Judges 2:23

Judges 2:23 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)Therefore the Lord left those nations, without driving them out hastily; neither delivered he them into the hand of Joshua.
• New International Version (NIV)The Lord had allowed those nations to remain; he did not drive them out at once by giving them into the hands of Joshua.
• English Standard Version (ESV)So the Lord left those nations, not driving them out quickly, and he did not give them into the hand of Joshua.
• New King James Version (NKJV)Therefore the Lord left those nations, without driving them out immediately; nor did He deliver them into the hand of Joshua.

Context of Judges 2:23

21I will no longer drive out the nations that Joshua left unconquered when he died. 22I did this to test Israel—to see whether or not they would follow the ways of the Lord as their ancestors did.” That is why the Lord left those nations in place. He did not quickly drive them out or allow Joshua to conquer them all.

Judges 2:23 word by word

וַיַּנַּ֤ח יְהוָה֙ אֶת־הַגּוֹיִ֣ם הָאֵ֔לֶּה לְבִלְתִּ֥י הוֹרִישָׁ֖ם מַהֵ֑ר וְלֹ֥א נְתָנָ֖ם בְּיַד־יְהוֹשֻֽׁעַ׃ פRead the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• Therefore the Lordיְהֹוָהyehôvâh · LORDH3068
• leftיָנַחyânach · to restH3240
• those nationsגּוֹיgôy gôy · nationH1471
• withoutבִּלְתִּיbiltîy · lestH1115
• driving them outיָרַשׁyârash yârêsh · to possess: takeH3423
• hastilyמַהֵרmahêr · quicklyH4118
• neither deliveredנָתַןnâthan · to give: giveH5414
• he them into the handיָדyâd · hand: powerH3027
• of Joshuaיְהוֹשׁוּעַyehôshûa‛ yehôshûa‛ · JoshuaH3091

Commentaries on Judges 2:23

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 23Without driving them out hastily - Had God expelled all the ancient inhabitants at once, we plainly see, from the subsequent conduct of the people, that they would soon have abandoned his worship, and in their prosperity forgotten their deliverer. He drove out at first as many as were necessary in order to afford the people, as they were then, a sufficiency of room to settle in; as the tribes increased in population, they were to extend themselves to the…Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 6-23Verses 6-23 We have a general idea of the course of things in Israel, during the time of the Judges. The nation made themselves as mean and miserable by forsaking God, as they would have been great and happy if they had continued faithful to him. Their punishment answered to the evil they had done. They served the gods of the nations round about them, even the meanest, and God made them serve the princes of the nations round about them, even the meanest…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 20-23The remaining Canaanites and their religion tempted the Israelites, offering an alternative to following the Lord and his covenant. God knew and even planned this outcome (compare Judges 3:4), but he does not set his people up to sin (James 1:12–15). Temptations are everywhere, but the choice to obey God or give in to temptation is up to those who claim to know him. Israel had a duty to fully possess the land, but God, not humans, decides victory or…Read the comment

Topics related to Judges 2:23

• Baal
• Israel

In the dictionaries

• Joshua
• Raise
• Sell
• Abdon (1)
• Judges, Book of

Commentaries on Judges 2

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
• Tyndale Open Study Notes
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
• Rashi on Tanakh
• Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
• Darby Translation Notes
• Kingcomments
• Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
• Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
• Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
• Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
• EGW Writings