Judges, 2, 18-19

"Even when the Lord raised up judges to deliver them from the power of their despoilers, they did not listen to their judges, but abandoned themselves to the worship of other gods. They were quick to stray from the way that their fathers had taken, and did not follow their example of obedience to the commandments of the Lord. Whenever the Lord raised up judges for them, he would be with the judge and save them from the power of their enemies as long as the judge lived; it was thus that the Lord took pity on their distressful cries of affliction under their oppressors. But when the judge died, they would relapse and do worse than their fathers, following other gods in service and worship, relinquishing none of their evil practices or stubborn conduct."

God chose his people, gave them training and religious orientation. He wanted them to worship Him and lead good spiritual and moral lives. Going native so easily and quickly, almost stampeding to get to worship Baal and Astarte, informs us that people then were savage, backwards and sin-drenched in their effort to grow out of barbarism and up onto civilized living.

That people revert to sin and evil so quickly and consistently reveals that they are naturally depraved.
It staggers the imagination on hard it was to bring up and forward hidebound joiners. It is no wonder that Yahweh is stuck with unsavory characterization from moderns about Him being an angry and vengeful God.

Angry yet, but the anger is justifued. Vengeful no. but punishment in this world and the next were forthcoming, with good behavior being rewarded. That is divine justice.

By beating the day lights out of these primitive savages, slowly they begin to be good, loving and faithful. Yahweh struggled to nudge people to embrace goodness and to serve him. As the unnatural tendedncy to love, be decent ant to worship a good deity became more common, Yahweh's hard work paid off.

How much bettter than that do we act today?