King James Version
Judges 3:2 in the King James Version says “Only that the generations of the children of Israel might know, to teach them war, at the least such as before knew noth...” — study this verse from Judges chapter 3 with commentary, cross-references, and original Hebrew word analysis.
“Only that the generations of the children of Israel might know, to teach them war, at the least such as before knew nothing thereof;”
Judges 3:2 · KJV
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;
Only that the generations of the children of Israel might know, to teach them war, at the least such as before knew nothing thereof;
Namely, five lords of the Philistines, and all the Canaanites, and the Sidonians, and the Hivites that dwelt in mount Lebanon, from mount Baalhermon unto the entering in of Hamath.
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.
KJV Study — Public Domain
“Only that”
H7535properly, leanness, i.e., (figuratively) limitation; only adverbial, merely, or conjunctional, although
properly, heed, i.e., purpose; used only adverbially, on account of (as a motive or an aim), teleologically, in order that
“knew”
H3045to know (properly, to ascertain by seeing); used in a great variety of senses, figuratively, literally, euphemistically and inferentially (including o
“the generations”
H1755properly, a revolution of time, i.e., an age or generation; also a dwelling
“of the children”
H1121a son (as a builder of the family name), in the widest sense (of literal and figurative relationship, including grandson, subject, nation, quality or
“of Israel”
H3478he will rule as god; jisral, a symbolical name of jacob; also (typically) of his posterity
“to teach”
H3925properly, to goad, i.e., (by implication) to teach (the rod being an middle eastern incentive)
“Only that”
H7535properly, leanness, i.e., (figuratively) limitation; only adverbial, merely, or conjunctional, although
who, which, what, that; also (as an adverb and a conjunction) when, where, how, because, in order that, etc
“at the least such as before”
H6440the face (as the part that turns); used in a great variety of applications (literally and figuratively); also (with prepositional prefix) as a preposi
not (the simple or abs. negation); by implication, no; often used with other particles
“knew”
H3045to know (properly, to ascertain by seeing); used in a great variety of senses, figuratively, literally, euphemistically and inferentially (including o
This verse is found in the book of Judges. Understanding the historical and cultural background helps illuminate its meaning for the original audience and for us today.
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