Judges 3:2

Verse

if only to teach warfare to the subsequent generations of Israel, especially to those who had not known it formerly:

American Standard Version (1901)

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

Bible in Basic English

Only because of the generations of the children of Israel, for the purpose of teaching them war — only those who up till then had no experience of it;

Free Bible Version

(He did so to teach warfare to the later generations of Israel, particularly to those who had not previously experienced it.)

Geneva Bible 1599

Only to make the generations of the children of Israel to know, and to teach them warre, which doutles their predecessors knew not)

King James (Authorized) Version

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

Unlocked Literal Bible

(He did this to teach warfare to the new generation of the Israelites who had not known it before.)

Noah Webster Bible

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

World English Bible

only that the generations of the children of Israel might know, to teach them war, at least those who knew nothing of 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) —

Context

Nations Left to Test Israel

¹These are the nations that the LORD left to test all the Israelites who had not known any of the wars in Canaan,²if only to teach warfare to the subsequent generations of Israel, especially to those who had not known it formerly:³the five rulers of the Philistines, all the Canaanites, the Sidonians, and the Hivites who lived in the mountains of Lebanon from Mount Baal-hermon to Lebo-hamath.

Sermons

What Happened?

K.P. Yohannan

Summary

This verse highlights a strategic aspect of God's plan for the Israelites as they settled in the Promised Land. The Lord allowed certain nations to remain in the land to test the Israelites, to see if they would obey His commandments or be influenced by the surrounding pagan practices. By leaving these nations, God provided an opportunity for the Israelites to demonstrate their faithfulness and commitment to Him. This verse serves as a reminder of the importance of staying true to God's word and not being swayed by the ways of the world.

Commentary

John Gill

John Gill Bible Commentary

Only that the generations of the children of Israel might know and teach them war,.... That is, the following nations were left in the land, that the young generations of Israel might by their wars and conflicts with them learn the art of war, and be inured to martial discipline; which, if none had been left to engage with, they had been ignorant of: besides, their fathers in Joshua's time, as Jarchi and Kimchi observe, had no need to learn the art of war, for God fought for them; they did not get possession of the land by their own arm, and by their sword, but by the power of God in a miraculous way; but now this was not to be expected, and the Canaanites were left among them to expel, that they might be trained up in the knowledge of warlike affairs, and so be also capable of teaching their children the military art; which they should make use of in obeying the command of God, by driving out the remains of the Canaanites, and not give themselves up to sloth and indolence; though some think that the meaning is, that God left these nations among them, that they might know what war was, and the sad effects of it; and the difference of fighting with their enemies alone, as other men, and the Lord fighting along with them, and for them, as he did for their fathers: at least such as before knew nothing thereof; being either unborn, or at an age incapable of bearing arms, or learning the art of war.