Judges 3:2

3:2 He 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. ¹ 

Judges 6:2

6:2 The Midianites ²  overwhelmed Israel. ³  Because of Midian the Israelites made shelters ⁴  for themselves in the hills, as well as caves and strongholds.

Judges 8:20

8:20 He ordered Jether his firstborn son, “Come on! ⁵  Kill them!” But Jether was too afraid to draw his sword, ⁶  because he was still young.

Judges 20:36

20:36 Then the Benjaminites saw they were defeated.

The Israelites retreated before ⁷  Benjamin, because they had confidence in the men they had hid in ambush outside Gibeah.

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¹ tn 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.”

sn 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 [JSOTSup], 114-15).

² tn Heb “the hand of Midian.”

³ tn Heb “The hand of Midian was strong against Israel.”

⁴ tn Or possibly “secret storage places.” The Hebrew word occurs only here in the Hebrew Bible.

⁵ tn Or “Arise!”

⁶ tn Heb “did not draw his sword for he was afraid.”

⁷ tn Heb “gave place to.”