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God chooses leaders for his people

16 After that, the Lord chose judges to lead his people. These leaders rescued the Israelites from their enemies who were robbing them. 17 But the people did not obey their leaders. They refused to serve the Lord faithfully. Instead, they worshipped false gods. They did not live in the way that their ancestors had lived. Their ancestors had obeyed the Lord's commands, but they refused to obey him.

18 Every time that the Lord chose a judge to lead them, the Lord helped the leader to rescue them from their enemies. While the leader was still alive, the Lord was kind to them. When the Israelites called out to the Lord for help, he was sorry for them. He saw the cruel things that their enemies were doing to give them pain.

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16 Then the Lord raised up judges,[a](A) who saved(B) them out of the hands of these raiders. 17 Yet they would not listen to their judges but prostituted(C) themselves to other gods(D) and worshiped them.(E) They quickly turned(F) from the ways of their ancestors, who had been obedient to the Lord’s commands.(G) 18 Whenever the Lord raised up a judge for them, he was with the judge and saved(H) them out of the hands of their enemies as long as the judge lived; for the Lord relented(I) because of their groaning(J) under those who oppressed and afflicted(K) them.

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Footnotes

  1. Judges 2:16 Or leaders; similarly in verses 17-19