Judges 1

Israel Continues Its Conquest

1 After the death of Joshua, the {Israelites}^[a] inquired of Yahweh, saying, "Who will go up first for us against the Canaanites^[b] to fight against them?"

2 And Yahweh said, "Judah will go up. I hereby give the land into his hand."

3 And Judah said to Simeon his brother, "Go up with me into my allotment, and let us fight against the Canaanites; then I too will go with you into your allotment." And Simeon went with him.

4 And Judah went up, and Yahweh gave the Canaanites^[c] and the Perizzites^[d] into their hand, and they defeated ten thousand men at Bezek.

5 At Bezek they came upon Adoni-bezek, and they fought against him and defeated the Canaanites^[e] and the Perizzites.^[f]

6 And Adoni-bezek fled, but they pursued after him; they caught him and cut off {his thumbs and big toes}.^[g]

7 Adoni-bezek said, "Seventy kings with {their thumbs and big toes}^[h] cut off used to pick up [scraps] under my table; just as I have done, so God has repaid to me. And they brought him [to] Jerusalem, and he died there.

8 The descendants^[i] of Judah fought against Jerusalem, and they captured it, {put it to the sword},^[j] and {set the city on fire}.^[k]

9 Afterward the descendants^[l] of Judah pursued to fight against the Canaanites^[m] who were living in the hill country, the Negev,^[n] and the Shephelah.^[o]

10 And Judah went against the Canaanites^[p] living in Hebron (the former name of Hebron [was] Kiriath Arba). And they defeated Sheshai, Ahiman, and Talmai.

11 And from there they went to the inhabitants of Debir (the former name of Debir [was] Kiriath Sepher).

12 And Caleb said, "Whoever attacks Kiriath Sepher and captures it, I will give to him Acsah my daughter as a wife."

13 Othniel son of Kenaz, the younger brother of Caleb, captured it, and he gave to him Acsah his daughter as a wife.

14 When she came [to him], she urged him to ask her father for a field. As she dismounted from the donkey, Caleb said to her, "{What do you want}?"^[q]

15 And she said to him, "Give me {a gift};^[r] you have given me the land of the Negev,^[s] and give me also a spring of water." And Caleb gave to her the upper and lower spring.^[t]

16 The descendants^[u] of Hobab [the] Kenite, Moses' father-in-law, went up with the descendants^[v] of Judah from the city of palms [into] the wilderness of Judah, which [is] in [the] Negev^[w] [near] Arad. And they went^[x] and settled with the people.

17 And Judah went with his brother Simeon, and they defeated the Canaanites^[y] inhabiting Zephath; they utterly destroyed it, so he called the name of the city Hormah.

18 Judah captured Gaza and its territory, Ashkelon and its territory, and Ekron and its territory.

19 And Yahweh was with Judah, and he took possession of the hill country, but they could not drive out the inhabitants of the plain because they [had] chariots of iron.

20 They gave Hebron to Caleb just as Moses said, and he drove out the three sons of Anak from there.

21 But the descendants^[z] of Benjamin did not drive out the Jebusites^[aa] who lived in Jerusalem, so the Jebusites have lived among the descendants^[ab] of Benjamin in Jerusalem to this day.

22 Likewise, the house of Joseph went up [against] Bethel, and Yahweh [was] with them.

23 And the house of Joseph spied out Bethel (the former name of the city was Luz).

24 And when the spies saw a man leaving the city,^[ac] they said to him, "Please show us the entrance of the city, and we will deal kindly^[ad] with you."

25 So he showed them the entrance of the city, and they struck the city with {the edge of the sword},^[ae] but they let go the man and all his family.

26 And the man went [to] the land of the Hittites, and he built a city and named it Luz; this [is] its name to this day.

27 Manasseh did not drive out Beth-Sean and its towns, or Taanach and its towns, or the inhabitants^[af] of Dor and its towns, or the inhabitants of Ibleam and its towns, or the inhabitants of Megiddo and its towns; the Canaanites^[ag] [were] determined to live in this land.

28 And it happened, when Israel grew strong, they put the Canaanites^[ah] to forced labor, but they never totally drove them out.

29 Ephraim did not drive out the Canaanites^[ai] living in Gezer, so the Canaanites^[aj] lived in their midst in Gezer.

30 Zebulun did not drive out the inhabitants of Kitron or Nahalol, so the Canaanites^[ak] lived in their midst and became [subjected] to forced labor.

31 Asher did not drive out the inhabitants of Acco, Sidon, Ahlab, Aczib, Helbah, Aphik, or Rehob,

32 so the Asherites^[al] lived in the midst of the Canaanites,^[am] the inhabitants of the land, for they did not drive them out.

33 Naphtali did not drive out the inhabitants of Beth Shemesh or Beth-anath, but lived in the midst of the Canaanites,^[an] the inhabitants of the land; the inhabitants of Beth Shemesh and Beth-anath became forced labor for them.

34 The Amorites pressed^[ao] the descendants^[ap] of Dan to the hill country, and they did not allow them to come down to the plain;

35 the Amorites [were] determined to live in Har-heres,^[aq] in Aijalon, and in Shaalbim, but the hand of the house of Joseph was heavy [on them], and they became [subjected] to forced labor.

36 The border of the Amorites^[ar] [ran] from the ascent of Akrabbim from Sela and upward.

Judges 1 Commentary

Chapter 1

The book of Judges is the history of Israel during the government of the Judges, who were occasional deliverers, raised up by God to rescue Israel from their oppressors, to reform the state of religion, and to administer justice to the people. The state of God's people does not appear in this book so prosperous, nor their character so religious, as might have been expected; but there were many believers among them, and the tabernacle service was attended to. The history exemplifies the frequent warnings and predictions of Moses, and should have close attention. The whole is full of important instruction.

Proceedings of the tribes of Judah and Simeon. (1-8) Hebron and other cities taken. (9-20) The proceedings of other tribes. (21-36)

Verses 1-8 The Israelites were convinced that the war against the Canaanites was to be continued; but they were in doubt as to the manner in which it was to be carried on after the death of Joshua. In these respects they inquired of the Lord. God appoints service according to the strength he has given. From those who are most able, most work is expected. Judah was first in dignity, and must be first in duty. Judah's service will not avail unless God give success; but God will not give the success, unless Judah applies to the service. Judah was the most considerable of all the tribes, and Simeon the least; yet Judah begs Simeon's friendship, and prays for aid from him. It becomes Israelites to help one another against Canaanites; and all Christians, even those of different tribes, should strengthen one another. Those who thus help one another in love, have reason to hope that God will graciously help both. Adoni-bezek was taken prisoner. This prince had been a severe tyrant. The Israelites, doubtless under the Divine direction, made him suffer what he had done to others; and his own conscience confessed that he was justly treated as he had treated others. Thus the righteous God sometimes, in his providence, makes the punishment answer the sin.

Verses 9-20 The Canaanites had iron chariots; but Israel had God on their side, whose chariots are thousands of angels, ( Psalms 68:17 ) . Yet they suffered their fears to prevail against their faith. About Caleb we read in ( Joshua 15:16-19 ) . The Kenites had settled in the land. Israel let them fix where they pleased, being a quiet, contented people. They that molested none, were molested by none. Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth.

Verses 21-36 The people of Israel were very careless of their duty and interest. Owing to slothfulness and cowardice, they would not be at the pains to complete their conquests. It was also owing to their covetousness: they were willing to let the Canaanites live among them, that they might make advantage of them. They had not the dread and detestation of idolatry they ought to have had. The same unbelief that kept their fathers forty years out of Canaan, kept them now out of the full possession of it. Distrust of the power and promise of God deprived them of advantages, and brought them into troubles. Thus many a believer who begins well is hindered. His graces languish, his lusts revive, Satan plies him with suitable temptations, the world recovers its hold; he brings guilt into his conscience, anguish into his heart, discredit on his character, and reproach on the gospel. Though he may have sharp rebukes, and be so recovered that he does not perish, yet he will have deeply to lament his folly through his remaining days; and upon his dying bed to mourn over the opportunities of glorifying God and serving the church he has lost. We can have no fellowship with the enemies of God within us or around us, but to our hurt; therefore our only wisdom is to maintain unceasing war against them.

Footnotes

• [a]. Literally "sons/children of Israel"
• [b]. Hebrew "Canaanite"
• [c]. Hebrew "Canaanite"
• [d]. Hebrew "Perizzite"
• [e]. Hebrew "Canaanite"
• [f]. Hebrew "Perizzite"
• [g]. Literally "the thumbs of his hands and feet"
• [h]. Literally "the thumbs of their hands and feet"
• [i]. Or "sons/children"
• [j]. Literally "they struck it with the mouth of the sword"
• [k]. Literally "the city they sent away with fire"
• [l]. Or "sons/children"
• [m]. Hebrew "Canaanite"
• [n]. An arid region south of the Judean hills
• [o]. A geographical region associated with an area of low country on the western edge of the Judaean hills.
• [p]. Hebrew "Canaanite"
• [q]. Literally "What [is] for you?"
• [r]. Literally "blessing"
• [s]. An arid region south of the Judaean hills
• [t]. Judges 1:11-15 is almost identical to Joshua 15:13-19
• [u]. Or "sons/children"
• [v]. Or "sons/children"
• [w]. An arid region south of the Judaean hills
• [x]. Hebrew "he went"
• [y]. Hebrew "Canaanite"
• [z]. Or "sons/children"
• [aa]. Hebrew "Jebusite"
• [ab]. Or "sons/children"
• [ac]. Or "going out from the city"
• [ad]. Or "do a loyal love"
• [ae]. Literally "[the] mouth of [the] sword"
• [af]. Hebrew "inhabitant"
• [ag]. Hebrew "Canaanite"
• [ah]. Hebrew "Canaanite"
• [ai]. Hebrew "Canaanite"
• [aj]. Hebrew "Canaanite"
• [ak]. Hebrew "Canaanite"
• [al]. Hebrew "Asherite"
• [am]. Hebrew "Canaanite"
• [an]. Hebrew "Canaanite"
• [ao]. Or "forced"
• [ap]. Or "sons/children"
• [aq]. Or "Mount Heres"
• [ar]. Hebrew "Amorite"

Chapter Summary

INTRODUCTION TO JUDGES

The title of this book in the Hebrew copies is Sepher Shophetim, the Book of Judges; but the Syriac and Arabic interpreters call it,

``the Book of the Judges of the Children of Israel;''

and the Septuagint only Judges; so called, not because it was written by them, though some think it was compiled out of annals and diaries kept by them; but it seems to be the work of one person only: the true reason of its name is, because it treats of the judges of Israel, gives an account of their lives and actions, and especially such as concerned their office; which office was different from that of kings, and seems only to have been occasional, and chiefly lay in delivering the people out of the hands of their enemies, when oppressed, distressed, or carried captive by them; in protecting them in the enjoyment of their country, rights, and liberties; in leading out their armies against their enemies when needful; and in settling differences, judging law suits, and administering justice. The government of the nation, during their time, was a theocracy. It is not certain who was the penman of this book; some ascribe it to King Hezekiah, others to Ezra; but the Jewish writers {a} are generally of opinion that it was written by Samuel, which is most likely, who was the last of the judges; and it seems plainly to be written before the times of David, us appears from a speech of Joab, 2Sa 11:21; and from some passages in Ps 68:8,9 Ps 97:5, which seem to refer or allude to Jud 5:4,5; and from Jerusalem being called Jebus, which shows it to be inhabited by the Jebusites in the time of the writer of this book, whereas it was taken out of their hands by David; besides, Samuel himself refers to the annals of this book; 1Sa 12:9-11; and from whose testimonies, as well as from others in the New Testament, there is no doubt to be made of its being genuine and authentic, and written by divine inspiration; as is evident from the use the Apostle Paul, and the author of the epistle to the Hebrews, have made of it, Ac 13:20, Heb 11:32; it is useful as an history, and without which the history of the people of Israel would not be complete; it containing an account of all their judges, excepting the two last, Eli and Samuel, of whom an account is given in the following books, and of some facts incidental to those times, related in an appendix at the end of it, concerning the idol of Micah, and the war of Benjamin; and furnishes out many useful moral observations concerning God's displeasure at sin in his own people Israel, and his corrections for it; and about his providential care of them in raising up for them deliverers in their time of need, as well as points at various virtues and excellencies in great and good men, worthy of imitation. It contains, according to Piscator, Dr. Lightfoot, and others, an history of two hundred ninety and nine years.

\\INTRODUCTION TO JUDGES 1\\

The children of Israel, after Joshua's death, inquiring of the Lord which tribes should first go up against the remaining Canaanites, Judah is ordered to go up, who with Simeon did, Jud 1:1-3; and had success against the Canaanites under Adonibezek, whom they brought to Jerusalem Jud 1:4-8; and against the Canaanites in Hebron, Debir, Zephath, Hormah, Gaza, Ashkelon, and Ekron, Jud 1:9-20; the Benjamites had not such good success as Judah against the Jebusites in Jerusalem, Jud 1:21; nor as the house of Joseph had against Bethel, Jud 1:22-26; nor could the tribes of Manasseh, Ephraim, Zebulun, Asher, and Naphtali, drive out the Canaanites from several places which belonged unto them, though many of them became their tributaries, Jud 1:27-33; and as for the Amorites, they were too powerful for the tribe of Dan, though some of them became tributaries to the house of Joseph, Jud 1:34-36.

{a} T. Bab. Bava Bathra, fol. 14. 2.