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Charles John Ellicott

Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers - Judges 3:2

(2) Only that the generations of the children of Israel might know, to teach them war.—The LXX. here render, “Only because of the generations of the children of Israel to teach them war.” The Vulgate is here a mere paraphrase, and the translations vary. The meaning seems to be, “Only that He (Jehovah) might know the generations of the children of Israel, to teach them war.” The expression resembles 2 Chronicles 32:31. The “teaching them war” doubtless implies the lesson that they could only... read more

William Nicoll

Expositor's Dictionary of Texts - Judges 3:1-31

Judges 3:1-2 Wherever temptation is, there is God also.... Nothing is at random, as if temptation were hurrying here and there like bullets in the air of a battlefield. F. W. Faber. Judges 3:6 'The conduct of the negotiations,' between the Christian and Moslem powers in Palestine, 'fell to the Templars, and between them and the Saracens there grew up some kind of acquaintance. Having their home in the East they got to know the Eastern character. It was alleged afterwards that in this way their... read more

William Nicoll

Expositor's Bible Commentary - Judges 3:1-11

THE ARM OF ARAM AND OF OTHNIELJudges 3:1-11WE come now to a statement of no small importance, which may be the cause of some perplexity. It is emphatically affirmed that God fulfilled His design for Israel by leaving around it in Canaan a circle of vigorous tribes very unlike each other, but alike in this, that each presented to the Hebrews a civilisation from which something might be learned but much had to be dreaded, a seductive form of paganism which ought to have been entirely resisted, an... read more

Arno Clemens Gaebelein

Arno Gaebelein's Annotated Bible - Judges 3:1-4

2. The Angel at Bochim and the History of the Entire Book CHAPTERS 2:1-3:4 1. The angel at Bochim (Judges 2:1-5 ) 2. Israel’s obedience remembered (Judges 2:6-10 ) 3. Israel’s strange gods (Judges 2:11-15 ) 4. Israel’s history under the judges outlined (Judges 2:16-18 ) 5. The nations left to prove Israel (Judges 2:19-23 ; Judges 3:1-4 ) The opening event of this chapter is significant. The Angel of the Lord came up from Gilgal to Bochim. This Angel is Jehovah Himself. His own... read more

John Calvin

Geneva Study Bible - Judges 3:2

3:2 Only that the generations of the children of Israel might know, to teach them war, at the least such as before knew {b} nothing thereof;(b) For they trusted in God and he fought for them. read more

L.M. Grant

L. M. Grant's Commentary on the Bible - Judges 3:1-31

THE NATIONS LEFT TO TEST ISRAEL (vv. 1-6) The younger Israelites had not learned war, and were faced now with learning it by means of the nations left in the land, for God is not going to exempt any believer from the conflict that is necessary if we are to possess the territory He has given us. We tend too easily to simply rest on the fact of the conquests of our fathers and settle down in a self-complacent attitude that soon works havoc. These remaining enemies included five lords of the... read more

James Gray

James Gray's Concise Bible Commentary - Judges 3:1-31

JOSHUA TO SHAMGAR JUDAH’S INCOMPLETE VICTORY (Judges 1:1-20 ) After the death of Joshua the question of which tribe should lead in the subsequent campaign was answered by the Lord in the choice of Judah (Judges 1:1-2 ) which was in accordance with the divine prophecy through Jacob (Genesis 49:8 ). Doubtless the inquiry was made by Urim and Thummim on the breastplate of the high priest, to which reference was made in Exodus. Judah invites the cooperation of Simeon because the territory of... read more

Joseph Parker

The People's Bible by Joseph Parker - Judges 3:1-31

Othniel Jdg 3:9-11 A GREAT prayer marks a historical point in the life of any man or any people. We know when we have prayed. The people who ask questions in a controversial tone about prayer never prayed themselves, and so long as they are in that spirit they cannot pray. This exercise is not to be explained to outsiders; this is an inner mystery. The publican knew that he had prayed when he said, "God be merciful to me a sinner." He needed not to ask any man whether a prayer had been... read more

Robert Hawker

Hawker's Poor Man's Commentary - Judges 3:1-4

This is an interesting chapter, and the first verse acts as a key to let us into the meaning of it. The Lord, we are told, left those nations to prove Israel. Hence we learn, that the trials of God's people are of God's appointment. I stay not to dwell much upon the historical part of it, for I think it quite enough to observe, that the five lords of the Philistines, which, in after ages of the days of the kings of Israel, made such a figure in history, were the lords of Ashdod, and Gaza, and... read more

George Haydock

George Haydock's Catholic Bible Commentary - Judges 3:2

And be. Hebrew, "at least, such as before knew nothing thereof." Though war be in itself an evil, the passions of men render it necessary, and God makes use of it as a scourge, to punish the wicked, and at the same time to keep all under due restraint. (Haydock) --- Too long a peace has proved sometimes fatal to states and to the virtue of individuals. In adversity we call upon God, and adhere to him with greater fervour and constancy. The Jews were so prone to evil, that, if they were... read more

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