Judges 1:8

8 The people of Judah attacked and captured Jerusalem, subduing the city by sword and then sending it up in flames.

Judges 1:8 Meaning and Commentary

Judges 1:8

Now the children of Judah had fought against Jerusalem, and
had taken it
Which accounted for their carrying Adonibezek thither. This they had done in the times of Joshua; for when the king of that place was taken and slain by Joshua, it seems that he and Israel went and fought against the city, and took that in which the tribe of Judah had a principal concern; so Kimchi and Ben Gersom interpret it; but Jarchi and Abarbinel are of opinion, that now from Bezek they went up to Jerusalem, and fought against it, and took it; and so others think, because only the children of Judah are mentioned, and not all Israel, who fought together in Joshua's time; nor is there any mention made of its being taken in his time, and yet it seems plain that it was inhabited in part by the children of Judah, ( Joshua 15:63 ) ; some therefore have thought that it was twice taken; that after Joshua had taken it, he and the children of Israel being employed in making conquests in other parts of the land, the Jebusites repossessed it, from whence they were now again in part driven, not wholly; and Josephus says F11, the lower part was taken, and all the inhabitants killed, but the upper part was hard to be taken, because of the strength of the walls, and the nature of the place:

and smitten it with the edge of the sword;
the "inhabitants of it", so far as they got possession of it:

and set the city on fire;
some part of it only, for in some part of it dwelt the children of Judah, and in another part the Jebusites.


FOOTNOTES:

F11 Ut supra. (Antiqu. l. 5. c. 2. sect. 2.)

Judges 1:8 In-Context

6 My-Master-Bezek ran, but they gave chase and caught him. They cut off his thumbs and big toes.
7 My-Master-Bezek said, "Seventy kings with their thumbs and big toes cut off used to crawl under my table, scavenging. Now God has done to me what I did to them." They brought him to Jerusalem and he died there.
8 The people of Judah attacked and captured Jerusalem, subduing the city by sword and then sending it up in flames.
9 After that they had gone down to fight the Canaanites who were living in the hill country, the Negev, and the foothills.
10 Judah had gone on to the Canaanites who lived in Hebron (Hebron used to be called Kiriath Arba) and brought Sheshai, Ahiman, and Talmai to their knees.
Published by permission. Originally published by NavPress in English as THE MESSAGE: The Bible in Contemporary Language copyright 2002 by Eugene Peterson. All rights reserved.