Judges 3 7

Judges 3:7 kjv

And the children of Israel did evil in the sight of the LORD, and forgat the LORD their God, and served Baalim and the groves.

Judges 3:7 nkjv

So the children of Israel did evil in the sight of the LORD. They forgot the LORD their God, and served the Baals and Asherahs.

Judges 3:7 niv

The Israelites did evil in the eyes of the LORD; they forgot the LORD their God and served the Baals and the Asherahs.

Judges 3:7 esv

And the people of Israel did what was evil in the sight of the LORD. They forgot the LORD their God and served the Baals and the Asheroth.

Judges 3:7 nlt

The Israelites did evil in the LORD's sight. They forgot about the LORD their God, and they served the images of Baal and the Asherah poles.

Judges 3 verses

Judges 3 7 Meaning

Judges 3:7 succinctly describes Israel's departure from God, initiating the cycle of apostasy seen throughout the Book of Judges. It details their deliberate act of rebellion by committing what God defines as evil, signifying a breach of their covenant relationship. This deep-seated betrayal is further elaborated as "forgetting the Lord their God," indicating not just a lapse of memory, but a wilful abandonment of their allegiance to the one true God who had redeemed them. This spiritual amnesia inevitably led them to worship the false deities of the Canaanites: "Baalim" (plural of Baal, denoting various local fertility gods) and "the groves" (cultic objects or sacred trees associated with the goddess Asherah). This verse sets the stage for God's punitive response through oppression by foreign powers, intended to call His people back to repentance.

Judges 3 7 Context

Judges 3:7 stands at the threshold of the first major apostasy described in the Book of Judges, immediately following the introductory chapters (Judges 1-2) which set the stage for the recurring cycle. Chapters 1-2 lament Israel's failure to completely drive out the Canaanite inhabitants from the promised land, attributing it to their lack of faith and obedience. As a consequence, God declares He will no longer assist them in driving out these nations; instead, they will remain as "thorns in their sides," serving to test Israel's faithfulness (Jdg 2:20-23). This verse, Jdg 3:7, marks the specific fulfillment of that prophetic warning, showing the inevitable outcome of coexisting with and eventually adopting the pagan practices of the remaining Canaanites. Historically, Israel at this period was a loosely connected tribal confederacy, lacking central leadership. Their immediate neighbors and long-term enemies, the Canaanites, with their polytheistic fertility cults centered around Baal and Asherah, exerted significant religious and cultural pressure. This verse captures the exact moment the Israelites succumbed to these foreign influences, moving from partial obedience to outright spiritual rebellion against their covenant God.

Judges 3 7 Word analysis

• And (וַ, va-): This conjunction links the consequences of their actions from Jdg 2 and directly introduces the people's rebellion, emphasizing cause-and-effect in the unfolding narrative.
• the children of Israel (בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל, benei Yisrael): Signifies the chosen people, heirs of God's covenant promises, whose actions are held to a higher standard due to their unique relationship with YHWH. Their identity as "Israel" (God contends/struggles) underscores their ongoing struggle with God's will.
• did evil (וַיַּעֲשׂוּ הָרַע, vayya'asu hara', lit. "and they did the evil"):
  • did (וַיַּעֲשׂוּ, vayya'asu): A strong verb implying a deliberate act, not an accidental slip.
  • evil (הָרַע, hara', from רַע, ra'): More than just "bad." In a biblical context, it denotes actions that are contrary to God's righteous character, His laws, and His will. It signifies moral perversity and spiritual corruption, often in opposition to the covenant. This "evil" is specifically identified by their idolatry.
• in the sight of the Lord (בְּעֵינֵי יְהוָה, be`eyney YHWH): Emphasizes that their actions were seen, judged, and recorded by the Almighty God. It is a divine perspective, highlighting God's absolute moral authority and the accountability of His people to Him. It's not evil according to human standards but according to the one who sees and knows all.
• and forgot (וַיִּשְׁכְּחוּ, vayyishkheḥu, from שָׁכַח, shakach):
  • This is not mere intellectual forgetfulness, but a deeper spiritual neglect or abandonment. It implies failing to acknowledge God's past deliverance, provision, and covenant faithfulness. It suggests a wilful disregard or disregard of His commands, promises, and the relationship they had with Him. It's a forgetting that leads to a fundamental shift in allegiance.
• the Lord their God (יְהוָה אֱלֹהֵיהֶם, YHWH Eloheyhem):
  • The Lord (יְהוָה, YHWH): The covenant name of God, emphasizing His personal, redemptive relationship with Israel (Ex 3:14-15). It points to His unique identity as the true and living God, the self-existent One.
  • their God (אֱלֹהֵיהֶם, Eloheyhem): Stresses the specific, intimate, and exclusive relationship God had with Israel. To "forget" their God means severing this unique covenant bond.
• and served (וַיַּעַבְדוּ, vayya`avdu, from עָבַד, ʿābad):
  • Means "to work for," "to labor," or "to worship." This word, commonly used for serving YHWH, now ironically applies to their service to false gods. It implies deep devotion and commitment. Their service to idols was a direct substitution for their allegiance to YHWH.
• Baalim (הַבְּעָלִים, habba'aliym):
  • Plural of Baal (בַּעַל, ba'al): Meaning "lord" or "master." Refers collectively to the various local manifestations of the chief Canaanite male deity associated with storm, rain, and fertility. Worshipping Baalim was an appeal for agricultural prosperity and life, demonstrating a lack of trust in YHWH as the sole provider. It was a direct syncretism with the surrounding pagan culture.
• and the groves (וְאֶת־הָאֲשֵׁרוֹת, ve'et-ha'asherot):
  • Refers to Asherah (אֲשֵׁרָה, asherah): The Canaanite mother goddess, often depicted as a consort to El or Baal. "Groves" likely refers to sacred poles or trees set up as symbols or images of Asherah for her worship. These were common at high places and fertility shrines, involving ritual practices anathema to YHWH's law, often involving sexual immorality.

Words-group by words-group analysis:

• "And the children of Israel did evil in the sight of the Lord": This phrase acts as a repeated thematic statement in Judges, establishing a pattern of direct defiance by the covenant people against the divine observer and judge. It frames their actions not as mere mistakes, but as fundamentally wrong from God's perfect perspective.
• "and forgot the Lord their God": This highlights the core spiritual breakdown. Their idolatry wasn't just external action, but stemmed from an internal abandonment of the very identity and redemptive history tied to YHWH. It indicates a breaking of the relationship.
• "and served Baalim and the groves": This directly identifies the object of their forgotten allegiance. It shows concrete religious syncretism, revealing the allure of local fertility cults promising prosperity, directly challenging YHWH's exclusive claim on their worship and His sole power over the land.

Judges 3 7 Bonus section

The deliberate phrase "forgot the Lord their God" indicates a profound crisis of identity for Israel. Their covenant relationship with YHWH defined who they were, and by 'forgetting' Him, they abandoned their true essence as His peculiar people. This wasn't merely a failure to recall facts about God; it was a discarding of the experiential memory of His saving acts and the values He represented. Furthermore, the explicit mention of Baalim and Asheroth showcases the religious climate of Canaan – polytheistic, sensuous, and utilitarian, deeply contrasting with the monotheistic, moral, and covenantal faith of Israel. This verse highlights the constant pressure faced by God's people to assimilate into surrounding cultures, a challenge that remains relevant for believers today in a secular or religiously diverse world. The narrative implicitly teaches that spiritual memory, constantly refreshed through obedience and worship, is crucial for spiritual endurance.

Judges 3 7 Commentary

Judges 3:7 is a profound declaration of Israel's spiritual decline. It reveals that the heart of their apostasy lay in "forgetting" YHWH – not intellectual amnesia, but an active rejection of their covenant relationship with the God who delivered them from Egypt and brought them into the Promised Land. This forgetfulness was not benign; it was a willful turning away that led directly to open rebellion through idolatry. By serving Baalim and the Asheroth, they essentially sought life, fertility, and prosperity from the false gods of their neighbors, implying a fundamental distrust in YHWH's provision and sovereignty. This choice was deeply offensive to God because it broke the first two commandments and trivialized His unique character as the living, jealous God. This act of disloyalty instigated the predictable cycle of divine discipline (oppression), leading them back to a cry for deliverance. The verse serves as a sober warning against spiritual complacency and syncretism, illustrating how neglecting foundational truths about God leads to a descent into practices alien to Him, inevitably incurring consequences.

• Examples: A church community prioritizing entertainment and social programs over the preaching of God's Word and evangelism; individuals adopting worldly philosophies to guide their ethics rather than biblical principles; believers neglecting prayer and Scripture, becoming susceptible to false teachings promising material prosperity over spiritual truth.