Judges 2:21
in Judges 2I will no longer drive out before them any of the nations Joshua left when he died.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
I also will not henceforth drive out any from before them of the nations that Joshua left when he died;
KJV
I also will not henceforth drive out any from before them of the nations which Joshua left when he died:
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This verse in Judges 2
Commentary
8 notes on this verseDivine grace ever stirs up the will of human beings, not so as to protect and defend it in all things in such a way as to cause it not to fight by its own efforts against its spiritual adversaries, the victor over whom may set it down to God's grace, and the vanquished to his own weakness, and thus learn that his hope is always not in his own courage but in the divine assistance and that he must ever fly to his Protector.
This site's exposition
Because this nation has transgressed the covenant
on Judges 2:20-23
The nations Joshua left are now left on purpose, as a sentence at verse 21 and a test at verse 22. Joshua 21:45 says none of the LORD's promises failed, yet verse 23 says He did not deliver those nations "into the hand of Joshua". Two old readings hold both: God gave what He promised and Israel failed to take it, or Joshua means the land granted.
This site's exposition
I will no longer drive out before them
John Cassian reads the nations left in the land as a picture of the struggle grace leaves to the human will. God stirs the will and helps it, yet it must still fight its own enemies. The victor credits grace; the loser learns his own weakness.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers1 voice
Although all the nations in the surrounding country were subject to king David, still God did not allow the Jebusites to be destroyed entirely, as he himself says elsewhere: "I for my part will not clear away for them any more of the nations. Through …
The Puritans and the Awakening3 voices
I also henceforth will not drive out and from before them,....
If they will have such inmates as these among them, let them take them, and see what will come of it. God chose their delusions, Isa. lxvi. Thus men cherish and indulge their own corrupt appetites and passions, and, instead of mortifying them, make provision for them, and therefore God justly leaves them to themselves under the power of their sins, which will be their ruin.
It was the privilege of Israel that they had not only a law in general sent them from heaven, once for all, to direct them into and keep them in the way of happiness, but that they had particular messages sent them from heaven, as there was occasion, for reproof, for correction, and for instruction in righteousness, when at any time they turned aside out of that way.
The Nineteenth Century1 voice
I will not henceforth drive out - As a people, they never had personal courage, discipline, or hardihood, sufficient to stand before their enemies: the advantages they gained were by the peculiar interference of God. This they had while obedient; when they ceased to obey, his strong arm was no longer stretched out in their behalf; therefore their enemies continued to possess the land which God purposed to give them as their inheritance for ever.
The words behind it
13 Hebrew wordsEvery Hebrew word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Hebrew | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| גַּם־ | gam- | also | H1571 → | 769 times |
| אֲנִי֙ | ʾani | I | H589 → | 874 times |
| לֹ֣א | lo' | not | H3808 → | 5168 times |
| אוֹסִ֔יף | ʾosif | I will increase | H3254 → | 212 times |
| לְהוֹרִ֥ישׁ | lehorish | to dispossess | H3423 → | 231 times |
| אִ֖ישׁ | ʾish | anyone | H376 → | 1663 times |
| מִפְּנֵיהֶ֑ם | mipeneihem | from before them | H6440 → | 2123 times |
| מִן־ | min- | any of | H4480 → | 1188 times |
| הַגּוֹיִ֛ם | hagoyim | the nations | H1471 → | 561 times |
| אֲשֶׁר־ | ʾasher- | which | H834 → | 5497 times |
| עָזַ֥ב | ʾazav | he left | H5800 → | 215 times |
| יְהוֹשֻׁ֖עַ | yehoshua' | Joshua | H3091 → | 218 times |
| וַיָּמֹֽת׃ | vaiyamot | and he died | H4191 → | 839 times |
גַּם־also
gam-H1571 →769 times
אֲנִי֙I
ʾaniH589 →874 times
לֹ֣אnot
lo'H3808 →5168 times
אוֹסִ֔יףI will increase
ʾosifH3254 →212 times
לְהוֹרִ֥ישׁto dispossess
lehorishH3423 →231 times
אִ֖ישׁanyone
ʾishH376 →1663 times
מִפְּנֵיהֶ֑םfrom before them
mipeneihemH6440 →2123 times
מִן־any of
min-H4480 →1188 times
הַגּוֹיִ֛םthe nations
hagoyimH1471 →561 times
אֲשֶׁר־which
ʾasher-H834 →5497 times
עָזַ֥בhe left
ʾazavH5800 →215 times
יְהוֹשֻׁ֖עַJoshua
yehoshua'H3091 →218 times
וַיָּמֹֽת׃and he died
vaiyamotH4191 →839 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
Judges 2:3So now I tell you that I will not drive out these people before you; they will be thorns in your sides, and their gods will be a snare to you.”
it leads to
- Numbers 33:55
But if you do not drive out the inhabitants of the land before you, those you allow to remain will become barbs in your eyes and thorns in your sides; they will harass you…
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- Joshua 23:13
know for sure that the LORD your God will no longer drive out these nations before you. Instead, they will become for you a snare and a trap, a scourge in your sides and…
- Exodus 23:33
They must not remain in your land, lest they cause you to sin against Me. For if you serve their gods, it will surely be a snare to you.”
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- Psalms 106:36
They worshiped their idols, which became a snare to them.
- Judges 3:6
And they took the daughters of these people in marriage, gave their own daughters to their sons, and served their gods.
- Numbers 33:55
Through
Joshua 23:13know for sure that the LORD your God will no longer drive out these nations before you. Instead, they will become for you a snare and a trap, a scourge in your sides and…
it leads to
- Deuteronomy 7:16
You must destroy all the peoples the LORD your God will deliver to you. Do not look on them with pity. Do not worship their gods, for that will be a snare to you.
- Judges 2:2–3
and you are not to make a covenant with the people of this land, but you shall tear down their altars.’ Yet you have not obeyed My voice. What is this you have done?
- Deuteronomy 7:16
Through
Ezekiel 20:24For they did not practice My ordinances, but they rejected My statutes and profaned My Sabbaths, fixing their eyes on the idols of their fathers.
it leads to
- Ezekiel 20:16
because they kept rejecting My ordinances, refusing to walk in My statutes, and profaning My Sabbaths; for their hearts continually went after their idols.
- Ezekiel 20:16
Where this verse is studied
On this page
About Judges
Who and where
1 name in this verse with a page on the site.
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Caesarius of Arles, SERMON 122.1; John Cassian, CONFERENCE 13.14; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763); Keil and Delitzsch, Biblical Commentary on the Old Testament: Joshua, Judges, Ruth and Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible.