What is the meaning of Numbers 33:56? And then • The phrase follows a solemn warning God gives in Numbers 33:55: “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.” • “Then” signals a sequence—first Israel’s disobedience, then divine response. This mirrors Joshua 23:12-13, where failure to separate from the nations would bring God’s discipline. • It underscores that blessings and consequences are tied to Israel’s choices, as seen earlier in Leviticus 26:14-17. I will do to you • God Himself, not chance or foreign armies alone, will act. Deuteronomy 32:35 affirms, “Vengeance is Mine; I will repay.” • This personal involvement stresses covenant accountability (Exodus 19:5). • The statement balances God’s loving promises (Exodus 3:17) with His righteous judgment (Hebrews 10:30). what I had planned • The judgment was already outlined for the Canaanites: expulsion and destruction because of their persistent sin (Genesis 15:16; Deuteronomy 9:4-5). • God’s plans are just and consistent; He shows no partiality (Acts 10:34-35). • Israel cannot presume on special status while copying pagan practices (Romans 2:9-11). to do to them • “Them” refers to the Canaanite nations. Their moral corruption—idolatry, child sacrifice, sexual perversion—is summarized in Leviticus 18:24-28. • By warning Israel with the same fate, God highlights two truths: – Holiness is demanded of His people (Leviticus 20:26). – Judgment standards are uniform; the land “vomits out” whoever defiles it (Leviticus 18:28). • History records the fulfillment: Israel’s later exile by Assyria and Babylon (2 Kings 17:7-23; 2 Chronicles 36:15-21), proving God kept this word. summary Numbers 33:56 is God’s sober promise that if Israel embraces the sins of the Canaanites instead of expelling them, He will bring on Israel the very judgments assigned to those nations. The verse teaches that covenant privilege never nullifies covenant responsibility, divine justice is impartial, and holiness remains the non-negotiable condition for enjoying God’s blessings. |
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