^3:2He left those nations simply because he wanted to teach the subsequent generations of Israelites, who had not experienced the earlier battles, how to conduct holy war.²

Read in Logos

Footnotes

2 The Hebrew syntax of v. 2 is difficult. The Hebrew text reads literally, “only in order that the generations of the Israelites might know, to teach them war—only those who formerly did not know them.” The stated purpose for leaving the nations (to teach the subsequent generations … how to conduct holy war) seems to contradict 2:22 and 3:4, which indicate the nations were left to test Israel’s loyalty to the Lord. However, the two stated purposes can be harmonized. The willingness of later generations to learn and engage in holy war would measure their allegiance to the Lord (see B. G. Webb, Judges [], ).

In other versions

ESVEnglish 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.

NIVNew International Version (2011)

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

CSBChristian Standard Bible

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

NLTNew Living Translation

He did this to teach warfare to generations of Israelites who had no experience in battle.

LEBThe Lexham English Bible

in order that the generations of Israel would know war, to teach those who had not experienced it before):

KJV 1900King James 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;

Public Domain