Judges 2:13 Meaning and Explanation
“And they forsook the LORD, and served Baal and Ashtaroth.”
King James Version (KJV)
Read this verse in context with translation switching:
Read Full Chapter →Israel forsakes the LORD and serves Baal and Ashtaroth.
What Does Judges 2:13 Mean?
The charge is restated with sharp brevity: they forsook the LORD and served Baal and Ashtaroth. Baal was the male storm and fertility god; Ashtaroth refers to the goddess Astarte and her many shrines. Together they named the popular religion of the land.
Repetition drives the point home. What is named twice is named to be taken seriously. The pull of these gods promised prosperity and fertility, the very things people crave, yet they could deliver nothing. Idolatry always trades the living Fountain for broken cisterns, and only return to the LORD can satisfy the thirst it leaves behind.
Judges 2:13 in the Original Language
Ashtaroth (עַשְׁתָּרוֹת), 'Ashtaroth' -- the goddess Astarte and her shrines, a Canaanite fertility deity.
Frequently Asked Questions About Judges 2:13
What does Judges 2:13 mean?
Israel forsakes the LORD and serves Baal and Ashtaroth.