2 ¹¹ And the people of Israel did what was evil in the sight of the LORD and served the Ba'als; 2 ¹² and they forsook the LORD, the God of their fathers, who had brought them out of the land of Egypt; they went after other gods, from among the gods of the peoples who were round about them, and bowed down to them; and they provoked the LORD to anger. 2 ¹³ They forsook the LORD, and served the Ba'als and the Ash'taroth. 2 ¹⁴ So the anger of the LORD was kindled against Israel, and he gave them over to plunderers, who plundered them; and he sold them into the power of their enemies round about, so that they could no longer withstand their enemies. 2 ¹⁵ Whenever they marched out, the hand of the LORD was against them for evil, as the LORD had warned, and as the LORD had sworn to them; and they were in sore straits.

2 ¹⁶ Then the LORD raised up judges, who saved them out of the power of those who plundered them. 2 ¹⁷ And yet they did not listen to their judges; for they played the harlot after other gods and bowed down to them; they soon turned aside from the way in which their fathers had walked, who had obeyed the commandments of the LORD, and they did not do so. 2 ¹⁸ Whenever the LORD raised up judges for them, the LORD was with the judge, and he saved them from the hand of their enemies all the days of the judge; for the LORD was moved to pity by their groaning because of those who afflicted and oppressed them. 2 ¹⁹ But whenever the judge died, they turned back and behaved worse than their fathers, going after other gods, serving them and bowing down to them; they did not drop any of their practices or their stubborn ways. 2 ²⁰ So the anger of the LORD was kindled against Israel; and he said, "Because this people have transgressed my covenant which I commanded their fathers, and have not obeyed my voice, 2 ²¹ I will not henceforth drive out before them any of the nations that Joshua left when he died, 2 ²² that by them I may test Israel, whether they will take care to walk in the way of the LORD as their fathers did, or not." 2 ²³ So the LORD left those nations, not driving them out at once, and he did not give them into the power of Joshua.