The record of this chapter portrays the degradation and corruption of God’s elect Israel in their forsaking Jehovah their God and their worshipping the idols of the Canaanites (Judg. 8:33), which issued in their indulgence in fleshly lust by having many wives to produce many sons (Judg. 8:30-31; 9:5; 10:4; 12:8-9, 13-14; 16:1-4) and in the wantonness of their hatred in slaying one another (Judg. 12:1-6 chs. 19—20), bringing themselves to an end in full destruction.