Judges 2:12 Meaning and Explanation
“And they forsook the LORD God of their fathers, which brought them out of the land of Egypt, and followed other gods, of the gods of the people that were round about them, and bowed themselves unto them, and provoked the LORD to anger.”
King James Version (KJV)
Read this verse in context with translation switching:
Read Full Chapter →Israel abandons the LORD who delivered their ancestors from Egypt, follows the surrounding nations' gods, bows to them, and provokes the LORD to anger.
What Does Judges 2:12 Mean?
The verse spells out the betrayal in full. They forsake the LORD, named here as the God of their fathers and the deliverer from Egypt, and instead follow, and bow down to, the gods of the surrounding peoples. The act stirs God's righteous anger.
Notice how the text piles up reminders of who God is to them: the God of their fathers, the One who brought them out of Egypt. Their sin is set against the backdrop of immense grace. To forsake such a God for lifeless idols is the deepest folly. Yet even His anger is the wounded response of covenant love, never indifference.
Judges 2:12 in the Original Language
azab (עָזַב), 'forsook' -- to abandon, leave behind, or let go of completely.
Frequently Asked Questions About Judges 2:12
What does Judges 2:12 mean?
Israel abandons the LORD who delivered their ancestors from Egypt, follows the surrounding nations' gods, bows to them, and provokes the LORD to anger.