Judges 1:23

23 The house of Yosef sent to spy out Beit-El. (Now the name of the city before was Luz.)

Judges 1:23 Meaning and Commentary

Judges 1:23

And the house of Joseph sent to descry Bethel
To reconnoitre the place, to observe its passes and avenues, which were most accessible, and to examine the walls of it, where they were weakest and least defended:

now the name of the city before [was] Luz;
which signifies a "nut"; perhaps it was so called from large numbers of nut trees which grew near it; the Jews suggest as if it was like a nut, no entrance into it but through a cave or some subterraneous passage, see ( Genesis 28:19 ) .

Judges 1:23 In-Context

21 The children of Binyamin did not drive out the Yevusi who inhabited Yerushalayim; but the Yevusi dwell with the children of Binyamin in Yerushalayim to this day.

22 The house of Yosef, they also went up against Beit-El; and the LORD was with them.

23 The house of Yosef sent to spy out Beit-El. (Now the name of the city before was Luz.)

24 The watchers saw a man come forth out of the city, and they said to him, Show us, we pray you, the entrance into the city, and we will deal kindly with you.

25 He shown them the entrance into the city; and they struck the city with the edge of the sword; but they let the man go and all his family.