It wasn't just Judah and Benjamin who could not drive out all the inhabitants of the land the Lord promised them. None of the other tribes were able to do so either. While the Israelites were able to claim the land, the Canaanites and other tribes were "determined to live in that land." As the Israelites got stronger, they put the Canaanites under forced labor, but the Canaanites and others were a bad influence on them. The Canaanites enticed them into bowing down to foreign gods. They forgot about the covenant they had made with the Lord before they came into the land.

Because of this, the Lord came to them through an angel, reminded them that it was he who had brought them up out of Egypt, and rebuked them for breaking the covenant. The Israelites broke down and wept and offered sacrifices to the Lord.

Chapter 2 verses 6-10 tells of Joshua's death at the age of 110 years. During his lifetime, and the lifetimes of those who served under him, Israel remembered the Lord and served him. But after that generation died out, the next generation neither knew the Lord nor remembered what he had done for them. This sets the stage for the rest of the book of Judges.


Application: Father, because we are sinful, we forget you. Have mercy on us and help us to remember who you are and all you have done for us!
One Word: Remember the Lord and his covenant