Why did the Israelites name the place "Bochim" in Judges 2:5? Setting and Context • After Joshua’s death, the tribes were settling the land (Judges 2:6–10). • Instead of eradicating idolatry, they tolerated the Canaanite altars they were commanded to destroy (Exodus 23:32–33; Deuteronomy 7:2). • Into this compromise steps “the angel of the LORD,” a visible, personal messenger of God (Judges 2:1). The Angel’s Confrontation • Judges 2:2–3: “But you have disobeyed My command. … Therefore I will not drive them out before you; they will become thorns in your sides, and their gods will be a snare to you.” • The rebuke is specific: they broke covenant by sparing pagan worship centers. • The consequence is equally specific: ongoing trouble from the very nations they befriended. The People’s Reaction • Judges 2:4: “When the angel of the LORD had spoken these words to all the Israelites, the people lifted up their voices and wept.” • Genuine emotional response—“lifted up their voices.” • Verse 5 adds action: “And they called that place Bochim and offered sacrifices there to the LORD.” • The sacrifices reveal acknowledgment of sin and renewed submission to God’s covenant. Why the Name “Bochim”? • “Bochim” means “Weepers” or “Weeping.” • The name memorializes their collective sorrow over sin and its consequences. • It serves as a physical reminder every time they pass that location: compromise brings grief; obedience brings blessing (cf. Deuteronomy 28:1–2, 15). Scriptural Echoes of Godly Sorrow • Psalm 34:18: “The LORD is near to the brokenhearted; He saves the contrite in spirit.” • 2 Corinthians 7:10: “Godly sorrow brings repentance that leads to salvation without regret.” • Like Israel at Bochim, true repentance is marked by heartfelt grief over sin and a return to sacrificial worship. Lessons for Today • Compromise may appear harmless but inevitably robs peace and invites bondage. • God’s confrontations are merciful calls to repentance, not mere condemnation. • Naming our own “Bochim”—remembering moments of conviction—guards us from repeating the same disobedience. Therefore, the Israelites named the place Bochim because their open, collective weeping over covenant unfaithfulness turned that spot into a lasting monument of repentance and renewed devotion to the LORD. |
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