The Meaning of Judges 3:7 Explained

Judges 3:7

KJV: 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.

YLT: and the sons of Israel do the evil thing in the eyes of Jehovah, and forget Jehovah their God, and serve the Baalim and the shrines.

Darby: And the people of Israel did what was evil in the sight of the LORD, forgetting the LORD their God, and serving the Ba'als and the Ashe'roth.

ASV: And the children of Israel did that which was evil in the sight of Jehovah, and forgat Jehovah their God, and served the Baalim and the Asheroth.

Discover Judges 3:7

CONTEXT: What is the Context of Judges 3:7?

MEANING: What does Judges 3:7 Mean?

WORDS: What do the individual words in Judges 3:7 mean?

RELATIONS: What do the major concepts mean in Judges 3:7?

What is the context of Judges 3:7?

KJV Reverse Interlinear

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.

What does Judges 3:7 Mean?

Study Notes

Groves
Groves, like high places, have been associated with idolatrous worship from time immemorial. The Heb. asherah, trans. grove means also the idol enshrined there. Deuteronomy 16:21 . This idol seems often to have been a sacred tree, the figure of which is constantly found on Assyrian monuments. In apostate Israel, however, such groves were associated with every form of idolatry, e.g. 2 Kings 17:16 ; 2 Kings 17:17 .

and Ashtaroth See Scofield " Judges 2:13 ".

high places

Cf. Leviticus 26:30 ; Deuteronomy 12:11-14 . The use of commanding elevations for altars seems to have been immemorial and universal. In itself the practice was not evil; Genesis 12:7 ; Genesis 12:8 ; Genesis 22:2-4 ; Genesis 31:54 ; Judges 6:25 ; Judges 6:26 ; Judges 13:16-23 . After the establishment of Mount Moriah and the temple as the centre of divine worship; Deuteronomy 12:5 ; 2 Chronicles 7:12 the pentateuchal prohibition of the use of high places Deuteronomy 12:11-14 which had looked forward to the setting up of such a centre, came into effect, and high places became identified with idolatrous practices. The constant recurrence to the use of high places, even for Jehovistic worship (See Scofield " 1 Kings 15:14 ") and after the building of the temple, proves how deeply rooted the custom was.

See 2 Kings 18:4-22 ; 2 Kings 23:1-37 ; 2 Chronicles 33:3 ; 2 Chronicles 33:17 ; 2 Chronicles 33:19 Note below refers to "Groves." (See Scofield " Judges 3:7 ") .

Context Summary

Judges 3:1-14 - Delivered From Mesopotamian Oppression

Our sins and failures will sometimes be so overruled as to promote the growth of our souls in the true knowledge of ourselves and of God. It would be better to acquire these great lessons and virtues by the regular advance of an obedient and believing life. But where this method fails, God will teach us through our faults. The presence of the Canaanite taught Israel war and self-knowledge. See Judges 3:2; Judges 4:1-24.

Othniel had a noble estate of his own, which might have made him indifferent to the national crisis. But he and Achsah were animated by the high courage of Caleb, the lion-cub. See Judges 1:12. Let us be quick to feel the impulse of the Spirit of the Lord, and yield to it when it prompts us to go forth to war in some sacred cause. No thought of our own comfort or ease must hold us, when there is a wrong to right or an oppressor to beat to the ground! Dare to trust the unseen Christ who summons you, and as you step out, the ether will be rock beneath your feet. [source]

Chapter Summary: Judges 3

¹ The nations which were left to prove Israel
⁵ By communion with them they commit idolatry
⁸ Othniel delivered them from Chushan-Rishathaim
¹² Ehud from Eglon
³¹ and Shamgar from the Philistines

What do the individual words in Judges 3:7 mean?

So did the sons of Israel - evil in the sight of Yahweh and they forgot Yahweh their God and served Baals and the Asherahs

וַיַּעֲשׂ֨וּ בְנֵי־ יִשְׂרָאֵ֤ל אֶת־ הָרַע֙ בְּעֵינֵ֣י יְהוָ֔ה וַֽיִּשְׁכְּח֖וּ יְהוָ֣ה אֱלֹֽהֵיהֶ֑ם וַיַּעַבְד֥וּ הַבְּעָלִ֖ים וְאֶת־ הָאֲשֵׁרֽוֹת

וַיַּעֲשׂ֨וּ	So did
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine plural Root: עָשָׂה Sense: to do, fashion, accomplish, make.
בְנֵי־	the sons
Parse: Noun, masculine plural construct Root: בֵּן Sense: son, grandson, child, member of a group.
יִשְׂרָאֵ֤ל	of Israel
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular Root: יִשְׂרָאֵל Sense: the second name for Jacob given to him by God after his wrestling with the angel at Peniel.
אֶת־	-
Parse: Direct object marker Root: אֹות Sense: sign of the definite direct object, not translated in English but generally preceding and indicating the accusative.
הָרַע֙	evil
Parse: Article, Adjective, masculine singular Root: רַע Sense: bad, evil.
בְּעֵינֵ֣י	in the sight
Parse: Preposition-b, Noun, cdc Root: עֹונָה Sense: eye.
יְהוָ֔ה	of Yahweh
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular Root: יהוה Sense: the proper name of the one true God.
וַֽיִּשְׁכְּח֖וּ	and they forgot
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine plural Root: כָּשַׁח Sense: to forget, ignore, wither.
יְהוָ֣ה	Yahweh
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular Root: יהוה Sense: the proper name of the one true God.
אֱלֹֽהֵיהֶ֑ם	their God
Parse: Noun, masculine plural construct, third person masculine plural Root: אֱלֹהִים Sense: (plural).
וַיַּעַבְד֥וּ	and served
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine plural Root: עָבַד Sense: to work, serve.
הַבְּעָלִ֖ים	Baals
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine plural Root: בַּעַל Sense: supreme male divinity of the Phoenicians or Canaanites.
הָאֲשֵׁרֽוֹת	the Asherahs
Parse: Article, Noun, feminine plural Root: אֲשֵׁרָה Sense: a Babylonian (Astarte)-Canaanite goddess (of fortune and happiness), the supposed consort of Baal, her images.

What are the major concepts related to Judges 3:7?

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Similar Scriptures for Judges 3:7

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