Judges 2:23

Contemporary English Version

That's why the Lord had not let Joshua get rid of all those enemy nations right away.

Parallel Translations

Christian Standard Bible®
The Lord left these nations and did not drive them out immediately. He did not hand them over to Joshua.

Hebrew Names Version
So the LORD left those nations, without driving them out hastily; neither delivered he them into the hand of Yehoshua.

King James Version
Therefore the Lord left those nations, without driving them out hastily; neither delivered he them into the hand of Joshua.

Lexham English Bible
So Yahweh left those nations; he did not drive them out at once, and he did not give them into the hand of Joshua.

English Standard Version
So the Lord left those nations, not driving them out quickly, and he did not give them into the hand of Joshua.

New Century Version
In the past the Lord had permitted those nations to stay in the land. He did not quickly force them out or help Joshua's army defeat them.

New English Translation
This is why the Lord permitted these nations to remain and did not conquer them immediately; he did not hand them over to Joshua.

Amplified Bible
So the LORD allowed those nations to remain, not driving them out at once; and He did not give them into the hand of Joshua.

New American Standard Bible
So the LORD allowed those nations to remain, not driving them out quickly; and He did not hand them over to Joshua.

Geneva Bible (1587)
So the Lorde left those nations, and droue them not out immediatly, neither deliuered them into the hand of Ioshua.

Legacy Standard Bible
and for others, save, snatching them out of the fire; and on others have mercy with fear, hating even the tunic polluted by the flesh.

Complete Jewish Bible
So Adonai allowed those nations to remain where they were, without quickly driving them out; he did not hand them over to Y'hoshua.

Darby Translation
Therefore Jehovah left those nations, without dispossessing them hastily, neither delivered he them into the hand of Joshua.

Easy-to-Read Version
The Lord allowed those nations to stay in the land. He did not quickly force them to leave the country. He did not help Joshua's army defeat them.

George Lamsa Translation
Therefore the LORD left these nations, and did not destroy them hastily; neither had he delivered them into the hand of Joshua.

Good News Translation
So the Lord allowed these nations to remain in the land; he did not give Joshua victory over them, nor did he drive them out soon after Joshua's death.

Literal Translation
And Jehovah left those nations without dispossessing them quickly. And He did not deliver them into the hand of Joshua.

Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
Thus the LORDE suffred all these nacions, so that in a shorte tyme he droue them not out, whom he had not geuen ouer in to Iosuas hande.

American Standard Version
So Jehovah left those nations, without driving them out hastily; neither delivered he them into the hand of Joshua.

Bible in Basic English
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.

Bishop's Bible (1568)
And so the Lorde left those nations, and droue them not out immediatly, neither deliuered them into the hande of Iosuah.

JPS Old Testament (1917)
So the LORD left those nations, without driving them out hastily; neither delivered He them into the hand of Joshua.

King James Version (1611)
Therefore the Lord left those nations, without driuing them out hastily, neither deliuered he them into the hand of Ioshua.

Brenton's Septuagint (LXX)
So the Lord will leave these nations, so as not to cast them out suddenly; and he delivered them not into the hand of Joshua.

English Revised Version
So the LORD left those nations, without driving them out hastily; neither delivered he them into the hand of Joshua.

Berean Standard Bible
That is why the LORD had left those nations in place and had not driven them out immediately by delivering them into the hand of Joshua.

Wycliffe Bible (1395)
Therfor the Lord lefte alle these naciouns, and nolde destrie soone, nethir bitook in to the hondis of Josue.

Young's Literal Translation
And Jehovah leaveth these nations, so as not to dispossess them hastily, and did not give them into the hand of Joshua.

Update Bible Version
So Yahweh left those nations, without driving them out hastily; neither did he deliver them into the hand of Joshua.

Webster's Bible Translation
Therefore the LORD left those nations, without driving them out speedily, neither did he deliver them into the hand of Joshua.

World English Bible
So Yahweh left those nations, without driving them out hastily; neither delivered he them into the hand of Joshua.

New King James Version
Therefore the LORD left those nations, without driving them out immediately; nor did He deliver them into the hand of Joshua.

New Living Translation
That is why the Lord left those nations in place. He did not quickly drive them out or allow Joshua to conquer them all.

New Life Bible
So the Lord let those nations stay. He was not quick to drive them out. And He did not give them into the power of Joshua.

New Revised Standard
the Lord had left those nations, not driving them out at once, and had not handed them over to Joshua.

J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
Thus then Yahweh left these nations, not dispossessing them speedily, - neither had he delivered them into the hand of Joshua

Douay-Rheims Bible
The Lord therefore left all these nations, and would not quickly destroy them, neither did he deliver them into the hands of Josue.

Revised Standard Version
So the LORD left those nations, not driving them out at once, and he did not give them into the power of Joshua.

THE MESSAGE
That's why God let those nations remain. He didn't drive them out or let Joshua get rid of them.

New American Standard Bible (1995)
So the LORD allowed those nations to remain, not driving them out quickly; and He did not give them into the hand of Joshua.

Contextual Overview

⁶Joshua had been faithful to the Lord . And after Joshua sent the Israelites to take the land they had been promised, they remained faithful to the Lord until Joshua died at the age of one hundred ten. He was buried on his land in Timnath-Heres, in the hill country of Ephraim north of Mount Gaash. Even though Joshua was gone, the Israelites were faithful to the Lord during the lifetime of those men who had been leaders with Joshua and who had seen the wonderful things the Lord had done for Israel. ¹⁰ After a while the people of Joshua's generation died, and the next generation did not know the Lord or any of the things he had done for Israel. ¹¹The Lord had brought their ancestors out of Egypt, and they had worshiped him. But now the Israelites stopped worshiping the Lord and worshiped the idols of Baal and Astarte, as well as the idols of other gods from nearby nations. The Lord was so angry ¹⁴at the Israelites that he let other nations raid Israel and steal their crops and other possessions. Enemies were everywhere, and the Lord always let them defeat Israel in battle. The Lord had warned Israel he would do this, and now the Israelites were miserable. ¹⁶ From time to time, the Lord would choose special leaders known as judges. These judges would lead the Israelites into battle and defeat the enemies that made raids on them. ¹⁷ In years gone by, the Israelites had been faithful to the Lord , but now they were quick to be unfaithful and to refuse even to listen to these judges. The Israelites would disobey the Lord , and instead of worshiping him, they would worship other gods. ¹⁸ When enemies made life miserable for the Israelites, the Lord would feel sorry for them. He would choose a judge and help that judge rescue Israel from its enemies. The Lord would be kind to Israel as long as that judge lived. ¹⁹ But afterwards, the Israelites would become even more sinful than their ancestors had been. The Israelites were stubborn—they simply would not stop worshiping other gods or following the teachings of other religions. ²⁰ The Lord was angry with Israel and said: The Israelites have broken the agreement I made with their ancestors. They won't obey me, ²¹ so I'll stop helping them defeat their enemies. Israel still had a lot of enemies when Joshua died,

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

left: or, suffered, Judges 2:23

Cross-References

Genesis 2:8
The Lord made a garden in a place called Eden, which was in the east, and he put the man there.

Genesis 2:9
The Lord God placed all kinds of beautiful trees and fruit trees in the garden. Two other trees were in the middle of the garden. One of the trees gave life—the other gave the power to know the difference between right and wrong.

Genesis 29:14
Laban said, "You are my nephew, and you are like one of my own family." After Jacob had been there for a month,

Judges 9:2
and told them to say to the leaders of Shechem, "Do you think it would be good to have all seventy of Gideon's sons ruling us? Wouldn't you rather have just one man be king? Abimelech would make a good king, and he's related to us."

2 Samuel 5:1
Israel's leaders met with David at Hebron and said, "We are your relatives.

2 Samuel 19:13
And tell Amasa, "You're my nephew, and with God as a witness, I swear I'll make you commander of my army instead of Joab."

Gill's Notes on the Bible

Therefore the Lord left these nations, without driving them out hastily,.... Left them unsubdued, or suffered them to continue among the Israelites, and did not drive them out as he could have done; which was permitted, either that it might be seen and known whether Israel would give into the idolatry of these nations or not, Judges 2:22; of which there could have been no trial, if they and their idols had been utterly destroyed; or because the children of Israel had transgressed the covenant of the Lord, therefore he would drive no more of them out, but leave them to afflict and distress them, and thereby prove and try them, Judges 2:20; both senses may very well stand, but the former seems rather to agree with what follows:

neither delivered he them into the hand of Joshua; having an end to be answered by them, before suggested, namely, to prove and try Israel; and, for a like reason, the indwelling sin and corruptions of God's people are suffered to remain in them, for the trial of their graces, and that the power of God in the support and deliverance of them might appear the more manifest.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse Judges 2:23. Without 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 uttermost of their assigned borders, and expel all the remaining inhabitants. On these accounts God did not expel the aboriginal inhabitants hastily or at once; and thus gave the Israelites time to increase; and by continuing the ancient inhabitants, prevented the land from running into waste, and the wild beasts from multiplying; both of which must have infallibly taken place had God driven out all the old inhabitants at once, before the Israelites were sufficiently numerous to occupy the whole of the land.

THESE observations are important, as they contain the reason why God did not expel the Canaanites. God gave the Israelites a grant of the whole land, and promised to drive out their enemies from before them if they continued faithful. While they continued faithful, God did continue to fulfil his promise; their borders were enlarged, and their enemies fled before them. When they rebelled against the Lord, he abandoned them, and their enemies prevailed against them. Of this, their frequent lapses and miscarriages, with God's repeated interpositions in their behalf, are ample evidence. One or two solitary instances might not be considered as sufficient proof; but by these numerous instances the fact is established. Each rebellion against God produced a consequent disaster in their affairs; each true humiliation was invariably followed by an especial Divine interposition in their behalf. These afforded continual proof of God's being, providence, and grace. The whole economy is wondrous; and its effects, impressive and convincing. The people were not hastily put in possession of the promised land, because of their infidelity. Can the infidels controvert this statement? If not then their argument against Divine revelation, from "the failure of positive promises and oaths," falls to the ground. They have not only in this, but in all other respects, lost all their props.

"Helpless and prostrate all their system lies

Cursing its fate, and, as it curses, dies."