Only that the generations of the children of Israel might know, to teach them war, at the least such as before knew nothing thereof;
Only that the generations of the children of Israel might know, to teach them war, at the least such as before knew nothing thereof;
only that the generations of the children of Israel might know, to teach them war, at the least such as beforetime knew nothing thereof:
Only because of the generations of the children of Israel, for the purpose of teaching them war--only those who up till then had no experience of it;
Only that the generations of the children of Israel might know to teach them war, at the least such as before knew nothing of it;)
only that the generations of the children of Israel might know, to teach them war, at the least such as before knew nothing of it:
only that the generations of the children of Israel might know, to teach them war, at the least such as beforetime knew nothing thereof;
That - Israel might know, to teach them war - This was another reason why the Canaanites were left in the land, that the Israelites might not forget military discipline, but habituate themselves to the use of arms, that they might always be able to defend themselves against their foes. Had they been faithful to God, they would have had no need of learning the art of war; but now arms became a sort of necessary substitute for that spiritual strength which had departed from them. Thus Gods in his judgments leaves one iniquitous nation to harass and torment another. Were all to turn to God, men need learn war no more.
3:2 Teach them war - That by the neighbourhood of such warlike enemies, they might be purged from sloth and security, and obliged them to innure themselves to martial exercises, and to stand continually upon their guard, and consequently to keep close to that God whose assistance they had so great and constant need of.