Judg. 2 An angel reproveth Israel at Bochim; they bewail their sins, Judg. 2:1–5. The wickedness of the new generation after Joshua; their frequent idolatry, Judg. 2:6–13; for which they are often punished of God by the enemy; and being delivered by the judges grow worse, Judg.

An angel of the Lord: either, first, A created angel. Or, secondly, A prophet or man of God, for such are sometimes called angels, which signifies only messengers of God; and then the following words are spoken by him in the name of God, as may easily be understood.

i.e. Disobeyed these express commands of mine?

I also said with myself; I have now taken up this peremptory resolution. Thorns in your sides: See Poole “Num. 33:55”; See Poole “Josh. 23:13”.

Some of them from a true sense of their sins; but most of them from a just apprehension of their danger and approaching misery from the Canaanites’ growing power, and God’s forsaking of them; as the following history makes most probable.

For the expiation of their sins, by which they had provoked God to this resolution; and for the regaining of God’s favour.

When Joshua had let the people go; when he had distributed their inheritances, and dismissed them severally to take possession of them. This was done before this time, whilst Joshua lived; but is now repeated in order to the discovery of the time, and cause, or occasion of the people’s defection…

Timnath-heres, called Timnath-serah, Josh. 19:50, Josh. 24:30.

Which knew not the Lord; which had no experimental nor serious and affectionate knowledge of God, nor of his works.

In the sight of the Lord; which notes the heinousness and the impudence of their sins above other people’s sins; because God’s presence was with them, and his eye upon them, in a peculiar manner, and he did narrowly observe all their actions, which also they were not ignorant of, and therefore were…

i.e. The sun and the moon, whom many heathens worshipped, though under divers names; and so they ran into that error which God had so expressly warned them against, Deut. 4:19.

Sold them, i.e. delivered them up, as the seller doth, his commodities unto the buyer. This the same phrase is used Judg. 3:8, Judg. 4:9, compared with Judg. 2:14, Ps. 44:12.

Whithersoever they went out, i.e. whatsoever expedition or business they undertook; which is usually signified by going out and coming in.

The Lord raised them up, by inward inspiration and excitation of their minds and hearts, and by outward designation, testified by some heroical and extraordinary action.

Their judges admonished them of their sin and folly, and of the danger and misery which would certainly befall them.

It repented the Lord, i.e. the Lord changed his course and dealings with them, as penitent men use to do; removed his judgments, and returned to them in mercy, Gen. 6:6.

They returned to their former, and usual, and natural, though interrupted course. More than their fathers, in Egypt or in the wilderness. From their own doings, i.e.

That I may prove Israel; either, first, That I may try, and see whether Israel will be true and faithful to me, or whether they will suffer themselves to be corrupted by the evil counsels and examples of their bad neighbours, whom I will leave among them for their trial and exercise.

Hastily, or speedily; when the Israelites desired it and needed it.