Now these are the nations which the LORD left, to prove Israel by them, even as many of Israel as had not known all the wars of Canaan;

These are the nations that the LORD left to test all the Israelites who had not known any of the wars in Canaan,

Only that the generations of the children of Israel might know, to teach them war, at the least such as before knew nothing thereof;

if only to teach warfare to the subsequent generations of Israel, especially to those who had not known it formerly:

Namely, five lords of the Philistines, and all the Canaanites, and the Sidonians, and the Hivites that dwelt in mount Lebanon, from mount Baal-hermon unto the entering in of Hamath.

the five rulers of the Philistines, all the Canaanites, the Sidonians, and the Hivites who lived in the mountains of Lebanon from Mount Baal-hermon to Lebo-hamath.

And they were to prove Israel by them, to know whether they would hearken unto the commandments of the LORD, which he commanded their fathers by the hand of Moses.

These nations were left to test the Israelites, to find out whether they would keep the commandments of the LORD, which He had given their fathers through Moses.

And the children of Israel dwelt among the Canaanites, Hittites, and Amorites, and Perizzites, and Hivites, and Jebusites:

Thus the Israelites continued to live among the Canaanites, Hittites, Amorites, Perizzites, Hivites, and Jebusites.

And they took their daughters to be their wives, and gave their daughters to their sons, and served their gods.

And they took the daughters of these people in marriage, gave their own daughters to their sons, and served their gods.