Judges 2:3
New International Version
And I have also said, ‘I will not drive them out before you; they will become traps for you, and their gods will become snares to you.’”

New Living Translation
So now I declare that I will no longer drive out the people living in your land. They will be thorns in your sides, and their gods will be a constant temptation to you.”

English Standard Version
So now I say, I will not drive them out before you, but they shall become thorns in your sides, and their gods shall be a snare to you.”

Berean Standard Bible
So 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.”

King James Bible
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.

New King James Version
Therefore I also said, ‘I will not drive them out before you; but they shall be thorns in your side, and their gods shall be a snare to you.’ ”

New American Standard Bible
Therefore I also said, ‘I will not drive them out from you; but they will become like thorns in your sides, and their gods will be a snare to you.’”

NASB 1995
“Therefore I also said, ‘I will not drive them out before you; but they will become as thorns in your sides and their gods will be a snare to you.’”

NASB 1977
“Therefore I also said, ‘I will not drive them out before you; but they shall become as thorns in your sides, and their gods shall be a snare to you.’”

Legacy Standard Bible
Therefore I also said, ‘I will not drive them out before you; but they will become as thorns in your sides, and their gods will become a snare to you.’”

Amplified Bible
So I also said, ‘I will not drive your enemies out before you; but they will be like thorns in your sides and their gods will be a snare to you.’”

Christian Standard Bible
Therefore, I now say: I will not drive out these people before you. They will be thorns in your sides, and their gods will be a trap for you.”

Holman Christian Standard Bible
Therefore, I now say: I will not drive out these people before you. They will be thorns in your sides, and their gods will be a trap for you.”

American Standard Version
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.

Contemporary English Version
And so, I'll stop helping you defeat your enemies. Instead, they will be there to trap you into worshiping their idols.

English Revised Version
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.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
So I have this to say, 'I will not force them out of your way. They will be like thorns in your sides, and their gods will become a trap for you.'"

Good News Translation
So I tell you now that I will not drive these people out as you advance. They will be your enemies, and you will be trapped by the worship of their gods."

International Standard Version
Therefore I'm now saying, 'I won't expel them before you. Instead, they'll remain at your side, and their gods will ensnare you.'"

Majority Standard Bible
So 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.”

NET Bible
At that time I also warned you, 'If you disobey, I will not drive out the Canaanites before you. They will ensnare you and their gods will lure you away.'"

New Heart English Bible
Therefore I also said, I will not drive them out from before you, but they will become your adversaries, and their gods shall be a snare to you."

Webster's Bible Translation
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 to you.

World English Bible
Therefore I also said, ‘I will not drive them out from before you; but they shall be in your sides, and their gods will be a snare to you.’”
Literal Translations
Literal Standard Version
And I have also said, I do not cast them out from your presence, and they have been for adversaries to you, and their gods are for a snare to you.”

Young's Literal Translation
And I also have said, I do not cast them out from your presence, and they have been to you for adversaries, and their gods are to you for a snare.'

Smith's Literal Translation
And I also said, I will not drive them out from your face; and they were to you for adversaries, and their gods shall be to you for a snare.
Catholic Translations
Douay-Rheims Bible
Wherefore I would not destroy them from before your face: that you may have enemies, and their gods may be your ruin.

Catholic Public Domain Version
For this reason, I am not willing to destroy them before your face, so that you may have enemies, and so that their gods may be your ruin.”

New American Bible
For I also said, I will not clear them out of your way; they will become traps for you, and their gods a snare for you.

New Revised Standard Version
So now I say, I will not drive them out before you; but they shall become adversaries to you, and their gods shall be a snare to you.”
Translations from Aramaic
Lamsa Bible
Wherefore I also said, I will not destroy them from before you; but they shall become vanity, and their gods shall be a stumbling block to you.

Peshitta Holy Bible Translated
Also thus I have said that I shall not destroy them from before you, and they shall be poverty to you, and their gods shall be a stumbling block to you”
OT Translations
JPS Tanakh 1917
Wherefore I also said: I will not drive them out from before you; but they shall be unto you as snares, and their gods shall be a trap unto you.'

Brenton Septuagint Translation
And I said, I will not drive them out from before you, but they shall be for a distress to you, and their gods shall be to you for an offence.

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
Israel Rebuked at Bochim
2and 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? 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.” 4When the angel of the LORD had spoken these words to all the Israelites, the people lifted up their voices and wept.…

Cross References
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.”

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 in the land where you settle.

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.

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 thorns in your eyes, until you perish from this good land that the LORD your God has given you.

Psalm 106:34-36
They did not destroy the peoples as the LORD had commanded them, / but they mingled with the nations and adopted their customs. / They worshiped their idols, which became a snare to them.

1 Samuel 12:9
But they forgot the LORD their God, and He sold them into the hand of Sisera the commander of the army of Hazor, and into the hands of the Philistines and the king of Moab, who fought against them.

2 Kings 17:33
They worshiped the LORD, but they also served their own gods according to the customs of the nations from which they had been carried away.

2 Chronicles 25:14-15
When Amaziah returned from the slaughter of the Edomites, he brought back the gods of the Seirites, set them up as his own gods, bowed before them, and burned sacrifices to them. / Therefore the anger of the LORD burned against Amaziah, and He sent him a prophet, who said, “Why have you sought this people’s gods, which could not deliver them from your hand?”

Isaiah 30:1-3
“Woe to the rebellious children,” declares the LORD, “to those who carry out a plan that is not Mine, who form an alliance, but against My will, heaping up sin upon sin. / They set out to go down to Egypt without asking My advice, to seek shelter under Pharaoh’s protection and take refuge in Egypt’s shade. / But Pharaoh’s protection will become your shame, and the refuge of Egypt’s shade your disgrace.

Jeremiah 2:19
Your own evil will discipline you; your own apostasies will reprimand you. Consider and realize how evil and bitter it is for you to forsake the LORD your God and to have no fear of Me,” declares the Lord GOD of Hosts.

Hosea 4:17
Ephraim is joined to idols; leave him alone!

Matthew 13:41-42
The Son of Man will send out His angels, and they will weed out of His kingdom every cause of sin and all who practice lawlessness. / And they will throw them into the fiery furnace, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.

Luke 13:27-28
And he will answer, ‘I tell you, I do not know where you are from. Depart from me, all you evildoers.’ / There will be weeping and gnashing of teeth when you see Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and all the prophets in the kingdom of God, but you yourselves are thrown out.

John 12:48
There is a judge for the one who rejects Me and does not receive My words: The word that I have spoken will judge him on the last day.

Acts 7:42-43
But God turned away from them and gave them over to the worship of the host of heaven, as it is written in the book of the prophets: ‘Did you bring Me sacrifices and offerings forty years in the wilderness, O house of Israel? / You have taken along the tabernacle of Molech and the star of your god Rephan, the idols you made to worship. Therefore I will send you into exile beyond Babylon.’


Treasury of Scripture

Why 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 to you.

I also said

Judges 2:21
I also will not henceforth drive out any from before them of the nations which Joshua left when he died:

Numbers 33:55
But if ye will not drive out the inhabitants of the land from before you; then it shall come to pass, that those which ye let remain of them shall be pricks in your eyes, and thorns in your sides, and shall vex you in the land wherein ye dwell.

Joshua 23:13
Know for a certainty that the LORD your God will no more drive out any of these nations from before you; but they shall be snares and traps unto you, and scourges in your sides, and thorns in your eyes, until ye perish from off this good land which the LORD your God hath given you.

their gods

Judges 3:6
And they took their daughters to be their wives, and gave their daughters to their sons, and served their gods.

Exodus 23:33
They shall not dwell in thy land, lest they make thee sin against me: for if thou serve their gods, it will surely be a snare unto thee.

Exodus 34:12
Take heed to thyself, lest thou make a covenant with the inhabitants of the land whither thou goest, lest it be for a snare in the midst of thee:

Jump to Previous
Adversaries Cast Cause Danger Drive Presence Sides Snare Snares Thorns Trap Wherefore
Jump to Next
Adversaries Cast Cause Danger Drive Presence Sides Snare Snares Thorns Trap Wherefore
Judges 2
1. An angel rebukes the people at Bochim
6. The wickedness of the new generation after Joshua
14. God's anger and pity toward them
20. The Canaanites left to prove Israel














Therefore
The word "therefore" serves as a pivotal connector, indicating a conclusion or result based on previous statements. In the context of Judges 2, it refers back to the Israelites' disobedience and failure to fully drive out the inhabitants of the land as God commanded. This word underscores the cause-and-effect relationship between Israel's actions and God's response. It is a reminder that divine instructions are not arbitrary but are designed for the well-being of His people. Theologically, it emphasizes the principle of divine justice and the consequences of disobedience.

I now say
This phrase highlights the immediacy and authority of God's pronouncement. The use of "now" indicates a present and urgent declaration, suggesting that God is actively involved in the affairs of His people. The phrase "I say" underscores the personal nature of God's communication, reflecting His direct engagement with Israel. It is a reminder of God's sovereignty and His right to judge and guide His people according to His will.

I will not drive them out before you
This statement is a direct consequence of Israel's failure to obey God's command to completely remove the Canaanite nations. The phrase "I will not drive them out" signifies a withdrawal of divine assistance, which had been promised if Israel remained faithful. Historically, this reflects the reality of Israel's incomplete conquest of Canaan, as archaeological evidence suggests a gradual and partial occupation rather than a swift and total conquest. Spiritually, it serves as a warning about the dangers of compromise and the loss of divine favor when God's commands are not fully followed.

They will be thorns in your sides
The imagery of "thorns in your sides" is vivid and evocative, suggesting persistent irritation and trouble. In the Hebrew context, thorns were often associated with pain and difficulty, symbolizing the ongoing challenges and conflicts that the remaining Canaanite peoples would pose to Israel. This phrase prophetically describes the future struggles Israel would face due to their disobedience, including idolatry and moral corruption. It serves as a metaphor for the consequences of allowing sin to remain unchecked in one's life, leading to spiritual and moral decay.

and their gods will be a snare to you
The term "snare" conveys the idea of a trap or entanglement, indicating that the false gods of the Canaanites would lead Israel into idolatry and away from the worship of the one true God. Historically, this prediction came true as Israel repeatedly fell into idol worship, leading to cycles of oppression and deliverance throughout the book of Judges. Theologically, this phrase warns of the seductive power of false beliefs and practices, emphasizing the need for vigilance and faithfulness to God's covenant. It serves as a timeless reminder of the importance of spiritual discernment and the dangers of compromising one's faith.

(3) Wherefore I also said.--Rather, And now I have said.

I will not drive them out.--The withdrawal of the conditional promises in Exodus 23:31.

They shall be as thorns in your sides.--The Hebrew is, "they shall be to you for sides." The words "as thorns" are conjecturally supplied from Numbers 33:55. In Joshua 23:13 we have "scourges in your sides." The LXX. render "for pressures," and the Vulgate "that you may have enemies." The Hebrew word for "sides" is tsiddim, and would differ little from tsarim ("nets"), which is the conjecture of R. Jonas; and this root is found in the verb, "and they shall vex you," in Numbers 33:55. Whether we adopt this reading, or tsinnim ("thorns"), or suppose that a word has dropped out, the general sense is the same.

Their gods shall be a snare unto you.--See Judges 2:12-13; Psalm 106:36. . . .

Verse 3. - I said, i.e. I now declare to you my resolve. It was this that made the people weep. Thorns in your sides. This is not a translation of the Hebrew text, which only has "for sides," but a partial adaptation of Joshua 23:13, where the phrase is "scourges in your sides and thorns in your eyes." Either the words for "scourges in" have fallen out of the text, or the word here rendered "sides" should be rendered, as some think, "enemies." A snare. See Judges 8:27, note.

Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
So now
וְגַ֣ם (wə·ḡam)
Conjunctive waw | Conjunction
Strong's 1571: Assemblage, also, even, yea, though, both, and

I tell you
אָמַ֔רְתִּי (’ā·mar·tî)
Verb - Qal - Perfect - first person common singular
Strong's 559: To utter, say

that I will not
לֹֽא־ (lō-)
Adverb - Negative particle
Strong's 3808: Not, no

drive out [these people]
אֲגָרֵ֥שׁ (’ă·ḡā·rêš)
Verb - Piel - Imperfect - first person common singular
Strong's 1644: To drive out from a, possession, to expatriate, divorce

before you;
מִפְּנֵיכֶ֑ם (mip·pə·nê·ḵem)
Preposition-m | Noun - masculine plural construct | second person masculine plural
Strong's 6440: The face

they will be [thorns]
וְהָי֤וּ (wə·hā·yū)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - third person common plural
Strong's 1961: To fall out, come to pass, become, be

in your
לָכֶם֙ (lā·ḵem)
Preposition | second person masculine plural
Strong's Hebrew

sides,
לְצִדִּ֔ים (lə·ṣid·dîm)
Preposition-l | Noun - masculine plural
Strong's 6654: A side, an adversary

and their gods
וֵאלֹ֣הֵיהֶ֔ם (wê·lō·hê·hem)
Conjunctive waw | Noun - masculine plural construct | third person masculine plural
Strong's 430: gods -- the supreme God, magistrates, a superlative

will be
יִהְי֥וּ (yih·yū)
Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine plural
Strong's 1961: To fall out, come to pass, become, be

a snare
לְמוֹקֵֽשׁ׃ (lə·mō·w·qêš)
Preposition-l | Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 4170: A bait or lure, a snare

to you.”
לָכֶ֖ם (lā·ḵem)
Preposition | second person masculine plural
Strong's Hebrew


Links
Judges 2:3 NIV
Judges 2:3 NLT
Judges 2:3 ESV
Judges 2:3 NASB
Judges 2:3 KJV

Judges 2:3 BibleApps.com
Judges 2:3 Biblia Paralela
Judges 2:3 Chinese Bible
Judges 2:3 French Bible
Judges 2:3 Catholic Bible

OT History: Judges 2:3 Therefore I also said I will not (Jd Judg. Jdg)
Judges 2:2
Top of Page
Top of Page