Judges 2:22
לְמַ֛עַן נַסֹּ֥ות בָּ֖ם אֶת־יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל הֲשֹׁמְרִ֣ים הֵם֩ אֶת־דֶּ֨רֶךְ יְהוָ֜ה לָלֶ֣כֶת בָּ֗ם כַּאֲשֶׁ֛ר שָׁמְר֥וּ אֲבֹותָ֖ם אִם־לֹֽא׃
Purpose Clause: לְמַעַן נַסֹּות בָּם אֶת־יִשְׂרָאֵל
לְמַעַן (“in order that”) introduces a purpose clause. נַסֹּות is a Piel infinitive construct of נ־ס־ה (“to test, try”), expressing purpose: “to test.” The prepositional phrase בָּם (“in them”) points to Israel as the object of testing, while אֶת־יִשְׂרָאֵל clarifies Israel as the direct object of the testing action.
Identifying the Group: הֲשֹׁמְרִים הֵם אֶת־דֶּרֶךְ יְהוָה
הֲשֹׁמְרִים (“whether keeping”) is a Qal participle masculine plural of ש־מ־ר (“to keep, guard”). It introduces an indirect question, testing whether Israel maintains covenant loyalty. הֵם (“they”) reinforces the subject pronoun. אֶת־דֶּרֶךְ יְהוָה (“the way of YHWH”) specifies what is to be guarded — the divine path of conduct and obedience.
Walking in the Way: לָלֶכֶת בָּם
לָלֶכֶת (“to walk”) is a Qal infinitive construct from ה־ל־ך (“to go, walk”), governed by the preposition לְ (“to”), indicating purpose or manner. בָּם (“in them”) refers back to the commandments or the way of YHWH. Together, it expresses living a life shaped by divine instruction.
Historical Comparison: כַּאֲשֶׁר שָׁמְרוּ אֲבֹותָם
כַּאֲשֶׁר (“as, just as”) introduces a historical comparison. שָׁמְרוּ is a Qal perfect 3mp of ש־מ־ר (“to keep, guard”), indicating that their ancestors did observe the divine way. אֲבֹותָם (“their fathers”) is the subject of this action, linking present testing with ancestral precedent.
Conditional Outcome: אִם־לֹא
אִם־לֹא (“or not”) closes the clause with a condition: whether or not Israel will obey. This sharpens the binary nature of the test — loyalty or disobedience, with no neutral ground.
Parsing Table: Key Forms in Judges 2:22
| Hebrew Word | Root | Form | Function |
|---|---|---|---|
| נַסֹּות | נ־ס־ה | Piel infinitive construct | “To test” — purpose of the divine plan |
| הֲשֹׁמְרִים | ש־מ־ר | Qal participle (mp) | “Keeping” — describing the expected behavior |
| לָלֶכֶת | ה־ל־ך | Qal infinitive construct | “To walk” — behavior of obedience |
| שָׁמְרוּ | ש־מ־ר | Qal perfect (3mp) | “They kept” — action of the ancestors |
The Grammar of Divine Testing
Judges 2:22 builds its theological message through precise grammatical structures: infinitives express divine purpose, participles portray Israel’s responsibility, and conditional clauses sharpen the call to covenant loyalty. Hebrew grammar here becomes the vehicle for a divine examination — a spiritual test whose results determine Israel’s destiny in the land.
