The 6 other tribes do not drive out Canaanites. God rebukes Israel for it.
Joshua dies and Israel worships Canaanite gods.
Pattern of the book:
So God has the Canaanites defeat them militarily and economically. God saves them by temporary leaders (judges, or deliverers), but Israel keeps idolizing Canaanite gods and intermarrying with Canaanites.
Mesopotamia conquers and God raises Othniel, Caleb's nephew, to defeat them. Peace for 40 years.
Moab conquers for 18 years, but God gives Ehud courage to kill Eglon and raise Israel's army to defeat Moab. Peace for 80 years.
Philistines attack but Shamgar leads a successful resistance.
He is our permanent deliverer
He saves sinners, not because they stop sinning but because God wants to save them.
He wins an unexpected victory at the cross, as Ehud unexpectedly defeats Eglon in his bedroom.
Application
Unfaithfulness generally leads to economic bondage or oppression or defeat, and political servitude.
The judges needed courage to act, knowing that action would bring reprisal from stronger Canaanites around. Culture wars take courage today, too.
Summary verse
Judges 2:16-17
"the LORD raised up judges who delivered them out of the hand of those who plundered them. 17 Yet they would not listen to their judges, but they played the harlot with other gods, and bowed down to them. They turned quickly from the way in which their fathers walked, in obeying the commandments of the LORD; they did not do so."
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