19. But when the leader died, the people used to return to the old ways and behave worse than the previous generation. They would serve and worship other gods, and refused to give up their own evil ways.
20. Then the Lord would become furious with Israel and say, “This nation has broken the covenant that I commanded their ancestors to keep. Because they have not obeyed me,
21. I will no longer drive out any of the nations that were still in the land when Joshua died.
22. I will use them to find out whether or not these Israelites will follow my ways, as their ancestors did.”
23. So the Lord allowed those nations to remain in the land; he did not give Joshua victory over them, nor did he drive them out soon after Joshua's death.