Psalm 106:34-35
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This verse isn't just a simple statement of failure; it highlights a subtle but critical distinction. The Israelites "did not destroy the nations" not because they couldn't, but because they were specifically commanded to, yet neglected that duty. This highlights that obedience to God’s commands, even the difficult ones, is what was truly lacking, not the ability to act.
They did not destroy the peoples, as the LORD commanded them, but they mixed with the nations and learned to do as they did.
English Standard Version (ESV)
After settling in the Promised Land, the Israelites failed to obey God’s command to drive out the Canaanite nations. Instead, they mixed with them, learned their wicked practices, and even adopted their idolatrous worship, which included horrific child sacrifices. This disobedience led to their defilement and eventual judgment.
God gave a clear directive regarding the inhabitants of the land He was giving to Israel. But something went wrong. Why was 'destroying' the nations so important?
The command given to Israel was not simply about taking land; it was about establishing a holy people for a holy God. The Canaanite nations were deeply steeped in idolatry and immoral practices, including child sacrifice. Allowing them to remain wasn't just a failure to follow orders; it was a direct invitation for Israel to be corrupted.
The Danger of 'Mingling'
Sometimes, the most damaging sins aren't the ones we actively commit, but the ones we fail to prevent. What happens when 'not destroying' becomes a sin in itself?
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Psalm 106:34 points to a failure of omission – not carrying out God's command. This inaction, seemingly less egregious than active rebellion, had devastating consequences. It wasn't just a passive oversight; it was a choice that opened the door to deeper sin.
From Neglect to Abomination
Understand the original words
YHWH · Hebrew Proper Noun
The covenant name of the God of Israel, YHWH, the self-existent and eternal One who enters into a personal, binding relationship with His people.
arab · Hebrew Verb
To mingle, join with, or associate closely; in a covenantal context, it often refers to the illicit integration of Israel with pagan nations, leading to spiritual defilement.
goyim · Hebrew Noun
Used for foreign or heathen nations outside the covenant of Israel; often associated with idolatry, pagan practices, and moral corruption.
The psalm reflects on Israel's persistent failure to obey God's command to destroy the Canaanites after entering the Promised Land. This failure led to centuries of spiritual compromise, idolatry, and divine judgment, highlighting the consequences of incomplete obedience and the subtle ways foreign influences can corrupt a people.
c. 1400 BC
Conquest of Canaan Begins
Following their exodus from Egypt and wanderings in the desert, the Israelites, under Joshua, begin their military campaign to conquer the land of Canaan, as commanded by God.
c. 1350 BC
Joshua's Death and Partial Conquest
Joshua dies after leading the Israelites in significant but incomplete conquests. The remaining Canaanite nations are not fully driven out, setting the stage for future disobedience.
c. 1350 BC - 1050 BC
Period of the Judges
A turbulent era where Israel frequently fell into idolatry and was oppressed by surrounding nations due to their disobedience, including their failure to eradicate the Canaanites.
c. 1050 BC
Establishment of the Monarchy
Saul is anointed king, marking the transition from the loose confederation of tribes under judges to a more centralized kingdom, partly in response to the ongoing struggles.
c. 1000 BC
David Reigns and Consolidates
King David conquers Jerusalem and expands the kingdom, but the underlying issue of not fully removing the remaining Canaanite populations persists.
c. 970 BC
Solomon's Reign and Temple Building
Solomon's reign is a period of peace and prosperity, but he also allows foreign wives and their gods, further intertwining Israel with pagan practices.
c. 930 BC
Division of the Kingdom
Following Solomon's death, the united kingdom splits into the northern Kingdom of Israel and the southern Kingdom of Judah, exacerbating religious and political instability.
This passage directly illustrates the failure to obey the command to drive out the inhabitants, showing that the tribe of Benjamin did not expel the Jebusites from Jerusalem, a specific instance of the sin mentioned in Psalms 106:34.
Deuteronomy 7:1-2This passage records the specific command from God to completely destroy the nations in the Promised Land, providing the context for why Israel's failure to do so in Psalms 106:34 was a grave disobedience.
Judges 2:2This verse highlights the consequence of Israel's disobedience in not destroying the nations – God's covenant would not be upheld, and these remaining peoples would become snares to Israel, directly correlating with the unfolding of sin described after Psalms 106:34.
Psalm 106:35-36These verses immediately follow, detailing how Israel 'mingled among the nations' and 'served their idols,' explaining the direct result and nature of the sin of not destroying the peoples as commanded.
bensonPsalms 106:34: "They did not destroy the nations, concerning whom the LORD commanded them:"
Psalm 106:34-39 . They did not destroy the nations, concerning whom — Concerning whose destruction, the Lord commanded them — For when the iniquity of the Canaanites was full, it was God’s will to extirpate their race, and Israel was commissioned to execute upon them the vengeance determined. But were mingled among the heathen — In their habitations and negotiations, as also in marriages. And they served…
pulpitPsalms 106:34: "They did not destroy the nations, concerning whom the LORD commanded them:"
Verse 34. - They did not destroy the nations, concerning whom the Lord commanded them. This is reckoned as another sin. Israel, once comfortably settled in Palestine, with sufficient room for its numbers, did not carry out the Divine command to "destroy," or "cast out," the Canaanitish nations, but was content to share the land with them. "The children of Benjamin did not drive out the Jebusites who inha…
This verse isn't just a simple statement of failure; it highlights a subtle but critical distinction. The Israelites "did not destroy the nations" not because they couldn't, but because they were specifically commanded to, yet neglected that duty. This highlights that obedience to God’s commands, even the difficult ones, is what was truly lacking, not the ability to act.
After settling in the Promised Land, the Israelites failed to obey God’s command to drive out the Canaanite nations. Instead, they mixed with them, learned their wicked practices, and even adopted their idolatrous worship, which included horrific child sacrifices. This disobedience led to their defilement and eventual judgment.
After settling in the Promised Land, the Israelites failed to obey God’s command to drive out the Canaanite nations. Instead, they mixed with them, learned their wicked practices, and even adopted their idolatrous worship, which included horrific child sacrifices. This disobedience led to their defilement and eventual judgment.
"They did not destroy the peoples, as the LORD commanded them, but they mixed with the nations and learned to do as they did." — This verse isn't just a simple statement of failure; it highlights a subtle but critical distinction. The Israelites "did not destroy the nations" not because they couldn't, but because they were s…
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Last reviewed October 2026
