Judges 1:19

19 And the Lord was with Judah, and he had in possession the hilly places; and he might not do away the dwellers of the valley, for they were plenteous in iron chariots, (full of weapons,) sharp as scythes. (And the Lord was with Judah, and they took possession of the hill country; but they could not do away the inhabitants in the valley, for they had plentiful iron chariots, full of weapons, sharp as scythes.)

Judges 1:19 Meaning and Commentary

Judges 1:19

And the Lord was with Judah
Encouraging, strengthening, succeeding, and giving the tribe victory over the Canaanites; the Targum is,

``the Word of the Lord was for the help of the house of Judah:''

and he drove out [the inhabitants of] the mountains;
the mountainous part of Judea, such as was about Jerusalem, and where Hebron stood, and other cities, see ( Joshua 15:48 ) which though fortified both by nature and man, yet God being with them, they were easily subdued:

but could not drive out the inhabitants of the valley;
God forsaking them, because they were afraid of them, for a reason after mentioned, or through slothfulness, and being weary of fighting, or because they fell into some sins, which occasioned the divine displeasure; so the Targum,

``after they had sinned, they could not drive out the inhabitants of the valley:''

because they had chariots of iron;
but this was no reason why they could not drive them out, if God was with them, who could as easily have delivered these into their hands, as the inhabitants of the mountains; but is the reason why they were afraid to fight with them, and to attempt to drive them out, and which they themselves gave why they did not.

Judges 1:19 In-Context

17 And Judah went with Simeon, his brother; and they smote altogether Canaanites, that dwelled in Zephath, and they killed him; and the name of that city was called Hormah, that is, cursing, either perfect destroying, for that city was destroyed utterly. (And Judah went with his brother Simeon; and they struck down the Canaanites who lived in Zephath, and they killed them all; and the name of that city was called Hormah, that is, Cursed, or Completely Destroyed, for that city was utterly destroyed.)

18 And Judah took Gaza with his coasts, and Askelon (with his terms), and Ekron with his terms. (And Judah took Gaza, and Askelon, and Ekron, along with their land.)

19 And the Lord was with Judah, and he had in possession the hilly places; and he might not do away the dwellers of the valley, for they were plenteous in iron chariots, (full of weapons,) sharp as scythes. (And the Lord was with Judah, and they took possession of the hill country; but they could not do away the inhabitants in the valley, for they had plentiful iron chariots, full of weapons, sharp as scythes.)

20 And the sons of Israel gave Hebron to Caleb, as Moses had said, and Caleb did away from it (the) three sons of Anak. (And the Israelites gave Hebron to Caleb, as Moses had said, and Caleb did away from it the three sons of the Anakim, or of the giants.)

21 But the sons of Benjamin did not (do) away Jebusites, the dweller(s) of Jerusalem; and Jebusites dwelled with the sons of Benjamin in Jerusalem unto this present day. (But the Benjaminites did not do away the Jebusites, the inhabitants of Jerusalem; and so the Jebusites lived with the Benjaminites in Jerusalem unto this present day.)