Judges 2:22 (KJV)

Passage

That through them I may prove Israel, whether they will keep the way of the LORD to walk therein, as their fathers did keep it, or not.

Nearby Context

Judges 2:20 And the anger of the LORD was hot against Israel; and he said, Because that this people hath transgressed my covenant which I commanded their fathers, and have not hearkened unto my voice;

Judges 2:21 I also will not henceforth drive out any from before them of the nations which Joshua left when he died:

Judges 2:22 That through them I may prove Israel, whether they will keep the way of the LORD to walk therein, as their fathers did keep it, or not.

Judges 2:23 Therefore the LORD left those nations, without driving them out hastily; neither delivered he them into the hand of Joshua.

Study Lenses

The verse centers on "through", "prove", "israel", "whether", "keep", "lord", "walk", and "therein". It is saying that the verse draws attention to "through" and "prove", so its meaning should be read from those terms before moving to application.

The nearby context moves from verse 21's "I also will not henceforth drive out..." into verse 23's "Therefore the LORD left those nations without...", so "through" and "prove" belong inside that flow. In Judges context, the local focus is covenant, worship, and faithfulness.

A plain takeaway is to answer the verse's own emphasis on "through" and "prove" with trust shaped by these words, not by a vague optimism outside the passage.