The Lord responded to his people's complete abandonment by allowing severe oppression (Judges 10:8). As usual, Israel called out to the Lord for help (Judges 10:10) only after facing great hardship (10:9). Normally, Israel's cry led to divine help, but God's choice to leave them to their chosen gods marks a change in the cycle described in Judges 2:10–19. Only when the Israelites put aside their foreign gods and served the Lord did he act to save them again (Judges 10:17–11:33).