Judges 3:4

Judges 3:4 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)And they were to prove Israel by them, to know whether they would hearken unto the commandments of the Lord, which he commanded their fathers by the hand of Moses.
• New International Version (NIV)They were left to test the Israelites to see whether they would obey the Lord’s commands, which he had given their ancestors through Moses.
• English Standard Version (ESV)They were for the testing of Israel, to know whether Israel would obey the commandments of the Lord, which he commanded their fathers by the hand of Moses.
• New King James Version (NKJV)And they were left, that He might test Israel by them, to know whether they would obey the commandments of the Lord, which He had commanded their fathers by the hand of Moses.

Context of Judges 3:4

2only in order that the generations of the sons of Israel might be taught war, at least those who had not experienced it previously). 3The remaining nations are: the five lords (governors) of the Philistines, all the Canaanites, the Sidonians, and the Hivites who lived on Mount Lebanon from Mount Baal-hermon to the entrance of Hamath. They were [allowed to remain] for the testing of Israel, to determine whether Israel would listen to and obey the commandments of the Lord, which He had commanded their fathers (ancestors) through Moses. 5And the Israelites lived among the Canaanites, Hittites, Amorites, Perizzites, Hivites, and Jebusites; 6and they took their daughters for themselves as wives and gave their own daughters to their sons, and served their [pagan] gods.

Judges 3:4 word by word

וַֽיִּהְי֕וּ לְנַסּ֥וֹת בָּ֖ם אֶת־יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל לָדַ֗עַת הֲיִשְׁמְעוּ֙ אֶת־מִצְוֹ֣ת יְהוָ֔ה אֲשֶׁר־צִוָּ֥ה אֶת־אֲבוֹתָ֖ם בְּיַד־מֹשֶֽׁה׃Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• And they were to proveנָסָהnâsâh · to testH5254
• Israelיִשְׂרָאֵלyiώrâ'êl · IsraelH3478
• by them, to knowיָדַעyâda‛ · to knowH3045
• whether they would hearkenשָׁמַעshâma‛ · to hear: obeyH8085
• unto the commandmentsמִצְוָהmitsvâh · commandmentH4687
• of the Lordיְהֹוָהyehôvâh · LORDH3068
• which he commandedצָוָהtsâvâh · to commandH6680
• their fathersאָב'âb · fatherH1
• by the handיָדyâd · hand: powerH3027
• of Mosesמֹשֶׁהmôsheh · MosesH4872

Cross-references for Judges 3:4

• Judges 3:1Now these are the nations which the Lord left [in order] to test Israel by them (that is, all [the people of Israel] who had not [previously] experienced any of the wars in Canaan;
• Judges 2:22in order to test [the loyalty of] Israel by them, whether Israel will keep the way of the Lord to walk in it, as their fathers did, or not.”
• Exodus 15:25Then he cried to the Lord [for help], and the Lord showed him a tree, [a branch of] which he threw into the waters, and the waters became sweet. There the Lord made a statute and an ordinance for them, and there He tested them,
• Deuteronomy 33:8Of Levi he said, “Your Thummim and Your Urim belong to Your godly man [Aaron], Whom You tested and proved at Massah, With whom You contended at the waters of Meribah;
• 1 Corinthians 11:19for [doubtless] there have to be factions among you, so that those who are of approved character may be clearly recognized among you.
• 2 Thessalonians 2:9The coming of the [Antichrist, the lawless] one is through the activity of Satan, [attended] with great power [all kinds of counterfeit miracles] and [deceptive] signs and false wonders [all of them lies],

Commentaries on Judges 3:4

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 4To know whether they would hearken - This would be the consequence of the Canaanites being left among them: if they should be faithful to God, their enemies would not be able to enslave them; should they be rebellious, the Lord would abandon them to their foes.Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 1-4The Philistines and Canaanites stayed in the land to teach important lessons. People needed warfare skills to survive in ancient times. God let these enemies stay to train and help Israel.Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1-41. these are the nations which the Lord left, to prove Israel--This was the special design of these nations being left, and it evinces the direct influence of the theocracy under which the Israelites were placed. These nations were left for a double purpose: in the first instance, to be instrumental, by their inroads, in promoting the moral and spiritual discipline of the Israelites; and also to subserve the design of making them acquainted with war, in…Read the comment

Topics related to Judges 3:4

• Israel
• Philistines

In the dictionaries

• Israel
• Moses
• Israel, Israelites
• Jacob, Israel
• Close
• Dirt
• Errand
• Rest
• Secret
• Abdon (1)

Commentaries on Judges 3

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
• Tyndale Open Study Notes
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
• Rashi on Tanakh
• Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
• Darby Translation Notes
• Kingcomments
• Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
• Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
• Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
• Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary