1 The angel of the LORD went up from Gilgal to Bochim and said, “I brought you up from Egypt and brought you into the land I swore to your ancestors. I said, ‘I will never break my covenant with you.

2 You must make no covenant with the inhabitants of this land. You must tear down their altars.’ But you have not obeyed my voice. What is this you have done? 3 So I also said, ‘I will not drive them out before you. They will be thorns in your sides, and their gods will be a snare to you.’ ” 4 When the angel of the LORD spoke these words to all the people of Israel, the people lifted up their voices and wept. 5 They called that place Bochim and sacrificed there to the LORD.

6 When Joshua sent the people away, the people of Israel went each to his inheritance to possess the land. 7 The people served the LORD all the days of Joshua and all the days of the elders who outlived Joshua, who had seen all the great work the LORD had done for Israel. 8 Joshua son of Nun, the servant of the LORD, died at the age of one hundred ten. 9 They buried him within the territory of his inheritance at Timnath-heres, in the hill country of Ephraim, north of Mount Gaash. 10 That whole generation was also gathered to its ancestors. Another generation arose after them that did not know the LORD or the work he had done for Israel.

11 The people of Israel did evil in the sight of the LORD and served the Baals. 12 They forsook the LORD, the God of their ancestors, who had brought them out of the land of Egypt. They followed other gods, from among the gods of the peoples around them, bowed down to them, and provoked the LORD to anger. 13 They forsook the LORD and served Baal and the Ashtaroth. 14 The LORD’s anger burned against Israel. He gave them into the hands of plunderers who plundered them, and he sold them into the hands of their enemies all around. They could no longer stand against their enemies. 15 Wherever they went out, the hand of the LORD was against them to their harm, as the LORD had said and as the LORD had sworn to them. They were in great distress. 16 Then the LORD raised up judges who delivered them from the hand of those who plundered them. 17 But they would not listen even to their judges. They prostituted themselves to other gods and bowed down to them. They quickly turned aside from the way their ancestors had walked in obeying the commandments of the LORD. They did not do so. 18 Whenever the LORD raised up judges for them, the LORD was with the judge and delivered 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 oppressed and afflicted them. 19 But when the judge died, they turned back and acted more corruptly than their ancestors, following other gods to serve them and bow down to them. They did not abandon their practices or their stubborn way. 20 The LORD’s anger burned against Israel, and he said, “Because this nation has transgressed my covenant that I commanded their ancestors and has not obeyed my voice, 21 I too will no longer drive out before them any of the nations Joshua left when he died, 22 so that through them I may test Israel, whether they will keep the way of the LORD and walk in it as their ancestors did, or not.” 23 So the LORD left these nations without driving them out quickly, and he did not give them into Joshua’s hand.