Judges 2:21 (ASV)

Passage

I also will not henceforth drive out any from before them of the nations that Joshua left when he died;

Nearby Context

Judges 2:19 But it came to pass, when the judge was dead, that they turned back, and dealt more corruptly than their fathers, in following other gods to serve them, and to bow down unto them; they ceased not from their doings, nor from their stubborn way.

Judges 2:20 And the anger of Jehovah was kindled against Israel; and he said, Because this nation have transgressed my covenant which I commanded their fathers, and have not hearkened unto my voice;

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

Judges 2:22 that by them I may prove Israel, whether they will keep the way of Jehovah to walk therein, as their fathers did keep it, or not.

Judges 2:23 So Jehovah left those nations, without driving them out hastily; neither delivered he them into the hand of Joshua.

Study Lenses

The verse centers on "henceforth", "drive", "before", "nations", "joshua", "left", and "died". It is saying that the verse draws attention to "henceforth" and "drive", so its meaning should be read from those terms before moving to application.

The nearby context moves from verse 20's "And the anger of Jehovah was kindled..." into verse 22's "that by them I may prove Israel...", so "henceforth" and "drive" belong inside that flow. In Judges context, the local focus is covenant, worship, and faithfulness.

A plain takeaway is to answer the verse's own emphasis on "henceforth" and "drive" with trust shaped by these words, not by a vague optimism outside the passage.