TRV
Translation
King James Version
And they took their daughters to be their wives, and gave their daughters to their sons, and served their gods.
Complete Jewish Bible
taking their daughters as their wives, giving their own daughters to their sons and serving their gods.
Berean Standard Bible
And they took the daughters of these people in marriage, gave their own daughters to their sons, and served their gods.
American Standard Version
and they took their daughters to be their wives, and gave their own daughters to their sons and served their gods.
World English Bible Messianic
and they took their daughters to be their wives, and gave their own daughters to their sons and served their gods.
Geneva Bible (1599)
And they tooke their daughters to bee their wiues, and gaue their daughters to their sonnes, and serued their gods.
Young's Literal Translation
and take their daughters to them for wives, and their daughters have given to their sons, and they serve their gods;
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In the KJVVerse 6,575 of 31,102
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Commentary on Judges 3 verses 1–7
1 ¶ 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;
2 Only that the generations of the children of Israel might know, to teach them war, at the least such as before knew nothing thereof;
3 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.
4 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.
5 And the children of Israel dwelt among the Canaanites, Hittites, and Amorites, and Perizzites, and Hivites, and Jebusites:
6 And they took their daughters to be their wives, and gave their daughters to their sons, and served their gods.
7 And the children of Israel did evil in the sight of the LORD, and forgat the LORD their God, and served Baalim and the groves.
We are here told what remained of the old inhabitants of Canaan. 1. There were some of them that kept together in united bodies, unbroken (Jdg 3:3): The five lords of the Philistines, namely, Ashdod, Gaza, Askelon, Gath, and Ekron, Sa1 6:17. Three of these cities had been in part reduced (Jdg 1:18), but it seems the Philistines (probably with the help of the other two, which strengthened their confederacy with each other thenceforward) recovered the possession of them. These gave the greatest disturbance to Israel of any of the natives, especially in the latter times of the judges, and they were never quite reduced until David's time. There was a particular nation called Canaanites, that kept their ground with the Sidonians, upon the coast of the great sea. And in the north the Hivites held much of Mount Lebanon, it being a remote corner, in which perhaps they were supported by some of the neighbouring states. But, besides these, 2. There were every where in all parts of the country some scatterings of the nations (Jdg 3:5), Hittites, Amorites, etc., which, by Israel's foolish connivance and indulgence, were so many, so easy, and so insolent, that the children of Israel are said to dwell among them, as if the right had still remained in the Canaanites, and the Israelites had been taken in by their permission and only as tenants at will.
Now concerning these remnants of the natives observe,
I. How wisely God permitted them to remain. It is mentioned in the close of the foregoing chapter as an act of God's justice, that he let them remain for Israel's correction. But here another construction is put upon it, and it appears to have been an act of God's wisdom, that he let them remain for Israel's real advantage, that those who had not known the wars of Canaan might learn war, Jdg 3:1, Jdg 3:2. It was the will of God that the people of Israel should be inured to war, 1. Because their country was exceedingly rich and fruitful, and abounded with dainties of all sorts, which, if they were not sometimes made to know hardship, would be in danger of sinking them into the utmost degree of luxury and effeminacy. They must sometimes wade in blood, and not always in milk and honey, lest even their men of war, by the long disuse of arms, should become as soft and as nice as the tender and delicate woman, that would not set so much as the sole of her foot to the ground for tenderness and delicacy, a temper as destructive to every thing that is good as it is to every thing that is great, and therefore to be carefully watched against by all God's Israel. 2. Because their country lay very much in the midst of enemies, by whom they must expect to be insulted; for God's heritage was a speckled bird; the birds round about were against her, Jer 12:9. It was therefore necessary they should be well disciplined, that they might defend their coasts when invaded, and might hereafter enlarge their coast as God had promised them. The art of war is best learnt by experience, which not only acquaints men with martial discipline, but (which is no less necessary) inspires them with a martial disposition. It was for the interest of Israel to breed soldiers, as it is the interest of an island to breed sea-men, and therefore God left Canaanites among them, that, by the less difficulties and hardships they met with in encountering them, they might be prepared for greater, and, by running with the footmen, might learn to contend with horses, Jer 12:5. Israel was a figure of the church militant, that must fight its way to a triumphant state. The soldiers of Christ must endure hardness, Ti2 2:3. Corruption is therefore left remaining in the hearts even of good Christians, that they may learn war, may keep on the whole armour of God, and stand continually upon their guard. The learned bishop Patrick offers another sense of Jdg 3:2 : That they might know to teach them war, that is, they shall know what it is to be left to themselves. Their fathers fought by a divine power. God taught their hands to war and their fingers to fight; but now that they have forfeited his favour let them learn what it is to fight like other men.
II. How wickedly Israel mingled themselves with those that did remain. One thing God intended in leaving them among them was to prove Israel (Jdg 3:4), that those who were faithful to the God of Israel might have the honour of resisting the Canaanites' allurements to idolatry, and that those who were false and insincere might be discovered, and might fall under the shame of yielding to those allurements. Thus in the Christian churches there must needs be heresies, that those who are perfect may be made manifest, Co1 11:19. Israel, upon trial, proved bad. 1. They joined in marriage with the Canaanites (Jdg 3:6), though they could not advance either their honour or their estate by marrying with them. They would mar their blood instead of mending it, and sink their estates instead of raising them, by such marriages. 2. Thus they were brought to join in worship with them; they served their gods (Jdg 3:6), Baalim and the groves (Jdg 3:7), that is, the images that were worshipped in groves of thick trees, which were a sort of natural temples. In such unequal matches there is more reason to fear that the bad will corrupt the good than to hope that the good will reform the bad, as there is in laying two pears together, the one rotten and the other sound. When they inclined to worship other gods they forgot the Lord their God. In complaisance to their new relations, they talked of nothing by Baalim and the groves, so that by degrees they lost the remembrance of the true God, and forgot there was such a Being, and what obligations they lay under to him. In nothing is the corrupt memory of man more treacherous than in this, that it is apt to forget God; because out of sight, he is out of mind; and here begins all the wickedness that is in the world: they have perverted their way, for they have forgotten the Lord their God.
Matthew Henry (1662–1714) — Commentary on the Whole Bible. This section covers verses 1–7. Public domain.
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Source: Quotations drawn from early Church Fathers and historical Christian theologians (AD 100–1500). Some quotes address the surrounding passage context rather than this verse alone.
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SUMMARY
Judges 3:6 marks a critical turning point in Israel's post-Joshua history, vividly depicting their direct and deliberate disobedience to God's commands regarding separation from the Canaanite nations. This verse encapsulates the twin failures of intermarriage and subsequent idolatry, illustrating how the Israelites' social and familial integration with pagan peoples inevitably led to their abandonment of Yahweh worship and their embrace of foreign deities. It serves as a stark and tragic precursor to the recurring cycles of apostasy, divine judgment, oppression, and eventual deliverance that define the entire period of the Judges, powerfully highlighting the profound and devastating consequences of covenant infidelity.
CONTEXT
Literary Context: Judges 3:6 is strategically placed early in the book of Judges, immediately following the introductory chapters (Judges 1-2) which establish the context of Israel's failure to fully dispossess the Canaanites after Joshua's death. The book of Judges chronicles a tragic, predictable, and cyclical pattern of Israel's sin (often idolatry and disobedience), God's consequent servitude (oppression by foreign nations), Israel's supplication (cries for help), God's salvation (raising up a judge), and a period of silence or peace, before the cycle inevitably repeats. Judges 3:5 explicitly states that Israel "lived among the Canaanites, Hittites, Amorites, Perizzites, Hivites and Jebusites," setting the immediate backdrop for the actions described in verse 6. This verse, therefore, marks the crucial initiation of the "sin" phase for the first major cycle of apostasy and judgment, demonstrating the direct violation of God's earlier, emphatic commands to utterly dispossess the inhabitants of the land and avoid any covenant or intermarriage with them, as found in foundational passages like Deuteronomy 7 and Exodus 34. It is the first concrete example of the spiritual decline prophesied.
Historical & Cultural Context: During the period of the Judges, the land of Canaan was inhabited by various peoples, including those listed in Judges 3:5. These Canaanite groups were deeply polytheistic, with their religious practices centering on fertility cults that often involved ritual prostitution, sympathetic magic, and even child sacrifice, particularly in the worship of deities like Baal (the storm god, believed to bring rain and fertility) and Asherah (his consort, a goddess of fertility and motherhood). Their religious system was not merely a set of beliefs but was intricately interwoven with their daily life, agricultural cycles, social structures, and political alliances. For Israel, Yahweh worship demanded exclusive devotion, a distinct moral code based on the Mosaic Law, and a unique identity as God's chosen people, standing in stark contrast to Canaanite practices. God's command to dispossess these nations and avoid intermarriage was not merely about ethnic purity but fundamentally about preserving Israel's unique covenant identity and preventing spiritual contamination. To form marital alliances, as described in Judges 3:6, was to integrate deeply into their social and religious fabric, inevitably exposing Israel to, and ultimately drawing them into, the worship of foreign gods. This cultural assimilation was a direct and existential threat to the very foundation of Israel's existence as God's holy nation.
Key Themes: Judges 3:6 powerfully illustrates several critical themes that permeate the book of Judges and the broader Old Testament narrative. First, it highlights the theme of intermarriage and assimilation, explicitly stating, "And they took their daughters to be their wives, and gave their daughters to their sons." This practice, strictly forbidden by God in passages like Exodus 34:16 and Deuteronomy 7:3-4, represented a profound compromise of Israel's distinct covenant identity and holiness. Second, the verse immediately reveals the devastating consequence: "and served their gods," underscoring the theme of idolatry and spiritual compromise. Intermarriage was not merely a social or political act but a direct gateway to spiritual apostasy, as familial ties inevitably led to participation in the worship of foreign deities like Baal and Asherah, directly violating the first two commandments of the Decalogue (Exodus 20:3-5). This spiritual adultery demonstrates Israel's profound disobedience to God's covenant, choosing to follow their own desires and the ways of the surrounding nations rather than upholding their sacred agreement with Yahweh, thereby setting the stage for the recurring cycles of judgment that characterize the entire book of Judges.
EXPOSITION AND ANALYSIS
Key Word Analysis
Verse Breakdown
Literary Devices
Judges 3:6 employs several potent literary devices to convey its powerful message. Cause and Effect is prominently displayed, where the act of intermarriage ("took their daughters... and gave their daughters") is presented as the direct precursor and inevitable cause of the spiritual apostasy ("and served their gods"). This highlights the direct causal link between social compromise and spiritual corruption, emphasizing that actions have consequences. There is also a strong element of Irony: Israel, chosen by God to be a distinct, holy nation set apart from the pagan world and called to dispossess these very peoples, actively chooses to integrate with them through the most intimate of bonds. Furthermore, the verse functions as powerful Foreshadowing, setting the stage for the recurring cycles of apostasy, divine judgment, and oppression that will characterize the remainder of the book of Judges, as Israel repeatedly falls into idolatry due to their failure to obey God's commands. Finally, the verse presents a clear Antithesis between God's explicit commands for separation and exclusive worship and Israel's actions of integration and polytheistic devotion, underscoring their profound covenant infidelity and spiritual rebellion.
THEOLOGICAL AND THEMATIC CONNECTIONS
Judges 3:6 serves as a profound theological statement on the insidious dangers of syncretism and the critical importance of covenant faithfulness. It reveals that spiritual compromise often begins with seemingly social or cultural choices, demonstrating that intimate relationships with those devoted to other gods inevitably lead to a divided heart and, ultimately, to apostasy. For ancient Israel, intermarriage was not merely a social act but a direct violation of their covenant identity, which was designed to keep them distinct and devoted to Yahweh alone. The verse powerfully illustrates God's unwavering demand for exclusive worship and the severe consequences of spiritual adultery, underscoring the timeless principle that one cannot serve two masters. The narrative throughout Judges consistently demonstrates that Israel's suffering and oppression were a direct result of their turning away from God to serve foreign deities, a destructive cycle initiated by the very actions described in this verse.
REFLECTION AND APPLICATION
Judges 3:6 offers a timeless and sobering warning for believers today, highlighting the enduring temptation to compromise faith for the sake of worldly acceptance or comfort. The Israelites' failure to maintain spiritual distinctiveness, leading to intermarriage and idolatry, mirrors the subtle and often insidious ways worldly influences can erode our devotion to Christ. In our increasingly pluralistic and secular society, the pressure to conform, to dilute our convictions, or to prioritize social integration over spiritual integrity remains potent. While we may not bow to physical idols of Baal or Asherah, modern "gods" such as materialism, consumerism, career ambition, self-worship, comfort, or even political ideologies can subtly demand our ultimate allegiance, drawing our hearts away from exclusive devotion to Christ. This verse calls us to a vigilant self-examination, urging us to discern where our allegiances truly lie and to guard against any relationship, pursuit, or cultural trend that might subtly lead us away from the purity of worship and obedience to God. It underscores the necessity of intentional spiritual separation (not isolation from the world, but separation from its ungodly values), maintaining a distinct Christ-centered identity in a world that constantly pressures conformity, and prioritizing our covenant relationship with God above all else.
Questions for Reflection
FAQ
Why was intermarriage with the Canaanites so strictly forbidden?
Answer: The prohibition against intermarriage was not based on racial discrimination but on the critical importance of preserving Israel's unique spiritual identity and their exclusive covenant relationship with Yahweh. God knew that such alliances would inevitably lead to syncretism, where the worship of Yahweh would be blended with the pagan practices of the Canaanites. As Deuteronomy 7:3-4 explicitly states, "You shall not intermarry with them, giving your daughters to their sons or taking their daughters for your sons, for they would turn away your sons from following me, to serve other gods." The primary concern was the spiritual purity of the nation, their exclusive devotion to the one true God, and the prevention of their corruption by the pervasive idolatry and immoral practices of the surrounding cultures.
Does this verse imply that all relationships with non-believers are forbidden for Christians today?
Answer: No, this verse does not imply that all relationships with non-believers are forbidden for Christians today. The context of Judges 3:6 is specific to ancient Israel's unique covenant relationship with God and their role as a holy nation in the Promised Land, where intermarriage with pagan idolaters was a direct and inevitable path to national apostasy and the corruption of their worship. For Christians, the New Testament warns against being "unequally yoked" in marriage (2 Corinthians 6:14), emphasizing the critical importance of spiritual unity and shared devotion to Christ in the most intimate of human relationships. However, Christians are also called to be salt and light in the world, engaging with non-believers for the purpose of witness, evangelism, and demonstrating God's love (1 Corinthians 5:9-10). The principle derived from Judges 3:6 for today is about guarding one's spiritual integrity and ensuring that one's deepest allegiances and practices remain exclusively devoted to Christ, without compromising faith through unholy alliances or the adoption of worldly values that contradict God's truth.
CHRIST-CENTERED FULFILLMENT
Judges 3:6 poignantly illustrates Israel's profound failure to uphold their covenant with God, particularly their inability to maintain spiritual purity and exclusive devotion to Yahweh. Their intermarriage with pagan nations and subsequent idolatry reveal a recurring pattern of human weakness, unfaithfulness, and a deep-seated inability to live up to God's holy standards. This consistent failure throughout the Old Testament narrative underscores humanity's desperate need for a perfect deliverer and a new, more effective covenant. Jesus Christ perfectly fulfills what Israel could not. He is the true Israel, the faithful Son who never compromised His devotion to the Father, even when tempted by the world. Unlike Israel, who turned to serve other gods, Jesus perfectly embodies the exclusive worship of God, declaring, "You shall worship the Lord your God, and Him only you shall serve" (Matthew 4:10). Through His atoning sacrifice on the cross, Jesus, the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world, cleanses humanity from the spiritual adultery of idolatry and establishes a New Covenant where God's law is written not merely on stone tablets but directly on the hearts of His people. By the indwelling power of His Holy Spirit, believers are empowered to live lives of genuine purity, exclusive devotion to God, and true worship, something Israel could not achieve under the Old Covenant. In Christ, we find the ultimate solution to the problem of a divided heart, enabling us to truly serve the one true God and avoid the spiritual compromises that plagued ancient Israel.