Judges 3:1

1 These are the nations the LORD left to test all those Israelites who had not experienced any of the wars in Canaan

Judges 3:1 in Other Translations

King James Version (KJV)
1 Now these are the nations which the LORD left, to prove Israel by them, even as many of Israel as had not known all the wars of Canaan;
English Standard Version (ESV)
1 Now 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.
New Living Translation (NLT)
1 These are the nations that the LORD left in the land to test those Israelites who had not experienced the wars of Canaan.
The Message Bible (MSG)
1 These are the nations that God left there, using them to test the Israelites who had no experience in the Canaanite wars.
American Standard Version (ASV)
1 Now these are the nations which Jehovah left, to prove Israel by them, even as many [of Israel] as had not known all the wars of Canaan;
GOD'S WORD Translation (GW)
1 These are the nations the LORD left behind to test all the Israelites who had not experienced any war in Canaan.
Holman Christian Standard Bible (CSB)
1 These are the nations the Lord left in order to test Israel, since none of these Israelites had fought in any of the wars with Canaan.
New International Reader's Version (NIRV)
1 The LORD left some nations in the land. He left them there in order to put the people of Israel to the test. He did it for all those who hadn't lived through any of the wars in Canaan.

Judges 3:1 Meaning and Commentary

Judges 3:1

Now these [are] the nations which the Lord left to prove
Israel by them
Which are later mentioned, ( Judges 3:3 Judges 3:5 ) ;

[even] as many [of Israel] as had not known all the wars of Canaan;
those that Joshua, and the people of Israel under him, had with the Canaanites, when they first entered the land and subdued it; being then not born, or so young as not to have knowledge of them, at least not able to bear arms at that time.

Judges 3:1 In-Context

1 These are the nations the LORD left to test all those Israelites who had not experienced any of the wars in Canaan
2 (he did this only to teach warfare to the descendants of the Israelites who had not had previous battle experience):
3 the five rulers of the Philistines, all the Canaanites, the Sidonians, and the Hivites living in the Lebanon mountains from Mount Baal Hermon to Lebo Hamath.
4 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.
5 The Israelites lived among the Canaanites, Hittites, Amorites, Perizzites, Hivites and Jebusites.

Cross References 1

  • 1. S Exodus 15:25; Judges 2:21-22
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