The instance of repented in Judges 2:18 means to be sorry or console oneself.
5162 nacham
nacham: to be sorry, console oneself
Original Word: נָחַם
Part of Speech: Verb
Transliteration: nacham
Phonetic Spelling: (naw-kham’)
Definition: to be sorry, console oneself
And when the Lord raised them up judges, then the Lord was with the judge, and delivered them out of the hand of their enemies all the days of the judge: for it repented (5162) the Lord because of their groanings by reason of them that oppressed them and vexed them – Judges 2:18
Let’s look at the scriptures in context.
11 And the children of Israel did evil in the sight of the Lord, and served Baalim: 12 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. 13 And they forsook the Lord, and served Baal and Ashtaroth. 14 And the anger of the Lord was hot against Israel, and he delivered them into the hands of spoilers that spoiled them, and he sold them into the hands of their enemies round about, so that they could not any longer stand before their enemies. 15 Whithersoever they went out, the hand of the Lord was against them for evil, as the Lord had said, and as the Lord had sworn unto them: and they were greatly distressed. 16 Nevertheless the Lord raised up judges, which delivered them out of the hand of those that spoiled them. 17 And yet they would not hearken unto their judges, but they went a whoring after other gods, and bowed themselves unto them: they turned quickly out of the way which their fathers walked in, obeying the commandments of the Lord; but they did not so. 18 And when the Lord raised them up judges, then the Lord was with the judge, and delivered them out of the hand of their enemies all the days of the judge: for it repented the Lord because of their groanings by reason of them that oppressed them and vexed them. 19 And it came to pass, when the judge was dead, that they returned, and corrupted themselves more than their fathers, in following other gods to serve them, and to bow down unto them; they ceased not from their own doings, nor from their stubborn way. 20 And the anger of the Lord was hot against Israel; and he said, Because that this people hath transgressed my covenant which I commanded their fathers, and have not hearkened unto my voice; – Judges 2:11-20
The Lord had given the children of Israel over to the hand of spoilers, because they had forsaken the Lord and done evil in His sight by serving Baalim. This provoked the Lord to anger. However, the Lord also raised up judges, who would deliver the children of Israel from the hand of those who spoiled (destroyed) them. Even then, the children of Israel would not listen to the judges, and still idolized and worshipped other gods, forsaking the true Lord whom their fathers obeyed. It says that the Lord was with the judges and delivered them out of the hand of their enemies (spoilers) and the Lord was sorry (repented) because He heard their groanings due to the spoilers who were oppressing and vexing them. Even though the Lord was sorry over their actions, they still continued to corrupt themselves by following other gods and worshipping them. The children of Israel were a stubborn people who had the Lord’s anger against them.
