Judges 10 12

Judges 10:12 kjv

The Zidonians also, and the Amalekites, and the Maonites, did oppress you; and ye cried to me, and I delivered you out of their hand.

Judges 10:12 nkjv

Also the Sidonians and Amalekites and Maonites oppressed you; and you cried out to Me, and I delivered you from their hand.

Judges 10:12 niv

the Sidonians, the Amalekites and the Maonites oppressed you and you cried to me for help, did I not save you from their hands?

Judges 10:12 esv

The Sidonians also, and the Amalekites and the Maonites oppressed you, and you cried out to me, and I saved you out of their hand.

Judges 10:12 nlt

the Sidonians, the Amalekites, and the Maonites? When they oppressed you, you cried out to me for help, and I rescued you.

Judges 10 verses

Judges 10 12 Meaning

Judges 10:12 is a powerful statement from God, delivered as a rebuke to the Israelites through a prophetic voice. It serves as a reminder of His repeated acts of deliverance from various oppressors—the Sidonians, Amalekites, and Maonites—who had afflicted them. The verse highlights the pattern: Israel's suffering under oppression, their desperate cry to God for help, and God's faithful intervention to save them from their enemies. This recalls their history of ingratitude and reliance on foreign gods, despite experiencing God's unwavering rescue time and again.

Judges 10 12 Context

Judges chapter 10 marks a significant shift in the narrative cycle of Israel's apostasy, oppression, and deliverance. After twenty-three years under Philistine and Ammonite oppression (Jdg 10:8), the Israelites finally realize their folly in serving other gods. Verse 12 is part of God's stern, yet gracious, rebuke delivered to the Israelites in Jdg 10:10-14, which comes in response to their cry for help (Jdg 10:10). The divine speech enumerates a series of past deliverances (Jdg 10:11-12) from specific enemies. God reminds them of His consistent faithfulness despite their persistent unfaithfulness (Jdg 10:6). This powerful reminder precedes Israel's confession and putting away of foreign gods, leading to God's ultimate decision to save them again (Jdg 10:15-16). Historically, the period of the Judges was characterized by cycles of covenant breaking, national decline, and God's compassionate intervention through chosen leaders.

Judges 10 12 Word analysis

• The Sidonians: צִידֹנִים (Tsı̂ydonı̂nı̂m). Inhabitants of Sidon, a major Phoenician city known for its seafaring and trade, but also for its polytheistic worship, including Baal and Asherah, which frequently corrupted Israel. Their inclusion highlights the pagan influences God delivered Israel from.

• also, and the Amalekites: וַעֲמָלֵק (waʿămālēq). The Amalekites were a recurring and virulent enemy of Israel from their Exodus onwards (Ex 17:8-16; Deut 25:17-19). They represent a relentless, ancient foe against whom God often acted directly to protect His people.

• and the Maonites: וּמָעוֹן (ûmāʿôwn). Referred to as the Meunim or Meunites elsewhere (2 Chr 26:7). They were an Arabian tribe or people located south of Israel, often associated with nomadic raiders like the Amalekites. The mention underscores the diverse array of threats from which God delivered Israel across different geographical frontiers. This term in the Hebrew Masoretic Text (Kethib) contrasts with a common textual variant (Qere and Septuagint) which often reads "Ammonites" (עַמּוֹן, ʿammôwn). The Ammonites are the specific oppressor causing distress to Israel in the immediate context of Judges 10:7-9 and throughout the Jdg 11 narrative, making the "Ammonites" reading highly contextually relevant for many scholars.

• oppressed: לָחַץ (lāḥaṣ). Meaning to press, squeeze, afflict, or harass. This term vividly portrays the severe pressure and distress experienced by the Israelites under the dominance of these foreign powers, describing a tangible physical and societal burden.

• you: The pronoun emphasizes that Israel themselves were the direct recipients of this past suffering and subsequent divine rescue.

• and you cried to me: וַתִּצְעֲקוּ אֵלַי (wattı̂ṣʿăqû ’êlay). Crying out (צָעַק, tsāʿaq) denotes a desperate, urgent appeal for help, often used for collective anguish under severe affliction. The phrase emphasizes Israel's dependent plea directly to God as their only recourse in times of extreme distress, recognizing their inability to save themselves.

• and I delivered: וָאוֹשִׁיעָה (wā’ôshı̂yʿāh). From יָשַׁע (yāšaʿ), meaning to save, rescue, or bring victory. This signifies God's active, direct, and sovereign intervention to free them. It highlights His power and His covenant faithfulness as the source of their salvation, not their own strength or merit.

• you out of their hand: מִיָּדָם (mîyāḏām). Literally "from their hand" or "power." This idiomatic phrase signifies rescue from the enemies' control, authority, and ability to inflict harm. It underscores a complete and decisive liberation from bondage and threat.

• Words-group by words-group analysis:

  • "The Sidonians also, and the Amalekites, and the Maonites, oppressed you": This grouping provides a historical list of adversaries who troubled Israel from various geographical and cultural directions. It highlights the pervasive and persistent nature of the threats Israel faced due to their unfaithfulness, and how comprehensively God provided liberation from them. The specificity of the names serves as concrete historical evidence of God's prior interventions.
  • "and you cried to me, and I delivered you out of their hand": This section articulates the recurring spiritual cycle in Judges. It depicts the cause (Israel's distress), the response (their plea to God), and the divine result (God's unfailing deliverance). This highlights the conditional nature of God's direct intervention, which is often precipitated by the humble cry of His people, and yet demonstrates His unwavering grace despite their frequent relapse into sin.

Judges 10 12 Bonus section

• The Problem of Recalcitrant Memory: The divine reminder of past deliverances highlights a key challenge for God's people—the tendency to forget His past faithfulness (Deut 8:11-14). This forgetfulness often leads to turning away from Him and seeking security elsewhere, only to return to Him in crisis. The enumeration of specific past enemies is meant to jolt Israel's memory and make their current ingratitude undeniable.
• Textual Variance: Maonites vs. Ammonites: While the Masoretic Text (Kethib) states "Maonites," many ancient versions (LXX) and some Hebrew manuscripts have "Ammonites" (Qere). Scholars widely consider "Ammonites" as highly plausible or even more probable here due to the prominent role the Ammonites play in the immediately surrounding narrative (Judges 10:7-9, 11; Judges 11). If "Ammonites" is read, it intensifies the rebuke, as God reminds them of deliverance from the very people currently oppressing them. Regardless of the precise name, the core message remains: God is the deliverer from any oppressor.
• God's Sovereignty and Means of Deliverance: While God declares "I delivered you," He often worked through human agents, the Judges. This verse demonstrates God as the ultimate source and power behind all salvations, whether through miraculous acts or human leaders He raised up.
• A Call to True Repentance: The context reveals that God's reminding Israel of His past help is not merely a lecture on history but a profound call to genuine repentance and exclusive worship of Him (Jdg 10:15-16), a turning point that precedes their future deliverance by Jephthah.

Judges 10 12 Commentary

Judges 10:12 encapsulates a foundational theological truth woven throughout the history of Israel: God's steadfast character of salvation in response to His people's distress, despite their often cyclical pattern of rebellion and idolatry. It serves as a sharp reminder from God that He has consistently proven Himself as their faithful deliverer from a multitude of foes. The listing of distinct groups—Sidonians, Amalekites, Maonites—underscores the breadth and consistency of God's redemptive acts. Their "crying out" indicates not righteousness, but desperation, to which God, in His mercy, responded by "delivering them." This verse sets the stage for God's pointed question in Jdg 10:13, "Yet you have forsaken Me and served other gods; therefore I will deliver you no more." This initially stern response aimed to prompt genuine repentance, emphasizing that while His grace is profound, Israel's continued turning to idols cannot perpetually be met with immediate, unearned deliverance without true turning. This demonstrates that God is a deliverer of grace, yet also a God of justice who calls for sincere repentance, urging His people towards exclusive faithfulness.