English Standard Version
Judges 3:4
4They 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.
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.
- 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.
- New Living Translation (NLT)These people were left to test the Israelites—to see whether they would obey the commands the Lord had given to their ancestors through Moses.
Context of Judges 3:4
2It was only in order that the generations of the people of Israel might know war, to teach war to those who had not known it before. 3These are the nations: the five lords of the Philistines and all the Canaanites and the Sidonians and the Hivites who lived on Mount Lebanon, from Mount Baal-hermon as far as Lebo-hamath. 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. 5So the people of Israel lived among the Canaanites, the Hittites, the Amorites, the Perizzites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites. 6And their daughters they took to themselves for wives, and their own daughters they gave to their sons, and they served their gods.
Read all of Judges 3Judges 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 that the Lord left, to test Israel by them, that is, all in Israel who had not experienced all the wars in Canaan.
- Judges 2:22in 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."
- Exodus 15:25And he cried to the Lord, and the Lord showed him a log, and he threw it into the water, and the water became sweet. There the Lord made for them a statute and a rule, and there he tested them,
- Deuteronomy 33:8And of Levi he said, "Give to Levi your Thummim, and your Urim to your godly one, whom you tested at Massah, with whom you quarreled at the waters of Meribah;
- 1 Corinthians 11:19for there must be factions among you in order that those who are genuine among you may be recognized.
- 2 Thessalonians 2:9The coming of the lawless one is by the activity of Satan with all power and false signs and wonders,
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
In the dictionaries
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
English Standard Version — © 2001 Crossway Bibles
Commentaries