Judges 1

Jud 1:1-3.

THE

ACTS OF

JUDAH AND

SIMEON.

1. Now after the death of Joshua--probably not a long period, for the

Canaanites seem to have taken advantage of that event to attempt

recovering their lost position, and the Israelites were obliged to

renew the war.

the children of Israel asked the Lord--The divine counsel on this, as

on other occasions, was sought by Urim and Thummim, by applying to the

high priest, who, according to JOSEPHUS, was Phinehas.

saying, Who shall go up for us against the Canaanites first--The

elders, who exercised the government in their respective tribes, judged

rightly, that in entering upon an important expedition, they should

have a leader nominated by divine appointment; and in consulting the

oracle, they adopted a prudent course, whether the object of their

inquiry related to the choice of an individual commander, or to the

honor of precedency among the tribes.

2. the Lord said, Judah shall go up--The predicted pre-eminence

(Ge 49:8)

was thus conferred upon Judah by divine direction, and its appointment

to take the lead in the ensuing hostilities was of great importance, as

the measure of success by which its arms were crowned, would animate

the other tribes to make similar attempts against the Canaanites within

their respective territories.

I have delivered the land into his hand--not the whole country, but

the district assigned for his inheritance.

3. Judah said unto Simeon his brother, Come up with me . . ., that we

may fight against the Canaanites--Being conterminous tribes

(Jos 19:1, 2),

they had a common interest, and were naturally associated in this

enterprise.

Jud 1:4-21.

ADONI-BEZEK

JUSTLY

REQUITED.

5, 6. Bezek--This place lay within the domain of Judah, about twelve

miles south of Jerusalem.

found Adoni-bezek--that is, "lord of Bezek"--he was "found," that is,

surprised and routed in a pitched battle, whence he fled; but being

taken prisoner, he was treated with a severity unusual among the

Israelites, for they "cut off his thumbs and great toes." Barbarities

of various kinds were commonly practised on prisoners of war in ancient

times, and the object of this particular mutilation of the hands and

feet was to disable them for military service ever after. The

infliction of such a horrid cruelty on this Canaanite chief would have

been a foul stain on the character of the Israelites if there were not

reason for believing it was done by them as an act of retributive

justice, and as such it was regarded by Adoni-bezek himself, whose

conscience read his atrocious crimes in their punishment.

7. Threescore and ten kings--So great a number will not appear strange,

when it is considered that anciently every ruler of a city or large

town was called a king. It is not improbable that in that southern

region of Canaan, there might, in earlier times, have been even more

till a turbulent chief like Adoni-bezek devoured them in his insatiable

ambition.

8. Now the children of Judah had fought against Jerusalem, and had

taken it--The capture of this important city, which ranks among the

early incidents in the war of invasion

(Jos 15:63),

is here noticed to account for its being in the possession of the

Judahites; and they brought Adoni-bezek thither

[Jud 1:7],

in order, probably, that his fate being rendered so public, might

inspire terror far and wide. Similar inroads were made into the other

unconquered parts of Judah's inheritance

[Jud 1:9-11].

The story of Caleb's acquisition of Hebron is here repeated

(Jos 15:16-19).

[See on

Jos 15:16.]

16. the children of the Kenite, Moses' father-in-law, went up out of

the city of palm trees with the children of Judah--called "the Kenite,"

as probably descended from the people of that name

(Nu 24:21, 22).

If he might not himself, his posterity did accept the invitation of

Moses

(Nu 10:32)

to accompany the Israelites to Canaan. Their first encampment was in

the "city of palm trees"--not Jericho, of course, which was utterly

destroyed, but the surrounding district, perhaps En-gedi, in early

times called Hazezon-tamar

(Ge 14:7),

from the palm-grove which sheltered it. Thence they removed for some

unknown cause, and associating themselves with Judah, joined in an

expedition against Arad, in the southern part of Canaan

(Nu 21:1).

On the conquest of that district, some of this pastoral people pitched

their tents there, while others migrated to the north

(Jud 4:17).

17-29. And Judah went with Simeon his brother--The course of the

narrative is here resumed from

Jud 1:9,

and an account given of Judah returning the services of Simeon

(Jud 1:3),

slew the Canaanites that inhabited Zephath--or Zephathah

(2Ch 14:10),

a valley lying in the southern portion of Canaan.

Hormah--destroyed in fulfilment of an early vow of the Israelites

(see on

Nu 21:2).

The confederate tribes, pursuing their incursions in that quarter, came

successively to Gaza, Askelon, and Ekron, which they took. But the

Philistines seem soon to have regained possession of these cities.

19. the Lord was with Judah; . . . but they could not drive out the

inhabitants of the valley--The war was of the Lord, whose omnipotent

aid would have ensured their success in every encounter, whether on the

mountains or the plains, with foot soldiers or cavalry. It was

distrust, the want of a simple and firm reliance on the promise of God,

that made them afraid of the iron chariots

(see on

Jos 11:4-9).

21. the children of Benjamin did not drive out the Jebusites that

inhabited Jerusalem--Judah had expelled the people from their part

of Jerusalem

(Jud 1:8).

The border of the two tribes ran through the city--Israelites and

natives must have been closely intermingled.

Jud 1:22-26.

SOME

CANAANITES

LEFT.

22, 23. the house of Joseph--the tribe of Ephraim, as distinguished

from Manasseh

(Jud 1:27).

24. the spies . . . said, . . . Show us, . . . the entrance into the

city--that is, the avenues to the city, and the weakest part of the

walls.

we will show thee mercy--The Israelites might employ these means of

getting possession of a place which was divinely appropriated to them:

they might promise life and rewards to this man, though he and all the

Canaanites were doomed to destruction

(Jos 2:12-14);

but we may assume the promise was suspended on his embracing the true

religion, or quitting the country, as he did. If they had seen him to

be firmly opposed to either of these alternatives, they would not have

constrained him by promises any more than by threats to betray his

countrymen. But if they found him disposed to be serviceable, and to

aid the invaders in executing the will of God, they might promise to

spare him.

26. Luz--(See on

Ge 12:7;

Ge 28:18).

27-36. The same course of subjugation was carried on in the other

tribes to a partial extent, and with varying success. Many of the

natives, no doubt, during the progress of this exterminating war, saved

themselves by flight and became, it is thought, the first colonists in

Greece, Italy, and other countries. But a large portion made a stout

resistance and retained possession of their old abodes in Canaan. In

other cases, when the natives were vanquished, avarice led the

Israelites to spare the idolaters, contrary to the express command of

God; and their disobedience to His orders in this matter involved them

in many troubles which this book describes.