Psalm 106 34

Psalm 106:34 kjv

They did not destroy the nations, concerning whom the LORD commanded them:

Psalm 106:34 nkjv

They did not destroy the peoples, Concerning whom the LORD had commanded them,

Psalm 106:34 niv

They did not destroy the peoples as the LORD had commanded them,

Psalm 106:34 esv

They did not destroy the peoples, as the LORD commanded them,

Psalm 106:34 nlt

Israel failed to destroy the nations in the land,
as the LORD had commanded them.

Psalm 106 verses

Psalm 106 34 Meaning

Psalm 106:34 records a critical failure of the Israelites after entering the Promised Land: they neglected to utterly destroy the indigenous inhabitants, the pagan nations of Canaan, despite the clear and repeated commands given to them by the Lord. This act of disobedience led to severe spiritual and societal consequences for Israel, ultimately resulting in their defilement and judgment.

Psalm 106 34 Context

Psalm 106 is a historical psalm, recounting Israel's persistent rebellion and God's enduring faithfulness. It serves as a national confession of sin, tracing a long line of disobedience from the exodus to the exile. Verse 34 falls within a section that details Israel's failures after entering Canaan, specifically their succumbing to the idolatrous practices of the nations they failed to dispossess. The psalm moves chronologically through their history, highlighting how their spiritual purity was consistently compromised by their interactions with these foreign peoples and their gods. This verse points to a foundational failure directly related to the covenant stipulations concerning the Promised Land.

Psalm 106 34 Word analysis

• They: Refers to the collective people of Israel, their ancestors, encompassing the generations involved in the conquest and settlement of Canaan. It highlights a corporate responsibility and the continuous nature of the rebellion across generations.
• did not destroy: From the Hebrew verb שׁמד (shāmad), meaning "to annihilate," "exterminate," or "bring to ruin." While the specific technical term for the divine ban (herem, חרם) might carry more theological weight, shāmad still conveys a command for thorough and complete eradication. It signifies a failure not only in military conquest but in religious fidelity to the covenant by tolerating evil. Their failure was an act of omission that directly contravened explicit divine instruction.
• the peoples: Hebrew הָעַמִּים (hā‘ammîm), referring to the indigenous inhabitants of the land of Canaan (e.g., Canaanites, Hittites, Amorites), who were known for their abhorrent pagan worship, including child sacrifice and cultic prostitution. These "peoples" represented a severe spiritual danger to Israel's monotheistic faith.
• concerning whom: This phrase directly links the omitted action to a specific, prior divine directive. It underscores that Israel's failure was not an oversight but a willful act against a known command.
• the Lord: Hebrew יְהוָה (Yahweh), the personal, covenant name of God. This emphasizes that the command came from the sovereign, holy God of Israel, highlighting the authoritative and non-negotiable nature of the instruction given to His covenant people. It underlines that this was a divine mandate, not a suggestion.
• had commanded them: Hebrew אָמַר לָהֶם (’āmar lāhem), meaning "He said to them" or "He commanded them." This stresses the clarity and directness of the instruction. The Israelites knew exactly what God expected, leaving them without excuse for their disobedience. This was a clear word from God to them.

Words-group analysis:

• "They did not destroy the peoples": This phrase encapsulates Israel's pivotal failure in their mandate concerning the Land. It implies both military negligence and a more profound spiritual lapse in not eliminating sources of idolatry, thus preparing the way for syncretism and apostasy. This disobedience challenged God's absolute holiness and His demands for Israel's exclusive devotion.
• "concerning whom the Lord had commanded them": This second part of the verse explicitly links the failure of the first part to divine instruction. It highlights Israel's culpability by demonstrating that their omission was not due to ignorance but direct disregard of YHWH's known will. This command was integral to Israel's purpose: to be a holy nation set apart to the Lord in a pure land.

Psalm 106 34 Bonus section

The command to "destroy" or "utterly dispossess" the nations of Canaan was part of what scholars term "holy war" or "divine judgment." This was not merely ethnic cleansing, but a theological cleansing to establish a pure space for God's holy presence and the flourishing of His covenant people. The nations in question had filled the land with abominable practices (Lev 18:24-28), and their continued presence served as an incessant temptation and snare to Israel, compromising their distinct identity and mission. The failure was less about military might (God promised to give them victory) and more about spiritual will – they lacked the zeal for God's holiness that was necessary to carry out the task completely, valuing temporal gains or perceived humanistic compassion over strict obedience to the divine, redemptive purposes. This also implies an indirect polemic against any notion that humanistic pity should override divine decree, especially when dealing with practices inherently abhorrent to God and detrimental to the spiritual well-being of His people.

Psalm 106 34 Commentary

Psalm 106:34 pinpoints a monumental and foundational error in Israel's history that had far-reaching implications: their failure to carry out the divine directive to completely eradicate the idolatrous Canaanite nations from the Promised Land. This command was not arbitrary; it was an act of divine justice against the depravity of those cultures and, more critically, a prophylactic measure to safeguard Israel's unique covenant relationship with the holy God. The very essence of Israel's existence depended on maintaining separation from pagan influences. By failing to "destroy the peoples" (specifically referring to the annihilation of their political power, religious structures, and pervasive idolatry), Israel demonstrated a profound lack of trust and obedience. This act of selective obedience, or outright disobedience, effectively allowed cancer to remain in the body of their national life. It paved the way for the very spiritual compromises and apostasy documented in subsequent verses of Psalm 106 (vs. 35-39), leading to their adopting pagan rituals, sacrificing their children, and experiencing cycles of divine judgment. The verse serves as a sober reminder of the vital importance of complete obedience to God's commands, especially when they involve purging unholy influences that threaten one's spiritual integrity. It highlights that incomplete obedience is still disobedience and often carries severe, unforeseen consequences.