Judges 2:22
in Judges 2In this way I will test whether Israel will keep the way of the LORD by walking in it as their fathers did.”
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
that by them I may prove Israel, whether they will keep the way of Jehovah to walk therein, as their fathers did keep it, or not.
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.
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This verse in Judges 2
Commentary
9 notes on this verseDivine grace ever stirs up the will of human beings, not so as to protect and defend it in all things in such a way as to cause it not to fight by its own efforts against its spiritual adversaries, the victor over whom may set it down to God's grace, and the vanquished to his own weakness, and thus learn that his hope is always not in his own courage but in the divine assistance and that he must ever fly to his Protector.
This site's exposition
Because this nation has transgressed the covenant
on Judges 2:20-23
The nations Joshua left are now left on purpose, as a sentence at verse 21 and a test at verse 22. Joshua 21:45 says none of the LORD's promises failed, yet verse 23 says He did not deliver those nations "into the hand of Joshua". Two old readings hold both: God gave what He promised and Israel failed to take it, or Joshua means the land granted.
This site's exposition
In this way I will test
Adam Clarke holds that trouble was the only means left to bring this people to acknowledge the true God. The nations would press Israel into straits from which only God could deliver them. Judges 3:4 repeats this test in almost the same words.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers1 voice
Although all the nations in the surrounding country were subject to king David, still God did not allow the Jebusites to be destroyed entirely, as he himself says elsewhere: "I for my part will not clear away for them any more of the nations. Through …
The Puritans and the Awakening4 voices
May prove - That I may try and see whether Israel will be true and faithful to me, or whether they will suffer themselves to be corrupted by the counsels and examples of their bad neighbours.
That through them I may prove Israel,....
But they thought they could. "Well," said God, "I will try you;" and, upon trial, it was found that the tempters' charms were far too strong for them. God has told us how deceitful and desperately wicked our hearts are, but we are not willing to believe it till by making bold with temptation we find it too true by sad experience.
It was the privilege of Israel that they had not only a law in general sent them from heaven, once for all, to direct them into and keep them in the way of happiness, but that they had particular messages sent them from heaven, as there was occasion, for reproof, for correction, and for instruction in righteousness, when at any time they turned aside out of that way.
1 more voice on this verse
The Nineteenth Century1 voice
That 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.
The words behind it
17 Hebrew wordsEvery Hebrew word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Hebrew | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| לְמַ֛עַן | lemaan | so as | H4616 → | |
| נַסּ֥וֹת | nasot | to put to [the] test | H5254 → | 36 times |
| בָּ֖ם | bam | by <the> them | ||
| אֶת־ | ʾet- | <obj.> | H853 → | 10935 times |
| יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל | yisrael | Israel | H3478 → | 2507 times |
| הֲשֹׁמְרִ֣ים | hashomerim | ¿ [be] keeping | H8104 → | 468 times |
| הֵם֩ | hem | [will] they | H1992 → | 553 times |
| אֶת־ | ʾet- | <obj.> | H853 → | 10935 times |
| דֶּ֨רֶךְ | derekh | [the] way of | H1870 → | 707 times |
| יְהוָ֜ה | yahweh | Yahweh | H3068 → | 6520 times |
| לָלֶ֣כֶת | lalekhet | by walking | H1980 → | 1546 times |
| בָּ֗ם | bam | in <the> them | ||
| כַּאֲשֶׁ֛ר | kaasher | just as | H834 → | 5497 times |
| שָׁמְר֥וּ | shameru | they kept [it] | H8104 → | 468 times |
| אֲבוֹתָ֖ם | ʾavotam | ancestors their | H1 → | 1212 times |
| אִם־ | ʾim- | or? | H518 → | 1069 times |
| לֹֽא׃ | lo' | not | H3808 → | 5168 times |
לְמַ֛עַןso as
lemaanH4616 →
נַסּ֥וֹתto put to [the] test
nasotH5254 →36 times
בָּ֖םby <the> them
bam
אֶת־<obj.>
ʾet-H853 →10935 times
יִשְׂרָאֵ֑לIsrael
yisraelH3478 →2507 times
הֲשֹׁמְרִ֣ים¿ [be] keeping
hashomerimH8104 →468 times
הֵם֩[will] they
hemH1992 →553 times
אֶת־<obj.>
ʾet-H853 →10935 times
דֶּ֨רֶךְ[the] way of
derekhH1870 →707 times
יְהוָ֜הYahweh
yahwehH3068 →6520 times
לָלֶ֣כֶתby walking
lalekhetH1980 →1546 times
בָּ֗םin <the> them
bam
כַּאֲשֶׁ֛רjust as
kaasherH834 →5497 times
שָׁמְר֥וּthey kept [it]
shameruH8104 →468 times
אֲבוֹתָ֖םancestors their
ʾavotamH1 →1212 times
אִם־or?
ʾim-H518 →1069 times
לֹֽא׃not
lo'H3808 →5168 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
Genesis 22:1Some time later God tested Abraham and said to him, “Abraham!” “Here I am,” he answered.
it leads to
- Deuteronomy 8:2
Remember that these forty years the LORD your God led you all the way in the wilderness, so that He might humble you and test you in order to know what was in your…
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- Hebrews 11:17
By faith Abraham, when he was tested, offered up Isaac on the altar. He who had received the promises was ready to offer his one and only son,
- James 2:21
Was not our father Abraham justified by what he did when he offered his son Isaac on the altar?
- James 1:12–14
Blessed is the man who perseveres under trial, because when he has stood the test, he will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love Him.
- 1 Corinthians 10:13
No temptation has seized you except what is common to man. And God is faithful; He will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, He will…
- Deuteronomy 8:2
Through
Deuteronomy 8:2Remember that these forty years the LORD your God led you all the way in the wilderness, so that He might humble you and test you in order to know what was in your…
it leads to
- 1 Peter 1:7
so that the proven character of your faith—more precious than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire—may result in praise, glory, and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ.
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- James 1:3
because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance.
- 1 Peter 1:7
Through
Proverbs 17:3A crucible for silver and a furnace for gold, but the LORD is the tester of hearts.
it leads to
- Isaiah 48:10
See, I have refined you, but not as silver; I have tested you in the furnace of affliction.
- Isaiah 48:10
Where this verse is studied
On this page
About Judges
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Caesarius of Arles, SERMON 122.1; John Cassian, CONFERENCE 13.14; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763); John Wesley, Explanatory Notes upon the Old Testament; Keil and Delitzsch, Biblical Commentary on the Old Testament: Joshua, Judges, Ruth and Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible.