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.
But if ye will not drive. No associations were to be formed with the inhabitants; otherwise, if "let remain," they "will be pricks in your eyes, and thorns in your sides" - i:e., they would prove troublesome and dangerous neighbours, enticing to idolatry, and consequently depriving you of the divine favour and blessing. The neglect of this counsel against union with the idolatrous inhabitants became fatal to them. The earnest admonition given to the Israelites in their special circumstances conveys a salutary lesson to us to allow no lurking habits of sin to remain in us. That spiritual enemy must be eradicated from our nature, otherwise it will be ruinous to our present peace and future salvation.