Judges 10:6-18

We Have Sinned against You

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6And again the Israelites did evil in the sight of the LORD. They served the Baals, the Ashtoreths, the gods of Aram, Sidon, and Moab, and the gods of the Ammonites and Philistines. Thus they forsook the LORD and did not serve Him.

7So the anger of the LORD burned against Israel, and He sold them into the hands of the Philistines and Ammonites,

8who that very year harassed and oppressed the Israelites, and they did so for eighteen years to all the Israelites on the other side of the Jordan in Gilead, the land of the Amorites.

9The Ammonites also crossed the Jordan to fight against Judah, Benjamin, and the house of Ephraim, and Israel was in deep distress.

10Then the Israelites cried out to the LORD, saying, “We have sinned against You, for we have indeed forsaken our God and served the Baals.”

11The LORD replied, “When the Egyptians, Amorites, Ammonites, Philistines,

12Sidonians, Amalekites, and Maonites oppressed you and you cried out to Me, did I not save you from their hands?

13But you have forsaken Me and served other gods, so I will no longer save you.

14Go and cry out to the gods you have chosen. Let them save you in your time of trouble.”

15“We have sinned,” the Israelites said to the LORD. “Deal with us as You see fit; but please deliver us today!”

16So they put away the foreign gods from among them and served the LORD, and He could no longer bear the misery of Israel.

17Then the Ammonites were called to arms and camped in Gilead, and the Israelites assembled and camped at Mizpah.

18And the rulers of Gilead said to one another, “Whoever will launch the attack against the Ammonites will be the head of all who live in Gilead.”

Berean Standard Bible

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Israel turns to the gods of many surrounding peoples and forsakes the LORD. He gives them into the hands of the Philistines and Ammonites. For eighteen years, Israelites in Gilead suffer oppression, and Ammon also crosses the Jordan to attack Judah, Benjamin, and Ephraim.

The people confess that they have sinned by abandoning God and serving the Baals. The LORD answers with a history of His rescues and their repeated rejection. He tells them to cry to the gods they chose and let those gods save them.

Israel confesses again, asking God to deal with them as He sees fit while pleading for rescue. They put away the foreign gods and serve the LORD. Then the account says that He can no longer bear their misery. His judgment is real, and so is His compassion.

The military danger remains: Ammon camps in Gilead, Israel gathers at Mizpah, and the leaders look for someone to lead the attack. Turning back to God has changed Israel's worship before it has changed the battlefield.

Questions

1 What sin does Israel confess?

AnswerThe people confess that they have forsaken their God and served the Baals. Their wrong concerns whom they worship and serve.

2 Why does the LORD tell them to cry to their chosen gods?

AnswerHe confronts their repeated abandonment of Him after His many rescues. The gods they have chosen cannot be treated as harmless additions to worship.

3 What do the people do beyond speaking a confession?

AnswerThey put away the foreign gods and serve the LORD. The passage then describes His compassion for their misery.

4 What might a changed practice after confession look like?

AnswerAfter confessing dishonesty, we could correct the false account we gave and tell the truth the next time it costs us. We ask for mercy without demanding that every consequence disappear.

What This Means for Us

Confession can be followed by a clear change before life feels easier. Identify one action that would show a real turn from the wrong you have named. God's mercy is not a bargain we control through the right words. We come to Him because He is compassionate, even while we still face consequences and need help.

Prayer

Lord, put truthful confession in our mouths: we have sinned against You. Turn us from the idols we choose and make our repentance more than words. Amen.

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