And the children of Israel did evil again in the sight of the LORD: and the LORD strengthened Eglon the king of Moab against Israel, because they had done evil in the sight of the LORD.
The Israelites did what was wrong in God's eyes again. So the LORD gave strength to Eglon, the king of Moab, to fight against Israel, because they had done what was evil in God's sight.
This verse shows that when the Israelites repeatedly disobeyed God, He allowed their enemy king to become powerful enough to defeat them as a consequence of their wrongdoing.
📚 Historical Context
In the Book of Judges, which describes the period after Joshua's death when Israel was settling in the Promised Land, the nation repeatedly cycled through disobedience to God, followed by oppression from enemies, cries for help, and deliverance by judges. In this specific verse, the Israelites had turned to idolatry and other sins, leading God to strengthen Eglon, the king of Moab, as an instrument of judgment to discipline them. This reflects the broader historical pattern in ancient Israel where unfaithfulness to God's covenant brought about corrective consequences from surrounding nations.
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