Psalms 106:35
But were mingled among the heathen, and learned their works.
Original Language Analysis
וַיִּתְעָרְב֥וּ
But were mingled
H6148
וַיִּתְעָרְב֥וּ
But were mingled
Strong's:
H6148
Word #:
1 of 4
to braid, i.e., intermix; technically, to traffic (as if by barter); also or give to be security (as a kind of exchange)
בַגּוֹיִ֑ם
among the heathen
H1471
בַגּוֹיִ֑ם
among the heathen
Strong's:
H1471
Word #:
2 of 4
a foreign nation; hence, a gentile; also (figuratively) a troop of animals, or a flight of locusts
Cross References
1 Corinthians 15:33Be not deceived: evil communications corrupt good manners.1 Corinthians 5:6Your glorying is not good. Know ye not that a little leaven leaveneth the whole lump?Isaiah 2:6Therefore thou hast forsaken thy people the house of Jacob, because they be replenished from the east, and are soothsayers like the Philistines, and they please themselves in the children of strangers.Joshua 15:63As for the Jebusites the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the children of Judah could not drive them out: but the Jebusites dwell with the children of Judah at Jerusalem unto this day.
Historical Context
Throughout Judges and Kings, Israel's mixing with Canaanites led to intermarriage, idolatry, and covenant-breaking. Solomon's foreign wives turned his heart after other gods (1 Kings 11:1-8). The northern kingdom's worship mixed Yahweh with Baal. Judah adopted Assyrian, Babylonian, and Canaanite practices. This mixing eventually led to exile. For post-exilic Israel, this was a warning not to repeat the error by mixing with Samaritans or adopting Persian/Greek practices.
Questions for Reflection
- How does failure to maintain spiritual separation lead to adopting worldly practices?
- What does 'learning the works' of unbelievers look like in contemporary church life?
- How can believers be 'in the world but not of it' without sinful compromise?
Analysis & Commentary
This verse describes the consequence of incomplete conquest. 'But were mingled among the heathen' shows Israel mixed with pagan nations rather than remaining separate. 'Mingled' (arab, עָרַב) means to mix, mingle, or intermingle—the opposite of the separation God commanded. 'And learned their works' shows religious syncretism—Israel adopted pagan practices. This violated the separation principle: God's people are to be holy (set apart) from the world (Leviticus 20:26; 2 Corinthians 6:14-17). The verse teaches that failure to maintain spiritual separation inevitably leads to adopting worldly practices. You become like those you closely associate with.