Judges 2 17

Judges 2:17 kjv

And yet they would not hearken unto their judges, but they went a whoring after other gods, and bowed themselves unto them: they turned quickly out of the way which their fathers walked in, obeying the commandments of the LORD; but they did not so.

Judges 2:17 nkjv

Yet they would not listen to their judges, but they played the harlot with other gods, and bowed down to them. They turned quickly from the way in which their fathers walked, in obeying the commandments of the LORD; they did not do so.

Judges 2:17 niv

Yet they would not listen to their judges but prostituted themselves to other gods and worshiped them. They quickly turned from the ways of their ancestors, who had been obedient to the LORD's commands.

Judges 2:17 esv

Yet they did not listen to their judges, for they whored after other gods and bowed down to them. They soon turned aside from the way in which their fathers had walked, who had obeyed the commandments of the LORD, and they did not do so.

Judges 2:17 nlt

Yet Israel did not listen to the judges but prostituted themselves by worshiping other gods. How quickly they turned away from the path of their ancestors, who had walked in obedience to the LORD's commands.

Judges 2 verses

Judges 2 17 Meaning

Judges 2:17 reveals the Israelites' recurring failure during the period of the Judges: they habitually rejected the authority and guidance of the judges God appointed to deliver them, opting instead for spiritual infidelity by pursuing and worshiping the pagan deities of the surrounding nations. This behavior was a rapid departure from the path of obedience to the LORD's commands that had characterized their faithful ancestors, signifying a profound spiritual decline and a breaking of covenant loyalty.

Judges 2 17 Context

Judges chapter 2 marks a pivotal shift after the death of Joshua and his generation. The preceding verses (2:1-5) detail the LORD's angel rebuking Israel for failing to drive out the Canaanites, predicting their integration and corruption. Following this (2:10), a new generation arises who "did not know the LORD or the work that he had done for Israel." This spiritual ignorance immediately leads to their doing evil in the sight of the LORD and serving the Baals (2:11). The LORD's anger is kindled (2:14), and He gives them into the hands of plunderers. Verses 16-19 then introduce the cyclical pattern: God raises up judges to deliver them, but verse 17, specifically, highlights Israel's persistent disobedience to these judges. They repeatedly relapse into idolatry and pagan practices, demonstrating an ingrained rebellion against the covenant relationship with the LORD, contrasting starkly with the generation that entered Canaan under Joshua. The historical context is post-conquest, a tribal society grappling with establishing itself amidst deeply entrenched Canaanite cults that emphasized fertility rites and often involved immoral practices, which easily lured Israel away from exclusive worship of the one true God, YHWH.

Judges 2 17 Word Analysis

• But they did not listen (וְלֹא שָׁמְעוּ, v'lo' sham'u): The root shama' means to hear, listen, and crucially, to obey. The negative "did not" indicates a deliberate, volitional refusal, not a mere lack of comprehension. This is active disobedience.
• to their judges (אֶל שֹׁפְטֵיהֶם, el shofteihem): "Judges" (שֹׁפְטִים, shoftim) here refers to the leaders God raised up to deliver Israel from oppression. While they executed justice, their primary role described in this context was that of military deliverers and spiritual guides whom God used. Disobeying them was a direct rejection of God's provision and authority.
• instead, they prostituted themselves (כִּי זָנוּ, ki zanu): The Hebrew verb זָנָה (zanah) literally means "to commit fornication" or "to be a harlot." Spiritually, it's a powerful metaphor for abandoning fidelity to a covenant, specifically the covenant with YHWH, and seeking "other gods." It conveys breaking solemn vows, disloyalty, and engaging in unholy union, equating idolatry to spiritual adultery, a grave offense against the LORD, Israel's divine husband.
• with other gods (אַחֲרֵי אֱלֹהִים אֲחֵרִים, acharei Elohim acheirim): This common phrase in the Old Testament emphasizes the false, foreign nature of these deities, contrasting them with YHWH, the one true God. "Other gods" represents the diverse pantheon of Canaanite religions (Baal, Ashtoreth, Dagon, etc.), often associated with local cults and nature worship, offering tangible rituals appealing to base human desires, in direct competition to the monotheistic and ethical demands of the LORD's Law.
• and worshiped them (וַיִּשְׁתַּחֲווּ לָהֶם, vayishtachavu lahem): The verb שָׁחָה (shachah) means to bow down or prostrate oneself. This signifies an act of reverence and devotion. The physical act of bowing underscored their full allegiance and submission to these false gods, demonstrating that their spiritual harlotry was not merely conceptual but manifested in concrete acts of idolatry.
• They quickly turned aside (מַהֵר סָרוּ, maher saru): Maher means "quickly" or "soon," indicating swift and immediate defection. Saru (from סוּר, sur) means "turned aside," "departed," or "swerved." This highlights the Israelites' profound spiritual instability and short-lived obedience, relapsing rapidly after experiencing God's deliverance through a judge.
• from the way (מִן הַדֶּרֶךְ, min haderech): "The way" (דֶּרֶךְ, derech) refers to their moral and spiritual path, the prescribed manner of life. In the Old Testament, "the way of the LORD" represents righteous living, obedience to His commands, and walking in His truth. Turning aside from it means a deviation from faithfulness and upright conduct.
• in which their fathers had walked (אֲשֶׁר הָלְכוּ אֲבֹתָם, asher hal'khu avotam): Refers to the previous generation, specifically those who, like Joshua, had been faithful to the LORD. This establishes a normative standard of conduct for Israel, contrasting the current generation's disobedience with the faithfulness (however imperfect) of those who preceded them, especially those who remembered God's works.
• obeying the commands of the LORD (לִשְׁמֹעַ אֶל מִצְוֹת יְהוָה, lishmoa' el mitzvot YHWH): Emphasizes the standard from which they deviated: the specific divine precepts and statutes given by God, notably through Moses, binding them in covenant. "Obeying" again uses shama', reiterating the failure of listening and action.
• they did not act as their fathers did (לֹא עָשׂוּ כָּהֶם, lo asu kahem): This reinforces the deviation, stressing that their actions (or lack thereof) did not align with the obedient acts of their forefathers, underscoring a consistent pattern of rebellion rather than inherited piety.

• "they prostituted themselves with other gods and worshiped them": This phrase encapsulates Israel's profound spiritual disloyalty and deep descent into idolatry. The metaphor of prostitution illustrates the broken covenant and their unholy union with pagan deities, embodying both the rejection of YHWH as their sovereign and spouse, and their embracing of the illicit and depraved practices of false worship, which often involved literal cultic prostitution and rites abhorrent to God.
• "They quickly turned aside from the way... obeying the commands of the LORD": This grouping highlights the rapidity of their apostasy and the clear standard they abandoned. Their actions were a direct and swift repudiation of the divine instruction and righteous living that God had prescribed and their forefathers (or a segment of them) had followed, demonstrating their entrenched tendency towards rebellion immediately after deliverance.

Judges 2 17 Bonus Section

The repeated emphasis on Israel "not listening" (sham'a) is deeply significant, as the core commandment in Deuteronomy is the Shema ("Hear, O Israel, the LORD our God, the LORD is one!"), calling for total love and obedience. Their failure to sham'a God's judges and God's commands reflects a complete repudiation of their covenant identity and responsibilities. The mention of their "fathers" who "had walked" in the way, serves as a poignant reminder of missed spiritual inheritance and a lost legacy. The implication is that God had provided a clear, righteous path through the Law and exemplified by past faithfulness, but this generation stubbornly chose a different, corrupt path. This sets the stage for the recurring themes of God's patience versus Israel's stubbornness, defining the narrative arc of the entire book of Judges. It illustrates the enduring human tendency to quickly forget God's faithfulness and guidance in favor of perceived immediate gratification offered by idols.

Judges 2 17 Commentary

Judges 2:17 is a succinct summary of Israel's pervasive spiritual failure throughout the era of the judges. Despite God's merciful provision of deliverers—the judges—His people consistently demonstrated deep-seated unfaithfulness. Their rebellion manifested as an outright rejection of their appointed leaders, whom God Himself had sent. This act of "not listening" signified active defiance, leading directly to the profound offense of spiritual harlotry: turning away from YHWH, their covenant Lord and divine Husband, to embrace and worship pagan deities. The vivid imagery of "prostituting themselves" underscores the offensive nature of their betrayal. This abandonment of YHWH was not a gradual drift but a rapid descent, a "quick" turning away from the righteous "way" that God had commanded and their more faithful predecessors had (at times) adhered to. The verse reveals a deep-seated spiritual malaise: a consistent pattern of disobedience, apostasy, and syncretism that trapped Israel in a self-inflicted cycle of oppression and divine judgment, necessitating further divine intervention.