Judges 1:17

17 Then the men of Judah went with their brothers the Simeonites, attacked the Canaanites living in Zephath, and devoted the city to destruction. [a] So it was called Hormah. [b]

Judges 1:17 Meaning and Commentary

Judges 1:17

And Judah went with Simeon his brother
Having subtitled his Canaanites which were in his own lot, according to his promise, he went with his brother Simeon, or the tribe of Simeon, into their lot to reduce those that were in that:

and they slew the Canaanites that inhabited Zephath, and utterly
destroyed it:
where and what this city was is not certain; there was a place of this name in upper Galilee, mentioned in Jewish writings F16, which cannot be meant here; and we read of the valley of Zephathah, ( 2 Chronicles 14:10 ) ; which might have its name from hence, and if so it was near Mareshah:

and the name of the city was called Hormah;
from the destruction made of it, and of the country about it; for now what had been vowed by Israel in the wilderness, when near Arad, was fulfilled, ( Numbers 21:1-3 ) .


FOOTNOTES:

F16 Juchasin, fol. 68. 1.

Judges 1:17 In-Context

15 “Give me a blessing,” she answered. “Since you have given me land in the Negev, give me springs of water as well.” So Caleb gave her both the upper and lower springs.
16 Now the descendants of Moses’ father-in-law, the Kenite, went up with the men of Judah from the City of Palms to the Wilderness of Judah in the Negev near Arad. They went to live among the people.
17 Then the men of Judah went with their brothers the Simeonites, attacked the Canaanites living in Zephath, and devoted the city to destruction. So it was called Hormah.
18 And Judah also captured Gaza, Ashkelon, and Ekron—each with its territory.
19 The LORD was with Judah, and they took possession of the hill country; but they could not drive out the inhabitants of the plains because they had chariots of iron.

Footnotes 2

  • [a]. Forms of the Hebrew cherem refer to the giving over of things or persons to the LORD, either by destroying them or by giving them as an offering.
  • [b]. Hormah means destruction.
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