Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Judges 10:10
And the children of Israel cried unto the LORD, saying, We have sinned against thee, both because we have forsaken our God, and also served Baalim.
10. The oppression is followed by the cry for help; cf. Jdg 3:9; Jdg 3:15, Jdg 4:3, Jdg 6:6-7. For the confession cf. Jdg 10:15, 1Sa 12:10.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
Because, not contented to add idols to thee, we have preferred them before thee, and rejected thee to receive and worship them.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
10. The children of Israel criedunto the Lord, saying, We have sinned against theeThe firststep of repentance is confession of sin, and the best proof of itssincerity is given by the transgressor, when he mourns not only overthe painful consequences which have resulted from his offenses tohimself, but over the heinous evil committed against God.
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
And the children of Israel cried unto the Lord,…. In this their distress, seeing nothing but ruin and destruction before their eyes, their land being invaded by such powerful enemies in different quarters; this opened their eyes to a sense of their sins, the cause of it, and brought them to a confession of them:
saying, we have sinned against thee, both because we have forsaken our God, and also served Baalim; had been guilty not only of sins of omission, neglecting the pure of God, but also of sins of commission, even gross idolatry, in serving Baalim, and other gods, before mentioned.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
| The Repentance and Reformation of Israel. | B. C. 1161. |
10 And the children of Israel cried unto the LORD, saying, We have sinned against thee, both because we have forsaken our God, and also served Baalim. 11 And the LORD said unto the children of Israel, Did not I deliver you from the Egyptians, and from the Amorites, from the children of Ammon, and from the Philistines? 12 The Zidonians also, and the Amalekites, and the Maonites, did oppress you; and ye cried to me, and I delivered you out of their hand. 13 Yet ye have forsaken me, and served other gods: wherefore I will deliver you no more. 14 Go and cry unto the gods which ye have chosen; let them deliver you in the time of your tribulation. 15 And the children of Israel said unto the LORD, We have sinned: do thou unto us whatsoever seemeth good unto thee; deliver us only, we pray thee, this day. 16 And they put away the strange gods from among them, and served the LORD: and his soul was grieved for the misery of Israel. 17 Then the children of Ammon were gathered together, and encamped in Gilead. And the children of Israel assembled themselves together, and encamped in Mizpeh. 18 And the people and princes of Gilead said one to another, What man is he that will begin to fight against the children of Ammon? he shall be head over all the inhabitants of Gilead.
Here is, I. A humble confession which Israel make to God in their distress, v. 10. Now they own themselves guilty, like a malefactor upon the rack, and promise reformation, like a child under the rod. They not only complain of the distress, but acknowledge it is their own sin that has brought them into the distress; therefore God is righteous, and they have no reason to repine. They confess their omissions, for in them their sin began–“We have forsaken our God,” and their commissions–“We have served Baalim, and herein have done foolishly, treacherously, and very wickedly.”
II. A humbling message which God thereupon sends to Israel, whether by an angel (as ch. ii. 1) or by a prophet (as ch. vi. 8) is not certain. It was kind that God took notice of their cry, and did not turn a deaf ear to it and send them no answer at all; it was kind likewise that when they began to repent he sent them such a message as was proper to increase their repentance, that they might be qualified and prepared for deliverance. Now in this message, 1. He upbraids them with their great ingratitude, reminds them of the great things he had done for them, delivering them from such and such enemies, the Egyptians first, out of whose land they were rescued, the Amorites whom they conquered and into whose land they entered, and since their settlement there, when the Ammonites had joined with the Moabites to oppress them (ch. iii. 13), when the Philistines were vexatious in the days of Shamgar, and afterwards other enemies had given them trouble, upon their petition God had wrought many a great salvation for them, Jdg 10:11; Jdg 10:12. Of their being oppressed by the Zidonians and the Maonites we read not elsewhere. God had in justice corrected them, and in mercy delivered them, and therefore might reasonably expect that either through fear or through love they would adhere to him and his service. Well therefore might the word cut them to the heart (v. 13), “Yet you have forsaken me that have brought you out of your troubles and served other gods that brought you into your troubles.” Thus did they forsake their own mercies for their own delusions. 2. He shows them how justly he might now abandon them to ruin, by abandoning them to the gods that they had served. To awaken them to a thorough repentance and reformation, he lets them see, (1.) Their folly in serving Baalim. They had been at a vast expense to obtain the favour of such gods as could not help them when they had most need of their help: “Go, and cry unto the gods which you have chosen (v. 14), try what they can do for you now. You have worshipped them as gods–try if they have now either a divine power or a divine goodness to be employed for you. You paid your homage to them as your kings and lords–try if they will now protect you. You brought your sacrifices of praise to their altars as your benefactors, imagining that they gave you your corn, and wine, and oil, but a friend indeed will be a friend in need; what stead will their favour stand you in now?” Note, It is necessary, in true repentance, that there be a full conviction of the utter insufficiency of all those things to help us and do us any kindness which we have idolized and set upon the throne in our hearts in competition with God. We must be convinced that the pleasures of sense on which we have doted cannot be our satisfaction, nor the wealth of the world which we have coveted be our portion, that we cannot be happy or easy any where but in God. (2.) Their misery and danger in forsaking God. “See what a pass you have brought yourselves to; now you can expect no other than that I should say, I will deliver you no more, and what will become of you then?” v. 13. This he tells them, not only as what he might do, but as what he would do if they rested in a confession of what they had done amiss, and did not put away their idols and amend for the future.
III. A humble submission which Israel hereupon made to God’s justice, with a humble application to his mercy, v. 15. The children of Israel met together, probably in a solemn assembly at the door of the tabernacle, received the impressions of the message God had sent them, were not driven by it to despair, though it was very threatening, but resolve to lie at God’s feet, and, if they perish, they will perish there. They not only repeat their confession, We have sinned, but, 1. They surrender themselves to God’s justice: Do thou unto us whatsoever seemeth good unto thee. Hereby they own that they deserved the severest tokens of God’s displeasure and were sure he could do them no wrong, whatever he laid upon them; they humbled themselves under his mighty and heavy hand, and accepted of the punishment of their iniquity, which Moses had made the condition of God’s return in mercy to them, Lev. xxvi. 41. Note, True penitents dare and will refer themselves to God to correct them as he thinks fit, knowing that their sin is highly malignant in its deserts, and that God is not rigorous or extreme in his demands. 2. They supplicate for God’s mercy: Deliver us only, we pray thee, this day, from this enemy. They acknowledge what they deserved, yet pray to God not to deal with them according to their deserts. Note, We must submit to God’s justice with a hope in his mercy.
IV. A blessed reformation set on foot hereupon. They brought forth fruits meet for repentance (v. 16): They put away the gods of strangers (as the word is), strange gods, and worshipped by those nations that were strangers to the commonwealth of Israel and to the covenants of promise, and they served the Lord. Need drove them to him. They knew it was to no purpose to go to the gods whom they had served, and therefore returned to the God whom they had slighted. This is true repentance not only for sin, but from sin.
V. God’s gracious return in mercy to them, which is expressed here very tenderly (v. 16): His soul was grieved for the misery of Israel. Not that there is any grief in God (he has infinite joy and happiness in himself, which cannot be broken in upon by either the sins or the miseries of his creatures), nor that there is any change in God: he is in one mind, and who can turn him? But his goodness is his glory. By it he proclaims his name, and magnifies it above all names; and, as he is pleased to put himself into the relation of a father to his people that are in covenant with him, so he is pleased to represent his goodness to them by the compassions of a father towards his children; for, as he is the Father of lights, so he is the Father of mercies. As the disobedience and misery of a child are a grief to a tender father, and make him feel very sensibly from his natural affection, so the provocations of God’s people are a grief to him (Ps. xcv. 10), he is broken with their whorish heart (Ezek. vi. 9); their troubles also are a grief to him; so he is pleased to speak when he is pleased to appear for the deliverance of his people, changing his way and method of proceeding, as tender parents when they begin to relent towards their children with whom they have been displeased. Such are the tender mercies of our God, and so far is he from having any pleasure in the death of sinners.
VI. Things are now working towards their deliverance from the Ammonites’ oppression, Jdg 10:17; Jdg 10:18. God had said, “I will deliver you no more;” but now they are not what they were, they are other men, they are new men, and now he will deliver them. That threatening was denounced to convince and humble them, and, now that it had taken its desired effect, it is revoked in order to their deliverance. 1. The Ammonites are hardened to their own ruin. They gathered together in one body, that they might be destroyed at one blow, Rev. xvi. 16. 2. The Israelites are animated to their own rescue. They assembled likewise, v. 17. During their eighteen years’ oppression, as in their former servitudes, they were run down by their enemies, because they would not incorporate; each family, city, or tribe, would stand by itself, and act independently, and so they all became an easy prey to the oppressors, for want of a due sense of a common interest to cement them: but, whenever they got together, they did well; so they did here. When God’s Israel become as one man to advance a common good and oppose a common enemy what difficulty can stand before them? The people and princes of Gilead, having met, consult first about a general that should command in chief against the Ammonites. Hitherto most of the deliverers of Israel had an extraordinary call to the office, as Ehud, Barak, Gideon; but the next is to be called in a more common way, by a convention of the states, who enquired out a fit man to command their army, found out one admirably well qualified for the purpose, and God owned their choice by putting his Spirit upon him (ch. xi. 29); so that this instance is of use for direction and encouragement in after-ages, when extraordinary calls are no longer to be expected. Let such be impartially chosen to public trust and power as God has qualified, and then God will graciously own those who are thus chosen.
Fuente: Matthew Henry’s Whole Bible Commentary
God’s Repudiation of Israel, vs. 10-18
It seems the children of Israel had become like a lot of spoiled children, getting into trouble with the expectation a longsuffering parent will bail them out over and over. So they went through the formality again. They said, “We have sinned” by first forsaking the Lord and then serving the Baal gods. One cannot serve the gods without first forsaking the Lord. It is like they were saying, “All right, God, we sinned, and we really forsook you. Now get us out of our predicament.”
But the Lord’s answer this time was not to raise up at once a judge to deliver them. He had delivered them from seven nations, whom He names, only to have them retract their repentant claims. It is interesting to note that there is no record of the Lord’s deliverance of Israel, other than this claim of the Lord here, from some of these nations. This shows that the Lord delivered them on numerous occasions which are not recorded in the Bible.
For instance there is no account of His deliverance of them from the Zidonians and the Maonites. The Zidonians were Phoenicians, the Maonites a desert people. So the Lord tells them not to cry to Him now that they have forsaken Him, but to go and cry to the many gods they had chose over Him. In fact He said He would not deliver them any more.
Now, however, the Israelites got in earnest about repenting to the Lord. They admitted their sin and that they deserved judgment. They were willing for the Lord to administer whatever judgment was required if only He would deliver them. To show their sincerity they actually put away their pagan gods and turned back to serving the Lord. Upon this a very wonderful thing is said of the Lord; He was grieved for their misery. The Lord looked on Israel and saw how miserable and truly sorry they were for their apostasy, and His divine heart was touched for them, (See Mat 23:37-39). When this occurs the Lord will always come to the aid of His people. this is the thing that awaits Israel’s conversion in the last days.
Things now began to shape up for the Lord to deliver them. The Ammonites gathered their army and came into Gilead, across the Jordan in the half tribe of Manasseh. The Israelites rallied their forces at Mizpeh, one of a least six places, called Mizpeh or Mizpah in the Bible. This one is evidently the earliest mentioned in the Bible, where Jacob made a covenant and parted from his father-in-law, Laban, when he was returning to Canaan (Gen 31:43 ff). But the Israelites had no leader, no judge, yet. They began to inquire who they could get to be their head to deliver them from the Ammonites.
Let us note 1) One does not have to be famous and renowned to be used of the Lord; 2) wholesale departure from the Lord will result in severest chastisement of the Lord’s people; 3) the Lord grieves for His people when their sins get them in a place of great suffering.
Fuente: Garner-Howes Baptist Commentary
(10) Cried unto the Lord.Jdg. 6:6; 1Sa. 12:10.
And the Lord said.The method of the Divine communication is not specified. A stern experience might have spoken to the national conviction with prophetic voice.
From the Egyptians.Exodus 1-14
From the Amorites.Num. 21:3-21; Joshua 10
From the children of Ammon.Jdg. 3:13.
From the Philistines.Jdg. 3:31; 1Sa. 12:9.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
ISRAEL’S REPENTANCE AND HUMILIATION, Jdg 10:10-16.
10. Israel cried But it seems to have been only a half-hearted repentance. They did not put away their idols, and their confession was inspired by a terror of their enemies, not by a genuine abhorrence of idolatry and desire to return to the Lord. Not until after Jehovah refused to deliver them in that state did they thoroughly repent.
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
‘ And the children of Israel cried to Yahweh, saying, “We have sinned against you, both because we have forsaken our God, and have served the Baalim.”
Once again oppression brought the children of Israel to their senses. But this time they were to find out that His attitude had hardened. Those who go on sinning in the face of His mercy find eventually that the way back is harder. The mention of the Baalim shows that this was still their central sin, common to them all, and it was probably intended to include their dabbling with the other gods, which was equally heinous (Baalim = ‘lords’).
Fuente: Commentary Series on the Bible by Peter Pett
It was a gracious promise of God, that if his people under his judgments, accepted the punishment of their iniquity, God would remember his everlasting covenant. See Lev 26:40-42 . Reader! do not overlook, in this promise, the salvation by Jesus. God’s covenant with Abraham was typical of the everlasting covenant of redemption. See Gen 17:7 . How else could it be called an everlasting covenant? And what else could be implied in being a God to him and to his seed, but the blessings of Jesus, in whom all the families of the earth are alone blessed.
Fuente: Hawker’s Poor Man’s Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
Jdg 10:10 And the children of Israel cried unto the LORD, saying, We have sinned against thee, both because we have forsaken our God, and also served Baalim.
Ver. 10. And the children of Israel cried. ] Cried they had before, as very brutes will do when they are hurt, but not with their whole heart; their cries were the fruits of the flesh for ease, not of faith for God’s favour.
Both because we have forsaken our God, and also served Baalim.
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
our God. Hebrew. Elohim (App-4). Some codices, with Aramaean, Septuagint, and Vulgate, read “Jehovah our God”.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
cried: Jdg 3:9, 1Sa 12:10, Psa 106:43, Psa 106:44, Psa 107:13, Psa 107:19, Psa 107:28
Reciprocal: Jdg 2:11 – and served Baalim 1Sa 7:6 – We have sinned 2Ki 13:4 – Jehoahaz 2Ki 22:17 – have forsaken 2Ch 15:4 – in their trouble Psa 22:5 – cried Isa 1:4 – forsaken Isa 26:16 – in trouble Isa 27:8 – thou wilt Hos 5:15 – in their
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Jdg 10:10. We have forsaken our God, and also served Baalim Not contented to add idols to thee, we have preferred them before thee. All the rest of the pagan gods, mentioned Jdg 10:6, are here comprehended under the name of Baalim. They were so many and various, that they had entirely alienated the affections of the Israelites from their own, that is, the true God, as they now acknowledge in a penitential strain.
Fuente: Joseph Bensons Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
10:10 And the children of Israel {c} cried unto the LORD, saying, We have sinned against thee, both because we have forsaken our God, and also served Baalim.
(c) They prayed to the Lord, and confessed their sins.