Yahweh raised up judges, who saved them out of the hand of those who plundered them.
Parallel translations
- KJV Nevertheless the LORD raised up judges, which delivered them out of the hand of those that spoiled them.
- BSB Then the LORD raised up judges, who saved them from the hands of those who plundered them.
- NKJV Nevertheless, the Lord raised up judges who delivered them out of the hand of those who plundered them.
- NASB Then the Lord raised up judges who saved them from the hands of those who plundered them.
- NLT Then the Lord raised up judges to rescue the Israelites from their attackers.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
The LORD raises up judges who save Israel from their plunderers. It matters as the introduction of God's gracious deliverers.
Overview
Into the cycle of sin and oppression God sends judges, leaders he empowers to rescue his people. This is sheer grace, undeserved deliverance for a rebellious nation. The judges foreshadow the ultimate Deliverer, Jesus Christ, who saves his people not from foreign oppressors but from sin itself.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 8
- Acts 13:20After these things he gave them judges until Samuel the prophet.
- Ps 106:43–45He rescued them many times, but they were rebellious in their counsel, and were brought low in their iniquity.
- 1 Sam 12:11Yahweh sent Jerubbaal, Bedan, Jephthah, and Samuel, and delivered you out of the hand of your enemies on every side; and you lived in safety.
- Neh 9:27Therefore you delivered them into the hand of their adversaries, who distressed them. In the time of their trouble, when they cried to you, you heard from heaven; and according to your manifold mercies you gave them saviors who saved them out of the hands of their adversaries.
- Judg 3:15But when the children of Israel cried to Yahweh, Yahweh raised up a savior for them, Ehud the son of Gera, the Benjamite, a left-handed man. The children of Israel sent tribute by him to Eglon the king of Moab.
- Judg 6:14Yahweh looked at him, and said, “Go in this your might, and save Israel from the hand of Midian. Haven’t I sent you?”
- Judg 3:9–10When the children of Israel cried to Yahweh, Yahweh raised up a savior to the children of Israel, who saved them, even Othniel the son of Kenaz, Caleb’s younger brother.
- Judg 4:5She lived under Deborah’s palm tree between Ramah and Bethel in the hill country of Ephraim; and the children of Israel came up to her for judgment.
Themes, concepts, people & topics
Resources, by level
Commentaries & study tools
Free animated overview and word-study videos for this book.
Sermons and teaching on this passage from across YouTube.
Clear, readable, conservative exposition — the best free place to start on any passage.
Matthew Henry, Barnes, Gill, the Pulpit Commentary, Ellicott, Cambridge, and more — stacked on one page for this exact verse.
The beloved Puritan exposition of this whole book — warm, devotional, and verse by verse (free, CCEL).
Hebrew/Greek interlinear, word definitions, and cross-references for this verse.
Christ at the center
Israel's cycle of sin and rescue through flawed deliverers cries out for a Savior who never fails — the true and final Judge and Deliverer who saves his people not for a season but forever.
How Judges 2:16 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
Each word below is tagged with its Strong’s number — tap one to see the underlying Hebrew word, its meaning, and every verse that uses it.