Judges 3:2 (he did this only to teach warfare to the descendants of the Israelites who had not had previous battle experience):

◄ Judges 3:2 ►

Parallel Verses

New International Version
(he did this only to teach warfare to the descendants of the Israelites who had not had previous battle experience):

English Standard Version
It was only in order that the generations of the people of Israel might know war, to teach war to those who had not known it before.

New American Standard Bible
only in order that the generations of the sons of Israel might be taught war, those who had not experienced it formerly).

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

Holman Christian Standard Bible
This was to teach the future generations of the Israelites how to fight in battle, especially those who had not fought before.

International Standard Version
only so that successive Israeli generations, who had not known war previously, might come to know it by experience.

American Standard Version
only that the generations of the children of Israel might know, to teach them war, at the least such as beforetime knew nothing thereof:

Douay-Rheims Bible
That afterwards their children might learn to fight with their enemies, and to be trained up to war:

Darby Bible Translation
it was only that the generations of the people of Israel might know war, that he might teach war to such at least as had not known it before.

Young's Literal Translation
(only for the sake of the generations of the sons of Israel's knowing, to teach them war, only those who formerly have not known them) --

Commentaries

Matthew Henry's 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.

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown

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.