14. And so the Lord became furious with Israel and let raiders attack and rob them. He let enemies all around overpower them, and the Israelites could no longer protect themselves.
15. Every time they went into battle, the Lord was against them, just as he had said he would be. They were in great distress.
16. Then the Lord gave the Israelites leaders who saved them from the raiders.
17. But the Israelites paid no attention to their leaders. Israel was unfaithful to the Lord and worshipped other gods. Their fathers had obeyed the Lord's commands, but this new generation soon stopped doing so.
18. Whenever the Lord gave Israel a leader, the Lord would help that leader and would save the people from their enemies as long as that leader lived. The Lord would have mercy on them because they groaned under their suffering and oppression.