¹¹ The Israelites did what was evil in the Lord’s sight.^(A) They worshiped the Baals^{(B) 12} and abandoned the Lord, the God of their ancestors, who had brought them out of Egypt. They followed other gods from the surrounding peoples^(C) and bowed down to them. They angered the Lord,^{(D) 13} for they abandoned him and worshiped Baal and the Ashtoreths.^(E)

¹⁴ The Lord’s anger burned against Israel, and he handed them over to marauders who raided them. He sold^(F) them to the enemies around them, and they could no longer resist their enemies. ¹⁵ Whenever the Israelites went out, the Lord was against them^(G) and brought disaster on them, just as he had promised and sworn to them.^(H) So they suffered greatly.

¹⁶ The Lord raised up^(I) judges, who saved them from the power of their marauders, ¹⁷ but they did not listen to their judges. Instead, they prostituted^(J) themselves with other gods, bowing down to them. They quickly turned from the way^(K) of their ancestors, who had walked in obedience to the Lord’s commands. They did not do as their ancestors did. ¹⁸ Whenever the Lord raised up a judge for the Israelites, the Lord was with^(L) him and saved the people from the power of their enemies while the judge was still alive. The Lord was moved to pity whenever they groaned because of those who were oppressing and afflicting them. ¹⁹ Whenever the judge died, the Israelites would act even more corruptly^(M) than their ancestors, following other gods to serve them and bow in worship to them. They did not turn from their evil practices or their obstinate^(N) ways.