Judges 2:14

And the anger of the LORD was hot against Israel, and he delivered them into the hands of spoilers that spoiled them, and he sold them into the hands of their enemies round about, so that they could not any longer stand before their enemies.

EXPOSITORY (ENGLISH BIBLE)

Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers

(14) The anger of the Lord was hot.—(Psalm 78:59.) The language of the sad summary which follows should be compared with that of very similar passages which we find in various parts of the Bible (Psalm 106:34-45; Deuteronomy 32; 2 Kings 17; 2Kings 24:2-4; 2Chronicles 36:11-21; Jeremiah 11:2-10).

He sold them.—We find the same expression in Judges 3:8; Judges 4:2; Judges 10:7; Deuteronomy 32:33; Psalm 44:12; Isaiah 1:1; comp. 2Kings 17:20.

So that they could not any longer stand.—Comp. Leviticus 26:17, “Ye shall be slain before your enemies”; Deuteronomy 28:15-68.

Benson Commentary

Jdg 2:14-15. Sold them — That is, delivered them up, as the seller doth his commodities, unto the buyer. Whithersoever they went out — That is, whatsoever expedition or business they undertook, which is equally signified by going out and coming in; the hand of the Lord was against them for evil — Disappointing their expectations, opposing and thwarting their designs, and blasting all their prospects. They were greatly distressed — Thus is sin uniformly followed by suffering.

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary

2:6-23 We have a general idea of the course of things in Israel, during the time of the Judges. The nation made themselves as mean and miserable by forsaking God, as they would have been great and happy if they had continued faithful to him. Their punishment answered to the evil they had done. They served the gods of the nations round about them, even the meanest, and God made them serve the princes of the nations round about them, even the meanest. Those who have found God true to his promises, may be sure that he will be as true to his threatenings. He might in justice have abandoned them, but he could not for pity do it. The Lord was with the judges when he raised them up, and so they became saviours. In the days of the greatest distress of the church, there shall be some whom God will find or make fit to help it. The Israelites were not thoroughly reformed; so mad were they upon their idols, and so obstinately bent to backslide. Thus those who have forsaken the good ways of God, which they have once known and professed, commonly grow most daring and desperate in sin, and have their hearts hardened. Their punishment was, that the Canaanites were spared, and so they were beaten with their own rod. Men cherish and indulge their corrupt appetites and passions; therefore God justly leaves them to themselves, under the power of their sins, which will be their ruin. God has told us how deceitful and desperately wicked our hearts are, but we are not willing to believe it, until by making bold with temptation we find it true by sad experience. We need to examine how matters stand with ourselves, and to pray without ceasing, that we may be rooted and grounded in love, and that Christ may dwell in our hearts by faith. Let us declare war against every sin, and follow after holiness all our days.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

Consult the marginal references. The phrase, "he sold them into the hands etc.," is first found in Deuteronomy 32:30.

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary

14. the anger of the Lord was hot against Israel, and he delivered them into the hands of spoilers that spoiled them—Adversities in close and rapid succession befell them. But all these calamities were designed only as chastisements—a course of correctional discipline by which God brought His people to see and repent of their errors; for as they returned to faith and allegiance, He "raised up judges" (Jud 2:16).

Matthew Poole's Commentary

Sold them, i.e. delivered them up, as the seller doth, his commodities unto the buyer. This the same phrase is used Judges 3:8 4:9, compared with Judges 2:14 Psalm 44:12.

Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible

And the anger of the Lord was hot against Israel,.... For the idolatries they were guilty of; it burned within him, it broke forth, and was poured out like fire on them, and consumed them; see Nahum 1:6,

and he delivered them into the hands of spoilers that spoiled them; that rifled their houses, and plundered them of their goods and substance:

and he sold them into the hands of their enemies round about; the is, delivered them into their hands, who carried them captive, where they were as men sold for slaves; see Psalm 44:12; and this was in just retaliation, that as they had said themselves to work wickedness, the Lord sold them into the hands of their enemies for their wickedness; and, as they had followed the gods of the people round about them, so he delivered them up, into the hands of their enemies round about them, as the Mesopotamians, Moabites, Midianites, Philistines, and Ammonites:

so that they could not any longer stand before their enemies; but turned their backs on them, and fled whenever engaged in war with them.

Geneva Study Bible

And the anger of the LORD was hot against Israel, and he delivered them into the hands of spoilers that spoiled them, and he sold them into the hands of their enemies round about, so that they could not any longer stand before their enemies.

EXEGETICAL (ORIGINAL LANGUAGES)

Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

14. delivered them into the hands of spoilers] So 2 Kings 17:20. The Dtc. compiler summarizes in general terms the various nations who were allowed to chastise Israel; there were spoilers (Jdg 2:16) such as the Midianites, oppressors (Jdg 2:18) such as the Philistines. Spoilers, Hebr. shôsim, is the same word as the Egyptian name, borrowed from Semitic, for the robber Bedouin of the desert, shasu; Müller, Asien u. Europa, p. 131.

sold them] One of the compiler’s phrases, Jdg 3:8, Jdg 4:2; Judges cf. Jdg 2:9, Jdg 10:7; cf. Deuteronomy 28:68; Deuteronomy 32:30, 1 Samuel 12:9, Ezekiel 30:12. Perhaps it was suggested by Jdg 4:9, though its use in that older narrative is not quite the same as here.

their enemies round about] Cf. Jdg 8:34; Deuteronomy 12:10; Deuteronomy 25:19; 1 Samuel 12:11. The enemies are those on the frontiers of Israel; contrast Jdg 2:21 (from E), where the enemies are the nations in the midst of Israel.

Pulpit Commentary

Verses 14, 15. - The anger of the Lord, etc. These verses contain an awful view of the wrath of God excited by wilful sin, and are a practical illustration of Exodus 20:5: "I am a jealous God." Compare Psalm 79:5, which shows how closely allied the notions of anger and jealousy are in Hebrew. He sold them. A forcible expression, implying the handing over of the people into the hands of their enemies, as if God had no more any property in them or concern about them; as if he said, "Ye are not my people, and I am not your God;" as if he said to the heathen, "Take them, and do as you will with them; they are yours, not mine" (see Leviticus 26. and Deuteronomy 28.). As the Lord had sworn, etc., showing that God fulfilled his threatenings as well as his promises. Judges 2:14

Keil and Delitzsch Biblical Commentary on the Old Testament

On account of this idolatrous worship, the anger of the Lord burned against Israel, so that He gave them up into the hands of spoilers that spoiled them, and sold them into the hands of their enemies. שׁסים from שׁסה, alternated with שׁסס in ישׁסּוּ, to plunder. This word is not met with in the Pentateuch, whereas מכר, to sell, occurs in Deuteronomy 32:30, in the sense of giving helplessly up to the foe. "They could no longer stand before their enemies," as they had done under Joshua, and in fact as long as Israel continued faithful to the Lord; so that now, instead of the promise contained in Leviticus 26:7-8, being fulfilled, the threat contained in Leviticus 26:17 was carried into execution. "Whithersoever they went out," i.e., in every expedition, every attack that they made upon their enemies, "the hand of Jehovah was against them for evil, as He had said" (Leviticus 26:17, Leviticus 26:36; Deuteronomy 28:25), and "had sworn unto them." There is no express oath mentioned either in Leviticus 26 or Deuteronomy 28; it is implied therefore in the nature of the case, or in virtute verborum, as Seb. Schmidt affirms, inasmuch as the threats themselves were words of the true and holy God. מאד להם ויּצר, "and it became to them very narrow," i.e., they came into great straits.