Judges 2:22

Judges 2:22 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)That through them I may prove Israel, whether they will keep the way of the Lord to walk therein, as their fathers did keep it, or not.
• New International Version (NIV)I will use them to test Israel and see whether they will keep the way of the Lord and walk in it as their ancestors did.”
• English Standard Version (ESV)in order to test Israel by them, whether they will take care to walk in the way of the Lord as their fathers did, or not."
• New King James Version (NKJV)so that through them I may test Israel, whether they will keep the ways of the Lord, to walk in them as their fathers kept them, or not.”

Context of Judges 2:22

20Because of this, the Lord became very angry with the Israelites. He said, ‘This nation of my people has not obeyed the covenant that I made with their ancestors. 21So I will not chase out the nations that are still living in the land. They are the people who were still there when Joshua died. I will use those nations to test the Israelites. I will see if my people will live carefully, in the way that I have shown them. That is the way that their ancestors lived.’ 23So the Lord let some of the Canaanite nations continue to live in the land. He did not chase them all away. He did not put them all under Joshua's power.

Judges 2:22 word by word

לְמַ֛עַן נַסּ֥וֹת בָּ֖ם אֶת־יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל הֲשֹׁמְרִ֣ים הֵם֩ אֶת־דֶּ֨רֶךְ יְהוָ֜ה לָלֶ֣כֶת בָּ֗ם כַּאֲשֶׁ֛ר שָׁמְר֥וּ אֲבוֹתָ֖ם אִם־לֹֽא׃Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• That through them I may proveנָסָהnâsâh · to testH5254
• Israelיִשְׂרָאֵלyiώrâ'êl · IsraelH3478
• whether they will keepשָׁמַרshâmar · to keep: carefulH8104
• the wayדֶּ֫רֶךְderek · way: conductH1870
• of the Lordיְהֹוָהyehôvâh · LORDH3068
• to walkיָלַךְyâlak · to walkH3212
• therein, as their fathersאָב'âb · fatherH1
• did keepשָׁמַרshâmar · to keep: obeyH8104

Cross-references for Judges 2:22

• Judges 3:1The Lord allowed some nations to stay in Canaan. He would use them to test the Israelites who had not yet fought wars in Canaan.
• Genesis 22:1Some time later, God wanted to see if Abraham really trusted him. God said to him, ‘Abraham!’ Abraham replied, ‘Here I am.’
• Deuteronomy 8:2Remember how the Lord your God led you all the way across the desert. He took care of you for 40 years. He caused many troubles to come and to test you. He did that to see if you would trust him. He wanted to know whether you would continue to obey his commands.
• Deuteronomy 13:3but do not listen to that prophet's message. The Lord your God is using this person to test your thoughts. He wants to know if you really love him in everything that you think and everything that you do.
• 2 Chronicles 32:31After that, the rulers of Babylon sent some officers to visit Hezekiah. They wanted to ask him about the miracle that had happened in Judah. God let Hezekiah decide what to tell them. He wanted to test Hezekiah, to see if he would be faithful.
• Job 23:10But he knows the way that I live. When he has finished testing me, he will see that I am pure. I will be as pure as gold.
• Psalms 66:10You have tested us, God. You wanted to make us pure, as they make silver pure in a hot fire.
• Proverbs 17:3You need a hot fire to make silver and gold become pure. It is the Lord who does that for people, to show what they are really like.
• Malachi 3:2‘But when he comes, he will be like a hot fire that makes metal pure. He will be like strong soap that makes clothes completely clean. Nobody will be able to stand in front of him when he appears. On that day, nobody will remain the same.

Commentaries on Judges 2:22

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 22That through them I may prove Israel - There appeared to be no other way to induce this people to acknowledge the true God, but by permitting them to fall into straits from which they could not be delivered but by his especial providence. These words are spoken after the manner of men; and the metaphor is taken from the case of a master or father, who distrusts the fidelity or obedience of his servant or son, and places him in such circumstances that, by…Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 6-23Verses 6-23 We have a general idea of the course of things in Israel, during the time of the Judges. The nation made themselves as mean and miserable by forsaking God, as they would have been great and happy if they had continued faithful to him. Their punishment answered to the evil they had done. They served the gods of the nations round about them, even the meanest, and God made them serve the princes of the nations round about them, even the meanest…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 20-23The remaining Canaanites and their religion tempted the Israelites, offering an alternative to following the Lord and his covenant. God knew and even planned this outcome (compare Judges 3:4), but he does not set his people up to sin (James 1:12–15). Temptations are everywhere, but the choice to obey God or give in to temptation is up to those who claim to know him. Israel had a duty to fully possess the land, but God, not humans, decides victory or…Read the comment

Topics related to Judges 2:22

• Afflictions and Adversities
• Baal
• Israel

In the dictionaries

• Israel
• Israel, Israelites
• Jacob, Israel
• Raise
• Sell
• Abdon (1)
• Judges, Book of

Commentaries on Judges 2

• 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
• EGW Writings