Introduction to Judges 3:1
Judges 3:1 introduces a list of nations that YHWH left in the land to test Israel. A key grammatical feature in this verse is the Hifil (causative) verb הִנִּיחַ (hinni’aḥ), which comes from the root נוח (nu’aḥ, “to rest, leave, allow”). The Hifil stem is widely used in Biblical Hebrew to express causation, meaning the subject causes an action to occur. Understanding the function of the Hifil in this verse helps clarify the theological implications of YHWH’s role in leaving these nations as a test for Israel.
וְאֵ֤לֶּה הַגֹּויִם֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר הִנִּ֣יחַ יְהוָ֔ה לְנַסֹּ֥ות בָּ֖ם אֶת־יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל אֵ֚ת כָּל־אֲשֶׁ֣ר לֹֽא־יָדְע֔וּ אֵ֖ת כָּל־מִלְחֲמֹ֥ות כְּנָֽעַן׃
Analysis of Key Words/Phrases
1. הִנִּיחַ (hinni’aḥ) – “He left” (Hifil stem of נוח)
2. לְנַסֹּ֥ות (lenassot) – “to test” (Piel infinitive construct)
3. יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל (Yisra’el) – “Israel”
4. לֹֽא־יָדְע֔וּ (lo’ yade‘u) – “they had not known”
5. מִלְחֲמֹ֥ות (milḥamot) – “wars”
6. כְּנָֽעַן (Kena‘an) – “Canaan”
Explanation of Grammatical Function
1. The Hifil Stem and Its Causative Function
The verb הִנִּיחַ (hinni’aḥ, “he left”) appears in the Hifil stem of נוח (nu’aḥ), meaning “to rest, leave, allow.” The Hifil conveys causation, indicating that YHWH actively caused these nations to remain in the land.
– Root: נוח (nu’aḥ, “to rest, leave”)
– Hifil form: הִנִּיחַ (hinni’aḥ), meaning “he caused to remain.”
– Subject: יְהוָה (YHWH) – YHWH is the one who left these nations.
– Direct object: הַגֹּויִם (haggoyim, “the nations”).
2. The Infinitive Construct לְנַסֹּ֥ות (Piel)
The phrase לְנַסֹּ֥ות בָּ֖ם אֶת־יִשְׂרָאֵל (lenassot bam et-Yisra’el, “to test them, Israel”) contains לְנַסֹּ֥ות (lenassot), an infinitive construct from נִסָּה (nissah, “to test, try”) in the Piel stem.
– Piel stem: Typically intensifies or emphasizes the verb’s meaning.
– Infinitive construct: Used with לְ (le-) to indicate purpose (“in order to test”).
– Object: בָּ֖ם אֶת־יִשְׂרָאֵל (bam et-Yisra’el, “them, Israel”) – YHWH’s purpose for leaving the nations was to test Israel.
3. The Verb לֹֽא־יָדְע֔וּ in Qal Perfect
The phrase כָּל־אֲשֶׁ֣ר לֹֽא־יָדְע֔וּ (kol-asher lo’ yade‘u, “all who had not known”) contains יָדְע֔וּ (yade‘u, “they knew”), the qal perfect 3rd person plural of יָדַע (yada‘, “to know”).
– The perfect tense suggests a completed past action: “they had not known.”
– Negative לֹֽא (lo’) negates the verb, meaning “they had not known” rather than “they do not know.”
4. The Use of מִלְחֲמֹ֥ות (Plural Absolute)
The word מִלְחֲמֹ֥ות (milḥamot, “wars”) is the plural absolute form of מִלְחָמָה (milḥamah, “war, battle”). It appears as the object of לֹֽא־יָדְע֔וּ (lo’ yade‘u), meaning:
– The new generation had not experienced warfare firsthand.
– This contrasts with previous generations who had engaged in conquest.
Theological Implications of the Hifil Stem in Divine Actions
The Hifil verb הִנִּיחַ (hinni’aḥ, “he left”) highlights YHWH’s deliberate action in leaving the nations to test Israel, emphasizing divine sovereignty. The use of Piel (לְנַסֹּ֥ות, “to test”) further intensifies this, showing that YHWH actively orchestrates trials for Israel’s spiritual growth. Understanding the Hifil stem in this verse provides insight into how Hebrew grammar conveys causative action, shaping biblical narratives about divine intervention.
