Judges 3:6

And they took their daughters to be their wives, and gave their daughters to their sons, and served their gods.

And they took {H3947} their daughters {H1323} to be their wives {H802}, and gave {H5414} their daughters {H1323} to their sons {H1121}, and served {H5647} their gods {H430}.

taking their daughters as their wives, giving their own daughters to their sons and serving their gods.

And they took the daughters of these people in marriage, gave their own daughters to their sons, and served their gods.

and they took their daughters to be their wives, and gave their own daughters to their sons and served their gods.

Commentary

Judges 3:6 describes a critical failure of the Israelites during the period of the Judges, highlighting their spiritual decline and disobedience to God's explicit commands. This verse details the consequences of their decision to coexist with the Canaanite nations, rather than completely driving them out as instructed by God.

Context

Following the death of Joshua, the book of Judges chronicles a cyclical pattern of Israel's disobedience, oppression by foreign nations, cries for deliverance, and God raising up a judge to save them. Judges 3:5 establishes that Israel dwelt among the various Canaanite peoples. God had specifically warned Israel against forming alliances or intermarrying with these nations, knowing it would lead to spiritual compromise and idolatry. This verse shows the direct violation of those commands, setting the stage for the recurring cycles of judgment and deliverance that characterize the book.

Key Themes

  • Intermarriage and Assimilation: The verse explicitly states, "And they took their daughters to be their wives, and gave their daughters to their sons." This practice of intermarriage with the surrounding pagan peoples was strictly forbidden by God (Exodus 34:16; Deuteronomy 7:3-4). It represented a deep assimilation into the culture and religious practices of the Canaanites, rather than maintaining their distinct identity as God's chosen people.
  • Idolatry and Spiritual Compromise: The direct consequence of intermarriage and assimilation is stated: "and served their gods." This shows the ultimate danger God warned against. By forming family ties with idolaters, the Israelites were inevitably drawn into the worship of foreign deities like Baal and Ashtoreth, abandoning the worship of the one true God. This spiritual adultery was a direct violation of the first two commandments (Exodus 20:3-5).
  • Disobedience to God's Covenant: The entire narrative of Judges highlights Israel's failure to uphold their end of the covenant with God. This verse is a clear example of their breaking faith, choosing to follow their own desires and the ways of the world rather than God's clear instructions for their spiritual purity and welfare.

Linguistic Insights

The KJV phrase "served their gods" is a straightforward translation of the Hebrew, indicating active worship, devotion, and submission to the pagan deities of the Canaanites. This wasn't merely a passive acceptance but an intentional act of religious service, often involving rituals, sacrifices, and practices contrary to the Law of Moses.

Practical Application

Judges 3:6 serves as a timeless warning against spiritual compromise and the dangers of allowing worldly influences to erode one's faith. For believers today, it underscores several vital principles:

  • Guard Against Unholy Alliances: While not advocating isolation, the principle warns against intimate relationships (including marriage, close partnerships, or deep friendships) that might draw one away from commitment to God and His truth. The New Testament similarly warns against being "unequally yoked" with unbelievers.
  • The Slippery Slope of Compromise: Small compromises can lead to significant spiritual decline. The Israelites' initial failure to drive out the nations led to intermarriage, which then inevitably led to idolatry.
  • Purity of Worship: This verse emphasizes the importance of exclusive devotion to God. True worship cannot coexist with the service of other "gods," whether literal idols or modern-day substitutes like materialism, ambition, or self-worship.
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Please note that only the commentary section is AI-generated — the main Scripture and cross-references are stored on the site and are from trusted and verified sources.

Cross-References

  • Deuteronomy 7:3

    Neither shalt thou make marriages with them; thy daughter thou shalt not give unto his son, nor his daughter shalt thou take unto thy son.

  • Deuteronomy 7:4

    For they will turn away thy son from following me, that they may serve other gods: so will the anger of the LORD be kindled against you, and destroy thee suddenly.

  • Exodus 34:16

    And thou take of their daughters unto thy sons, and their daughters go a whoring after their gods, and make thy sons go a whoring after their gods.

  • Ezra 9:11

    Which thou hast commanded by thy servants the prophets, saying, The land, unto which ye go to possess it, is an unclean land with the filthiness of the people of the lands, with their abominations, which have filled it from one end to another with their uncleanness.

  • Ezra 9:12

    Now therefore give not your daughters unto their sons, neither take their daughters unto your sons, nor seek their peace or their wealth for ever: that ye may be strong, and eat the good of the land, and leave [it] for an inheritance to your children for ever.

  • Nehemiah 13:23

    ¶ In those days also saw I Jews [that] had married wives of Ashdod, of Ammon, [and] of Moab:

  • Nehemiah 13:27

    Shall we then hearken unto you to do all this great evil, to transgress against our God in marrying strange wives?
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