Judges

Judges 2:16–19

¹⁶Then the LORD raised up judges,^e who saved them from the hands of those who plundered them.

¹⁷Israel, however, did not listen to their judges. Instead, they prostituted themselves with other gods and bowed down to them. They quickly turned from the way of their fathers, who had walked in obedience to the LORD’s commandments; they did not do as their fathers had done.

¹⁸Whenever the LORD raised up a judge for the Israelites, He was with that judge and saved them from the hands of their enemies while the judge was still alive; for the LORD was moved to pity by their groaning under those who oppressed them and afflicted them. ¹⁹But when the judge died, the Israelites became even more corrupt than their fathers, going after other gods to serve them and bow down to them. They would not give up their evil practices and stubborn ways.

Footnotes

e 2:16 Or governors or leaders; here and throughout the book of Judges

Read all of Judges 2

Word by word

Each English word or phrase beside the Hebrew it translates, in the order of the English. Choose a number to open that word’s study.

Judges 2:16

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
Then the LORD	יְהוָ֖ה	Yah·weh	Noun - proper - masculine singular	H3068 Yahweh
raised up	וַיָּ֥קֶם	way·yā·qem	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Hifil - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular	H6965 arise, stand up, stand
judges	שֹֽׁפְטִ֑ים	šō·p̄ə·ṭîm	Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine plural	H8199 judge, govern
who saved them	וַיּ֣וֹשִׁיע֔וּם	way·yō·wō·šî·‘ūm	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Hifil - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine plural; third person masculine plural	H3467 deliver
from the hands	מִיַּ֖ד	mî·yaḏ	Preposition-m; Noun - feminine singular construct	H3027 hand
of those who plundered them	שֹׁסֵיהֶֽם׃	šō·sê·hem	Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine plural construct; third person masculine plural	H8154 spoil, plunder

Judges 2:17

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
however	וְגַ֤ם	wə·ḡam	Conjunction	H1571 also, moreover, yea
did not	לֹ֣א	lō	Adverb - Negative particle	H3808 not
listen	שָׁמֵ֔עוּ	šā·mê·‘ū	Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person common plural	H8085 hear
to	אֶל־	’el-	Preposition	H413 motion to
their judges	שֹֽׁפְטֵיהֶם֙	šō·p̄ə·ṭê·hem	Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine plural construct; third person masculine plural	H8199 judge, govern
Instead	כִּ֣י	kî	Conjunction	H3588 burning, branding
they prostituted	זָנ֗וּ	zā·nū	Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person common plural	H2181 commit fornication, be a harlot
themselves with	אַֽחֲרֵי֙	’a·ḥă·rê	Preposition	H310 behind
other	אֲחֵרִ֔ים	’ă·ḥê·rîm	Adjective - masculine plural	H312 another
gods	אֱלֹהִ֣ים	’ĕ·lō·hîm	Noun - masculine plural	H430 God
and bowed down	וַיִּֽשְׁתַּחֲו֖וּ	way·yiš·ta·ḥă·wū	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Hitpael - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine plural	H7812 bow down
to them	לָהֶ֑ם	lā·hem	Preposition; third person masculine plural
They quickly	מַהֵ֗ר	ma·hêr	Adverb	H4118 hurrying, in a hurry
turned	סָ֣רוּ	sā·rū	Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person common plural	H5493 turn aside
from	מִן־	min-	Preposition	H4480 out of, from, on account of, off, on the side of, since, above, than, so that not
the way	הַדֶּ֜רֶךְ	had·de·reḵ	Article; Noun - common singular	H1870 way, road, distance, journey, manner
of their fathers	אֲבוֹתָ֛ם	’ă·ḇō·w·ṯām	Noun - masculine plural construct; third person masculine plural	H1 father
who had walked	הָלְכ֧וּ	hā·lə·ḵū	Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person common plural	H1980 go, come, walk
in obedience	לִשְׁמֹ֥עַ	liš·mō·a‘	Preposition-l; Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct	H8085 hear
to the LORD’s	יְהוָ֖ה	Yah·weh	Noun - proper - masculine singular	H3068 Yahweh
commandments	מִצְוֺת־	miṣ·wōṯ-	Noun - feminine plural construct	H4687 commandment
they did not	לֹא־	lō-	Adverb - Negative particle	H3808 not
do as their fathers	עָ֥שׂוּ	‘ā·śū	Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person common plural	H6213 do, make

Judges 2:18

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
Whenever	וְכִֽי־	wə·ḵî-	Conjunction	H3588 burning, branding
the LORD	יְהוָ֥ה׀	Yah·weh	Noun - proper - masculine singular	H3068 Yahweh
raised up	הֵקִ֨ים	hê·qîm	Verb - Hifil - Perfect - third person masculine singular	H6965 arise, stand up, stand
a judge	שֹֽׁפְטִים֒	šō·p̄ə·ṭîm	Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine plural	H8199 judge, govern
for the Israelites	לָהֶם֮	lā·hem	Preposition; third person masculine plural
was	וְהָיָ֤ה	wə·hā·yāh	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - third person masculine singular	H1961 fall out, come to pass, become, be
with	עִם־	‘im-	Preposition	H5973 with
that judge	הַשֹּׁפֵ֔ט	haš·šō·p̄êṭ	Article; Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singular	H8199 judge, govern
and saved them	וְהֽוֹשִׁיעָם֙	wə·hō·wō·šî·‘ām	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Hifil - Conjunctive perfect - third person masculine singular; third person masculine plural	H3467 deliver
from the hands	מִיַּ֣ד	mî·yaḏ	Preposition-m; Noun - feminine singular construct	H3027 hand
of their enemies	אֹֽיְבֵיהֶ֔ם	’ō·yə·ḇê·hem	Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine plural construct; third person masculine plural	H341 be hostile to
while the judge	הַשּׁוֹפֵ֑ט	haš·šō·w·p̄êṭ	Article; Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singular	H8199 judge, govern
was still alive	כֹּ֖ל	kōl	Noun - masculine singular construct	H3605 the whole, all
for the LORD	יְהוָה֙	Yah·weh	Noun - proper - masculine singular	H3068 Yahweh
was moved to pity	יִנָּחֵ֤ם	yin·nā·ḥêm	Verb - Nifal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular	H5162 be sorry, console
by their groaning	מִנַּֽאֲקָתָ֔ם	min·na·’ă·qā·ṯām	Preposition-m; Noun - feminine singular construct; third person masculine plural	H5009 groan, groaning
under those	מִפְּנֵ֥י	mip·pə·nê	Preposition-m; Noun - common plural construct	H6440 face, before
who oppressed them	לֹחֲצֵיהֶ֖ם	lō·ḥă·ṣê·hem	Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine plural construct; third person masculine plural	H3905 squeeze, press
and afflicted them	וְדֹחֲקֵיהֶֽם׃	wə·ḏō·ḥă·qê·hem	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine plural construct; third person masculine plural	H1766 thrust, crowd, oppress

Judges 2:19

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
But when	וְהָיָ֣ה׀	wə·hā·yāh	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - third person masculine singular	H1961 fall out, come to pass, become, be
the judge	הַשּׁוֹפֵ֗ט	haš·šō·w·p̄êṭ	Article; Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singular	H8199 judge, govern
died	בְּמ֣וֹת	bə·mō·wṯ	Preposition-b; Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct	H4191 die
the Israelites became even more corrupt	וְהִשְׁחִ֣יתוּ	wə·hiš·ḥî·ṯū	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Hifil - Conjunctive perfect - third person common plural	H7843 go to ruin (?)
than their fathers	מֵֽאֲבוֹתָ֔ם	mê·’ă·ḇō·w·ṯām	Preposition-m; Noun - masculine plural construct; third person masculine plural	H1 father
going	לָלֶ֗כֶת	lā·le·ḵeṯ	Preposition-l; Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct	H1980 go, come, walk
after	אַֽחֲרֵי֙	’a·ḥă·rê	Preposition	H310 behind
other	אֲחֵרִ֔ים	’ă·ḥê·rîm	Adjective - masculine plural	H312 another
gods	אֱלֹהִ֣ים	’ĕ·lō·hîm	Noun - masculine plural	H430 God
to serve them	לְעָבְדָ֖ם	lə·‘ā·ḇə·ḏām	Preposition-l; Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct; third person masculine plural	H5647 work, serve
and bow down	וּלְהִשְׁתַּחֲוֺ֣ת	ū·lə·hiš·ta·ḥă·wōṯ	Conjunctive waw, Preposition-l; Verb - Hitpael - Infinitive construct	H7812 bow down
to them	לָהֶ֑ם	lā·hem	Preposition; third person masculine plural
They would not	לֹ֤א	lō	Adverb - Negative particle	H3808 not
give up	הִפִּ֙ילוּ֙	hip·pî·lū	Verb - Hifil - Perfect - third person common plural	H5307 fall, lie
their evil practices	מִמַּ֣עַלְלֵיהֶ֔ם	mim·ma·‘al·lê·hem	Preposition-m; Noun - masculine plural construct; third person masculine plural	H4611 deed, practice
and stubborn	הַקָּשָֽׁה׃	haq·qā·šāh	Article; Adjective - feminine singular	H7186 hard, severe
ways	וּמִדַּרְכָּ֖ם	ū·mid·dar·kām	Conjunctive waw, Preposition-m; Noun - common singular construct; third person masculine plural	H1870 way, road, distance, journey, manner