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16 The Lord raised up leaders[a] who delivered them from these robbers.[b] 17 But they did not obey[c] their leaders. Instead they prostituted themselves to other gods and worshiped[d] them. They quickly turned aside from the path[e] their ancestors[f] had walked. Their ancestors had obeyed the Lord’s commands, but they did not.[g] 18 When the Lord raised up leaders for them, the Lord was with each leader and delivered the people[h] from their enemies while the leader remained alive. The Lord felt sorry for them[i] when they cried out in agony because of what their harsh oppressors did to them.[j]

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Footnotes

  1. Judges 2:16 tn Or more traditionally, “judges” (also in vv. 17, 18 [3x], 19). Since these figures carried out more than a judicial function, also serving as rulers and (in several instances) as military commanders, the translation uses the term “leaders.”
  2. Judges 2:16 tn Heb “and they delivered them from the hand of the ones robbing them.”
  3. Judges 2:17 tn Or “did not listen to.”
  4. Judges 2:17 tn Or “bowed before.”
  5. Judges 2:17 tn Or “way [of life].”
  6. Judges 2:17 tn Or “fathers.”
  7. Judges 2:17 tn Heb “…walked, obeying the Lord’s commands. They did not do this.”
  8. Judges 2:18 tn Heb “them”; the referent (the people) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
  9. Judges 2:18 tn The phrase “for them” is supplied in the translation for clarity.
  10. Judges 2:18 tn Heb “the ones oppressing them and afflicting them.” The synonyms “oppressing” and “afflicting” are joined together in the translation as “harsh oppressors” to emphasize the cruel character of their enemies.