Judges 2:13

And they forsook the LORD, and served Baal and Ashtaroth.

And they forsook {H5800} the LORD {H3068}, and served {H5647} Baal {H1168} and Ashtaroth {H6252}.

They abandoned ADONAI and served Ba'al and the 'ashtarot.

for they forsook Him and served Baal and the Ashtoreths.

And they forsook Jehovah, and served Baal and the Ashtaroth.

Commentary

Commentary on Judges 2:13 (KJV)

Judges 2:13 succinctly describes a tragic and recurring pattern in ancient Israel's history during the period of the Judges: their abandonment of the one true God for pagan worship. This verse serves as a critical summary of the spiritual decline that led to cycles of oppression and deliverance.

Context

This verse is found early in the book of Judges, which chronicles the turbulent centuries between the death of Joshua and the rise of the monarchy. Chapter 2 sets the theological stage, explaining why Israel repeatedly faced foreign domination despite God's covenant promises. After the generation that experienced God's mighty acts in the Exodus and conquest died, a new generation arose who "knew not the LORD, nor yet the works which he had done for Israel" (Judges 2:10). This spiritual ignorance led directly to disobedience. God had commanded Israel to drive out the inhabitants of Canaan and destroy their altars, but they failed to do so. Instead, as this verse highlights, they began to adopt the very practices they were meant to eradicate.

Key Themes

  • Apostasy and Idolatry: The core message is Israel's spiritual unfaithfulness. They "forsook the LORD," meaning they abandoned their covenant relationship with Yahweh, the God who delivered them from Egypt and gave them the land. This act of apostasy was immediately followed by serving other gods, a direct violation of the first commandment (Exodus 20:3).
  • Consequences of Disobedience: This verse foreshadows the severe consequences that would follow throughout the book of Judges. God allowed their enemies to oppress them as a form of divine discipline, designed to lead them back to repentance. The cycle of sin, servitude, supplication, and salvation (Judges 3:7) is rooted in this initial act of forsaking God.

Linguistic Insights

The verse specifically names the deities Israel served:

  • Baal: A prominent Canaanite fertility god, worshipped as the lord of storms and rain, essential for agricultural prosperity. His worship often involved depraved rituals, including cultic prostitution and sometimes child sacrifice.
  • Ashtaroth: This is the plural form of Ashtoreth (or Astarte), a Canaanite goddess of fertility, war, and sexual love, often depicted as Baal's consort or counterpart. The use of the plural "Ashtaroth" suggests the worship of various manifestations or cultic images of this goddess.

These were the primary gods of the very people Israel was meant to dispossess, representing a wholesale adoption of pagan worldview and practices.

Practical Application

Judges 2:13 serves as a timeless warning against spiritual complacency and the allure of false gods. While modern society may not worship physical idols of Baal and Ashtaroth, the principle of forsaking the Lord remains relevant. Anything that takes God's rightful place in our lives—be it money, career, pleasure, power, or self-worship—can become a modern idol. This verse calls believers to:

  • Vigilance: To be aware of subtle temptations that can draw us away from our devotion to God.
  • Faithfulness: To remain steadfast in our commitment to the Lord, recognizing His sovereignty and unique claim on our lives.
  • Remember God's Works: Just as Israel forgot God's past deliverance, we must continually remember and recount God's faithfulness in our own lives and in history, which strengthens our resolve to serve Him alone (Psalm 103:2).

The consequences of spiritual compromise are real, as seen in Israel's history. True freedom and blessing come from an undivided heart devoted to the Lord.

Note: If the commentary doesn’t appear instantly, please allow 2–5 seconds for it to load. It is generated by Gemini 2.5 Flash using a prompt focused on Biblical fidelity over bias. While the insights have been consistently reliable, we encourage prayerful discernment through the Holy Spirit.

Please note that only the commentary section is AI-generated — the main Scripture and cross-references are stored on the site and are from trusted and verified sources.

Cross-References

  • Judges 10:6

    ¶ And the children of Israel did evil again in the sight of the LORD, and served Baalim, and Ashtaroth, and the gods of Syria, and the gods of Zidon, and the gods of Moab, and the gods of the children of Ammon, and the gods of the Philistines, and forsook the LORD, and served not him.

  • Judges 3:7

    And the children of Israel did evil in the sight of the LORD, and forgat the LORD their God, and served Baalim and the groves.

  • Psalms 106:36

    And they served their idols: which were a snare unto them.

  • 1 Kings 11:33

    Because that they have forsaken me, and have worshipped Ashtoreth the goddess of the Zidonians, Chemosh the god of the Moabites, and Milcom the god of the children of Ammon, and have not walked in my ways, to do [that which is] right in mine eyes, and [to keep] my statutes and my judgments, as [did] David his father.

  • 1 Kings 11:5

    For Solomon went after Ashtoreth the goddess of the Zidonians, and after Milcom the abomination of the Ammonites.

  • 2 Kings 23:13

    And the high places that [were] before Jerusalem, which [were] on the right hand of the mount of corruption, which Solomon the king of Israel had builded for Ashtoreth the abomination of the Zidonians, and for Chemosh the abomination of the Moabites, and for Milcom the abomination of the children of Ammon, did the king defile.

  • 1 Corinthians 10:20

    But [I say], that the things which the Gentiles sacrifice, they sacrifice to devils, and not to God: and I would not that ye should have fellowship with devils.