Wherefore I also said, I will not drive them out from before you; but they shall be as thorns in your sides, and their gods shall be a snare unto you.
So I have decided that I will not drive out these nations from your land. Instead, they will become like thorns constantly poking your sides, and their gods will become traps that ensnare you.
God is telling the Israelites that because of their disobedience, He won't remove their enemies, who will become ongoing sources of trouble and spiritual temptation.
📚 Historical Context
In the Book of Judges, which recounts the period after Joshua's conquest of the Promised Land, the Israelites had disobeyed God's command to fully drive out the Canaanite nations from their territories. As a consequence, God announced through an angel that He would withhold further help in removing these enemies, allowing them to remain as a constant source of trouble and spiritual danger to Israel. This decision highlighted the recurring theme of Israel's unfaithfulness and the resulting cycles of judgment and deliverance during the time of the judges.
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