Following the conquest and settlement of the Promised Land, a critical moment of reckoning takes place. A divine messenger arrives to confront the Israelites regarding their failure to fully expel the Canaanite inhabitants, reminding them of their historical covenant and clarifying the terms of their continued presence in the land.
The primary approach among commentators is that this messenger is not a celestial angel, as angels do not typically address large crowds of people in such a manner [רלב״ג]. Instead, this is a human prophet speaking directly on behalf of God. Tradition specifically identifies this prophet as Phinehas [רש״י, מצודת דוד, רד״ק, אברבנאל]. The prophet embarks on a journey from Gilgal, the location where the prophetic spirit rested upon him and he received the divine message. From there, he travels to the site of a massive gathering of the Israelites [מצודת דוד, רד״ק, אברבנאל, ביאור שטיינזלץ]. This destination is known as Bochim, meaning "weepers," a name earned at the conclusion of this very event. Upon hearing the prophet's harsh rebuke, the entire nation bursts into tears [מצודת ציון, רלב״ג, רד״ק, אברבנאל].
Delivering God's message, the prophet reflects on the past, reminding the people of God's original purpose: to elevate them from the deep lowliness of Egypt to the high stature of the land of Israel [רש״י, מלבי״ם]. He then addresses the divine oath made to their ancestors, a subject of profound misunderstanding among the people. Some commentators explain that the Israelites mistakenly believed their ancestral inheritance guaranteed them permanent, unconditional residence in the land. The prophet corrects this assumption, clarifying that the original oath only promised their extraction from Egypt and their arrival in the land. Their continued survival there, however, rests entirely on the quality of their relationship with God [אלשיך].
Other commentators emphasize a different aspect of this relationship, focusing on God's declaration that He will never cancel His covenant [מצודת ציון]. In this view, God's love and His covenant with Israel are eternal and unchanging, yet they carry inherent expectations. God fulfilled His part of the agreement, anticipating the people's unending gratitude. This gratitude was meant to be shown through action: driving out God's enemies and refusing to form alliances with the local inhabitants. However, once the Israelites gained power, they chose convenience over obedience. By allowing the Canaanites to remain and merely imposing taxes on them, the people violated the foundational condition of their covenant, bringing this severe divine rebuke upon themselves [רש״י, מלבי״ם, אברבנאל].