Judges 2 · Verse 22

Judges 2:22

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.
Judges 2:22, King James Version

Judges 2:22 in other translations

BSBIn this way I will test whether Israel will keep the way of the LORD by walking in it as their fathers did.”
WEBthat by them I may test Israel, to see if they will keep the LORD’s way to walk therein, as their fathers kept it, or not.”
ASVthat 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.
YLTin order to try Israel by them, whether they are keeping the way of Jehovah, to go in it, as their fathers kept it or not.'
DARBYthat through them I may prove Israel, whether they will keep the way of Jehovah to walk therein, as their fathers did keep it, or not.
BBEIn order to put Israel to the test, and see if they will keep the way of the Lord, walking in it as their fathers did, or not.
WebsterThat through them I may prove Israel, whether they will keep the way of the LORD to walk in it, as their fathers kept it, or not.

What does Judges 2:22 mean?

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 22 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. 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 his good or evil conduct, he may justify his suspicions, or give him proofs of his fidelity.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Judges 2:6-23

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…

Read the full comment on Judges 2:6-23 →

Judges 2:22 in the original Hebrew

Word-by-word with transliteration, English gloss and Strong's number. Tap a number for the full definition and every place the word is used.

לְמַ֛עַןle.Ma.'anso asH4616
נַסּ֥וֹתna.Sotto put to [the] testH5254
בָּ֖םbamby <the> them
אֶת\־'et-<obj.>H853
יִשְׂרָאֵ֑לYis.ra.'ElIsraelH3478
הֲשֹׁמְרִ֣יםha.sho.me.Rim¿ [be] keepingH8104
הֵם֩hem[will] theyH1992
אֶת\־'et-<obj.>H853
דֶּ֨רֶךְDe.rekh[the] way ofH1870
יְהוָ֜הYah.wehYahwehH3068
לָלֶ֣כֶתla.Le.khetby walkingH1980
בָּ֗םBamin <the> them
כַּאֲשֶׁ֛רka.'a.Sherjust asH834
שָׁמְר֥וּsha.me.Ruthey kept [it]H8104
אֲבוֹתָ֖ם'a.vo.Tamancestors theirH1
אִם\־'im-or?H518
לֹֽא\׃Lo'notH3808

Source: STEPBible TAHOT/TAGNT (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0).

Cross references for Judges 2:22

  • Deuteronomy 8:2

    And thou shalt remember all the way which the Lord thy God led thee these forty years in the wilderness, to humble thee, and to prove thee, to know what was in thine heart, whether thou wouldest keep his commandments, or no.

  • Deuteronomy 8:16

    Who fed thee in the wilderness with manna, which thy fathers knew not, that he might humble thee, and that he might prove thee, to do thee good at thy latter end;

  • Deuteronomy 13:3

    Thou shalt not hearken unto the words of that prophet, or that dreamer of dreams: for the Lord your God proveth you, to know whether ye love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul.

  • Proverbs 17:3

    The fining pot is for silver, and the furnace for gold: but the Lord trieth the hearts.

  • Genesis 22:1

    And it came to pass after these things, that God did tempt Abraham, and said unto him, Abraham: and he said, Behold, here I am.

  • Judges 3:1-4

    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; Only that the generations of the children of Israel might know, to teach them war, at the least such as before knew nothing thereof; Namely, 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 entering in of Hamath. 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.

  • Psalms 66:10

    For thou, O God, hast proved us: thou hast tried us, as silver is tried.

  • 2 Chronicles 32:31

    Howbeit in the business of the ambassadors of the princes of Babylon, who sent unto him to enquire of the wonder that was done in the land, God left him, to try him, that he might know all that was in his heart.

  • Malachi 3:2-3

    But who may abide the day of his coming? and who shall stand when he appeareth? for he is like a refiner’s fire, and like fullers’ soap: And he shall sit as a refiner and purifier of silver: and he shall purify the sons of Levi, and purge them as gold and silver, that they may offer unto the Lord an offering in righteousness.

  • Job 23:10

    But he knoweth the way that I take: when he hath tried me, I shall come forth as gold.

Ranked by reader votes · OpenBible.info cross references (CC BY).

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
through.
3:1-4
prove.
Ge 22:1; De 8:2,16; 13:3; 2Ch 32:31; Job 23:10; Ps 66:10; Pr 17:3
Mal 3:2,3

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (Samuel Bagster, c. 1836) · public domain

Context

  • Judges 2:21

    I also will not henceforth drive out any from before them of the nations which Joshua left when he died:

  • Judges 2:22

    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.

  • Judges 2:23

    Therefore the Lord left those nations, without driving them out hastily; neither delivered he them into the hand of Joshua.

Read all of Judges 2

Judges 2:22 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909
Para que por ellas probara yo á Israel, si guardarían ellos el camino de Jehová andando por él, como sus padres lo guardaron, ó no.
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885
afin d’éprouver par elles Israël, s’ils garderont la voie de l’ Éternel pour y marcher, comme leurs pères l’ont gardée, ou non.
German
Elberfelder 1871
um Israel durch sie zu versuchen, ob sie auf den Weg Jehovas achten werden, darauf zu wandeln, wie ihre Väter auf ihn geachtet haben, oder nicht.
Latin
Clementine Vulgate
ut in ipsis experiar Israël, utrum custodiant viam Domini, et ambulent in ea, sicut custodierunt patres eorum, an non.