Judges 2

NEW AMERICAN BIBLE	CATHOLIC PUBLIC DOMAIN
1 An angel of the LORD went up from Gilgal to Bochim and said, "It was I who brought you up from Egypt and led you into the land which I promised on oath to your fathers. I said that I would never break my covenant with you,	1 And an Angel of the Lord went up from Gilgal to the Place of Weeping, and he said: “I led you away from Egypt, and I led you into the land, about which I swore to your fathers. And I promised that I would not nullify my covenant with you, even forever:
2 but that you were not to make a pact with the inhabitants of this land, and you were to pull down their altars. Yet you have not obeyed me. What did you mean by this?	2 but only if you would not form a pact with the inhabitants of this land. Instead, you should overturn their altars. Yet you were not willing to listen to my voice. Why have you done this?
3 For now I tell you, I will not clear them out of your way; they shall oppose you and their gods shall become a snare for you."	3 For this reason, I am not willing to destroy them before your face, so that you may have enemies, and so that their gods may be your ruin.”
4 When the angel of the LORD had made these threats to all the Israelites, the people wept aloud;	4 And when the Angel of the Lord spoke these words to all the sons of Israel, they lifted up their voice, and they wept.
5 and so that place came to be called Bochim. They offered sacrifice there to the LORD.	5 And the name of that place was called, the Place of Weeping, or the Place of Tears. And they immolated victims to the Lord in that place.
6 When Joshua dismissed the people, each Israelite went to take possession of his own hereditary land.	6 Then Joshua dismissed the people, and the sons of Israel went away, each one to his own possession, so that they might obtain it.
7 The people served the LORD during the entire lifetime of Joshua, and of those elders who outlived Joshua and who had seen all the great work which the LORD had done for Israel.	7 And they served the Lord, during all his days, and during all the days of the elders, who lived for a long time after him, and who knew all the works of the Lord, which he had done for Israel.
8 Joshua, son of Nun, the servant of the LORD, was a hundred and ten years old when he died;	8 Then Joshua, the son of Nun, the servant of the Lord, died, being one hundred and ten years old.
9 and they buried him within the borders of his heritage at Timnath-heres in the mountain region of Ephraim north of Mount Gaash.	9 And they buried him in the parts of his possession at Timnath-Serah, on Mount Ephraim, before the northern side of Mount Gaash.
10 But once the rest of that generation were gathered to their fathers, and a later generation arose that did not know the LORD, or what he had done for Israel,	10 And that entire generation was gathered to their fathers. And there rose up others, who had not known the Lord and the works that he had done for Israel.
11 the Israelites offended the LORD by serving the Baals.	11 And the sons of Israel did evil in the sight of the Lord, and they served the Baals.
12 Abandoning the LORD, the God of their fathers, who had led them out of the land of Egypt, they followed the other gods of the various nations around them, and by their worship of these gods provoked the LORD.	12 And they abandoned the Lord, the God of their fathers, who had led them away from the land of Egypt. And they followed foreign gods and the gods of the peoples who were living around them, and they adored them. And they provoked the Lord to wrath,
13 Because they had thus abandoned him and served Baal and the Ashtaroth,	13 forsaking him, and serving Baal and Ashtaroth.
14 the anger of the LORD flared up against Israel, and he delivered them over to plunderers who despoiled them. He allowed them to fall into the power of their enemies round about whom they were no longer able to withstand.	14 And the Lord, having become angry against Israel, delivered them into the hands of plunderers, who seized them and sold them to the enemies that were living on all sides. Neither were they able to withstand their adversaries.
15 Whatever they undertook, the LORD turned into disaster for them, as in his warning he had sworn he would do, till they were in great distress.	15 Instead, wherever they wanted to go, the hand of the Lord was upon them, just as he said and just as he swore to them. And they were greatly afflicted.
16 Even when the LORD raised up judges to deliver them from the power of their despoilers,	16 And the Lord raised up judges, who would free them from the hands of their oppressors. But they were not willing to listen to them.
17 they did not listen to their judges, but abandoned themselves to the worship of other gods. They were quick to stray from the way their fathers had taken, and did not follow their example of obedience to the commandments of the LORD.	17 Fornicating with foreign gods and adoring them, they quickly deserted the way along which their fathers had advanced. And having heard the commandments of the Lord, they did all things to the contrary.
18 Whenever the LORD raised up judges for them, he would be with the judge and save them from the power of their enemies as long as the judge lived; it was thus the LORD took pity on their distressful cries of affliction under their oppressors.	18 And while the Lord was raising up the judges, in their days, he was moved to mercy, and he listened to the groaning of the afflicted, and he freed them from the slaughter of their oppressors.
19 But when the judge died, they would relapse and do worse than their fathers, following other gods in service and worship, relinquishing none of their evil practices or stubborn conduct.	19 But after a judge had died, they turned back, and they were doing much worse things than their fathers had done, following strange gods, serving them, and adoring them. They did not abandon their pursuits and their very stubborn way, by which they were accustomed to walk.
20 In his anger toward Israel the LORD said, "Inasmuch as this nation has violated my covenant which I enjoined on their fathers, and has disobeyed me,	20 And the fury of the Lord was enraged against Israel, and he said: “For this people has made void my covenant, which I had formed with their fathers, and they have despised listening to my voice.
21 I for my part will not clear away for them any more of the nations which Joshua left when he died."	21 And so, I will not destroy the nations that Joshua left behind when he died,
22 Through these nations the Israelites were to be made to prove whether or not they would keep to the way of the LORD and continue in it as their fathers had done;	22 so that, by them, I may test Israel, as to whether or not they will keep the way of the Lord, and walk in it, just as their fathers kept it.”
23 therefore the LORD allowed them to remain instead of expelling them immediately, or delivering them into the power of Israel.	23 Therefore, the Lord left all these nations, and he was not willing to quickly overthrow them, nor did he deliver them into the hands of Joshua.