Question: Is God Hopelessly Dense?

I am only now up to the seventh book of the Old Testament (Judges). One scenario that plays out over and over again -- particularly in the last 4 books -- is as follows:

• Israelites are oppressed by a foreign or non-Israelite leader/tribe.
• People cry out to Yahweh for deliverance.
• Yahweh promises to come to their rescue -- via a prophet -- on the condition that the Israelites pledge to worship only Yahweh.
• The Israelites swear to worship only Yahweh now and forever more.
• Yahweh delivers the enemies of Israel "into their hands." (He insures they are victorious.)
• At the victory celebration, the people heap praise on Yahweh and everything seems cool.
• In time, however, the Israelites go back on their pledge by turning away from Yahweh to worship other gods.
• Seeing this, Yahweh's "anger is kindled" and he punishes them by insuring they lose the next important battle.
• Now, the Israelites again are oppressed and the whole chronology starts anew.

There's an old saying: Fool me once; shame on you. Fool me twice; shame on me. In episode after episode, the Israelites seem to be very adept at fooling their omniscient God. They tell him what he wants to hear to get what they want and then, once it's obtained, they return to their "evil" ways. Their all-knowing god seems to get fooled every single time!

This brings several questions to mind. How can a perfect being be fooled? Why can't an all-knowing entity discern a pattern that even a 6th grader could? More importantly, with their woeful track record, why are the Israelites the "chosen people"? Wouldn't a god want to choose a people who could be better relied upon and trusted to follow through with what they pledge?

To see what other questions I've asked about the Christian Bible, go here.