other gods, and bowed themselves down to them: they
turned aside quickly out of the way in which their fathers walked, obeying
the commandments of Yahweh; but they didn't do so. 18 When Yahweh
raised them up judges, then Yahweh was with the judge, and saved them out of
the hand of their enemies all the days of the judge: for it repented Yahweh
because of their groaning by reason of those who oppressed them and vexed
them. 19 But it happened, when the judge was dead, that 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 from their doings, nor from
their stubborn way. 20 The anger of Yahweh was kindled against Israel; and
he said, Because this nation have transgressed my covenant which I commanded
their fathers, and have not listened to my voice; 21 I also will not
henceforth drive out any from before them of the nations that Joshua left
when he died; 22 that by them I may prove Israel, whether they will keep
the way of Yahweh to walk therein, as their fathers did keep it, or not.
23 So Yahweh left those nations, without driving them out hastily; neither
delivered he them into the hand of Joshua.
World English Bible - Public Domain |
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