Judges 1:23

23 For when they besieged the city (And when they besieged Bethel), that was called Luz before,

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 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.)

22 Also the house of Joseph went up into Bethel, and the Lord was with them.

23 For when they besieged the city (And when they besieged Bethel), that was called Luz before,

24 they saw a man going out of the city, and they said to him, Show thou to us the entering of the city (Show us how to enter the city), and we shall do mercy with thee.

25 And when he had showed to them, they smote the city by sharpness of sword; and they delivered that man and all his kindred. (And when he had shown them, they struck down the people of that city with their sharp swords; and they saved that man and all his family.)