4
They wereוַיִּהְיוּfor testingלְנַסּוֹתIsraelאֶת יִשְׂרָאֵלby them,בָּםto knowלָדַעַתwhetherהֲthey would listenיִשְׁמְעוּto the commandmentsאֶת מִצְוֺתof YHWHיְהוָהthatאֲשֶׁרhe commandedצִוָּהtheir fathersאֶת אֲבוֹתָםthroughבְּיַדMoses.מֹשֶׁה
Judges 3:4
Study it in the app“They were for testing Israel by them, to know whether they would listen to the commandments of YHWH that he commanded their fathers through Moses.”
With the Hebrew beneath
Judges 3:4, word by word
- They wereיִּהְיוּyihyu
be
To be: "I will be their Elohim".
Where else “yihyu” appears- for testingנַסּוֹתnasot
test
To put someone in a situation to see how he responds and what is within him.
Where else “nasot” appears- Israelיִשְׂרָאֵלyisrael
Israel
Israel, the new name Jacob received from God, explained as "you have striven with God" (Genesis 32:28); then the name of the people that came from him and, after the division, of the northern kingdom.
Where else “yisrael” appears- to knowדַעַתdaat
know
To know something, realize.
Where else “daat” appears- they would listenיִשְׁמְעוּyishmu
listen
To pay close attention, or heed a plea.
Where else “yishmu” appears- to the commandmentsמִצְוֺתmitsvot
commandment
An order of God that must be kept.
Where else “mitsvot” appears- of YHWHיְהוָהyehva
YHWH
The personal name of the God of Israel, written in Hebrew with four letters, Y-H-W-H, without vowels. Out of reverence Jews stopped pronouncing it and read "Adonai" (Lord), so many Bibles put "the LORD" or "Jehovah". This translation keeps the four letters. The name is related to the verb "to be" (Exodus 3:14-15). He is not a god other than Elohim: "YHWH Elohim" is the same Creator God, called by his name.
Where else “yehva” appears- he commandedצִוָּהtsiva
command
To give an order: "as YHWH had commanded".
Where else “tsiva” appears- their fathersאֲבוֹתָavota
forefather
Ancestors, those who came before in the family.
Where else “avota” appears- throughיַדyad
through
Literally "by the hand of": that person is the one who does it or carries it.
Where else “yad” appears- Mosesמֹשֶׁהmoshe
Moses
Moses, the man God called to bring Israel out of Egypt and through whom he gave the Law. His name sounds like "draw out" (Exodus 2:10).
Where else “moshe” appears
The context
3the five lords of the Philistines, all the Canaanite, the Sidonian, and the Hivite who lived on Mount Lebanon, from Mount Baal-hermon as far as the entrance of Hamath.
4 · This verse (above)
5So the sons of Israel lived among the Canaanite, the Hittite, the Amorite, the Perizzite, the Hivite, and the Jebusite.