Numbers 33:55 But if you do not drive out the inhabitants of the land before you, those you allow to remain will become barbs in your eyes and thorns in your sides; they will harass you in the land where you settle.

◄ Numbers 33:55 ►

New International Version
“’But if you do not drive out the inhabitants of the land, those you allow to remain will become barbs in your eyes and thorns in your sides. They will give you trouble in the land where you will live.

New Living Translation
But if you fail to drive out the people who live in the land, those who remain will be like splinters in your eyes and thorns in your sides. They will harass you in the land where you live.

English Standard Version
But if you do not drive out the inhabitants of the land from before you, then those of them whom you let remain shall be as barbs in your eyes and thorns in your sides, and they shall trouble you in the land where you dwell.

Berean Standard Bible
But if you do not drive out the inhabitants of the land before you, those you allow to remain will become barbs in your eyes and thorns in your sides; they will harass you in the land where you settle.

King James Bible
But if ye will not drive out the inhabitants of the land from before you; then it shall come to pass, that those which ye let remain of them shall be pricks in your eyes, and thorns in your sides, and shall vex you in the land wherein ye dwell.

New King James Version
But if you do not drive out the inhabitants of the land from before you, then it shall be that those whom you let remain shall be irritants in your eyes and thorns in your sides, and they shall harass you in the land where you dwell.

New American Standard Bible
But if you do not drive out the inhabitants of the land from you, then it will come about that those whom you let remain of them will be like thorns in your eyes and like pricks in your sides, and they will trouble you in the land in which you live.

NASB 1995
But if you do not drive out the inhabitants of the land from before you, then it shall come about that those whom you let remain of them will become as pricks in your eyes and as thorns in your sides, and they will trouble you in the land in which you live.

NASB 1977
‘But if you do not drive out the inhabitants of the land from before you, then it shall come about that those whom you let remain of them will become as pricks in your eyes and as thorns in your sides, and they shall trouble you in the land in which you live.

Legacy Standard Bible
But if you do not dispossess the inhabitants of the land from before you, then it will be that those whom you let remain of them will become as pricks in your eyes and as thorns in your sides, and they will trouble you in the land which you inhabit.

Amplified Bible
But if you do not drive out the inhabitants of the land from before you, then those you let remain of them will be like pricks in your eyes and like thorns in your sides, and they will attack you in the land in which you live.

Christian Standard Bible
But if you don’t drive out the inhabitants of the land before you, those you allow to remain will become barbs for your eyes and thorns for your sides; they will harass you in the land where you will live.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
But if you don’t drive out the inhabitants of the land before you, those you allow to remain will become thorns in your eyes and in your sides; they will harass you in the land where you will live.

American Standard Version
But if ye will not drive out the inhabitants of the land from before you, then shall those that ye let remain of them be as pricks in your eyes, and as thorns in your sides, and they shall vex you in the land wherein ye dwell.

Contemporary English Version
If you don't force out all the people there, they will be like splinters in your eyes and thorns in your back. They will always be trouble for you,

English Revised Version
But if ye will not drive out the inhabitants of the land from before you; then shall those which ye let remain of them be as pricks in your eyes, and as thorns in your sides, and they shall vex you in the land wherein ye dwell.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
" 'But if you do not force out those who live in the land, they will be like splinters in your eyes and thorns in your sides. They will constantly fight with you over the land you live in.

Good News Translation
But if you do not drive out the inhabitants of the land, those that are left will be as troublesome as splinters in your eyes and thorns in your sides, and they will fight against you.

International Standard Version
But if you fail to drive out the inhabitants of the land before you, their survivors will become irritants in your eyes and thorns in your sides, to prick your sides and afflict you in the very land in which you'll be living.

Majority Standard Bible
But if you do not drive out the inhabitants of the land before you, those you allow to remain will become barbs in your eyes and thorns in your sides; they will harass you in the land where you settle.

NET Bible
But if you do not drive out the inhabitants of the land before you, then those whom you allow to remain will be irritants in your eyes and thorns in your side, and will cause you trouble in the land where you will be living.

New Heart English Bible
"But if you do not drive out the inhabitants of the land from before you, then those you let remain of them will be as pricks in your eyes and as thorns in your sides, and they will harass you in the land in which you dwell.

Webster's Bible Translation
But if ye will not drive out the inhabitants of the land from before you; then it shall come to pass, that those which ye let remain of them shall be prickles in your eyes, and thorns in your sides, and shall harass you in the land in which ye dwell.

World English Bible
“But if you do not drive out the inhabitants of the land from before you, then those you let remain of them will be like pricks in your eyes and thorns in your sides. They will harass you in the land in which you dwell.

Literal Translations

Literal Standard Version
And if you do not dispossess the inhabitants of the land from before you, then it has been [that] those whom you let remain of them [are] for pricks in your eyes and for thorns in your sides, and they have distressed you on the land in which you are dwelling,

Young's Literal Translation
And if ye do not dispossess the inhabitants of the land from before you, then it hath been, those whom ye let remain of them, are for pricks in your eyes, and for thorns in your sides, and they have distressed you on the land in which ye are dwelling,

Smith's Literal Translation
And if ye shall not drive out those dwelling in the land from before you, and it shall be whom ye shall leave from them for thorns in your eyes, and for prickles in your sides; and they pressed you upon the land which ye shall dwell upon it.

Catholic Translations

Douay-Rheims Bible
But if you will not kill the inhabitants of the land: they that remain, shall be unto you as nails in your eyes, and spears in your sides, and they shall be your adversaries in the land of your habitation.

Catholic Public Domain Version
But if you are not willing to put to death the inhabitants of the land, those who remain shall be to you like spikes in your eyes and lances in your sides, and they shall be adversaries to you in the land of your habitation.

New American Bible
But if you do not dispossess the inhabitants of the land before you, those whom you allow to remain will become barbs in your eyes and thorns in your sides, and they will harass you in the land where you live,

New Revised Standard Version
But if you do not drive out the inhabitants of the land from before you, then those whom you let remain shall be as barbs in your eyes and thorns in your sides; they shall trouble you in the land where you are settling.

Translations from Aramaic

Lamsa Bible
But if you will not destroy the inhabitants of the land from before you, then it shall come to pass. that those who are left of them shall be splinters in your eyes, and spears in your sides, and shall trouble you in the land wherein you dwell.

Peshitta Holy Bible Translated
And if you do not destroy the inhabitants of the land from before you, those who are left of them shall be splinters in your eyes and spear heads in your sides, and they will distress you in the land where you inhabit it.

OT Translations

JPS Tanakh 1917
But if ye will not drive out the inhabitants of the land from before you, then shall those that ye let remain of them be as thorns in your eyes, and as pricks in your sides, and they shall harass you in the land wherein ye dwell.

Brenton Septuagint Translation
But if ye will not destroy the dwellers in the land from before you, then it shall come to pass that whomsoever of them ye shall leave shall be thorns in your eyes, and darts in your sides, and they shall be enemies to you on the land on which ye shall dwell;

Additional Translations ...

Audio Bible

Context

Instructions for Occupying Canaan
…54And you are to divide the land by lot according to your clans. Give a larger inheritance to a larger clan and a smaller inheritance to a smaller one. Whatever falls to each one by lot will be his. You will receive an inheritance according to the tribes of your fathers. 55But if you do not drive out the inhabitants of the land before you, those you allow to remain will become barbs in your eyes and thorns in your sides; they will harass you in the land where you settle. 56And then I will do to you what I had planned to do to them.”…

Berean Standard Bible · Download

Cross References

Joshua 23:12-13
For if you turn away and cling to the rest of these nations that remain among you, and if you intermarry and associate with them, / know for sure that the LORD your God will no longer drive out these nations before you. Instead, they will become for you a snare and a trap, a scourge in your sides and thorns in your eyes, until you perish from this good land that the LORD your God has given you.

Judges 2:3
So now I tell you that I will not drive out these people before you; they will be thorns in your sides, and their gods will be a snare to you.”

Deuteronomy 7:16
You must destroy all the peoples the LORD your God will deliver to you. Do not look on them with pity. Do not worship their gods, for that will be a snare to you.

Psalm 106:34-36
They did not destroy the peoples as the LORD had commanded them, / but they mingled with the nations and adopted their customs. / They worshiped their idols, which became a snare to them.

Exodus 23:33
They must not remain in your land, lest they cause you to sin against Me. For if you serve their gods, it will surely be a snare to you.”

Deuteronomy 7:2-4
and when the LORD your God has delivered them over to you to defeat them, then you must devote them to complete destruction. Make no treaty with them and show them no mercy. / Do not intermarry with them. Do not give your daughters to their sons or take their daughters for your sons, / because they will turn your sons away from following Me to serve other gods. Then the anger of the LORD will burn against you, and He will swiftly destroy you.

Deuteronomy 20:17-18
For you must devote them to complete destruction—the Hittites, Amorites, Canaanites, Perizzites, Hivites, and Jebusites—as the LORD your God has commanded you, / so that they cannot teach you to do all the detestable things they do for their gods, and so cause you to sin against the LORD your God.

Joshua 23:13
know for sure that the LORD your God will no longer drive out these nations before you. Instead, they will become for you a snare and a trap, a scourge in your sides and thorns in your eyes, until you perish from this good land that the LORD your God has given you.

Judges 2:21-23
I will no longer drive out before them any of the nations Joshua left when he died. / In this way I will test whether Israel will keep the way of the LORD by walking in it as their fathers did.” / That is why the LORD had left those nations in place and had not driven them out immediately by delivering them into the hand of Joshua.

1 Kings 11:1-2
King Solomon, however, loved many foreign women along with the daughter of Pharaoh—women of Moab, Ammon, Edom, and Sidon, as well as Hittite women. / These women were from the nations about which the LORD had told the Israelites, “You must not intermarry with them, for surely they will turn your hearts after their gods.” Yet Solomon clung to these women in love.

1 Samuel 15:18
and sent you on a mission, saying, ‘Go and devote to destruction the sinful Amalekites. Fight against them until you have wiped them out.’

2 Kings 17:33-34
They worshiped the LORD, but they also served their own gods according to the customs of the nations from which they had been carried away. / To this day they are still practicing their former customs. None of them worship the LORD or observe the statutes, ordinances, laws, and commandments that the LORD gave the descendants of Jacob, whom He named Israel.

Ezra 9:1-2
After these things had been accomplished, the leaders approached me and said, “The people of Israel, including the priests and Levites, have not kept themselves separate from the surrounding peoples whose abominations are like those of the Canaanites, Hittites, Perizzites, Jebusites, Ammonites, Moabites, Egyptians, and Amorites. / Indeed, the Israelites have taken some of their daughters as wives for themselves and their sons, so that the holy seed has been mixed with the people of the land. And the leaders and officials have taken the lead in this unfaithfulness!”

Nehemiah 13:23-27
In those days I also saw Jews who had married women from Ashdod, Ammon, and Moab. / Half of their children spoke the language of Ashdod or of the other peoples, but could not speak the language of Judah. / I rebuked them and called down curses on them. I beat some of these men and pulled out their hair. Then I made them take an oath before God and said, “You must not give your daughters in marriage to their sons or take their daughters as wives for your sons or for yourselves! ...

Matthew 5:29-30
If your right eye causes you to sin, gouge it out and throw it away. It is better for you to lose one part of your body than for your whole body to be thrown into hell. / And if your right hand causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away. It is better for you to lose one part of your body than for your whole body to depart into hell.

Treasury of Scripture

But if you will not drive out the inhabitants of the land from before you; then it shall come to pass, that those which you let remain of them shall be pricks in your eyes, and thorns in your sides, and shall vex you in the land wherein you dwell.

shall be pricks

Exodus 23:33
They shall not dwell in thy land, lest they make thee sin against me: for if thou serve their gods, it will surely be a snare unto thee.

Deuteronomy 7:4,16
For they will turn away thy son from following me, that they may serve other gods: so will the anger of the LORD be kindled against you, and destroy thee suddenly…

Joshua 23:12,13
Else if ye do in any wise go back, and cleave unto the remnant of these nations, even these that remain among you, and shall make marriages with them, and go in unto them, and they to you: …

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Numbers 33

1. The forty-two journeys of the Israelites
50. The Canaanites are to be destroyed

Berean Study Bible

But if you do not drive out
The phrase "drive out" comes from the Hebrew word "yarash," which means to dispossess or expel. This command from God to the Israelites was not merely a suggestion but a divine mandate. The historical context here is crucial; the Israelites were entering a land filled with pagan practices and idolatry. The command to "drive out" was a call to remove these influences completely, ensuring that the Israelites would not be led astray from their covenant with God. This serves as a spiritual metaphor for Christians today, emphasizing the need to remove sin and worldly influences from our lives to maintain a pure relationship with God.

the inhabitants of the land
The "inhabitants" refers to the Canaanite nations residing in the Promised Land. These groups were known for their idolatrous practices and moral corruption. Archaeological findings have revealed the extent of their pagan rituals, which often included child sacrifice and other abominations. Theologically, this highlights the importance of holiness and separation from sin. For believers, it is a reminder that we are called to be in the world but not of it, maintaining our distinct identity as God's people.

from before you
This phrase indicates the presence of the Israelites in the land, suggesting a direct confrontation with the existing cultures. The Hebrew word "paneh" (before) implies a face-to-face encounter. Spiritually, this can be seen as a call to confront sin and temptation directly, not allowing it to linger or coexist with our faith. It is a call to proactive faith, where believers are encouraged to take decisive action against anything that opposes God's will.

then those you allow to remain
The word "allow" suggests a choice or decision made by the Israelites. The Hebrew root "sha'ar" means to leave or remain. This highlights human responsibility in the divine plan. God provided the command and the means, but the Israelites had to choose obedience. In a broader sense, it speaks to the Christian life, where believers must actively choose to follow God's commands and not compromise with sin.

will be barbs in your eyes
The imagery of "barbs in your eyes" is vivid and painful, symbolizing irritation and constant trouble. The Hebrew word "sikkim" refers to thorns or pricks. This metaphor illustrates the consequences of disobedience—persistent and unavoidable suffering. For Christians, it serves as a warning that allowing sin to remain in our lives will lead to spiritual blindness and distress.

and thorns in your sides
Similar to the previous phrase, "thorns in your sides" conveys ongoing discomfort and pain. The Hebrew "tsinnim" refers to sharp objects that cause harm. Historically, this was a common expression for persistent enemies or problems. Spiritually, it underscores the idea that sin, if not dealt with, will continually hinder our walk with God, causing ongoing spiritual and emotional turmoil.

They will harass you
The word "harass" comes from the Hebrew "tsarar," meaning to bind, be narrow, or be in distress. This indicates that the remaining inhabitants would become a source of oppression and trouble for the Israelites. In a spiritual context, it reminds believers that sin and compromise lead to bondage and distress, preventing us from experiencing the fullness of God's peace and freedom.

in the land where you settle
The "land" represents the inheritance and promise given by God to the Israelites. The Hebrew "erets" signifies not just physical territory but also a place of blessing and divine provision. For Christians, this can be seen as the abundant life promised by Christ. However, the presence of sin can disrupt this blessing, turning a place of promise into one of struggle. It is a call to maintain the purity and sanctity of the life God has given us, ensuring that His promises are fully realized.

Pulpit Commentary

Verse 55. - If ye will not drive out the inhabitants. As was in fact the case (Judges 1). The warning is here given for the first time, because the danger was now near at hand, and had indeed already shown itself in the matter of the Midianitish women and children. Pricks in your eyes, and thorns in your sides. Natural symbols of dangerous annoyances. Possibly the thickets which fringe the Jordan supplied them with present examples. In Joshua 23:13 we have "scourges in your sides, and thorns in your eyes," which sounds somewhat more artificial. In Judges 2:3, where this warning is quoted, the figure is not expressed at all: "they shall be in your sides."

Parallel Commentaries ...

Hebrew

But if
וְאִם־ (wə·’im-)
Conjunctive waw | Conjunction
Strong's 518: Lo!, whether?, if, although, Oh that!, when, not

you do not
לֹ֨א (lō)
Adverb - Negative particle
Strong's 3808: Not, no

drive out
תוֹרִ֜ישׁוּ (ṯō·w·rî·šū)
Verb - Hifil - Imperfect - second person masculine plural
Strong's 3423: To occupy, to seize, to rob, to inherit, to expel, to impoverish, to ruin

the inhabitants
יֹשְׁבֵ֣י (yō·šə·ḇê)
Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine plural construct
Strong's 3427: To sit down, to dwell, to remain, to settle, to marry

of the land
הָאָרֶץ֮ (hā·’ā·reṣ)
Article | Noun - feminine singular
Strong's 776: Earth, land

before you,
מִפְּנֵיכֶם֒ (mip·pə·nê·ḵem)
Preposition-m | Noun - masculine plural construct | second person masculine plural
Strong's 6440: The face

those
אֲשֶׁ֣ר (’ă·šer)
Pronoun - relative
Strong's 834: Who, which, what, that, when, where, how, because, in order that

you allow to remain
תּוֹתִ֣ירוּ (tō·w·ṯî·rū)
Verb - Hifil - Imperfect - second person masculine plural
Strong's 3498: To jut over, exceed, to excel, to remain, be left, to leave, cause to abound, preserve

will become
וְהָיָה֙ (wə·hā·yāh)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 1961: To fall out, come to pass, become, be

thorns
לְשִׂכִּים֙ (lə·śik·kîm)
Preposition-l | Noun - masculine plural
Strong's 7899: A brier

in your eyes
בְּעֵ֣ינֵיכֶ֔ם (bə·‘ê·nê·ḵem)
Preposition-b | Noun - cdc | second person masculine plural
Strong's 5869: An eye, a fountain

and in your sides;
בְּצִדֵּיכֶ֑ם (bə·ṣid·dê·ḵem)
Preposition-b | Noun - masculine plural construct | second person masculine plural
Strong's 6654: A side, an adversary

they will harass
וְצָרֲר֣וּ (wə·ṣā·ră·rū)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - third person common plural
Strong's 6887: To bind, tie up, be restricted, narrow, scant, or cramped

you in
עַל־ (‘al-)
Preposition
Strong's 5921: Above, over, upon, against

the land
הָאָ֕רֶץ (hā·’ā·reṣ)
Article | Noun - feminine singular
Strong's 776: Earth, land

where
אֲשֶׁ֥ר (’ă·šer)
Pronoun - relative
Strong's 834: Who, which, what, that, when, where, how, because, in order that

you
אַתֶּ֖ם (’at·tem)
Pronoun - second person masculine plural
Strong's 859: Thou and thee, ye and you

settle.
יֹשְׁבִ֥ים (yō·šə·ḇîm)
Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine plural
Strong's 3427: To sit down, to dwell, to remain, to settle, to marry

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OT Law: Numbers 33:55 But if you do not drive out (Nu Num.)