And they forsook the LORD God of their fathers, which brought them out of the land of Egypt, and followed other gods, of the gods of the people that were round about them, and bowed themselves unto them, and provoked the LORD to anger.
They abandoned the LORD, the God of their ancestors, who had rescued them from Egypt. Instead, they started worshipping the gods of the neighboring peoples around them, bowing down to these false gods, which made the LORD very angry.
The writer is describing how God's people turned away from Him to worship the false gods of surrounding nations, which provoked God's anger.
📚 Historical Context
This occurred during the period of the Judges (roughly 1400-1000 BC) after Israel had entered the Promised Land. The Israelites were surrounded by Canaanite peoples who worshipped various gods like Baal and Asherah through fertility rituals and sometimes child sacrifice. Despite God's clear commands and His miraculous deliverance from Egypt, the Israelites repeatedly fell into the trap of adopting these pagan religions.
Ask the AI Assistant
Have a question about this chapter or verse? Ask below for a clear explanation.