And the people of Israel cried out to the LORD, saying, “We have sinned against you, because we have forsaken our God and have served the Baals.”
English Standard Version (ESV)
Here, Israel’s confession is more than just admitting they’ve done wrong; it’s a profound recognition that they didn’t just add other gods, but actively preferred them over the Lord. This "forsaking" highlights a heart that turned away from their covenant God, a choice that directly led to their suffering.
And the people of Israel cried out to the LORD, saying, “We have sinned against you, because we have forsaken our God and have served the Baals.”
English Standard Version (ESV)
After years of neglecting God and worshipping foreign deities like the Baals, the Israelites find themselves severely oppressed by the Ammonites and their allies. Facing devastation and ruin, the people finally cry out to the Lord in desperation, confessing their sin of forsaking Him for other gods. This heartfelt plea marks the beginning of God's response to their distress, initiating a cycle of repentance and deliverance that will soon be embodied in the unlikely hero, Jephthah.
When trouble hits, who do we turn to? The Israelites faced a crisis, and their cry to God was also a stark admission.
In Judges 10:10, the people of Israel confess their sin in a specific, two-part way: "We have sinned against you, because we have forsaken our God and have served the Baals."
Forsaking the True
First, they admit to 'forsaking' God. This isn't just a passive neglect; it's an active turning away from Him, the source of their covenant relationship. It’s like walking out on a deep, committed relationship.
Serving the False
Second, they confess to 'serving the Baals.' Baals were the local, Canaanite fertility gods, representing a completely different kind of devotion. This wasn't just adding idols on the side; it was often preferring these false gods, seeking their power and favor over God's.
This dual confession highlights that sin often involves both turning away from the right and turning toward the wrong. They didn't just stop loving God; they actively pursued other loves.
When we're in deep trouble, our first instinct might be to blame others. But the Israelites’ cry was different – it was a confession that led to potential change.
The cry of the Israelites in Judges 10:10 isn't just a desperate plea for relief; it's the beginning of repentance.
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A Confession Under Pressure
This cry comes after a period of oppression, likely by the Ammonites. It’s in their distress that their eyes are opened to the cause of their suffering: their own sin.
The Foundation for Mercy
God is always sovereign, but His mercy often responds to a humbled and confessing people. This confession, 'We have sinned against you,' is the essential first step. Without acknowledging their wrong, they couldn't truly seek God’s forgiveness or deliverance.
Acknowledging God's Authority
Crucially, they cried out 'to the LORD.' Despite their straying, their ultimate recourse was still the God of their fathers. This shows that even in their sin, a flicker of their covenant relationship remained, a recognition that He was the only one who could save them.
Understand the original words
za'aq · Hebrew Verb
To call out for help or cry out in pain; biblically, it often denotes a desperate appeal to God for mercy or deliverance in a time of crisis.
chata · Hebrew Verb
Missing the mark or failing to meet God's standard of holiness; it encompasses acts of disobedience, rebellion, and failure to honor God, which breaks fellowship with Him.
This verse captures a pivotal moment where severe oppression forces the Israelites to confront their idolatry and desperate need for God. Their confession highlights a cyclical pattern in Israel's history: straying from God, facing consequences, and then crying out for rescue.
c. 11th Century BC
Ammonite and Philistine Aggression
Following the era of the earlier judges like Deborah and Gideon, the Israelites faced significant military pressure from surrounding nations, particularly the Ammonites to the east and the Philistines to the west.
c. 11th Century BC
Isolations and Localized Judge Rule
There was a period where Israel's leadership was fragmented, with judges like Tola and Jair (who ruled in Gilead, east of the Jordan) having influence in specific regions rather than across all of Israel.
c. 11th Century BC
Gileadites Worship Foreign Gods
The tribes east of the Jordan, particularly in Gilead, began to adopt the worship of the local deities of surrounding peoples like the Ammonites and Moabites, neglecting the LORD.
c. 11th Century BC— this verse
Ammonite Conquest of Eastern Tribes
The Ammonites, now militarily strong, launched a brutal invasion, conquering the Israelite tribes east of the Jordan River and even crossing over to oppress those in Judah, Benjamin, and Ephraim.
c. 11th Century BC
Israelites Cry Out to the LORD
Facing overwhelming oppression and devastation, the Israelites recognized their sin in forsaking God and serving other deities. They cried out to the LORD for deliverance.
This verse highlights the exclusivity of God's worship, warning against serving other gods. The Israelites' confession in Judges 10:10 directly echoes this prohibition by admitting they served 'Baals' instead of the one true God.
Jeremiah 2:13This prophetic passage describes Israel's sin as forsaking the 'spring of living water' (God) and digging their own cisterns (idols). The confession in Judges 10:10 mirrors this by acknowledging they forsook God and served false gods.
1 Samuel 12:10During Samuel's farewell address, the Israelites confess to Samuel, 'We have sinned because we have asked for ourselves a king, and… have served all the abominations.' This confession parallels the one in Judges 10:10, showing a recurring pattern of national sin and repentance.
Isaiah 58:9This passage describes God's response to His people when they cry out to Him. It shows that true cries for help are often preceded by sincere repentance and a turning away from sin, much like the confession offered in Judges 10:10 before deliverance.
gillJudges 10:10: "And the children of Israel cried unto the LORD, saying, We have sinned against thee, both because we have forsaken our God, and also served Baalim."
And the children of Israel cried unto the Lord,.... In this their distress, seeing nothing but ruin and destruction before their eyes, their land being invaded by such powerful enemies in different quarters; this opened their eyes to a sense of their sins, the cause of it, and brought them to a confession of them: saying, we have sin…
bensonJudges 10:10: "And the children of Israel cried unto the LORD, saying, We have sinned against thee, both because we have forsaken our God, and also served Baalim."
Jdg 10:10 . We have forsaken our God, and also served Baalim — Not contented to add idols to thee, we have preferred them before thee. All the rest of the pagan gods, mentioned Jdg 10:6 , are here comprehended under the name of Baalim. They were so many and various, that they had entirely alienated the affections of the Israelites fr…
Here, Israel’s confession is more than just admitting they’ve done wrong; it’s a profound recognition that they didn’t just add other gods, but actively preferred them over the Lord. This "forsaking" highlights a heart that turned away from their covenant God, a choice that directly led to their suffering.
After years of neglecting God and worshipping foreign deities like the Baals, the Israelites find themselves severely oppressed by the Ammonites and their allies. Facing devastation and ruin, the people finally cry out to the Lord in desperation, confessing their sin of forsaking Him for other gods. This heartfelt plea marks the beginning of God's response to their distress, initiating a cycle of repentance and deliverance that will soon be embodied in the unlikely hero, Jephthah.
After years of neglecting God and worshipping foreign deities like the Baals, the Israelites find themselves severely oppressed by the Ammonites and their allies. Facing devastation and ruin, the people finally cry out to the Lord in desperation, confessing their sin of forsaking Him for other gods. This heartfelt plea marks the beginning of God's response to their distress, initiating a cycle of repentance and deliverance that will soon be embodied in the unlikely hero, Jephthah.
"And the people of Israel cried out to the LORD, saying, “We have sinned against you, because we have forsaken our God and have served the Baals.”" — Here, Israel’s confession is more than just admitting they’ve done wrong; it’s a profound recognition that they didn’t just add other gods, but actively preferred them over the Lord. This "forsak…
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Last reviewed October 2026