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.”
English Standard Version (ESV)
This isn't just a divine threat; it's a prophetic declaration of consequences. God isn't simply withholding a victory; He's allowing the very people Israel failed to conquer to become a constant, agonizing reminder—a "thorn"—of their disobedience, designed to persistently trouble them.
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.”
English Standard Version (ESV)
This verse is spoken by the Angel of the Lord at Bochim, directly addressing the Israelites. It follows their failure to completely drive out the Canaanite nations from the Promised Land, as commanded. The Angel declares that because of Israel's disobedience, these lingering peoples and their idols will become a persistent source of trouble and spiritual danger for them, rather than being fully eliminated.
Did God really intend for the Canaanites to remain? What does this verse reveal about God's faithfulness and His warnings?
This verse from Judges is a pivotal moment. The Angel of the Lord is speaking to Israel, not with new information, but with a pronouncement of consequence based on Israel's future disobedience. God had promised to drive out the Canaanites, a promise tied to Israel's faithfulness.
God calls the Canaanites 'thorns in your sides' and their gods a 'snare.' What does this imagery tell us about the nature of unaddressed sin?
The imagery here is incredibly potent. God doesn't just say the Canaanites will ; He describes the they will have.
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When we allow sin – whether it’s our own unconfessed sin or the persistent influence of ungodliness around us – to remain in our lives, it becomes like these thorns and snares. It causes ongoing pain, hinders our walk with God, and traps us in destructive patterns.
Is it possible for our sin to become its own punishment? How does God use our choices against us?
There's a profound theological truth here: God often allows our sin to become the instrument of our own discipline. This isn't about God being punitive in a harsh way, but about Him allowing the natural consequences of disobedience to unfold.
God doesn't always swoop in to remove every difficulty caused by our sin. Sometimes, the most effective teacher is living with the painful reality our bad choices have created, prompting deeper humility and reliance on Him.
Understand the original words
moqesh · Hebrew Noun
A device for trapping animals, used metaphorically in Scripture to describe objects, practices, or people that lead the faithful into sin, idolatry, or destruction.
This pivotal moment at Bochim marks a turning point. God's promise of a secure land is conditionally withdrawn, and the remaining Canaanites become a persistent source of trouble and spiritual danger, directly resulting from Israel's disobedience.
c. 1400 BC
Israel Enters the Promised Land
After decades in the wilderness, Joshua leads the Israelites across the Jordan River into Canaan. God had promised them this land, and the conquest begins.
c. 1400-1390 BC
Initial Conquest and Land Division
Under Joshua's leadership, major battles are fought, and the land is gradually conquered and divided among the twelve tribes. However, many areas remain unconquered.
c. 1390 BC
Joshua's Death and the Next Generation
Joshua and the elders who knew God's mighty deeds pass away. A new generation arises that did not experience the Exodus or the initial conquest firsthand.
c. 1390 BC— this verse
Angel of the LORD Appears at Bochim
An angel of the LORD confronts the Israelites at Bochim, rebuking them for breaking their covenant and not driving out the Canaanites as commanded.
c. 1390 BC
Israel Weeps and Sacrifices
The people repent and weep, acknowledging their sin. They offer sacrifices at Bochim, but their repentance is shown to be incomplete.
c. 1390 BC - 1070 BC
The Period of the Judges Begins
Following the events at Bochim, Israel enters a cycle of disobedience, oppression, repentance, and deliverance, marked by the rule of various judges.
This passage directly parallels Judges 2:3, stating that if Israel allows the Canaanites to remain, they will become a stumbling block and a snare.
Numbers 33:55This verse warns Israel that if they do not drive out the inhabitants of the land, those who remain will become 'prickers in your eyes, and thorns in your sides, and vex you in the land wherein ye are.' This highlights the ongoing affliction and torment the Canaanites would bring.
Joshua 23:13Joshua echoes this warning to the Israelites, stating that the nations left among them 'shall be snares and traps, and scourges in your sides, and thorns in your eyes.' This reinforces the idea that the remaining peoples would be a constant source of trouble and temptation.
Psalm 106:36This Psalm reflects on Israel's history, lamenting that they 'served their idols: which were a snare unto them.' This confirms the spiritual danger and enticement posed by the gods of the surrounding nations mentioned in Judges 2:3.
ellicottJudges 2:3: "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."
(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…
clarkeJudges 2:3: "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."
I will not drive them out from before you - Their transgressions, and breach of the covenant, were the reasons why they were not put in entire possession of the promised land. See note at the end of this chapter, Judges 2:23 (note).
This isn't just a divine threat; it's a prophetic declaration of consequences. God isn't simply withholding a victory; He's allowing the very people Israel failed to conquer to become a constant, agonizing reminder—a "thorn"—of their disobedience, designed to persistently trouble them.
This verse is spoken by the Angel of the Lord at Bochim, directly addressing the Israelites. It follows their failure to completely drive out the Canaanite nations from the Promised Land, as commanded. The Angel declares that because of Israel's disobedience, these lingering peoples and their idols will become a persistent source of trouble and spiritual danger for them, rather than being fully eliminated.
This verse is spoken by the Angel of the Lord at Bochim, directly addressing the Israelites. It follows their failure to completely drive out the Canaanite nations from the Promised Land, as commanded. The Angel declares that because of Israel's disobedience, these lingering peoples and their idols will become a persistent source of trouble and spiritual danger for them, rather than being fully eliminated.
"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.”" — This isn't just a divine threat; it's a prophetic declaration of consequences. God isn't simply withholding a victory; He's allowing the very people Israel failed to conquer to become a constant, ago…
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Last reviewed October 2026