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Judges 3:4

Old Testament Historical ASV (1901)

What does Judges 3:4 say?

The American Standard Version records this verse as: “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.” Read the surrounding verses and the named sources below before drawing broader conclusions.

The verse

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.
Judges 3:4 — American Standard Version

Context — Judges 3

American Standard Version (1901) — public domain. Click any verse for its study page.
1Now 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;
2only that the generations of the children of Israel might know, to teach them war, at the least such as beforetime knew nothing thereof:
3[namely], the five lords of the Philistines, and all the Canaanites, and the Sidonians, and the Hivites that dwelt in mount Lebanon, from mount Baal-hermon unto the entrance of Hamath.
4And 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.
5And the children of Israel dwelt among the Canaanites, the Hittites, and the Amorites, and the Perizzites, and the Hivites, and the Jebusites:
6and they took their daughters to be their wives, and gave their own daughters to their sons and served their gods.
7And the children of Israel did that which was evil in the sight of Jehovah, and forgat Jehovah their God, and served the Baalim and the Asheroth.
← Judges 3:3Judges 3:5 →
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What do historical commentaries say?

John Gill's Exposition
John Gill (1697–1771) · Exposition of the Old and New Testament · 18th-century historical commentary
“And they were to prove Israel by them, etc.] 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, (<050701>Deuteronomy 7:1,5).”
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Wesley's Explanatory Notes
John Wesley (1703–1791) · Explanatory Notes upon the New Testament and Old Testament notes · 18th-century historical commentary
“To know - That is, that they and others might know by experience. Judges 3:6”
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Treasury of Scriptural Knowledge
R. A. Torrey and contributors · The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge · Cross-reference reference work
“to prove: Jdg 3:1, Jdg 2:22; Exo 15:25; Deu 33:8; Co1 11:19; Th2 2:9-12 Judges 3:5”
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Related study paths

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Sources and verification