Judges 3:1
◄  Judges 3:1  ►
New International Version (©2011)
These are the nations the LORD left to test all those Israelites who had not experienced any of the wars in Canaan

New Living Translation (©2007)
These are the nations that the LORD left in the land to test those Israelites who had not experienced the wars of Canaan.

English Standard Version (©2001)
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 American Standard Bible (©1995)
Now these are the nations which the LORD left, to test Israel by them (that is, all who had not experienced any of the wars of Canaan;

King James Bible (Cambridge Ed.)
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;

Holman Christian Standard Bible (©2009)
These are the nations the LORD left in order to test Israel, since the Israelites had fought none of these in any of the wars with Canaan.

International Standard Version (©2012)
Here's a list of nations that the LORD caused to remain in order to test Israel (that is, everyone who had not gained any battle experience in Canaan)

NET Bible (©2006)
These were the nations the LORD permitted to remain so he could use them to test Israel--he wanted to test all those who had not experienced battle against the Canaanites.

GOD'S WORD® Translation (©1995)
These are the nations the LORD left behind to test all the Israelites who had not experienced any war in Canaan.

King James 2000 Bible (©2003)
Now these are the nations which the LORD left, to test Israel by them, even as many of Israel as had not known all the wars of Canaan;

American King James Version
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;

American Standard Version
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;

Douay-Rheims Bible
These are the nations which the Lord left, that by them he might instruct Israel, and all that had not known the wars of the Chanaanites:

Darby Bible Translation
Now these are the nations which the LORD left, to test Israel by them, that is, all in Israel who had no experience of any war in Canaan;

English Revised Version
Now these are the nations which the LORD left, to prove Israel by them, even as many as had not known all the wars of Canaan;

Webster's Bible Translation
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;

World English Bible
Now these are the nations which Yahweh left, to prove Israel by them, even as many [of Israel] as had not known all the wars of Canaan;

Young's Literal Translation
And these are the nations which Jehovah left, to try Israel by them, all who have not known all the wars of Canaan;

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary

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.

Pulpit Commentary

Verse 1. - Now these are the nations, etc. We are now told in detail what was stated in general in Judges 2:22, 23, after the common method of Hebrew narrative. To prove Israel. This word to prove is used here in a somewhat different sense from that which it bears in ver. 4 and in Judges 2:22. In those passages it is used of their moral probation, of proving or testing their faith and obedience; but here it is rather in the sense of "to exercise" or "to accustom them," to train them to war. A considerable period of rest had followed Joshua's conquest, during which the younger Israelites had no experience of war; but if they were to keep their hold of Canaan, it was needful that the warlike spirit should be kept up in their breasts.

Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible

Now these are the nations which the Lord left to prove Israel by them,.... Which are later mentioned, Judges 3:3,

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.

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary

CHAPTER 3

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.

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Nations Left to Test Israel
1Now 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; 2Only that the generations of the children of Israel might know, to teach them war, at the least such as before knew nothing thereof; 3Namely, five lords of the Philistines, and all the Canaanites, and the Sidonians, and the Hivites that dwelled in mount Lebanon, from mount Baalhermon to the entering in of Hamath. …

Exodus 15:25 Then Moses cried out to the LORD, and the LORD showed him a piece of wood. He threw it into the water, and the water became fit to drink. There the LORD issued a ruling and instruction for them and put them to the test.
Judges 1:1 After the death of Joshua, the Israelites asked the LORD, "Who of us is to go up first to fight against the Canaanites?"
Judges 2:21 I will no longer drive out before them any of the nations Joshua left when he died.
Judges 2:22 I will use them to test Israel and see whether they will keep the way of the LORD and walk in it as their ancestors did."
Judges 2:23 The LORD had allowed those nations to remain; he did not drive them out at once by giving them into the hands of Joshua.
Judges 3:2 (he did this only to teach warfare to the descendants of the Israelites who had not had previous battle experience):
1 Kings 9:21 Solomon conscripted the descendants of all these peoples remaining in the land--whom the Israelites could not exterminate --to serve as slave labor, as it is to this day.