1 And an angel of the LORD came up from Gilgal to Bochim, and
said, I made you to go up out of Egypt, and have brought you unto the land
which I sware unto your fathers; and I said, I will never break my covenant
with you.
2 And
ye shall make no league with the inhabitants of this land; ye shall throw down
their altars: but ye have not obeyed my voice: why have ye done this?
3 Wherefore
I also said, I will not drive them out from before you; but they shall be as thorns in
your sides, and their gods shall be a snare unto you.
4 And
it came to pass, when the angel of the LORD spake these words unto all the
children of Israel, that the people lifted up their voice, and wept.
5 And
they called the name of that place Bochim: and they sacrificed there unto the
LORD.
6 And
when Joshua had let the people go, the children of Israel went every man unto
his inheritance to possess the land.
7 And
the people served the LORD all the days of Joshua, and all the days of the
elders that outlived Joshua, who had seen all the great works of the LORD, that
he did for Israel.
8 And
Joshua the son of Nun, the servant of the LORD, died, being an
hundred and ten years old.
9 And
they buried him in the border of his inheritance in Timnathheres, in the mount
of Ephraim, on the north side of the hill Gaash.
10 And
also all that generation were gathered unto their fathers: and there arose
another generation after them, which knew not the LORD, nor yet the works which
he had done for Israel.
11 And
the children of Israel did evil in the sight of the LORD, and served Baalim:
12 And
they forsook the LORD God of their fathers, which brought them out of the land
of Egypt, and followed other gods, of the gods of the people that were round
about them, and bowed themselves unto them, and provoked the LORD to anger.
13 And
they forsook the LORD, and served Baal and Ashtaroth.
14 And
the anger of the LORD was hot against Israel, and he delivered them into the
hands of spoilers that spoiled them, and he sold them into the hands of their
enemies round about, so that they could not any longer stand before their
enemies.
15 Whithersoever
they went out, the hand of the LORD was against them for evil, as the LORD had
said, and as the LORD had sworn unto them: and they were greatly distressed.
16 Nevertheless
the LORD raised up judges, which delivered them out of the hand of those that
spoiled them.
17 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.
18 And
when the LORD raised them up judges, then the LORD was with the judge, and
delivered them out of the hand of their enemies all the days of the judge: for
it repented the LORD because of their groanings by reason of them that
oppressed them and vexed them.
19 And
it came to pass, when the judge was dead, that they returned, and corrupted themselves more
than their fathers, in following other gods to serve them, and to bow down unto
them; they ceased not from their own doings, nor from their stubborn way.
20 And
the anger of the LORD was hot against Israel; and he said, Because that this
people hath transgressed my covenant which I commanded their fathers, and have
not hearkened unto my voice;
21 I
also will not henceforth drive out any from before them of the nations which
Joshua left when he died:
22 That
through them I may prove Israel, whether they will keep the way of the LORD to
walk therein, as their fathers did keep it, or not.
23 Therefore
the LORD left those nations, without driving them out hastily; neither
delivered he them into the hand of Joshua.
