Judges 2:21

21 From now on I will not go on driving out from before them any of the nations which at the death of Joshua were still living in this land;

Judges 2:21 Meaning and Commentary

Judges 2:21

I also henceforth will not drive out and from before them,
&c.] At least not as yet, not very soon nor hastily, as in ( Judges 2:23 ) ;

of the nations which Joshua left when he died;
that is, unsubdued; which was owing either to the infirmities of old age coming upon him, which made him incapable of engaging further in war with the Canaanites; or to the sloth and indolence of the people, being weary of war, and not caring to prosecute it; or to want of men to cultivate any more land, and people other cities, than what they were possessed of; and chiefly this was owing to the providence of God, who had an end to answer hereby, as follows.

Judges 2:21 In-Context

19 But whenever the judge was dead, they went back and did more evil than their fathers, going after other gods, to be their servants and their worshippers; giving up nothing of their sins and their hard-hearted ways.

20 And the wrath of the Lord was burning against Israel, and he said, Because this nation has not been true to my agreement which I made with their fathers, and has not given ear to my voice;

21 From now on I will not go on driving out from before them any of the nations which at the death of Joshua were still living in this land;

22 In order to put Israel to the test, and see if they will keep the way of the Lord, walking in it as their fathers did, or not.

23 So the Lord let those nations go on living in the land, not driving them out quickly, and did not give them up into the hands of Joshua.