Many times did he deliver them,.... By means of the judges, Othniel, Ehud, Barak, Gideon, Jephthah, Samson, and others. But they provoked him with their counsel; in asking a king, whom he gave in his anger, and took away in his wrath, Hos 13:11, and with their idolatries which they devised, setting up the calves at Dan and Bethel; and by taking counsel of others, and not of the Lord; seeking for help from the Assyrians and Egyptians, and trusting in them, Isa 30:1, all which was very provoking, and showed great ingratitude, after so many deliverances: or, "though they provoked him with their counsels" (b); with their inventions, as in Psa 106:29, yet such were his grace and goodness, that he frequently wrought salvation for them. And were brought low for their iniquity: or "when they were weakened", or "impoverished by their iniquity" (c) so that they could not help themselves; as they were particularly by the Midianites, Jdg 6:1. Unless this should rather refer to some later times, as the times of Ahaz, when Judah was brought low for their transgressions, Ch2 28:19 as also the time of the Babylonish captivity. Sin is of a weakening and impoverishing nature; it has weakened all mankind, and took from them their moral strength to do good; and has brought them to poverty and want; to be beggars an the dunghill; to a pit wherein is no water; and left them in a hopeless and helpless condition: yea, it brings the people of God oftentimes after conversion into a low estate, when God hides his face because of it; temptations are strong, grace is weak, and they become lukewarm and indifferent to spiritual things. (b) "quamvis ipsi", Junius & Tremellius, Piscator. (c) "et attenuati essent", Junius & Tremellius, Piscator; so Cocceius, Michaellis, Gejerus; "et in paupertatem devenerunt per suam iniquitatem", Tigurine version.