Judges 2:16

THE MESSAGE

But then God raised up judges who saved them from their plunderers. But they wouldn't listen to their judges; they prostituted themselves to other gods—worshiped them! They lost no time leaving the road walked by their parents, the road of obedience to God 's commands. They refused to have anything to do with it.

Parallel Translations

Christian Standard Bible®
The Lord raised up judges, who saved them from the power of their marauders,

Hebrew Names Version
The LORD raised up judges, who saved them out of the hand of those who despoiled them.

King James Version
Nevertheless the Lord raised up judges, which delivered them out of the hand of those that spoiled them.

Lexham English Bible
Then Yahweh raised up leaders, and they delivered them from the hand of their plunderers.

English Standard Version
Then the Lord raised up judges, who saved them out of the hand of those who plundered them.

New Century Version
Then the Lord chose leaders called judges, who saved the Israelites from the robbers.

New English Translation
The Lord raised up leaders who delivered them from these robbers.

Amplified Bible
Then the LORD raised up judges who rescued them from the hands of those who robbed them.

New American Standard Bible
Then the LORD raised up judges who saved them from the hands of those who plundered them.

Geneva Bible (1587)
Notwithstanding, the Lorde raysed vp Iudges, which deliuered them out of the hands of their oppressours.

Legacy Standard Bible
These are grumblers, finding fault, following after their own lusts; and their mouth speaks arrogantly, flattering people for the sake of their own benefit.

Contemporary English Version
From time to time, the Lord would choose special leaders known as judges. These judges would lead the Israelites into battle and defeat the enemies that made raids on them.

Complete Jewish Bible
But then Adonai raised up judges, who rescued them from the power of those who were plundering them.

Darby Translation
And Jehovah raised up judges, and they saved them out of the hand of those that spoiled them.

Easy-to-Read Version
Then the Lord chose leaders called judges. These leaders saved the Israelites from the enemies who took their possessions.

George Lamsa Translation
Then the LORD raised up judges among the Israelites, and they delivered them out of the hand of those who plundered them.

Good News Translation
Then the Lord gave the Israelites leaders who saved them from the raiders.

Literal Translation
And Jehovah raised up judges, and they saved them from the hand of their plunderers.

Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
Now whan the LORDE raysed them vp iudges, which helped them out of the hande of soch as spoyled the,

American Standard Version
And Jehovah raised up judges, who saved them out of the hand of those that despoiled them.

Bible in Basic English
Then the Lord gave them judges, as their saviours from the hands of those who were cruel to them.

Bishop's Bible (1568)
Neuerthelesse the Lorde raysed vp iudges, which deliuered them out of the handes of their oppressers.

JPS Old Testament (1917)
And the LORD raised up judges, who saved them out of the hand of those that spoiled them.

King James Version (1611)
Neuerthelesse, the Lord raysed vp Iudges, which deliuered them out of the hand of those that spoyled them.

Brenton's Septuagint (LXX)
And the Lord raised up judges, and the Lord save them out of the hands of them that spoiled them: and yet they hearkened not to the judges,

English Revised Version
And the LORD raised up judges, which saved them out of the hand of those that spoiled them.

Berean Standard Bible
Then the LORD raised up judges, who delivered them from the hands of these raiders.

Wycliffe Bible (1395)
And the Lord reiside iugis, that `delyueriden hem fro the hondis of destrieris, but thei nolden here hem,

Young's Literal Translation
And Jehovah raiseth up judges, and they save them from the hand of their spoilers;

Update Bible Version
And Yahweh raised up judges, who saved them out of the hand of those that despoiled them.

Webster's Bible Translation
Nevertheless the LORD raised up judges, who delivered them out of the hand of those that spoiled them.

World English Bible
Yahweh raised up judges, who saved them out of the hand of those who despoiled them.

New King James Version
Nevertheless, the LORD raised up judges who delivered them out of the hand of those who plundered them.

New Living Translation
Then the Lord raised up judges to rescue the Israelites from their attackers.

New Life Bible
Then the Lord gave them special men to judge between what was right or wrong. These men saved them from those who robbed them.

New Revised Standard
Then the Lord raised up judges, who delivered them out of the power of those who plundered them.

J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
And, though Yahweh raised up judges, - who saved them out of the hand of them that plundered them,

Douay-Rheims Bible
And the Lord raised up judges, to deliver them from the hands of those that oppressed them: but they would not hearken to them,

Revised Standard Version
Then the LORD raised up judges, who saved them out of the power of those who plundered them.

New American Standard Bible (1995)
Then the LORD raised up judges who delivered them from the hands of those who plundered them.

Contextual Overview

⁶After Joshua had dismissed them, the People of Israel went off to claim their allotted territories and take possession of the land. The people worshiped God throughout the lifetime of Joshua and the time of the leaders who survived him, leaders who had been in on all of God 's great work that he had done for Israel. Then Joshua son of Nun, the servant of God , died. He was 110 years old. They buried him in his allotted inheritance at Timnath Heres in the hills of Ephraim north of Mount Gaash. ¹⁰ Eventually that entire generation died and was buried. Then another generation grew up that didn't know anything of God or the work he had done for Israel. ¹¹The People of Israel did evil in God 's sight: they served Baal-gods; they deserted God , the God of their parents who had led them out of Egypt; they took up with other gods, gods of the peoples around them. They actually worshiped them! And oh, how they angered God as they worshiped god Baal and goddess Astarte! God 's anger was hot against Israel: He handed them off to plunderers who stripped them; he sold them cheap to enemies on all sides. They were helpless before their enemies. Every time they walked out the door God was with them—but for evil, just as God had said, just as he had sworn he would do. They were in a bad way. ¹⁶But then God raised up judges who saved them from their plunderers. But they wouldn't listen to their judges; they prostituted themselves to other gods—worshiped them! They lost no time leaving the road walked by their parents, the road of obedience to God 's commands. They refused to have anything to do with it. ¹⁸When God was setting up judges for them, he would be right there with the judge: He would save them from their enemies' oppression as long as the judge was alive, for God was moved to compassion when he heard their groaning because of those who afflicted and beat them. But when the judge died, the people went right back to their old ways—but even worse than their parents!—running after other gods, serving and worshiping them. Stubborn as mules, they didn't drop a single evil practice. ²⁰And God 's anger blazed against Israel. He said, "Because these people have thrown out my covenant that I commanded their parents and haven't listened to me, I'm not driving out one more person from the nations that Joshua left behind when he died. I'll use them to test Israel and see whether they stay on God 's road and walk down it as their parents did." ²³ That's why God let those nations remain. He didn't drive them out or let Joshua get rid of them.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

am 2591-2909, bc 1413-1095

the Lord: Judges 3:9, Judges 3:10, Judges 3:15, Judges 4:5, Judges 6:14, 1 Samuel 12:11, Acts 13:20

judges: The shophetim were not judges in the usual sense of the term; but were heads or chiefs of the Israelites, raised up on extraordinary occasions, who directed and ruled the nation with sovereign power, administered justice, made peace or war, and led the armies over whom they presided. Officers with the same power, and nearly the same name, were established in New Tyre, after the termination of the regal state; and the Carthaginian Suffetes, the Athenian Archons, and the Roman Dictators, appear to have been nearly the same.

delivered: Heb. saved, Nehemiah 9:27, Psalms 106:43-45

Reciprocal: Judges 3:31 - also Judges 10:1 - arose Ruth 1:1 - the judges 1 Samuel 7:15 - judged 1 Chronicles 17:6 - the judges Hosea 13:10 - thy judges Obadiah 1:21 - saviours

Cross-References

Genesis 2:1
Heaven and Earth were finished, down to the last detail.

Genesis 2:2
By the seventh day God had finished his work. On the seventh day he rested from all his work. God blessed the seventh day. He made it a Holy Day Because on that day he rested from his work, all the creating God had done. This is the story of how it all started, of Heaven and Earth when they were created.

1 Samuel 15:22
Then Samuel said, Do you think all God wants are sacrifices— empty rituals just for show? He wants you to listen to him! Plain listening is the thing, not staging a lavish religious production. Not doing what God tells you is far worse than fooling around in the occult. Getting self-important around God is far worse than making deals with your dead ancestors. Because you said No to God 's command, he says No to your kingship.

1 Timothy 6:17
Tell those rich in this world's wealth to quit being so full of themselves and so obsessed with money, which is here today and gone tomorrow. Tell them to go after God, who piles on all the riches we could ever manage—to do good, to be rich in helping others, to be extravagantly generous. If they do that, they'll build a treasury that will last, gaining life that is truly life.

Gill's Notes on the Bible

Nevertheless, the Lord raised up judges,.... Who are particularly mentioned by name, and their exploits recorded, in some following chapters, and from whom the book in general has its name: these were men that God raised up in an extraordinary manner, and spirited and qualified for the work he had to do by them; which was to deliver the people of Israel out of the hands of their oppressors, and restore them to their privileges and liberties, and protect them in them, and administer justice to them; which was a wonderful instance of the goodness of God to them, notwithstanding their many provoking sins and transgressions:

which delivered them out of the hands of those that spoiled them; who took away their goods and cattle from them, and carried their persons captive: these were the instruments of recovering both again, just as Abraham brought again Lot and all his goods.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

Nevertheless - (rather “and”) the Lord raised up judges This is the first introduction of the term judge, which gives its name to the book. (See the introduction to the Book of Judges.)

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse Judges 2:16. The Lord raised up judges — That is, leaders, generals, and governors, raised up by an especial appointment of the Lord, to deliver them from, and avenge them on, their adversaries. See the preface.