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This PARALLEL SYMMETRY is an excellent example of the simplicity of some literary devices. The emphasis is also straight forward:
1) The two B CORRESPONDING ELEMENTS and the two LAST/LAST elements, C and C′, point to the extent of their wanderings. The did not listen and they did not obey. That is in CONTRAST to the two FIRST/FIRST elements where the Lord brought good judges who allowed the Lord to be their judge.
2) There is an INTENSIFICATION as the brief story is stated and then repeated. The judges were raised up in the A elements but in the C elements the disobedience was most evident.
3) The parallel symmetry substructure in verses 20 to 23 is part of the CLOSING SUMMARY. It focuses on the anger of the Lord due to their repeated disobedience. The FIRST/FIRST elements, a and a′ which are verses 20A and 22, describe the reasons for the Lord′s anger. Show More Rhetoric Show Less Rhetoric
PARALLEL SYMMETRY:
... the Lord raised up judges but the people would not listen or obey ...
a change of scene
BEGINNING MARKER:
... men as judges ...
the Lord brought good judges
A
Then the Lord raised up judges who delivered them from the hands of those who plundered them. (v16)
did not listen
B
Yet they did not listen to their judges, for they played the harlot after other gods and bowed themselves down to them. (v17A)
did not obey
C
They turned aside quickly from the way in which their fathers had walked in obeying the commandments of the Lord; they did not do as their fathers. (v17B)
... the Lord as the judge ...
the Lord was the judge
A′
When the Lord raised up judges for them, the Lord was with the judge and delivered them from the hand of their enemies all the days of the judge; for the Lord was moved to pity by their groaning because of those who oppressed and afflicted them. (v18)
followed other gods
B′
But it came about when the judge died, that they would turn back and act more corruptly than their fathers, in following other gods to serve them and bow down to them; (v19A)
continued to disobey
C′
they did not abandon their practices or their stubborn ways. (v19B)
a divine oracle
sub-unit marker: So the anger of the Lord burned against Israel, and He said, (v20A)
the nation′s sin
a
“Because this nation has transgressed My covenant which I commanded their fathers and has not listened to My voice, (v20B)
no longer drive those nations out
b
I also will no longer drive out before them any of the nations (v21A)
Joshua left these nations
c
which Joshua left when he died, (v21B)
the Lord′s testing
a′
in order to test Israel by them, whether they will keep the way of the Lord to walk in it as their fathers did, or not.” (v22)
allowed those nations to stay
b′
So the Lord allowed those nations to remain, not driving them out quickly; (v23A)
Joshua had not taken these nations
c′
and He did not give them into the hand of Joshua. (v23B)