Judges 3 · Verse 4

Judges 3:4

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.
Judges 3:4, King James Version

Judges 3:4 in other translations

BSBThese 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.
WEBThey were left to test Israel by them, to know whether they would listen to the LORD’s commandments, which he commanded their fathers by Moses.
ASVAnd 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.
YLTand they are to prove Israel by them, to know whether they obey the commands of Jehovah that He commanded their fathers by the hand of Moses.
DARBYAnd they were to prove Israel by them, to know whether they would obey the commandments of Jehovah, which he commanded their fathers by the hand of Moses.
BBEFor the purpose of testing Israel by them, to see if they would give ear to the orders of the Lord, which he had given to their fathers by the hand of Moses.
WebsterAnd they were to prove Israel by them, to know whether they would hearken to the commandments of the LORD, which he commanded their fathers by the hand of Moses.

What does Judges 3:4 mean?

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 4 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.

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…

Read the full comment on Judges 3:1-7 →

Judges 3:4 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.

וַֽיִּהְי֕וּvai.yih.Yuand they wereH1961
לְנַסּ֥וֹתle.na.Sotto put to [the] testH5254
בָּ֖םbamby <the> them
אֶת\־'et-<obj.>H853
יִשְׂרָאֵ֑לYis.ra.'ElIsraelH3478
לָדַ֗עַתla.Da.'atto knowH3045
הֲיִשְׁמְעוּ֙ha.yish.me.'U¿ will they obeyH8085
אֶת\־'et-<obj.>H853
מִצְוֹ֣תmitz.Vot[the] commandments ofH4687
יְהוָ֔הYah.wehYahwehH3068
אֲשֶׁר\־'a.Sher-whichH834
צִוָּ֥הtzi.Vahhe had commandedH6680
אֶת\־'et-<obj.>H853
אֲבוֹתָ֖ם'a.vo.Tamancestors theirH1
בְּיַד\־be.yad-by [the] hand ofH3027
מֹשֶֽׁה\׃mo.ShehMosesH4872

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

Cross references for Judges 3:4

  • 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 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;

  • Exodus 15:25

    And he cried unto the Lord; and the Lord shewed him a tree, which when he had cast into the waters, the waters were made sweet: there he made for them a statute and an ordinance, and there he proved them,

  • 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 33:8

    And of Levi he said, Let thy Thummim and thy Urim be with thy holy one, whom thou didst prove at Massah, and with whom thou didst strive at the waters of Meribah;

  • 1 Corinthians 11:19

    For there must be also heresies among you, that they which are approved may be made manifest among you.

  • 2 Thessalonians 2:9-12

    Even him, whose coming is after the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders, And with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish; because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved. And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie: That they all might be damned who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness.

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

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
to prove.
1; 2:22; Ex 15:25; De 33:8; 1Co 11:19; 2Th 2:9-12

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

Context

  • Judges 3:3

    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.

  • Judges 3:4

    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.

  • Judges 3:5

    And the children of Israel dwelt among the Canaanites, Hittites, and Amorites, and Perizzites, and Hivites, and Jebusites:

Read all of Judges 3

Judges 3:4 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909
Estos pues fueron para probar por ellos á Israel, para saber si obedecerían á los mandamientos de Jehová, que él había prescrito á sus padres por mano de Moisés.
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885
elles étaient laissées pour éprouver par elles Israël, pour savoir s’ils écouteraient les commandements de l’ Éternel, qu’il avait commandés à leurs pères par Moïse.
German
Elberfelder 1871
Und sie dienten dazu, Israel durch sie zu versuchen, um zu wissen, ob sie den Geboten Jehovas gehorchen würden, welche er ihren Vätern durch Mose geboten hatte.
Latin
Clementine Vulgate
Dimisitque eos, ut in ipsis experiretur Israëlem, utrum audiret mandata Domini quæ præceperat patribus eorum per manum Moysi, an non.