King James Version

Judges 3:2

Only that the generations of the children of Israel might know, to teach them war, at the least such as before knew nothing thereof;

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Hebrew

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רַ֗קraqonlyרַקparticle, affirmation — “only”H7535properly, leanness, i.e. (figuratively) limitation; only adverbial, merely, or conjunctional, althoughbut, even, except, howbeit howsoever, at the least, nevertheless, nothing but, notwithstanding, only, save, so (that), surely, yet (so), in any wise.לְמַ֨עַן֙lemaanthatמַעַןpreposition — “that”H4616properly, heed, i.e. purpose; used only adverbially, on account of (as a motive or an aim), teleologically, in order thatbecause of, to the end (intent) that, for (to,... 's sake), [phrase] lest, that, to.דַּ֚עַתdaatcunningדַּעַתverb, qal, infinitive construct — “cunning”, the to-form of the verbH1847knowledgecunning, (ig-) norantly, know(-ledge), (un-) awares (wittingly).דֹּר֣וֹתdorotageדּוֹרnoun, common, masculine, plural, construct — “age”, the of-form, joined to the next wordH1755properly, a revolution of time, i.e. an age or generation; also a dwellingage, [idiom] evermore, generation, (n-) ever, posterity.בְּנֵֽיbenesonבֵּןnoun, common, masculine, plural, construct — “son”, the of-form, joined to the next wordH1121a son (as a builder of the family name), in the widest sense (of literal and figurative relationship, including grandson, subject, nation, quality or condition, etc., (like father or brother), etc.)[phrase] afflicted, age, (Ahoh-) (Ammon-) (Hachmon-) (Lev-) ite, (anoint-) ed one, appointed to, ([phrase]) arrow, (Assyr-) (Babylon-) (Egypt-) (Grec-) ian, one born, bough, branch, breed, [phrase] (young) bullock, [phrase] (young) calf, […יִשְׂרָאֵ֔לyisraelIsraelיִשְׂרָאֵלnoun, proper name — “Israel”H3478Jisrael, a symbolical name of Jacob; also (typically) of his posterityIsrael.לְלַמְּדָ֖םlelamdamto teachלָמַדpreposition, verb, piel, infinitive construct, suffix, pronominal, 3rd person, masculine, plural — “to teach”, the to-form of the verbH3925properly, to goad, i.e. (by implication) to teach (the rod being an Oriental incentive)(un-) accustomed, [idiom] diligently, expert, instruct, learn, skilful, teach(-er, -ing).מִלְחָמָ֑הmilchamahbattleמִלְחָמָהnoun, common, feminine, singular, absolute — “battle”, the ordinary formH4421a battle (i.e. the engagement); generally, war (i.e. warfare)battle, fight(-ing), war(-rior).רַ֥קraqonlyרַקparticle, affirmation — “only”H7535properly, leanness, i.e. (figuratively) limitation; only adverbial, merely, or conjunctional, althoughbut, even, except, howbeit howsoever, at the least, nevertheless, nothing but, notwithstanding, only, save, so (that), surely, yet (so), in any wise.אֲשֶׁרasherbecauseאֲשֶׁרparticle, relative — “because”H834who, which, what, that; also (as an adverb and a conjunction) when, where, how, because, in order that, etc.[idiom] after, [idiom] alike, as (soon as), because, [idiom] every, for, [phrase] forasmuch, [phrase] from whence, [phrase] how(-soever), [idiom] if, (so) that ((thing) which, wherein), [idiom] though, [phrase] until, [phrase] whatsoever,…לְפָנִ֖יםlefanimto a- foreפָּנִיםpreposition, noun, common, both genders, plural, absolute — “to a- fore”, the ordinary formH6440the face (as the part that turns); used in a great variety of applications (literally and figuratively); also (with prepositional prefix) as a preposition (before, etc.)[phrase] accept, a-(be-) fore(-time), against, anger, [idiom] as (long as), at, [phrase] battle, [phrase] because (of), [phrase] beseech, countenance, edge, [phrase] employ, endure, [phrase] enquire, face, favour, fear of, for, forefront(-…לֹ֥אlono , -r,לֹאparticle, negative — “no , -r,”H3808not (the simple or abs. negation); by implication, no; often used with other particles[idiom] before, [phrase] or else, ere, [phrase] except, ig(-norant), much, less, nay, neither, never, no((-ne), -r, (-thing)), ([idiom] as though...,(can-), for) not (out of), of nought, otherwise, out of, [phrase] surely, [phrase] as trul…יְדָעֽוּםyedaumknowיָדַעverb, qal, perfect, 3rd person, common, plural, suffix, pronominal, 3rd person, masculine, plural — “know”, a completed actionH3045to know (properly, to ascertain by seeing); used in a great variety of senses, figuratively, literally, euphemistically and inferentially (including observation, care, recognition; and causatively, instruction, designation, punishment, etc.)acknowledge, acquaintance(-ted with), advise, answer, appoint, assuredly, be aware, (un-) awares, can(-not), certainly, comprehend, consider, [idiom] could they, cunning, declare, be diligent, (can, cause to) discern, discover, endued with…

Jewish translation (JPS 1917)

only that the generations of the children of Israel might know, to teach them war, at the least such as beforetime knew nothing thereof;

Compare Public-Domain Translations

The King James Version remains the text of this page and the canonical URL.

American Standard Version (1901)

only that the generations of the children of Israel might know, to teach them war, at the least such as beforetime knew nothing thereof:

Young’s Literal Translation

(only for the sake of the generations of the sons of Israel's knowing, to teach them war, only those who formerly have not known them) —

World English Bible

only that the generations of the children of Israel might know, to teach them war, at least those who knew nothing of it before:

Darby Translation

only that the generations of the children of Israel might know war by learning it, at the least those who before had known nothing thereof:

Douay-Rheims

That afterwards their children might learn to fight with their enemies, and to be trained up to war:

Jewish Publication Society (1917)

only that the generations of the children of Israel might know, to teach them war, at the least such as beforetime knew nothing thereof;

Brenton’s Septuagint (1851), English

Only for the sake of the generations of Israel, to teach them war, only the men before them knew them not.

Septuagint (Brenton’s Greek, 1851)

Πλὴν διὰ τὰς γενεὰς υἱῶν Ἰσραὴλ τοῦ διδάξαι αὐτοὺς πόλεμον, πλὴν οἱ ἔμπροσθεν αὐτῶν οὐκ ἔγνωσαν αὐτά.