Judges 3:4
in Judges 3These nations were left to test the Israelites, to find out whether they would keep the commandments of the LORD, which He had given their fathers through Moses.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
And they were left, to prove Israel by them, to know whether they would hearken unto the commandments of Jehovah, which he commanded their fathers by Moses.
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.
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This verse in Judges 3
Commentary
7 notes on this verseAnd they were to prove Israel by them,.... They were left in the land, as to inure them to war, and try their courage, so to prove their faithfulness to God: to know whether they would hearken to the commandments, of the Lord, which he commanded their fathers by the hand of Moses; even all the commandments of the Lord delivered to them by Moses, moral, civil, and ceremonial, and particularly those that concerned the destruction of the Canaanites, their altars, and their idols, Deu 7:1.
This site's exposition
These are the nations that the LORD left
on Judges 3:1-4
Verse 2 adds a third purpose to the sentence and test of chapter 2, "to teach warfare to the subsequent generations of Israel". Exodus 23:29 gives another, that the land not become desolate, and all of these purposes stand together. Verse 4 names what the test measures, "whether they would keep the commandments of the LORD", so the generation of 2:10 is examined on its fathers' commands.
This site's exposition
whether they would keep the commandments
John Gill takes the commandments here as the whole law given through Moses, moral, civil, and ceremonial. He singles out the commands to destroy the Canaanites with their altars and idols, from Deuteronomy 7:1. Verses 5 and 6 report how Israel answered the test.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers1 voice
As useful as it is to me that you [the Lord] should leave me for a little while in order to test the steadfastness of my desire, so it is harmful if you let me be abandoned for too long because of my deserts and my sins. For no human strength will be able to endure by its own steadfastness if it is too long abandoned by your help in time of trial. Nor will it be able to give way instantly before the power and wherewithal of the adversary if you yourself, who are aware of human strengths and are the arbiter of our struggles, "do not permit us to be tried beyond our capacity, but with the trial also provide a way out, so that we may be able to endure."We read something like this as it appears in mystical fashion in the book of Judges with respect to the extermination of the spiritual nations that are opposed to Israel: "These are the nations that the Lord forsook, so that by them he might instruct Israel, so that they might grow accustomed to fighting with their enemies." And again, a little further on: "The Lord left them so that he might test Israel with them, whether or not they would hear the commandments of the Lord that he had laid down for their forefathers by the hand of Moses." God did not begrudge Israel their peace or look with malice upon them, but he planned this conflict in the knowledge that it would be beneficial. Thus, constantly oppressed by the onslaught of the nations, they would never feel that they did not need the Lord's help. Hence they would always meditate on him and cry out to him, and they would neither lapse into sluggish inactivity nor lose their ability to fight and their training in virtue. For frequently security and prosperity have brought low those whom adversities cannot overcome.
The Medieval Church1 voice
God's providence, Peter, in bestowing of his gifts, is wonderful: for often it falleth out, that upon whom he vouchsafeth the greater, he giveth not the less: to the end that always they may have somewhat to mis-like in themselves: so that desiring to arrive unto perfection and yet can not: and labouring about that which they have not obtained, and can not prevail: by this means they become not proud of those gifts which they have received, but do thereby learn that they have not those greater graces of themselves, who of themselves cannot overcome small faults.
The Puritans and the Awakening1 voice
), that those who were faithful to the God of Israel might have the honour of resisting the Canaanites' allurements to idolatry, and that those who were false and insincere might be discovered, and might fall under the shame of yielding to those allurements. Thus in the Christian churches there must needs be heresies, that those who are perfect may be made manifest, 1 Cor. xi.
quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — leading-punctuation+unbalanced-parens
The Nineteenth Century1 voice
To 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.
The words behind it
16 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| וַֽיִּהְי֕וּ | vaiyihyu | and they were | H1961 → | 3559 times |
| לְנַסּ֥וֹת | lenasot | 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 |
| לָדַ֗עַת | ladaat | to know | H3045 → | 945 times |
| הֲיִשְׁמְעוּ֙ | hayishmeu | ¿ will they obey | H8085 → | 1159 times |
| אֶת־ | ʾet- | <obj.> | H853 → | 10935 times |
| מִצְוֹ֣ת | mitzvot | [the] commandments of | H4687 → | |
| יְהוָ֔ה | yahweh | Yahweh | H3068 → | 6520 times |
| אֲשֶׁר־ | ʾasher- | which | H834 → | 5497 times |
| צִוָּ֥ה | tzivah | he had commanded | H6680 → | 494 times |
| אֶת־ | ʾet- | <obj.> | H853 → | 10935 times |
| אֲבוֹתָ֖ם | ʾavotam | ancestors their | H1 → | 1212 times |
| בְּיַד־ | beyad- | by [the] hand of | H3027 → | 1618 times |
| מֹשֶֽׁה׃ | mosheh | Moses | H4872 → | 765 times |
וַֽיִּהְי֕וּand they were
vaiyihyuH1961 →3559 times
לְנַסּ֥וֹתto put to [the] test
lenasotH5254 →36 times
בָּ֖םby <the> them
bam
אֶת־<obj.>
ʾet-H853 →10935 times
יִשְׂרָאֵ֑לIsrael
yisraelH3478 →2507 times
לָדַ֗עַתto know
ladaatH3045 →945 times
הֲיִשְׁמְעוּ֙¿ will they obey
hayishmeuH8085 →1159 times
אֶת־<obj.>
ʾet-H853 →10935 times
מִצְוֹ֣ת[the] commandments of
mitzvotH4687 →
יְהוָ֔הYahweh
yahwehH3068 →6520 times
אֲשֶׁר־which
ʾasher-H834 →5497 times
צִוָּ֥הhe had commanded
tzivahH6680 →494 times
אֶת־<obj.>
ʾet-H853 →10935 times
אֲבוֹתָ֖םancestors their
ʾavotamH1 →1212 times
בְּיַד־by [the] hand of
beyad-H3027 →1618 times
מֹשֶֽׁה׃Moses
moshehH4872 →765 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
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
- Deuteronomy 8:16
He fed you in the wilderness with manna that your fathers had not known, in order to humble you and test you, so that in the end He might cause you to prosper.
Reached by 3 separate paths from here.
- James 1:3
because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance.
- 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.
- Exodus 16:4
Then the LORD said to Moses, “Behold, I will rain down bread from heaven for you. Each day the people are to go out and gather enough for that day. In this way I…
- Deuteronomy 8:16
Through
Exodus 15:25And Moses cried out to the LORD, and the LORD showed him a log. And when he cast it into the waters, they were sweetened. There the LORD made for them a statute and…
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.
- Deuteronomy 8:2
Through
1 Corinthians 11:19And indeed, there must be differences among you to show which of you are approved.
it leads to
- Deuteronomy 13:3
you must not listen to the words of that prophet or dreamer. For the LORD your God is testing you to find out whether you love Him with all your heart and with all…
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- 1 John 2:19
They went out from us, but they did not belong to us. For if they had belonged to us, they would have remained with us. But their departure made it clear that none of…
- Deuteronomy 13:3
Through
Judges 3:1These are the nations that the LORD left to test all the Israelites who had not known any of the wars in Canaan,
it leads to
- Proverbs 17:3
A crucible for silver and a furnace for gold, but the LORD is the tester of hearts.
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- Proverbs 17:3
Where this verse is studied
On this page
Studies1
About Judges
Who and where
1 name in this verse with a page on the site.
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Gregory the Dialogist, Dialogues, Book 3, Chapter 14; John Cassian, CONFERENCE 4.6.3-4; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763); John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament; Keil and Delitzsch, Biblical Commentary on the Old Testament: Joshua, Judges, Ruth and Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible.