And they put away the strange gods from among them, and served the LORD: and his soul was grieved for the misery of Israel.
So they got rid of the foreign gods from among them and served the LORD. And his heart was deeply troubled by Israel's suffering.
This verse shows that when the Israelites turned back to God by removing their idols, God's heart was moved with compassion for their pain and suffering.
📚 Historical Context
This occurs during the time of the Judges, when Israel repeatedly fell into cycles of disobedience, oppression by enemies, and then crying out to God for help. The Israelites had been worshiping foreign gods (likely Canaanite deities like Baal and Ashtaroth) and were suffering under the oppression of the Philistines and Ammonites. This verse marks a turning point where they genuinely repented by removing their idols and returning to exclusive worship of the LORD.
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