Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Judges 2:15
Whithersoever they went out, the hand of the LORD was against them for evil, as the LORD had said, and as the LORD had sworn unto them: and they were greatly distressed.
15. For the threat of punishment in case of disloyalty see Deu 28:48-53 and Lev 26:17; Lev 26:36-39.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
Verse 15. The hand of the Lord was against them] The power which before protected them when obedient, was now turned against them because of their disobedience. They not only had not God with them, but they had God against them.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
Whithersoever they went out, i.e. whatsoever expedition or business they undertook; which is usually signified by going out and coming in.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
11-19. the children of Israel didevil in the sight of the LordThis chapter, together with thefirst eight verses of the next [Jud2:11-3:8], contains a brief but comprehensive summary of theprinciples developed in the following history. An attentiveconsideration of them, therefore, is of the greatest importance to aright understanding of the strange and varying phases of Israelitishhistory, from the death of Joshua till the establishment of themonarchy.
served BaalimTheplural is used to include all the gods of the country.
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
Whithersoever they went out, the hand of the Lord was against them for evil,…. They prospered not in any business they undertook, or put their hands unto; or in any expedition they went upon, or when they went out to war, as Kimchi, Ben Melech, and Abarbinel explain the phrase: the battle went against them, because God was against them; his hand was against them, and there was no resisting and turning that back; and this sense seems to agree with what goes before and follows after; though in some Jewish writings a it is explained of those that went out of the land to escape the calamities of it, and particularly of Elimelech and his two sons, Mahlon and Chilion, Ru 1:1;
as the Lord had said, and as the Lord had sworn unto them; having ratified and confirmed his threatening with an oath, that if they served other gods, he would surely bring upon them all the curses of the law; see De 29:12;
and they were greatly distressed; by the Canaanites they suffered to dwell among them, who were pricks in their eyes, and thorns in their sides, as had been threatened them; and by the nations round about them, who came in upon them, and plundered them, and carried them captive.
a Seder Olam Rabba, c. 12. p. 34.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
(15) The hand of the Lord was against them.Contrast this with Jos. 1:9.
As the Lord had said.Lev. 26:17-36; Deu. 28:25, &c.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
15. Whithersoever they went out Whether in the avocations of peace or to the field of war. Sad indeed is the condition of that nation with which the Almighty wages a constant war.
The hand of the Lord was against them for evil Providence worked against them, so that all manner of misfortunes befell them. Now they were scourged by famine, now by war and oppression.
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
‘ Wherever they went out, the hand of Yahweh was against them for evil, as Yahweh had said, and as Yahweh had sworn to them.’
Because they had failed to drive out the Canaanites God would give them no more victories. When they now sought to expand they would face defeat after defeat, just as Yahweh had said (Jdg 2:3). Indeed as He had sworn to them. The situation was similar to that when they had failed to listen to God’s warning previously, after they had previously failed to obey God. There too they had tried too late to remedy things and go forward, and had been repulsed and humiliated (Num 14:40-45). Yahweh was not only the God Who gave victory, He was also the God Who inflicted defeat.
Jdg 2:15-16
‘And they were sore distressed. And Yahweh raised up judges, who saved them out of the hands of those who despoiled them.’
God did not totally desert them. He remembered His covenant with Abraham. So when things were at their worst He raised up ‘judges’, charismatic leaders, who delivered them out of the hands of the despoilers, as described in the following chapters. They would be men ‘filled with the Spirit of Yahweh’, and that is why they would be successful. Thus pride would be restored in the covenant and the people would once again become free and begin to prosper, and would recognise that after all Yahweh was the only God they could rely on.
Fuente: Commentary Series on the Bible by Peter Pett
Jdg 2:15 Whithersoever they went out, the hand of the LORD was against them for evil, as the LORD had said, and as the LORD had sworn unto them: and they were greatly distressed.
Ver. 15. As the Lord had said, and as the Lord had sworn. ] But they would never believe till they felt, as holding all to be spoken in terrorem only to frighten silly people, or putting off all with a “God forbid,” as those in Luk 20:16 ; but execution followeth commination, unless repentance interpose and take up the quarrel.
And they were greatly distressed.
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
evil. Hebrew. ra’a’. App-44.
as = according as. Compare Lev 26. Deut 28.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
against: Jer 18:8, Jer 21:10, Jer 44:11, Jer 44:27, Mic 2:3
had said: Lev 26:15-46, Deu 4:25-28, Deu 28:15-68, Jos 23:15, Jos 23:16
had sworn: Deu 32:40, Deu 32:41
greatly: Jdg 10:9, 1Sa 13:6, 1Sa 14:24, 1Sa 30:6, 2Co 4:8
Reciprocal: Exo 7:4 – that I Deu 2:15 – the hand of the Deu 31:17 – my anger Jdg 4:2 – sold Rth 1:13 – the hand 2Ki 21:14 – deliver 2Ch 6:24 – because Neh 9:27 – thou deliveredst Psa 106:36 – which Psa 129:1 – have they
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
2:15 {g} Whithersoever they went out, the {h} hand of the LORD was against them for evil, as the LORD had said, and as the LORD had sworn unto them: and they were greatly distressed.
(g) In all their enterprises.
(h) The vengeance.