³ And I have also said, ‘I will not drive them out before you;^(A) they will become traps^(B) for you, and their gods will become snares^(C) to you.’”

²⁰ Therefore the Lord was very angry^(A) with Israel and said, “Because this nation has violated the covenant^(B) I ordained for their ancestors and has not listened to me, ²¹ I will no longer drive out^(C) before them any of the nations Joshua left when he died. ²² I will use them to test^(D) Israel and see whether they will keep the way of the Lord and walk in it as their ancestors did.” ²³ The Lord had allowed those nations to remain; he did not drive them out at once by giving them into the hands of Joshua.^(E)