Judges 10:14 kjv
Go and cry unto the gods which ye have chosen; let them deliver you in the time of your tribulation.
Judges 10:14 nkjv
"Go and cry out to the gods which you have chosen; let them deliver you in your time of distress."
Judges 10:14 niv
Go and cry out to the gods you have chosen. Let them save you when you are in trouble!"
Judges 10:14 esv
Go and cry out to the gods whom you have chosen; let them save you in the time of your distress."
Judges 10:14 nlt
Go and cry out to the gods you have chosen! Let them rescue you in your hour of distress!"
Judges 10 14 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Ps 115:4-7 | Their idols are silver and gold, the work of human hands. They have mouths, but do not speak; eyes, but do not see... | Idols are man-made, deaf, dumb, blind, and impotent. |
| Isa 44:19-20 | No one considers... "Can I make a detestable thing?..." A deluded heart has turned him aside... | Highlights the irrationality and foolishness of idolatry. |
| Jer 2:27-28 | ...Where are your gods that you made for yourselves? Let them arise if they can save you in the time of your trouble! | Direct challenge to idols to deliver their worshippers. |
| 1 Ki 18:26-29 | ...they cried aloud and cut themselves... but there was no voice, and no one answered... | Prophets of Baal fail dramatically, showing idol powerlessness. |
| Hab 2:18-19 | What profit is an idol when its maker has shaped it... a teacher of lies, for its maker trusts in his own creation...? | Emphasizes the deception and lifelessness of idols. |
| Isa 43:11 | I, even I, am the Lord, and apart from me there is no savior. | God asserts Himself as the exclusive Deliverer. |
| Hos 13:4 | But I am the Lord your God from the land of Egypt; you know no God but me, and besides me there is no savior. | Reaffirms God's sole saving power from Exodus onward. |
| Ps 3:8 | Salvation belongs to the Lord... | Salvation comes only from God. |
| 2 Sam 22:3 | My God, my rock, in whom I take refuge, my shield, and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold and my refuge, my savior... | David acknowledges God as his personal deliverer. |
| Ps 20:7 | Some trust in chariots and some in horses, but we trust in the name of the Lord our God. | True trust is placed in the Lord, not earthly might. |
| Ex 14:13 | ...Stand firm, and see the salvation of the Lord... | God's deliverance seen historically (Red Sea). |
| Ex 20:5 | ...for I, the Lord your God, am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children to the third and the fourth generation... | God's righteous jealousy over Israel's faithfulness. |
| Deut 6:14-15 | You shall not go after other gods, the gods of the peoples who are around you— for the Lord your God in your midst is a jealous God... | Warning against other gods due to God's zealous nature. |
| Judg 2:11-15 | And the people of Israel did what was evil in the sight of the Lord and served the Baals... the anger of the Lord was kindled... | Cycle of sin and divine anger in Judges' period. |
| Jer 7:17-20 | Do you not see what they are doing... in the streets of Jerusalem? My wrath and My indignation will be poured out... | God's fierce anger at widespread idolatry. |
| Judg 10:16 | So they put away the foreign gods from among them and served the Lord, and he could bear Israel's misery no longer. | Immediate context; God's compassion breaks through. |
| Neh 9:28 | But when they had rest, they again did evil before You... You heard from heaven and delivered them many times according to Your compassion. | God repeatedly delivers despite repeated backsliding. |
| Ps 78:38-39 | Yet He, being compassionate, atoned for their iniquity and did not destroy them; He restrained His anger often and did not stir up all His wrath. | God's frequent restraint of anger and compassion. |
| Lam 3:22-23 | The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases; His mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning... | Assurance of God's enduring love and mercy. |
| Prov 1:28-31 | Then they will call upon me, but I will not answer; they will seek me diligently but will not find me. Because they hated knowledge... | Warning of unanswered prayers when wisdom is rejected. |
| Rom 1:24, 26, 28 | Therefore God gave them up in the lusts of their hearts to impurity... God gave them up to dishonorable passions... God gave them up to a debased mind... | God gives over those who persist in unrighteousness. |
| Ps 50:15 | Call upon me in the day of trouble; I will deliver you, and you shall glorify me. | Invitation to cry out to God, who will deliver. |
Judges 10 verses
Judges 10 14 Meaning
Judges 10:14 conveys God's sharp rebuke and ironic challenge to the Israelites, urging them to seek deliverance from the pagan deities they had willingly chosen to serve instead of the Lord. This divine statement highlights the futility and impotence of idols in providing help during times of national distress, starkly contrasting them with the singular power of the one true God who alone can save. It reveals God's righteous anger and disappointment over Israel's repeated apostasy, yet it also functions as a wake-up call, designed to make them confront the consequences of their unfaithfulness and recognize their dire need for Him.
Judges 10 14 Context
Judges chapter 10 recounts another dark period in Israel's cyclical history of sin, oppression, and partial repentance during the time of the Judges. Following brief periods of peace under the minor judges Tola and Jair, the Israelites once again turned from the Lord and served various pagan deities—Baals and Ashtoreths, and the gods of Aram, Sidon, Moab, Ammon, and the Philistines (Judg 10:6). This widespread idolatry provoked the Lord's anger, and He allowed the Ammonites and Philistines to oppress Israel for eighteen years, particularly in Transjordan (Judg 10:7-9). When Israel finally cried out to the Lord in distress (Judg 10:10), verse 14 comes as God's initial, biting response to their belated plea, questioning the sincerity of their repentance and challenging them to find help from the very gods they had preferred over Him for so long (Judg 10:11-13 outlines God's past deliverances and Israel's continuous ingratitude). This verse is a climactic expression of divine frustration before God's compassion eventually turns their heart towards true repentance.
Judges 10 14 Word analysis
- Go and cry out: In Hebrew, this is a jussive/imperative phrase, Yilekhu veyiz’aqoo. While literally meaning "let them go and let them cry out," it functions here as a sharp, rhetorical dismissal or an ironic command from God. It's not a physical journey but a sarcastically granted permission to appeal to their chosen deities. This phrasing conveys divine exasperation and points to the emptiness of Israel's ritualistic "crying out" when their hearts remain with idols. It implies a "why don't you go ahead and try?" attitude.
- to the gods: The Hebrew word is elohim, a general term for deity, but here clearly refers to the false, pagan gods Israel adopted. It highlights their plurality and impotent nature in contrast to YHWH, the singular true God. This choice to "go to" them emphasizes the volitional aspect of Israel's sin, reinforcing their culpability.
- whom you have chosen: The Hebrew phrase asher bechartem lachem ("whom you have chosen for yourselves") powerfully emphasizes Israel's agency and deliberate rebellion. They weren't forced into idolatry but actively selected these false gods, demonstrating their unfaithfulness to the covenant with the Lord. This phrase directly points out their rejection of the God who chose them (Deut 7:6).
- let them deliver you: The Hebrew Hemah hoshia'oo lachem (lit. "They, they shall save for you"). This is a profound moment of divine irony and challenge. The repetition of the pronoun "they" highlights the expectation that the chosen gods should be the saviors. It forces Israel to confront the logical outcome of their choice: if these gods are worthy of worship, they should be capable of deliverance. This highlights the foundational theological conflict: who truly saves?
- in the time of your distress: The Hebrew be'et tsaratkhem refers to a period of great trouble, oppression, or calamity. This phrase frequently appears in the Old Testament to describe the state of Israel when divine judgment falls upon them. It emphasizes the critical moment when people most desperately need salvation, making the irony of the previous phrases even more potent. It sets the stage for demonstrating the true deliverer.
Judges 10 14 Bonus section
This divine "sarcasm" or "ironic challenge" from God is a profound pedagogical tool. It's not God mocking His people for personal gratification, but rather using sharp, poignant language to reveal a crucial truth about Himself and the impotence of false gods. This specific form of divine rhetoric is a test of faithfulness and a catalyst for true introspection and repentance. It demonstrates God's persistent desire for Israel's exclusive devotion and exposes the folly of spiritual syncretism. Furthermore, this verse highlights a recurring pattern in the divine-human relationship where God, in His sovereign patience, allows His people to experience the natural consequences of their rebellion before His ultimate mercy triumphs. It showcases the "tough love" aspect of God's character, where He brings His people to the end of their own resources so they will fully depend on Him again.
Judges 10 14 Commentary
Judges 10:14 serves as a pivot point in Israel's cycle of apostasy and divine deliverance. God's declaration is not a genuine withdrawal of His presence or help, but a divine sarcastic retort born out of holy frustration. Having repeatedly rescued Israel from oppressors, only to be promptly forgotten and replaced by pagan deities, God's patience has worn thin. His challenge "Go and cry out to the gods whom you have chosen; let them deliver you in the time of your distress" is designed to expose the utter emptiness of idolatry and to jolt His people into a stark realization of their foolish choices. It is a severe but necessary chastisement, pushing them to discern between the false, lifeless gods and the living, powerful Lord. This verse reflects the principle that sin has natural, painful consequences, and God sometimes allows people to experience the fruit of their rebellious choices in order to lead them to genuine repentance. The profound implication is that true help and salvation are found exclusively in the Lord, and it sets the stage for His ultimate display of compassion, despite their undeserving nature.