King James Version

What Does Judges 10:6 Mean?

“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.”

Context

And he had thirty sons that rode on thirty ass colts, and they had thirty cities, which are called Havothjair unto this day, which are in the land of Gilead. Havothjair: or, the villages of Jair

And Jair died, and was buried in Camon.

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.

And the anger of the LORD was hot against Israel, and he sold them into the hands of the Philistines, and into the hands of the children of Ammon.

And that year they vexed and oppressed the children of Israel: eighteen years, all the children of Israel that were on the other side Jordan in the land of the Amorites, which is in Gilead. oppressed: Heb. crushed

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Commentary

Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers

(6) **Did evil again.**—Literally, *added to do evil: *“joining new sins to their old ones,” as the Vulg. paraphrases it (Judges 2:11; Judges 3:7, &c). **Served Baalim, and Ashtaroth.**—Judges 2:19. Seven kinds of idols are mentioned, in obvious symmetry with the seven retributive oppressions in Judges 10:11-12. **The gods of Syria.**—Heb. *Aram. *(See Genesis 35:2; Genesis 35:4.) Manasseh seems to have had an Aramean concubine (1Chronicles 7:14), who was mother of Machir. Of Syrian idolatry we hear nothing definite till the days of Ahaz (2Kings 16:10; 2Kings 16:12):— “Thammuz came next behind, Whose annual wound in Lebanon allured The Syrian damsels to lament his fate In amorous ditties all a summer’s day.”—*Par. Lost, 1* **The gods of Zidon.**—1Kings 11:5. As Milton borrowed his details from the learned *Syntagma de Diis Syris *of Selden, we cannot find better illustration of these allusions than in his stately verse:— “Ashtoreth, whom the Phoenicians cali Astarte, queen of heaven, with crescent horns, To whose bright image nightly by the hour Sidonian virgins paid their vows and songs, “—*I*d. **The gods of Moab.**—1Kings 11:7. “ Chemosh, the obscene dread of Moab’s sons. From Areer to Nebo, and the wild Of southmost Abarim . . . Peor his other name.”—*Id.* **The gods of the children of Ammon**—Leviticus 18:21; 1Kings 11:7. “First Moloch, horrid king. . . . Him the Ammonite Worshipped in Rabba and his watery plain, In Argob and in Basan, to the stream Of utmost Arnon.”—*Id.* **The gods of the Philistines.**—1Samuel 5:2; 1Samuel 16:23. “One “Who mourned in earnest when the captive ark Maimed his brute image; head and hands lopt off In his own temple on the grunsel edge, Where he fell flat and shamed his worshippers. Dagon his name—sea-monster—upwards man And downwards fish.”—Id.

Charles John Ellicott (1819–1905). Public Domain.

Historical Context

This verse is found in the book of Judges. Understanding the historical and cultural background helps illuminate its meaning for the original audience and for us today.

Theological Significance

Judges 10:6 contributes to our understanding of God's character and His relationship with humanity. Consider how this verse connects to the broader themes of Scripture.