New Living Translation
Judges 2:22
22I did this to test Israel—to see whether or not they would follow the ways of the Lord as their ancestors did.”
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
20So the Lord burned with anger against Israel. He said, “Because these people have violated my covenant, which I made with their ancestors, and have ignored my commands, 21I will no longer drive out the nations that Joshua left unconquered when he died. I did this to test Israel—to see whether or not they would follow the ways of the Lord as their ancestors did.” 23That is why the Lord left those nations in place. He did not quickly drive them out or allow Joshua to conquer them all.
Read all of Judges 2Judges 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 3:1These are the nations that the Lord left in the land to test those Israelites who had not experienced the wars of Canaan.
- Genesis 22:1Some time later, God tested Abraham’s faith. “Abraham!” God called. “Yes,” he replied. “Here I am.”
- Deuteronomy 8:2Remember how the Lord your God led you through the wilderness for these forty years, humbling you and testing you to prove your character, and to find out whether or not you would obey his commands.
- Deuteronomy 13:3do not listen to them. The Lord your God is testing you to see if you truly love him with all your heart and soul.
- 2 Chronicles 32:31However, when ambassadors arrived from Babylon to ask about the remarkable events that had taken place in the land, God withdrew from Hezekiah in order to test him and to see what was really in his heart.
- Job 23:10“But he knows where I am going. And when he tests me, I will come out as pure as gold.
- Psalms 66:10You have tested us, O God; you have purified us like silver.
- Proverbs 17:3Fire tests the purity of silver and gold, but the Lord tests the heart.
- Malachi 3:2“But who will be able to endure it when he comes? Who will be able to stand and face him when he appears? For he will be like a blazing fire that refines metal, or like a strong soap that bleaches clothes.
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
In the dictionaries
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
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