Topical Encyclopedia Bochim, meaning "weepers" in Hebrew, is a significant location mentioned in the Old Testament, specifically in the Book of Judges. This site is associated with a profound moment of repentance and divine rebuke for the Israelites. The narrative of Bochim is found in Judges 2:1-5, where the Angel of the LORD delivers a message to the Israelites, reminding them of their covenant with God and their failure to uphold it by making covenants with the inhabitants of the land and not tearing down their altars.The passage in Judges 2:1-5 states: "Now the Angel of the LORD went up from Gilgal to Bochim and said, 'I brought you out of Egypt and led you into the land I had promised your fathers. I said, "I will never break My covenant with you, and you are not to make a covenant with the people of this land, but you shall tear down their altars." Yet you have not obeyed My voice. What is this you have done? So now I say, I will not drive them out before you; they will be thorns in your sides, and their gods will be a snare to you.' When the Angel of the LORD had spoken these words to all the Israelites, the people lifted up their voices and wept. So they called that place Bochim and offered sacrifices there to the LORD." Bochim serves as a geographical and spiritual marker for the Israelites, symbolizing a place of sorrow and repentance. The weeping of the Israelites at Bochim reflects their recognition of sin and the consequences of disobedience to God's commands. This moment underscores the recurring theme in the Book of Judges of Israel's cycle of sin, punishment, repentance, and deliverance. The location of Bochim is not precisely identified in modern geography, but it is traditionally associated with the area near Bethel, as the Angel of the LORD is described as coming from Gilgal, a site of earlier significant events in Israel's history, including the first encampment in the Promised Land and the renewal of the covenant under Joshua. In the broader biblical narrative, Bochim serves as a reminder of the importance of faithfulness to God's covenant and the dangers of compromising with surrounding cultures and religions. The Israelites' experience at Bochim highlights the need for continual vigilance and obedience to God's commands, as well as the mercy and patience of God, who calls His people to repentance and offers them opportunities for restoration despite their failures. Torrey's Topical Textbook Judges 2:5And they called the name of that place Bochim: and they sacrificed there to the LORD. Torrey's Topical Textbook Resources What is the problem of good? | GotQuestions.orgWhat is the significance of Galilee in the Bible? | GotQuestions.org What is the significance of Moab in the Bible? | GotQuestions.org Valleys: Dictionary and Thesaurus | Clyx.com Bible Concordance • Bible Dictionary • Bible Encyclopedia • Topical Bible • Bible Thesuarus Subtopics Valleys of Israel Well Tilled and Fruitful Valleys of the Church of Christ Valleys: (Dark) of Affliction and Death Valleys: (Filling up of) of Removing all Obstructions to the Gospel Valleys: (Fruitful and Well Watered) of the Tents of Israel Valleys: Abounded With: Fountains and Springs Valleys: Abounded With: Lily of the Valley Valleys: Abounded With: Ravens Valleys: Abounded With: Rocks and Caves Valleys: Called: Fat Valleys, when Fruitful Valleys: Called: Rough Valleys, when Uncultivated and Barren Valleys: Jehoshaphat or Decision Valleys: Miracles Connected With: Ditches In, Filled With Water Valleys: Miracles Connected With: The Moon Made to Stand Still Over Ajalon Valleys: Miracles Connected With: Water In, Made to Appear to the Moabites Like Blood Valleys: Moab where Moses Was Buried Valleys: Often the Scenes of Great Contests Valleys: Often the Scenes of Idolatrous Rites Valleys: Passengers or Hamongog Valleys: Shaveh or King's Dale Valleys: The Canaanites Held Possession of, Against Judah Valleys: The Heathen Supposed That Certain Deities Presided Over Valleys: To be Filled With Hostile Chariots, Threatened As A Valleys: Tracts of Land Between Mountains Valleys: Watered by Mountain Streams Related Terms |
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