Then the LORD raised up judges, who saved them out of the hand of those who plundered them.
English Standard Version (ESV)
What's easily missed is that the judges weren't just military leaders, but raised up by God personally to uphold His law and rescue His people. Their authority stemmed directly from divine appointment, not inherited position, making them instruments of God's justice and mercy in a time of rebellion.
Then the LORD raised up judges, who saved them out of the hand of those who plundered them.
English Standard Version (ESV)
Following Joshua's death and a new generation's unfaithfulness to God, the people fell into widespread idolatry and oppression by surrounding nations. This verse introduces the recurring pattern of the book: when Israel cried out in their distress, God would mercifully raise up leaders, called "judges," to deliver them from their oppressors. These were not mere magistrates but divinely appointed deliverers who arose as needed to rescue Israel.
Ever feel like you're stuck in a cycle of making the same mistakes? Israel certainly did. But even in their repeated failures, God's faithfulness shines through.
The book of Judges opens with a stark picture of Israel's unfaithfulness. They had just entered the Promised Land, a land flowing with milk and honey, yet they quickly turned away from God to worship the local gods, the Baals. This wasn't just a minor slip; it was a deep dive into rebellion.
The Cycle of Sin and Oppression
God's Unfailing Response
When you hear the word 'judge,' you might think of a courtroom. But Israel's 'shophetim' were something entirely different – and far more dynamic.
The leaders God raised up during this period are called 'judges' (Hebrew: ). This title might conjure images of legal proceedings, but their role was much broader and more vital.
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Leaders, Deliverers, and God's Representatives
A Diverse and Unlikely Group
Understand the original words
YHWH · Hebrew Proper Noun
The personal name of the God of Israel, revealing His covenant faithfulness, holiness, and sovereignty. It signifies the self-existent One who enters into a relationship with His people.
shophetim · Hebrew Noun/Verb (Participle)
Deliverers or leaders raised by God to vindicate and rescue Israel from their oppressors. In this context, they functioned as military leaders and temporary administrators who exercised God’s justice.
This verse marks the start of a recurring pattern in Israel's history: disobedience leads to oppression, but God, in His mercy, raises up leaders to deliver His people. These 'judges' were not just military commanders but were empowered by God's Spirit to restore justice and uphold His law.
~1400 BC
Joshua Leads Israel into the Promised Land
After wandering in the wilderness, Joshua succeeds Moses and leads the Israelites across the Jordan River, conquering Canaanite cities and dividing the land among the tribes.
~1390 BC - 1070 BC— this verse
The Period of the Judges
Following Joshua's death, the Israelites enter a cycle of disobedience, oppression by surrounding nations, repentance, and deliverance by divinely appointed 'judges'.
c. 1390 BC
Death of Joshua
Joshua, the successor of Moses, dies after leading Israel into the Promised Land, leaving a generation that did not fully know the Lord or His mighty deeds.
c. 1390 BC - 1350 BC
Early Apostasy and Oppression
A new generation, forgetting God's faithfulness, begins to worship local deities (Baal and Asherah), leading to God allowing surrounding nations to oppress them.
c. 1350 BC
Othniel Delivers Israel
The first judge, Othniel, delivers Israel from Mesopotamian oppression after they cry out to the Lord, marking the beginning of the recurring cycle.
This passage describes God hearing the cries of the Israelites in Egypt and resolving to deliver them, mirroring how God heard the cries of His people in the time of the Judges and raised up deliverers.
Deuteronomy 18:15-18God promised to raise up a prophet like Moses who would speak God's words, which resonates with the concept of God raising up judges who spoke for and acted on behalf of God to save His people.
Nehemiah 9:27-28This prayer recounts how God 'raised up deliverers' for Israel throughout their history whenever they cried out to Him, directly paralleling the description in Judges 2:16.
Acts 13:20Paul recounts God giving Israel judges from Samuel onward, highlighting that God’s raising up of deliverers was a consistent pattern in Israel's history to guide and save them.
jfbJudges 2:16: "Nevertheless the LORD raised up judges, which delivered them out of the hand of those that spoiled them."
- which delivered them out of the hand of those that spoiled them—The judges who governed Israel were strictly God's vicegerents in the government of the people, He being the supreme ruler. Those who were thus elevated retained the dignity as long as they lived; but there was no regular, unbroken succession of judges. Individuals, prompted by the inward, irresistible impulse…
jfbJudges 2:11-19: "And the children of Israel did evil in the sight of the LORD, and served Baalim:"
Jud 2:11-19. Wickedness of the New Generation after Joshua.11-19. the children of Israel did evil in the sight of the Lord—This chapter, together with the first eight verses of the next [Jud 2:11-3:8], contains a brief but comprehensive summary of the principles developed in the following history. An attentive consideration of them, therefore, is of the greatest importance to a right understanding…
What's easily missed is that the judges weren't just military leaders, but raised up by God personally to uphold His law and rescue His people. Their authority stemmed directly from divine appointment, not inherited position, making them instruments of God's justice and mercy in a time of rebellion.
Following Joshua's death and a new generation's unfaithfulness to God, the people fell into widespread idolatry and oppression by surrounding nations. This verse introduces the recurring pattern of the book: when Israel cried out in their distress, God would mercifully raise up leaders, called "judges," to deliver them from their oppressors. These were not mere magistrates but divinely appointed deliverers who arose as needed to rescue Israel.
Following Joshua's death and a new generation's unfaithfulness to God, the people fell into widespread idolatry and oppression by surrounding nations. This verse introduces the recurring pattern of the book: when Israel cried out in their distress, God would mercifully raise up leaders, called "judges," to deliver them from their oppressors. These were not mere magistrates but divinely appointed deliverers who arose as needed to rescue Israel.
"Then the LORD raised up judges, who saved them out of the hand of those who plundered them." — What's easily missed is that the judges weren't just military leaders, but raised up by God personally to uphold His law and rescue His people. Their authority stemmed directly from divine appointm…
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Last reviewed October 2026