Charles Ellicott Commentary Judges 2

An angel of the Lord. The words “Maleak Jehovah” are used of Haggai in Haggai 1:13; of prophets in Isaiah 42:19 and Malachi 3:6; and of priests in Malachi 2:7. Therefore, from very ancient times these words have been interpreted as “a messenger of the Lord” (as in the margin of our Bible). The Targum paraphrases it as “a prophet with a message from Jehovah.” R. Tanchum, from Judges 2:6, infers that it was Joshua himself. Kimchi and others have supposed that it was Phinehas. No indications are given of anything specially miraculous.

On the other hand, there is strong reason to believe that the writer intended “the Angel of the Presence,” for the following reasons:

1. He constantly uses the phrase in this sense (Judges 6:11–12; Judges 6:21–22; Judges 13:3; Judges 13:13; Judges 13:15 and following).
2. The same phrase occurs in this sense elsewhere, as in Genesis 16:7; Genesis 22:11; Exodus 2:2; Exodus 2:6; Exodus 2:14; Numbers 22:22 and following).
3. The angel speaks in the first person and does not introduce his words with “Thus saith Jehovah,” as the prophets always do (but see below).

It seems probable, therefore, that by “the angel of the Lord” the writer meant “the captain of the Lord’s host,” who appeared to Joshua at Jericho (Joshua 5:13–15). Against this conclusion, it may be argued that in no other instance does an angel appear to, or preach to, multitudes. Angels are sent to individuals, but prophets to nations.

Came up from Gilgal to Bochim. This notice is by no means decisive against the conclusion that an angel is intended. The writer may mean to intimate that the Angel Prince of the host (Exodus 23:20–23), the Angel of the Covenant, left his station in the camp of Gilgal and came up to the new camp or assembly of the people in Central Palestine (Joshua 4:19; Joshua 5:9–10; Joshua 10:7; Joshua 10:15; Joshua 10:33; Joshua 14:6).

Ha-Bochim means “the weepers.” The locality is not known, but the Septuagint renders it “to the weeping-place,” and adds “and to Bethel, and to the House of Israel.” Therefore, it has been inferred that Bochim was near Bethel. Possibly, however, the Septuagint may have been led to this interpretation by the vicinity to Bethel of Allon-Bachuth, “the oak of weeping” (Genesis 35:8).

And said, I made you to go up out of Egypt. The Septuagint has “the Lord, the Lord brought you out of Egypt” (Codex Alexandrinus). Houbigant, from the repetition of the word, precariously conjectures the loss of some words, such as “Thus saith the Lord, I the Lord,” and so on, as in the Peshito. Indeed, in some manuscripts a blank (Piska) is left, implying at least a suspicion that this formula has accidentally fallen out of the text.

I will never break my covenant with you. See Genesis 17:7; Genesis 29:12; Psalms 89:28, 34; Luke 1:54–55, and others. See also Exodus 3:6-8.

And you shall make no league. — This is the condition of the Covenant, quoted from Deuteronomy 7:2; Deuteronomy 12:2–3. Compare to Exodus 23:31-33; Exodus 34:12–13.

Why have you done this? — Compare to Genesis 3:13; Genesis 12:18.

Therefore I also said. —Rather, And now I have said.

I will not drive them out. —The withdrawal of the conditional promises in Exodus 23:31.

They shall be as thorns in your sides. —The Hebrew is, they shall be to you for sides. The words as thorns are conjecturally supplied from Numbers 33:55. In Joshua 23:13 we have scourges in your sides. The Septuagint renders this as “for pressures,” and the Vulgate as “that you may have enemies.”

The Hebrew word for “sides” is tsiddim, and it would differ little from tsarim (“nets”), which is the conjecture of R. Jonas; and this root is found in the verb, and they shall vex you, from Numbers 33:55. Whether we adopt this reading, tsinnim (“thorns”), or suppose that a word has dropped out, the general meaning remains the same.

Their gods shall be a snare to you.—See Judges 2:12-13; Psalms 106:36.

Bochim. —(Genesis 1:11.) It was like “the Jews’ wailing-place” in modern Jerusalem.

They sacrificed there to the Lord. —It is not necessary to infer from this that Bochim must have been near the sanctuary at Bethel, Shechem, or Shiloh. Not only did kings and prophets seem to be tacitly excepted from the general rule against offering sacrifice at any place except the chosen sanctuary, but also sacrifice was always freely offered at places where there had been any manifestation of the Divine Presence—Judges 6:20 (Gideon);Judges 22:19 (Manoah); 2 Samuel 24:25 (David), etc. On the other hand, it is improbable that all Israel would have been assembled at some unknown place, or that the memory of such a spot should not have been preserved.

When Joshua had let the people go. —Rather, And Joshua let the people go. This passage strongly tends to support the view that the events of the previous chapter, and the message at Bochim, occurred before Joshua’s death. (Joshua 24:28.)