The Meaning of Judges 2:18 Explained

Judges 2:18

KJV: And when the LORD raised them up judges, then the LORD was with the judge, and delivered them out of the hand of their enemies all the days of the judge: for it repented the LORD because of their groanings by reason of them that oppressed them and vexed them.

YLT: And when Jehovah raised up to them judges -- then was Jehovah with the judge, and saved them out of the hand of their enemies all the days of the judge; for it repenteth Jehovah, because of their groaning from the presence of their oppressors, and of those thrusting them away.

Darby: Whenever the LORD raised up judges for them, the LORD was with the judge, and he saved 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 afflicted and oppressed them.

ASV: And when Jehovah raised them up judges, then Jehovah was with the judge, and saved them out of the hand of their enemies all the days of the judge: for it repented Jehovah because of their groaning by reason of them that oppressed them and vexed them.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

And when the LORD  raised  them up judges,  then the LORD  was with the judge,  and delivered  them out of the hand  of their enemies  all the days  of the judge:  for it repented  the LORD  because  of their groanings  by reason of them that oppressed  them and vexed  them. 

What does Judges 2:18 Mean?

Study Notes

repented
.
Repentance (O.T.), Summary: In the O.T., repentance is the English word used to translate the Heb. nacham, to be "eased" or "comforted." It is used of both God and man. Notwithstanding the literal meaning of nacham, it is evident, from a study of all the passages, that the sacred writers use it in the sense of metanoia in the N.T.--a change of mind. Matthew 3:2 (See Scofield " Acts 17:30 ") . As in the N.T., such change of mind is often accompanied by contrition and self-judgment. When applied to God the word is used phenomenally according to O.T. custom. God seems to change His mind. The phenomena are such as, in the case of man, would indicate a change of mind.
judges
The judges were tribesmen in Israel upon whom the Lord laid the burden of Israel's apostate and oppressed state. They were the spiritual ancestors of the prophets; that is to say, men raised up of God, the theocratic King, to represent Him in the nation. They were patriots and religious reformers because national security and prosperity were inseparably connected with loyalty and obedience to Jehovah. Not one of the chosen deliverers had anything whereof to glory in the flesh. Othniel was but the son of the younger brother of Caleb; Ehud was a left-handed man and an assassin; Shamgar, a rustic with an ox-goad; Deborah, a woman; Gideon, of an obscure family in the smallest tribe, etc. Each of the classes mentioned in 1 Corinthians 1:27 ; 1 Corinthians 1:28 is illustrated among the judges.
repented
.
repented
Repentance (O.T.), Summary: In the O.T., repentance is the English word used to translate the Heb. nacham, to be "eased" or "comforted." It is used of both God and man. Notwithstanding the literal meaning of nacham, it is evident, from a study of all the passages, that the sacred writers use it in the sense of metanoia in the N.T.--a change of mind. Matthew 3:2 (See Scofield " Acts 17:30 ") . As in the N.T., such change of mind is often accompanied by contrition and self-judgment. When applied to God the word is used phenomenally according to O.T. custom. God seems to change His mind. The phenomena are such as, in the case of man, would indicate a change of mind.

Context Summary

Judges 2:16-23 - Ineffectual Penitence
This paragraph is an epitome of this book, which covers some 450 years, Acts 13:20. Israel lacks unity and kingship; and in that reminds us of the heart of the man which has not become united under the reign of Jesus. See Judges 17:6; Judges 18:1. Such rites as were associated with Baal and Ashtaroth were both cruel and demoralizing; a distressing picture is given in Psalms 106:34, etc., of the condition of Israel at this period. What wonder that such practices ate out the heart of the people, and left them exposed to the surrounding nations! When the blood becomes thin and impoverished, we can no longer repel the pestilence that walketh in darkness, nor the temptations that assail us at noonday!
Notice God's great patience and pity. He was against the people when they sinned, but as soon as the groans of their misery arose, they touched Him to the quick, and He raised up a deliverer. Note Psalms 106:43-44 : "Many times did He deliver them; but they were rebellious in their counsel; nevertheless He regarded their distress; and remembered his covenant." Herein we may take heart of hope for ourselves! [source]

Chapter Summary: Judges 2

1  An angel rebukes the people at Bochim
6  The wickedness of the new generation after Joshua
14  God's anger and pity toward them
20  The Canaanites left to prove Israel

What do the individual words in Judges 2:18 mean?

And when raised up Yahweh for them judges and was Yahweh with the judge and delivered them out of the hand of their enemies all the days of the judge for was moved to pity by their groaning because of those who oppressed them and harassed them
וְכִֽי־ הֵקִ֨ים יְהוָ֥ה ׀ לָהֶם֮ שֹֽׁפְטִים֒ וְהָיָ֤ה יְהוָה֙ עִם־ הַשֹּׁפֵ֔ט וְהֽוֹשִׁיעָם֙ מִיַּ֣ד אֹֽיְבֵיהֶ֔ם כֹּ֖ל יְמֵ֣י הַשּׁוֹפֵ֑ט כִּֽי־ יִנָּחֵ֤ם מִנַּֽאֲקָתָ֔ם מִפְּנֵ֥י לֹחֲצֵיהֶ֖ם וְדֹחֲקֵיהֶֽם

וְכִֽי־  And  when 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Conjunction
Root: כִּי 
Sense: that, for, because, when, as though, as, because that, but, then, certainly, except, surely, since.
הֵקִ֨ים  raised  up 
Parse: Verb, Hifil, Perfect, third person masculine singular
Root: קוּם 
Sense: to rise, arise, stand, rise up, stand up.
יְהוָ֥ה ׀  Yahweh 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יהוה 
Sense: the proper name of the one true God.
לָהֶם֮  for  them 
Parse: Preposition, third person masculine plural
שֹֽׁפְטִים֒  judges 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Participle, masculine plural
Root: שָׁפַט  
Sense: to judge, govern, vindicate, punish.
וְהָיָ֤ה  and  was 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Conjunctive perfect, third person masculine singular
Root: אֶהְיֶה 
Sense: to be, become, come to pass, exist, happen, fall out.
יְהוָה֙  Yahweh 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יהוה 
Sense: the proper name of the one true God.
הַשֹּׁפֵ֔ט  the  judge 
Parse: Article, Verb, Qal, Participle, masculine singular
Root: שָׁפַט  
Sense: to judge, govern, vindicate, punish.
וְהֽוֹשִׁיעָם֙  and  delivered  them 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Hifil, Conjunctive perfect, third person masculine singular, third person masculine plural
Root: יָשַׁע 
Sense: to save, be saved, be delivered.
מִיַּ֣ד  out  of  the  hand 
Parse: Preposition-m, Noun, feminine singular construct
Root: יָד  
Sense: hand.
אֹֽיְבֵיהֶ֔ם  of  their  enemies 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Participle, masculine plural construct, third person masculine plural
Root: אֹיֵב  
Sense: (Qal) enemy.
יְמֵ֣י  the  days 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural construct
Root: יׄום 
Sense: day, time, year.
הַשּׁוֹפֵ֑ט  of  the  judge 
Parse: Article, Verb, Qal, Participle, masculine singular
Root: שָׁפַט  
Sense: to judge, govern, vindicate, punish.
יִנָּחֵ֤ם  was  moved  to  pity 
Parse: Verb, Nifal, Imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: נָחַם  
Sense: to be sorry, console oneself, repent, regret, comfort, be comforted.
מִנַּֽאֲקָתָ֔ם  by  their  groaning 
Parse: Preposition-m, Noun, feminine singular construct, third person masculine plural
Root: נְאָקָה  
Sense: groan, groaning.
מִפְּנֵ֥י  because  of  those 
Parse: Preposition-m, Noun, common plural construct
Root: לִפְנֵי 
Sense: face.
לֹחֲצֵיהֶ֖ם  who  oppressed  them 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Participle, masculine plural construct, third person masculine plural
Root: לָחַץ  
Sense: to squeeze, press, oppress.
וְדֹחֲקֵיהֶֽם  and  harassed  them 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Participle, masculine plural construct, third person masculine plural
Root: דָּחַק  
Sense: to thrust, oppress, crowd.