Judges 2:23
Verse 23 of 23. The 2nd of 21 chapters in Judges, in History.
19But when the judge was dead, they turned back, and dealt more corruptly than their fathers in following other gods to serve them and to bow down to them. They didn’t cease what they were doing, or give up their stubborn ways.
20The LORD’s anger burned against Israel; and he said, “Because this nation transgressed my covenant which I commanded their fathers, and has not listened to my voice,
21I also will no longer drive out any of the nations that Joshua left when he died from before them;
22that by them I may test Israel, to see if they will keep the LORD’s way to walk therein, as their fathers kept it, or not.”
23So the LORD left those nations, without driving them out hastily. He didn’t deliver them into Joshua’s hand.
World English Bible. Public domain. Set as prose throughout, including the poetry, because the text is published to us without its lines.