Judges 2:16 kjv
Nevertheless the LORD raised up judges, which delivered them out of the hand of those that spoiled them.
Judges 2:16 nkjv
Nevertheless, the LORD raised up judges who delivered them out of the hand of those who plundered them.
Judges 2:16 niv
Then the LORD raised up judges, who saved them out of the hands of these raiders.
Judges 2:16 esv
Then the LORD raised up judges, who saved them out of the hand of those who plundered them.
Judges 2:16 nlt
Then the LORD raised up judges to rescue the Israelites from their attackers.
Judges 2 16 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Neh 9:27 | "Therefore you delivered them into the hand of their enemies... Yet in the time of their distress, when they cried to you, you heard..." | God's consistent deliverance from enemies. |
| Ps 106:44-45 | "Nevertheless, he looked upon their distress, when he heard their cry... he remembered for them his covenant..." | God's compassion and remembrance of covenant. |
| Ex 3:7-8 | "Then the Lord said, 'I have surely seen the affliction of my people... and have come down to deliver them...'" | God hears and acts to deliver His people. |
| Deut 18:18 | "I will raise up for them a prophet like you from among their brothers..." | God's promise to raise up deliverers/leaders. |
| Acts 13:20 | "...And after this he gave them judges for about four hundred and fifty years..." | New Testament affirmation of God giving judges. |
| Judg 3:9 | "When the people of Israel cried out to the Lord, the Lord raised up a deliverer..." | Illustrates the cycle of God raising deliverers. |
| Judg 3:15 | "But when the people of Israel cried out to the Lord, the Lord raised up for them Ehud..." | Specific example of God raising a deliverer. |
| Judg 4:4 | "Now Deborah, a prophetess... was judging Israel at that time." | God raises diverse leaders for deliverance. |
| 1 Sam 2:7-8 | "The Lord makes poor and makes rich; he brings low and lifts up. He raises the poor from the dust..." | God's sovereignty in raising and lowering. |
| Dan 2:21 | "He changes times and seasons; he removes kings and sets up kings..." | God's control over rulers and leaders. |
| Rom 5:8 | "But God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us." | God's initiative in salvation despite sin. |
| Rom 11:29 | "For the gifts and the calling of God are irrevocable." | God's unwavering faithfulness to His promises. |
| Eph 2:4-5 | "But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive..." | God's rich mercy saving us despite our state. |
| Titus 3:5 | "he saved us, not because of works done by us in righteousness, but according to his own mercy..." | Salvation is based on God's mercy, not human works. |
| Psa 3:8 | "Salvation belongs to the Lord; your blessing be on your people!" | All salvation originates from God. |
| Isa 45:22 | "Turn to me and be saved, all the ends of the earth! For I am God, and there is no other." | God alone is the Savior. |
| 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." | Yahweh as the exclusive Savior. |
| Judg 2:14 | "So the anger of the Lord was kindled against Israel, and he gave them over into the hands of plunderers..." | Immediate preceding context of God's judgment. |
| Lev 26:17 | "I will set my face against you, and you shall be struck down before your enemies. Those who hate you shall rule over you..." | Covenant consequences for disobedience. |
| Phil 3:20 | "But our citizenship is in heaven, and from it we await a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ." | Christ as the ultimate Deliverer and Savior. |
| 1 Pet 1:5 | "who by God's power are being guarded through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed..." | God's power in guarding and saving His people. |
| Psa 78:38 | "Yet he, being compassionate, atoned for their iniquity and did not destroy them..." | God's enduring compassion despite Israel's sin. |
Judges 2 verses
Judges 2 16 Meaning
Judges 2:16 describes God's direct and compassionate response to Israel's plight during a period of apostasy and oppression. Despite Israel's sinfulness and subsequent suffering at the hands of those who plundered them, the Lord, out of His sovereign grace, took the initiative to raise up special deliverers, known as "judges." These individuals were empowered by God to rescue His people from their oppressors, demonstrating His enduring faithfulness to His covenant, even when Israel was unfaithful.
Judges 2 16 Context
Judges chapter 2 details the unfolding cycle of disobedience and discipline that characterized the early years of Israel's presence in Canaan following Joshua's death. Verses 11-15 vividly describe Israel's turn to idolatry, particularly the worship of Baal and Ashtaroth, and Yahweh's resultant anger, leading Him to hand them over to plunderers. Verse 16 intervenes in this dire situation, initiating a pattern of divine mercy that would define the book. It demonstrates that even when Israel was unfaithful, God, driven by His covenant faithfulness and compassion, did not abandon them but actively intervened to provide deliverance. This verse introduces the concept of God "raising up" judges as a response to Israel's distress, thereby setting the stage for the narrative framework of the entire Book of Judges.
Judges 2 16 Word analysis
- Nevertheless (וַיָּקֶם - vayaqem): The opening Hebrew waw connective, often "and," here acts as an adversative conjunction, "nevertheless" or "yet." It emphatically contrasts God's subsequent action with Israel's prior rebellion and suffering, highlighting divine initiative and grace. It comes from the verb root קוּם (qum), meaning "to rise," but here in the causative stem (Hifil), indicating God causing someone to rise up or establishing them.
- the Lord (יְהוָה - Yahweh): This is the Tetragrammaton, God's covenant name. Its use emphasizes that the deliverer is raised by the faithful covenant God, demonstrating His character as one who fulfills His promises and shows mercy, even when His people are disobedient. This action is rooted in His divine authority and commitment to His people.
- raised up (וַיָּקֶם - vayaqem): As part of vayaqem Yahweh, this signifies God's direct and sovereign appointment. These judges were not self-appointed, nor were they chosen by the people; they were divine provisions for specific needs. It implies a divinely enabled authority and empowerment for their task.
- judges (שֹׁפְטִים - shophetim): Plural of shophet. While sometimes translated as "judges" in a strictly legal sense, in the context of this book, their primary role was that of military and political deliverers or saviors. They were charismatic leaders, divinely empowered to restore justice by defeating Israel's oppressors, rather than acting as a perpetual judicial office.
- who saved them (וַיּוֹשִׁיעוּם - vayoshi'um): From the root ישׁע (yasha’), which means "to save, deliver, rescue." This verb highlights the central mission of the judges: to provide active deliverance from oppression. The suffix "-um" denotes "them," referring to the Israelites. This action directly counteracts the consequences of Israel's sin.
- out of the hand of (מִיַּד - miyad): Literally "from the hand of." The "hand" (yad) is a common biblical idiom representing power, control, authority, and possession. To be delivered "out of the hand of" means to be freed from the grip, dominion, or oppressive power of the enemy. It conveys total liberation from subjugation.
- those who plundered them (שֹׁסֵיהֶם - shoseyhem): From the root שׁסס (shasas), meaning "to plunder, pillage, spoil, or rob." This word describes the actions of Israel's oppressors—the surrounding nations who would raid and steal from the Israelites, reducing them to poverty and subservience. This detail underscores the depth of Israel's suffering and the necessity of divine intervention. The suffix "-hem" ("their") marks Israel as the object of this predatory behavior.
Words-group Analysis:
- "Nevertheless, the Lord raised up judges": This phrase captures the divine initiative and a surprising act of grace. It communicates that God's action is not a reaction to Israel's repentance, but an overflow of His own compassionate nature, demonstrating His sovereign power over human affairs and His ultimate authority to appoint leaders.
- "who saved them out of the hand of those who plundered them": This phrase precisely defines the core function of the judges. They were instrumental in achieving concrete, physical deliverance from foreign subjugation and economic oppression, thereby alleviating Israel's suffering and restoring a period of peace.
Judges 2 16 Bonus section
- The repetitive phrase "raised up" (va'yaqem) reinforces the divine origin of the judges' authority and mission. They were God's instruments, not simply emergent political figures.
- The theological rhythm introduced here—sin leading to oppression, followed by God raising a deliverer—becomes the central framework for understanding the entire book of Judges and echoes God's redemptive work throughout biblical history.
- The fact that God raised them out of the hand of their oppressors speaks to the complete reversal of power and the total liberation achieved, emphasizing God's supremacy over all nations and forces.
Judges 2 16 Commentary
Judges 2:16 encapsulates a profound theological truth about God's character and His interaction with humanity. Despite Israel's flagrant spiritual adultery and its self-inflicted misery under the yoke of oppressors (as described in Jdg 2:11-15), Yahweh's response is one of compassionate intervention, not abandonment. He initiates salvation by "raising up" these judges. This is not because Israel deserved it, but because of God's unwavering mercy and covenant faithfulness. The term "judges" (shophetim) in this context primarily refers to divinely commissioned deliverers who exercised charismatic, temporary leadership to free Israel from external threats. This verse powerfully illustrates God's sovereign hand in history, providing for His people even when they are disobedient, thereby setting the foundational pattern of judgment and grace that recurs throughout the book. It foreshadows a greater deliverer, Jesus Christ, who brings ultimate salvation, not merely from earthly oppressors, but from sin and death itself, not based on human merit but on God's immeasurable grace.