Judges 3 · Verse 1

Judges 3:1

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;
Judges 3:1, King James Version

Judges 3:1 in other translations

BSBThese are the nations that the LORD left to test all the Israelites who had not known any of the wars in Canaan,
WEBNow these are the nations which the LORD left, to test Israel by them, even as many as had not known all the wars of Canaan;
ASVNow 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;
YLTAnd these are the nations which Jehovah left, to try Israel by them, all who have not known all the wars of Canaan;
DARBYAnd these are the nations that Jehovah left, to prove Israel by them, all that had not known all the wars of Canaan;
BBENow these are the nations which the Lord kept in the land for the purpose of testing Israel by them, all those who had had no experience of all the wars of Canaan;
WebsterNow 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;

What does Judges 3:1 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown

Jud 3:1-4. Nations Left to Prove Israel.

1. these are the nations which the Lord left, to prove Israel--This was the special design of these nations being left, and it evinces the direct influence of the theocracy under which the Israelites were placed. These nations were left for a double purpose: in the first instance, to be instrumental, by their inroads, in promoting the moral and spiritual discipline of the Israelites; and also to subserve the design of making them acquainted with war, in order that the young, more especially, who were total strangers to it, might learn the use of weapons and the art of wielding them.

Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown, 1871 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary

Introduction

An account of the nations that we left to prove Israel, Jdg 3:1-4. How the people provoked the Lord, Jdg 3:5-7. They are delivered into the power of the king of Mesopotamia, by whom they are enslaved eight years, Jdg 3:8. Othniel is raised up as their deliverer; he discomfits the king of Mesopotamia, delivers Israel, and the land enjoys peace for forty years, Jdg 3:9-11. They again rebel, and are delivered into the hand of the king of Moab, by whom they are enslaved eighteen years, Jdg 3:12-14. They are delivered by Ehud, who kills Eglon, king of Moab, and slays ten thousand Moabites, and the land rests fourscore years, vv. 15-30. Verse 1 Now these are the nations - The nations left to prove the Israelites were the five lordships or satrapies of the Philistines, viz., Gath, Askelon, Ashdod, Ekron, and Gaza; the Sidonians, the Hivites of Lebanon, Baal-hermon, etc.; with the remains of the Canaanites, viz., the Hittites, Amorites, Perizzites, and Jebusites. Those who were left to be proved were those Israelites that had not seen all the wars of Canaan.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Judges 3:1-7
As the Israelites were a type of the church on earth, they were not to be idle and slothful. The Lord was pleased to try them by the remains of the devoted nations they spared. Temptations and trials detect the wickedness of the hearts of sinners; and strengthen he graces of believers in their daily conflict with Satan, sin, and this evil world. They must live in this world, but they are not of it, and are forbidden to conform to it. This marks the difference between the followers of Christ and mere professors. The friendship of the world is more fatal than its enmity; the latter can only kill the body, but the former murders many precious souls.

Matthew Henry, 1706 · public domain

Judges 3:1 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.

וְאֵ֤לֶּהve.'E.lehand theseH428
הַגּוֹיִם֙ha.go.Yim[are] the nationsH1471
אֲשֶׁ֣ר'a.SherwhichH834
הִנִּ֣יחַhi.Ni.achhe leftH5117
יְהוָ֔הYah.wehYahwehH3068
לְנַסּ֥וֹתle.na.Sotto put to [the] testH5254
בָּ֖םbamby <the> them
אֶת\־'et-<obj.>H853
יִשְׂרָאֵ֑לYis.ra.'ElIsraelH3478
אֵ֚ת'et<obj.>H853
כָּל\־kol-allH3605
אֲשֶׁ֣ר'a.Sher[those] whoH834
לֹֽא\־lo'-notH3808
יָדְע֔וּya.de.'Uthey had knownH3045
אֵ֖ת'et<obj.>H853
כָּל\־kol-allH3605
מִלְחֲמ֥וֹתmil.cha.Mot[the] wars ofH4421
כְּנָֽעַן\׃ke.Na.'anCanaanH3667

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

Cross references for Judges 3:1

  • Judges 2:21-22

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

  • Proverbs 17:3

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

  • Deuteronomy 7:22

    And the Lord thy God will put out those nations before thee by little and little: thou mayest not consume them at once, lest the beasts of the field increase upon thee.

  • 1 Peter 4:12

    Beloved, think it not strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened unto you:

  • 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;

  • Job 23:10

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

  • 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.

  • Jeremiah 6:27

    I have set thee for a tower and a fortress among my people, that thou mayest know and try their way.

  • John 2:24

    But Jesus did not commit himself unto them, because he knew all men,

  • Judges 2:10

    And also all that generation were gathered unto their fathers: and there arose another generation after them, which knew not the Lord, nor yet the works which he had done for Israel.

  • Jeremiah 17:9-10

    The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it? I the Lord search the heart, I try the reins, even to give every man according to his ways, and according to the fruit of his doings.

  • 1 Peter 1:7

    That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ:

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

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
1 The nations which were left to prove Israel.
5 By communion with them they commit idolatry.
8 Othniel delivered them from Chushan-rishathaim;
12 Ehud from Eglon;
31 and Shamgar from the Philistines.

A.M. 2561. B.C. 1443. An. Ex. Is. 48. the nations.
2:21,22; De 7:22
prove.
De 8:2,16; 2Ch 32:31; Job 23:10; Pr 17:3; Jer 6:27; 17:9,10
Zec 13:9; Joh 2:24; 1Pe 1:7; 4:12; Re 2:23
as had not.
2:10

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

Context

  • Judges 3:1

    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;

  • Judges 3:2

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

Read all of Judges 3

Judges 3:1 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909		ESTAS, pues, son las gentes que dejó Jehová para probar con ellas á Israel, á todos aquellos que no habían conocido todas las guerras de Canaán;
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885		Et ce sont ici les nations que l’ Éternel laissa subsister pour éprouver par elles Israël, savoir tous ceux qui n’avaient pas connu toutes les guerres de Canaan;
German
Elberfelder 1871		Und dies sind die Nationen, welche Jehova bleiben ließ, um Israel durch sie zu versuchen, alle, die nichts wußten von allen Kriegen Kanaans-
Latin
Clementine Vulgate		Hæ sunt gentes quas Dominus dereliquit, ut erudiret in eis Israëlem, et omnes qui non noverant bella Chananæorum: