שופטים, פרק ב׳, פסוק י״ב

Following the passing of the elder generation, a profound spiritual shift took hold of the Israelites. They drifted away from their traditional path and began to adopt the idol worship of the neighboring nations [רלב״ג, ביאור שטיינזלץ].

This departure was not a complete rejection of God as the Creator of the universe. Rather, it was a rejection of His exclusive role as the God who personally watched over them. Recognizing God solely as the maker of the world is fundamentally different from recognizing Him as the God of their ancestors, a title that highlights His direct, special care for the Israelites. The people did not stop believing in God's existence; instead, they adopted a blended form of worship. They acknowledged Him as the Creator but began to pair Him with other local deities and spiritual forces [מלבי״ם].

The Exodus from Egypt was the defining moment that established this exclusive relationship. From that event onward, the Israelites were placed under God's direct and sole protection, free from the influence of any other power. By choosing to follow and bow to the gods of the surrounding peoples, the nation violated this exclusive bond and rejected His unique status as their personal, ancestral God [מלבי״ם].

This betrayal is what ultimately angered God. His anger stemmed directly from the act of pairing His name with foreign idols. This blended worship marked a critical breaking point, setting off a severe spiritual decline that would cause the nation to sink deeper into ruin over time [מלבי״ם, ביאור שטיינזלץ].