They were left to test Israel, so the Lord would know if his people would obey the commands he gave their ancestors through Moses. ¹ 

But they did not obey ¹  their leaders. Instead they prostituted themselves to other gods and worshiped ²  them. They quickly turned aside from the path ³  their ancestors ⁴  had walked. Their ancestors had obeyed the Lord’s commands, but they did not. ⁵