Charles Ellicott Commentary Judges 3

To prove Israel. —The verb here used is the same as in Judges 2:22 and Judges 3:4, but, as R. Tanchum observes, it is used in a slightly different sense, meaning “to train them.” Symmachus renders it askēsai.

As many of Israel as had not known all the wars of Canaan. —This expression clearly implies the generation after that of Joshua. “The wars of Canaan” are equivalent to “the wars of the Lord,” and refer to the struggles of the actual conquest.

Only that the generations of the children of Israel might know, to teach them war. —The Septuagint here renders, “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 phrase “teaching them war” doubtless implies the lesson that they could only learn successfully by the help of God.

As before knew nothing thereof. —That is, “knew nothing of those nations, or of those wars.”

Five lords of the Philistines. —The princes of the Pentapolis: Gaza, Ashdod, Askelon, Gath, Ekron. The word rendered “lords” is evidently a technical or local title—Seranim. It is rendered by the Septuagint as “satrapies,” and by the Vulgate as “satraps.” It is variously derived from seren, “a hinge” (compare “cardinal” from “cardo”); from sar, “a prince,” being interchanged with sarim, in 1 Samuel 13:30 and 1 Samuel 29:6 (Ewald, i. 332); and from some Phoenician root. For the Philistines, see Judges 13:1.

All the Canaanites. —Of the shephelah or maritime plain.

The Sidonians. —In Genesis 10:15, “Sidon” is the eldest son of Canaan. They maintained their complete independence to the last.

The Hivites who lived in Mount Lebanon. —In Joshua 11:3, they are described as living “under Hermon, in the land at Mizpeh,” from which Mizpeh has been identified with “el-Mutalleh,” which also means “the look-out” or “watch-tower.”

The name Hivite has been derived from Havvah, a circular encampment or village, because they lived (as they do to this day in northern Syria) in circular villages, with enclosures for cattle in the centre. Ewald (i. 318) supposes that the word means “midlanders,” and Gesenius “villagers.” The Hivite is the sixth son of Canaan, in Genesis 10:17.

Mount Baal-hermon to the entrance of Hamath. —In Joshua 13:5, we have “from Baal-gad under mount Hermon unto,” etc. Baal-gad is also mentioned in Joshua 12:7 and Joshua 11:17, and is usually supposed to be Paneas or Caesarea Philippi.

It was probably a temple of Baal, but must be farther south than Baalbek. The hill of Paneas is therefore, in all probability, “Mount Baal-hermon,” and Baal-hermon may be only another name for Baal-gad. Fürst supposes that both Gad and Gedi (in Engedi) are names of Astarte.

The entrance of Hamath. —This is the usual phrase to describe the northern boundary of Canaan. The Septuagint takes it as a proper name, Labo emath.

To prove Israel. —See Judges 2:22.

Dwelt among the Canaanites ... —These nations are enumerated also in Exodus 33:2; Exodus 34:1. In Joshua 24:11 the Girgashites are added; in Ezra 9:1 the Ammonites and Moabites. (See Notes on those places.)

At this verse begins the second great section of the book (Judges 3:5–16), which Prof. Cassel summarises as “a history of sin repeating itself, and of Divine Grace constantly devising new remedies.”