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

2This was to teach the future generations of the Israelites how to fight in battle, especially those who had not fought before. 3These nations included the five rulers of the Philistines and all of the Canaanites, the Sidonians, and the Hivites who lived in the Lebanese mountains from Mount Baal-hermon as far as the entrance to Hamath. The Lord left them to test Israel, to determine if they would keep the Lord’s commands he had given their ancestors through Moses. 5But they settled among the Canaanites, Hethites, Amorites, Perizzites, Hivites, and Jebusites. 6The Israelites took their daughters as wives for themselves, gave their own daughters to their sons, and worshiped their 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 3:1These are the nations the Lord left in order to test all those in Israel who had experienced none of the wars in Canaan.
• Judges 2:22I did this to test Israel and to see whether or not they would keep the Lord’s way by walking in it, as their ancestors had.”
• Exodus 15:25So he cried out to the Lord, and the Lord showed him a tree. When he threw it into the water, the water became drinkable. The Lord made a statute and ordinance for them at Marah, and he tested them there.
• Deuteronomy 33:8He said about Levi: Your Thummim and Urim belong to your faithful one; you tested him at Massah and contended with him at the Waters of Meribah.
• 1 Corinthians 11:19Indeed, it is necessary that there be factions among you, so that those who are approved may be recognized among you.
• 2 Thessalonians 2:9The coming of the lawless one is based on Satan’s working, with every kind of miracle, both signs and wonders serving the lie,

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