Down to Earth But Heavenly Minded

What does Judges Chapter 1 mean?

The book of Judges marks the beginning of a new era, starting after the death of Joshua (Joshua 24:29–30). Rather than following a single, central leader, the Israelites would answer to Yahweh directly in a kind of theocracy. Before he died, Joshua left three crucial legacies for God’s chosen people. First, they had a strong position in the Promised Land after breaking the Canaanite stronghold over the region (Joshua 24:11). Second, each tribe clearly understood their God-given mandate to wipe out the remaining inhabitants of the land in their respective territories (Deuteronomy 20:16–18; Joshua 23:12–13). Finally, Joshua left Israel with a renewal of their covenant with God, in which they agreed to forsake all other gods and commit themselves to worship and obey Yahweh alone (Joshua 24:24–28).

Judges begins with a report on the effort by each tribe to drive the Canaanites out of their regions. It begins on a positive note. The people ask the Lord who should attack the Canaanites first. The Lord tells Judah to begin and promises the land has been given into their hand. Judah invites the people of the tribe of Simeon to fight with them, promising to assist Simeon in capturing their territory when the time comes (Judges 1:1–3).

Success is immediate. Judah destroys a city called Bezek, though they fail to destroy the leader of the city. This man is labeled with the title Adoni-bezek. Rather than following God’s command to destroy the wicked Canaanites, the men of Judah cut off the enemy leader’s thumbs and big toes. This imitates Canaanite practice, as the defeated leader points out. It also defies God’s desire that Israel not take on Canaanite sins. The Adoni-bezek is taken to Jerusalem, where he dies. Next, Judah captures and wipes out the inhabitants of Jerusalem—or possibly a fortification near it—and sets it on fire. Then they proceed to fight in the hill country, the desert wilderness of the Negeb, and the lowland (Judges 1:4–10).

The writer of Judges then repeats a report from the book of Joshua (Joshua 15:15–19). The report explains how Caleb, who had been given Hebron in the hill country, defeated the Anakites there and then gave his daughter in marriage to the one who defeated the nearby city of Debir. He also tells how the descendants of Moses’ father-in-law moved into the region of the Negeb, in southern Judah, and lived among the people (Judges 1:11–16).

Finally, Judah and Simeon together destroy the city of Zephath, while Judah captures Gaza, Ashkelon, and Ekron. Because the Lord was with Judah, the tribe took full possession of the hill country. It could not drive out the occupants of the western plain, however, because of their iron chariots. Given what happens to Israel in the following chapters, this failure seems to be one of faith, not of God. Most likely, the people of Judah lost the nerve to confront their enemy and settled for a less-than-total victory (Judges 1:17–20).

This last failure is the first hint of what is to come for all the other tribes. After Judah’s success, reports on the other tribes are mostly disappointing. The tribe of Benjamin is unable to drive out the new—or surviving—occupants of Jerusalem. Ephraim, “the house of Joseph” (Genesis 48:3–6) destroys and takes possession of Bethel, but a Canaanite man they allow to live builds another Canaanite city to replace it (Judges 1:21–26).

From there, the news in Judges chapter 1 is all bad. None of the other tribes completes their task of driving the inhabitants from the land or destroying them. This includes the tribes of Manasseh, Ephraim, Zebulun, Asher, Naphtali, and Dan. Some grow strong enough to eventually enslave the Canaanites in their territories. And yet, despite growing in power, they disobey God’s command to devote all the inhabitants to destruction (Judges 1:27–36).

God’s command to purge Canaan of its wicked inhabitants was meant to keep Israel from taking on their evil practices. The very next chapter of Judges shows how Israel’s disobedience led to immediate consequences (Judges 2:1–5). Much of the rest of the book of Judges details the echoing effects of Israel’s complacency.

Chapter Context
Judges 1 continues immediately from the death of Joshua (Joshua 24:29–30). It begins a new era for Israel, now referred to as the time of “the judges.” In a series of reports, tribe by tribe, the narrator describes Israel’s success or failure to drive the deeply wicked Canaanites (Deuteronomy 7:1–5; 9:4) from the land or to destroy them. Judah experiences much success, but it is unable to drive the inhabitants out of one region, at least. Every other tribe either fails utterly to remove the Canaanites, or only gradually grows strong enough to capture the territory.

Verse by Verse

Verse 1. After the death of Joshua, the people of Israel inquired of the Lord, “Who shall go up first for us against the Canaanites, to fight against them?”

The book of Joshua ends with Joshua’s challenge to the people of Israel, followed by his death at 110 years old (Joshua 24:29–31). Under Joshua’s rule and the Lord’s blessing, Israel has entered the Promised Land and experienced great success in breaking the stronghold of the Canaanites over the land. They have begun to take possession of their new homeland.

Joshua asked the people to choose whether they would abandon all other gods, to serve and obey God alone. The people responded in a focused exchange with their leader (Joshua 24:19–24). Their back-and-forth conversation made it clear that the people understood the consequences of rejecting the Lord. In renewing the covenant between God and Israel, Joshua left no doubt that there would be consequences if the people fell into sin and idolatry.

Now, without a king or clear national leader, it was time for the Israelites to clear out the Canaanites from each tribe’s portion of the Promised Land. Even before Joshua’s campaign, the people of Israel had been told about the depraved evil of the Canaanites (Deuteronomy 7:1–5; 9:4). They begin this new campaign by faithfully asking Yahweh for direction about which of the tribes should attack first to take full and uncontested possession of their inheritance.

Context Summary
Judges 1:1–20 describes the campaign of the tribes of Judah and Simeon, to drive out or destroy all the Canaanites from their large territory in southern Israel. It begins with victories over Bezek and Jerusalem. The report rehearses the former victories by Caleb and his family in the hill country. The campaign continues into the desert wilderness of the Negeb, where a group of descendants of Moses’ father-in-law settles. Judah dominates the hill country but doesn’t entirely evict the wicked Canaanites because of their iron chariots.

Verse 2. The Lord said, “Judah shall go up; behold, I have given the land into his hand.”

Joshua has died (Joshua 24:29–31), and a new era in God’s relationship with His people Israel has begun. The Israelites no longer have a single national leader to direct them. Instead, as a people under covenant with God, they are meant to directly follow God’s will in all things.

The mission before them now is clear and simple: Each tribe is to take full possession of their own territories, clearing out the remaining Canaanites from the land God has promised to them. If they are faithful to obey God and worship Him only, He will grant them continued success in defeating their enemies. Even before Joshua, the people had been told about the deep evil of the Canaanite culture, and how crucial it was not to take on their customs (Deuteronomy 7:1–5; 9:4).

Israel’s campaigns after Joshua’s death start well. They have asked God which of the tribes should go up first against the Canaanites. The Lord answers directly: Judah (Genesis 49:8–9) should lead the way. God has given the land belonging to the tribe of Judah into Judah’s hand. In other words, Yahweh is promising yet another impressive series of victories over Israel’s enemies.

Verse 3. And Judah said to Simeon his brother, “Come up with me into the territory allotted to me, that we may fight against the Canaanites. And I likewise will go with you into the territory allotted to you.” So Simeon went with him.

After Joshua’s death (Joshua 24:29–31), Israel’s new mission was clear. As they had been told by Moses (Deuteronomy 7:1–5; 9:4), they were to drive all the wicked Canaanite peoples out. Each tribe of Israel was to take complete possession of the territory apportioned to them. The people have asked the Lord which tribe should attack first. God responded that Judah (Genesis 49:8–9) should lead, promising to give Judah’s territory into its hands (Judges 1:1–2).

This verse depicts the conversation between the tribes of Judah and Simeon as if the patriarchs themselves were speaking. The leaders of Judah’s tribe invite the leaders of Simeon’s tribe into an alliance. If Simeon will come and fight with Judah for Judah’s territory, then Judah will fight with Simeon’s people to clean the Canaanites out of their land. Simeon’s people agreed.

This arrangement makes excellent sense for two reasons. First, Judah’s tribe is large and has been given the largest single territory of all the tribes, on the southern end of the Promised Land. Simeon’s tribe is the smallest of the others by far. It will need help. Second, Simeon’s territory exists within the borders of Judah’s territory. By default, Judah will end up serving as Simeon’s protector. It follows that their fighting men should join forces.

Verse 4. Then Judah went up and the Lord gave the Canaanites and the Perizzites into their hand, and they defeated 10,000 of them at Bezek.

Israel’s campaign to defeat and drive out all the remaining Canaanites in the land begins as Judah and Simeon band together (Judges 1:1–3). They strike against the Canaanites and a smaller people-group known as the Perizzites, which live in and around the territory given to the tribes of Judah and Simeon.

It’s unknown where in this region the city of Bezek was located. Scholars believe it was near what would become the city of Jerusalem. According to the literal words of this verse, ten thousand enemy fighters fall at Bezek as the Lord gives the victory to the people of Judah. In biblical literature, numbers like “10,000” were often used as symbolic references to very large numbers. This is much the same as how modern English-speakers might say “I spent a million dollars getting my car fixed.” The exact number of troops defeated is not the main point—the purpose is to indicate that the victory was massive and overwhelming.

Verse 5. They found Adoni-bezek at Bezek and fought against him and defeated the Canaanites and the Perizzites.

Israel’s campaign to clear the Canaanites out of the Promised Land has begun. Their goal is to take full possession of the territories apportioned to each tribe. At God’s direction and with His blessing, Judah has attacked first, defeating 10,000 soldiers at a place called Bezek (Judges 1:1–4).

During the attack, the Israelites located the enemy leader. The Hebrew term adōni means “lord” or “master,” so Adoni-bezek is likely a title, rather than a given name. This is parallel to how the ruler of Egypt was called by the title Pharaoh. Though the city’s Canaanites and Perizzites are defeated by the hand of the Lord, this enemy leader makes an escape—which is only temporary (Judges 1:6). This served as rousing evidence that Yahweh was still with Israel even after the death of their leader Joshua.

Verse 6. Adoni-bezek fled, but they pursued him and caught him and cut off his thumbs and his big toes.

The leader or governor of the city of Bezek was apparently known by the title Adoni-Bezek, which simply means “master of Bezek.” This enemy ruler fled after his city was defeated by the soldiers of the tribe of Judah (Judges 1:4–5). The soldiers chase down the Adoni-bezek, and eventually capture him. What the men of Judah do next is troubling, at best: they cut off the man’s thumbs and his big toes. This mutilation emphasizes the ruler’s weakness and utter defeat.

And so, in their first military action after the death of Joshua, Israel has already begun to imitate the wicked people of Canaan (Deuteronomy 7:1–5; 9:4). As the prisoner himself reveals in the following verse, this style of mutilation, used against a captured leader, was a common Canaanite practice (Judges 1:7). The Israelites were following the brutal, local customs. According to this passage, the defeated ruler might have been kept as a trophy, of sorts, until his own death.

What the soldiers of Judah should have done, according to the commands of the Lord, was to execute the enemy leader, not maim him. God had been extremely clear on that point (Deuteronomy 20:16–17). While this, itself, also seems harsh, there was good reason for it. Primarily, God wanted Israel to avoid taking on any aspects of Canaanite culture: “…that they may not teach you to do according to all their abominable practices that they have done for their gods, and so you sin against the Lord your God” (Deuteronomy 20:18).

This incident, as with many others to come, records Israel’s refusal to fully destroy the depraved people of Canaan. This will eventually lead them to worship foreign gods, breaking their covenant with the Lord. Though it might seem a minor incident, this torture of a captured leader begins that pattern of disobedience.

Verse 7. And Adoni-bezek said, “Seventy kings with their thumbs and their big toes cut off used to pick up scraps under my table. As I have done, so God has repaid me.” And they brought him to Jerusalem, and he died there.

Israel’s first battle following the death of Joshua has taken place. By God’s blessing, the men of Judah conquered and destroyed a city called Bezek (Judges 1:4–5). According to God’s instructions, the men of Judah should have killed the wicked leaders of that city (Deuteronomy 20:16–17). Instead, the Israelites commit the first act in a long-running pattern of disobedience in the Promised Land: cutting off the enemy king’s thumbs and big toes (Judges 1:6). In doing so, they imitate the culture of the wicked Canaanites (Deuteronomy 20:18), exactly as God wanted them to avoid.

This act carries both literal and symbolic purpose. It cripples the victim, making walking and grasping objects difficult. It also symbolizes the victim’s military defeat, rendering them effectively useless as a solider. The enemy leader, known by the title Adoni-bezek, has done the same to others during his own rule. Apparently, he then kept defeated kings as trophies, forcing them to forage for scraps with their mutilated hands. His use of the number seventy is probably a figure of speech, which was common in ancient discourse (Judges 1:4).

Adoni-bezek adds that as he has done, “elōhim” has repaid. Much like the English word “God,” this is a title often used for the One True God. Also like the English term, it can be a generic reference to a false “god” or idol. Most likely, the Canaanite king refers to one of his own deities. This reveals something crucial about the Canaanite people. Their commitment to see all things from the perspective of false gods was exactly the reason Yahweh wanted the Israelites to keep absolutely separated from these people.

The following verse notes that Adonai-bezek was taken to Jerusalem and stayed there until he died. When this verse says, “they brought him,” it might mean the Canaanite people. As the next verse notes, Jerusalem is the next city to be attacked by Judah. Perhaps the Israelites released the maimed king as a vicious message, only to kill him in their next battle. It’s also possible the Israelites kept the prisoner alive for some undetermined time, as a cruel souvenir of their victory.

The reference to “Jerusalem” is likely used in the same way modern historians might speak of the apostle Paul traveling through “Turkey” (Acts 19:10), for the sake of easier understanding. Since Israel previously had difficulty with the city of Jerusalem, itself (Joshua 15:63), and would again in the future (Judges 1:21), this battle might have involved the hill later called Mount Zion.

Verse 8. And the men of Judah fought against Jerusalem and captured it and struck it with the edge of the sword and set the city on fire.

After defeating the city of Bezek, Judah’s soldiers attack the Canaanite-occupied city of Jerusalem. Again, the Lord gives Judah success. This time, the Israelites leave nobody alive, striking down all with the sword and even burning the city.

Scholars speculate that after Jerusalem was defeated and wiped out by Judah, the people known as the Jebusites moved in and took over the town. Later in Israel’s history, King David will finally take Jerusalem from the Jebusites (2 Samuel 5:6–9) before making it Israel’s capital. Alternatively, the reference to Jerusalem might mean the surrounding area. Prior campaigns there were difficult (Joshua 15:63) and the tribe of Benjamin would later struggle to secure the area (Judges 1:21). It’s possible this battle was against a lesser city or fortification on what is now called Mount Zion.

Although Jerusalem was technically in the territory of the tribe of Benjamin, it may have been considered on the border between Judah and Benjamin at this time. It’s possible that the men of Judah burned only part of the city and that they did not hold the city for long.

Verse 9. And afterward the men of Judah went down to fight against the Canaanites who lived in the hill country, in the Negeb, and in the lowland.

The fighting men of the tribe of Judah continue their campaign. Their mission is to rout all the wicked Canaanites (Deuteronomy 9:4–5) out of their allotted territory in the southern part of Israel. This verse introduces the next regions that will become the focus of their attacks, with each of the three described in the verses to follow.

Having defeated the cities of Bezek and Jerusalem, Judah turns and heads south to defeat the Canaanites in the hill country south of Jerusalem. This is followed by the wilderness or desert region called the Negeb much further south. Next is the lowland region between the hills and the coastal plain to the south and west.

Verse 10. And Judah went against the Canaanites who lived in Hebron (now the name of Hebron was formerly Kiriath-arba), and they defeated Sheshai and Ahiman and Talmai.

This passage describes the next three phases of Judah’s campaign to drive the Canaanites from their allotted territory in the Promised Land (Judges 1:4–9). The first phase begins here with the attack on Hebron, about 20 miles south of Jerusalem. The writer of Judges uses the ancient name of Hebron, Kiriath-arba, literally meaning “City of Four.”

The author assumes readers will know Hebron has already been defeated by Caleb, as reported in Joshua 15:13–14. Caleb overcame the three descendants of Anak: Sheshai, Ahiman, and Talmai. The Anakites were famous for their size and power (Deuteronomy 9:2). Hebron and its surroundings had been given to Caleb as a reward for wholly following the Lord (Joshua 14:14).

Caleb was one of the original 12 spies, along with Joshua, sent into the Promised Land to make an estimation of Israel’s enemies. Only he and Joshua insisted that, with the Lord’s help, they could take possession of the land (Numbers 13). As a result, of those Israelis over 20 years old at the time, only Joshua and Caleb were allowed to enter the Promised Land, some 40 years later.

Verse 11. From there they went against the inhabitants of Debir. The name of Debir was formerly Kiriath-sepher.

Judah continues its campaign to drive out all the wicked Canaanites (Deuteronomy 9:4–5) from its territory in southern Israel (Judges 1:4–10). That campaign is now focused on what is called the “hill country,” south of Jerusalem. The ancient city of Hebron and its surrounding area had been promised to Caleb by Joshua.

The writer of Judges will repeat the story of Caleb capturing Hebron (Judges 1:12–15) during an earlier campaign (Joshua 15:15–19). After that, Caleb turned his sights on the nearby city of Debir, formerly known as Kiriath-sepher.

Verse 12. And Caleb said, “He who attacks Kiriath-sepher and captures it, I will give him Achsah my daughter for a wife.”

This segment repeats the story from Joshua 15:15–19. It may be that the writer includes it to complete the record of Judah’s conquering the people within the borders of their territory. For modern readers, it also creates some confusion about the order in which the events of this chapter took place. Ancient writers were more interested in themes than strict timelines, however. In this case, the precise historical order doesn’t change the point of the passage.

Caleb has already defeated three descendants of Anak to claim his inheritance of the city of Hebron. Debir, also known as Kiriath-sepher, may be near enough to Hebron to be part of Caleb’s inheritance, as well. Its inhabitants must likewise be defeated before Caleb can claim it.

Caleb aims to resolve two needs with a single proposition. He has a city that needs conquering and a single daughter of marrying age. He announces that whoever captures the city will receive his daughter Achsah for a wife. Consistently with ancient views of marriage as a social and economic contract, not necessarily a question of love, fathers reserved the right to marry their daughters to whomever they chose. We’re not told Achsah’s feelings about being the prize in this contest. She is, however, portrayed as both bold and respectful of her father in the following verses.

Verse 13. And Othniel the son of Kenaz, Caleb ‘s younger brother, captured it. And he gave him Achsah his daughter for a wife.

Caleb has issued an opportunity. He will give his daughter Achsah in marriage to whomever succeeds in attacking and conquering the Canaanite city of Kiriath-sepher, also known as Debir. The city is apparently part of Caleb’s inheritance in the Promised Land. This section (Judges 1:12–15) repeats the information from Joshua 15:15–19.

A man named Othniel succeeds in capturing the city. We’re told that Othniel is the son of Caleb’s younger brother, meaning that Caleb is Othniel’s uncle and Achsah is his cousin. Marriage among family members in this way was not unusual during this era—or most eras in history.

Caleb’s absolute commitment to the Lord and boldness on Yahweh’s behalf is remarkable. It’s even more noteworthy because Caleb was likely a proselyte, meaning he converted to Judaism. Caleb is introduced in Joshua as the son of Jephunneh the Kenizzite (Joshua 14:6). Kenaz was an Edomite, a descendant of Jacob’s brother Esau. That means that these bold, committed, faithful Israelites—Caleb, his daughter, and his new son-in-law—were all three converts to faith in Yahweh.

Verse 14. When she came to him, she urged him to ask her father for a field. And she dismounted from her donkey, and Caleb said to her, “What do you want?”

Caleb has given his daughter Achsah to his nephew, Othniel, for a wife. Othniel was the champion who conquered Debir to win this marriage. The unusual arrangement has ensured that Caleb’s daughter will have a bold and brave husband, like her father (Judges 1:11–13).

This verse might take place during the wedding celebration. Achsah is approaching Othniel on a donkey and seems to be urging him to take some action: She wants her new husband, in the context of the moment, to ask her father for a field as a kind of wedding gift. However, Othniel won’t be given time to respond. Instead, Caleb notices that his daughter wants something and asks her about it while she is still dismounting from her donkey. All three of them are pictured as daring and quick to act, while also remaining respectful.

Verse 15. She said to him, “Give me a blessing. Since you have set me in the land of the Negeb, give me also springs of water.” And Caleb gave her the upper springs and the lower springs.

Othniel is marrying Achsah, daughter of Caleb (Judges 1:11–14), as a reward for victory in the battle at Debir. As Achsah approaches Othniel on a donkey, she urges him to ask her father for a field, apparently as a kind of wedding present. Before Othniel can say anything, however, Caleb notices the exchange. He asks his daughter what she wants as she dismounts from the donkey.

Because her father asked, Achsah seems comfortable giving her request directly to him. She asks her father for a blessing. Since he has set her in the land of the Negeb, she asks for land with springs of water.

This request is both daring and savvy. Her question holds Caleb responsible for where she will live in the world; after all, he is the one who decided to marry her to Othniel, and he himself has settled in this place. The region around Hebron was not actually in the wilderness region of the Negeb. That was a desert area to the south. Yet it was dry and desert-like in places. Achsah recognized that if she and her husband and their future family were to thrive, they would need access to water.

Caleb generously gives his daughter exactly what she requests, including a field with both upper and lower springs of water. This completes a re-telling (Judges 1:12–14) of information first given in Joshua 15:15–19.

Verse 16.
And the descendants of the Kenite, Moses ‘ father-in-law, went up with the people of Judah from the city of palms into the wilderness of Judah, which lies in the Negeb near Arad, and they went and settled with the people.

The people of Judah have been conquering their allotted territory in the Promised Land from north to south. They started near Jerusalem and are now approaching the Negeb, the large, desert wilderness at the south end of Israel’s and Judah’s borders (Judges 1:4–10).

Meanwhile, a group of people who are not Israelites travels to the Negeb to make their own homeland there. These are the descendants of Moses’ father-in-law, who was a Midian priest. Scholars speculate that this group was descended from the same Midianites that Moses invited to come to the Promised Land with the Israelites (Numbers 10:29–32).

This group is said to come from the “city of palms.” That is one of the names for Jericho, but Bible scholars suggest it is likely also the name for a city called Tamar south of the Dead Sea. If so, this group is claiming their place in the Negeb as Judah’s army is securing that area.

The troubling note, though, is that this group settled with the people in the Negeb. Neither they nor Judah drove the local Canaanites out or destroyed them. This is another violation of God’s directive to Israel to devote the inhabitants of the land to destruction so that they do not influence Israel to worship other gods (Deuteronomy 20:16–18).

Verse 17. And Judah went with Simeon his brother, and they defeated the Canaanites who inhabited Zephath and devoted it to destruction. So the name of the city was called Hormah.

As Judah works its way through their territory to clear it of Canaanites (Judges 1:4–11), they now join forces with the fighting men of Simeon. Judah and Simeon are described as brothers. As sons of Jacob and Leah, these ancestors of the two tribes were full brothers and closely connected (Genesis 35:23).

The combined forces of Judah and Simeon attack and destroy the people of the city of Zephath. They fully follow God’s mandate about devoting the local Canaanites to destruction (Deuteronomy 20:16–18). They tear the city down completely and rename the place Hormah, which means “destruction.” This was God’s intended outcome for every encounter Israel had with the Canaanites.

Why did God want Israel to utterly destroy the people of Canaan? It went beyond merely wanting to keep the Israelites away from foreign gods. The people of Canaan were guilty of great evil, and God sent His people Israel to execute His wrath on them (Deuteronomy 7:1–5). Deuteronomy 9:5 puts it this way: “Not because of your righteousness or the uprightness of your heart are you going in to possess their land, but because of the wickedness of these nations the Lord your God is driving them out from before you.”

Verse 18. Judah also captured Gaza with its territory, and Ashkelon with its territory, and Ekron with its territory.

Judah’s campaign to drive the Canaanites from their allotted region in southern Israel continues (Judges 1:4–11, 16–17). This verse describes areas of the region known as the “lowland.” Judah captures Gaza, Ashkelon, Ekron, and their associated territories.

No details or significant events are added to this simple description. Bible scholars suggest that because nothing is mentioned, Judah must have thoroughly destroyed the people and their towns. Special mentions seem to be made when any of the Canaanite peoples are left alive and unconquered or as co-inhabitants of the land. God’s instructions were for Israel to kill them all or drive them completely from the land (Deuteronomy 20:16–18). The reason for these unusually harsh instructions was the depraved evil of Canaanite culture and God’s desire to keep Israel separate from it (Deuteronomy 7:1–5; 9:4–5).

Verse 19. And the Lord was with Judah, and he took possession of the hill country, but he could not drive out the inhabitants of the plain because they had chariots of iron.

To this point, the book of Judges has followed Judah’s campaign to defeat all the Canaanite peoples in their allotted territory. This verse summarizes their overall progress. It is a good news, bad news scenario. The good news is that because the Lord was with Judah, they were able to conquer the region known as the hill country in southern Israel. So far as Judah maintained faith in God, they could accomplish all He had asked them to do.

The bad news, though, is that they could not entirely drive out the inhabitants of the lowlands—meaning the plains—because those Canaanites had iron chariots. The use of iron in chariots was a relatively new technology at this moment in history, and Israel did not have a battle plan to overcome it on strictly human terms. Chariots could not help the Canaanites in the hilly regions of Judah, but they were very powerful on the plains.

The text makes no further comment about this difficulty. Readers are often confused, given that God’s influence is supposed to be at work in these battles. The God that miraculously made Jericho’s walls fall (Joshua 6:20–21) could also intervene to overcome iron chariots. The text does not say Judah was defeated, only that they didn’t “drive out” those inhabitants. Later, Israel would successfully counter armies equipped with iron chariots (Judges 4). So why didn’t God intervene here? Bible scholars are left to speculate, since the text offers no clues.

A common theme in Israel’s failures in Canaan is complacency and lack of faith. It could be this limited victory was an early consequence of Judah’s failure to utterly destroy some of the Canaanites they came across (Deuteronomy 20:16–18). It could also simply be that Judah’s armies were fearful and apprehensive about fighting enemies with iron chariots. Whatever the reason, Judah failed to completely secure all their territory, though they were very successful overall.

Verse 20. And Hebron was given to Caleb, as Moses had said. And he drove out from it the three sons of Anak.

The writer of Judges sums up the effectiveness of Judah’s campaign to conquer their allotted territory in the Promised Land (Judges 1:4–11, 16–19). They succeeded in taking the hill country, but they failed to overcome the armies of the plains with their iron chariots. This was likely due to Judah’s own disobedience or lack of faith.

Now the writer mentions, again, that Caleb, of the tribe of Judah, succeeded in securing Hebron and its surrounding area. This is the territory he had requested for himself, and it had been given to him by Joshua (Joshua 14:11–14). Caleb drove out the descendants of Anak in Hebron. The Anakites were the impressively large and imposing warriors Caleb insisted that Israel could defeat with God’s help several decades earlier (Numbers 13:30). He had done exactly that, with the Lord’s blessing, when he was given the opportunity.

Verse 21. But the people of Benjamin did not drive out the Jebusites who lived in Jerusalem, so the Jebusites have lived with the people of Benjamin in Jerusalem to this day.

Having reported on the conquests of Judah and Simeon, Judges now begins to report on the progress of other tribes in securing their allotted territories in the Promised Land. Benjamin’s territory was relatively small, but it included prime real estate right in the heart of Israel. Cities within Benjamin’s borders included Jericho, Ramah, Gibeah, and Jerusalem.

The Jebusite people had taken possession of the ancient city of Jerusalem. This may have happened after Judah’s army defeated the former occupants of Jerusalem and burned at least part of the city (Judges 1:8). If that is the case, either more Jebusites arrived, or they replaced the Canaanites who lived in Jerusalem before them. Judah failed to hold the city, perhaps because it was outside of their territory to start with.

When it came time for the people of Benjamin to take Jerusalem, they failed to drive the Jebusites out. Instead of persisting, the people of Benjamin simply lived alongside the Jebusites in their territory. Apparently, the Jebusites didn’t have the ability to repel the people of Benjamin, either. So, they co-existed for a time. This is exactly the opposite of what God had told His people to do.

God was specific: in this situation, the depraved Canaanite culture was to be completely destroyed (Deuteronomy 20:16–17). One reason for that was judgment on Canaan’s evil (Deuteronomy 7:1–5; 9:4–5). Another was to limit Israel’s temptation to imitate the practices of these wicked nations (Deuteronomy 20:18). Failing to rid the territory of these evil influences led to disastrous consequences for Israel for generations to come.

Not until King David, many years later, will Israel finally evict the Jebusites from Jerusalem, which becomes the City of David (2 Samuel 5:6–9).

Context Summary
Judges 1:21–26 follows a long description of Judah’s conquest with reports on two other tribes and their attempts to drive out the Canaanites from their territories. The tribe of Benjamin fails to remove the Jebusites from Jerusalem and so the Jebusites remained living among the people. Scouts from the tribe of Ephraim, here called “the house of Joseph,” unwisely agree to allow one citizen of the Canaanite city of Bethel, also known as Luz, to live in exchange for providing them a way into the city. That man starts a new Canaanite city with the same name.

Verse 22. The house of Joseph also went up against Bethel, and the Lord was with them.

Judges moves on to report on another tribe’s effort to conquer all the cities and peoples in their allotted territories. This tribe is referred to as the “house of Joseph.” This is somewhat surprising, since there is no tribe of Joseph. Instead, Joseph is represented by two tribes named for his sons: Ephraim and Manasseh (Genesis 48:1–6). It seems the title “house of Joseph” here is meant to refer to Ephraim, specifically, since Manasseh is addressed individually later in the passage (Judges 1:27).

Ephraim launches an attack against the Canaanites living in the city at Bethel, a place the Canaanites called Luz. Bethel was a place of enormous importance to the Israelites. God has appeared to Jacob at Bethel, and Jacob had built a significant pillar there in honor of his meeting with God. Bethel literally means “house of God.” The people of God would be highly motivated to capture and reclaim Bethel.

Verse 23. And the house of Joseph scouted out Bethel. (Now the name of the city was formerly Luz.)

The “house of Joseph” is a reference to the tribe of Ephraim, one of Joseph’s two sons (Genesis 48:1–6). The other is Manasseh, who will be noted later in this passage (Judges 1:27).

Ephraim has come up with a plan to conquer the city of Bethel, known to the Canaanites as Luz. They will follow the pattern set by Israel’s destruction of the city of Jericho with its enormous walls. That plan began by sending spies to Jericho. Ephraim does the same, sending a group to scout out Bethel/Luz. This plan has a fatal flaw, however: it disobeys God’s command to eliminate all the wicked Canaanites (Deuteronomy 20:16–18).

Verse 24. And the spies saw a man coming out of the city, and they said to him, “Please show us the way into the city, and we will deal kindly with you.”

The tribe of Ephraim has a plan to capture the city of Bethel, also known as Luz. They are eager to reclaim the place because the site is nearly sacred to the people of Israel (Genesis 28:16–22). Bethel means “house of God.”

Apparently following a similar plan used against Jericho (Joshua 2:1–7), the people of Ephraim send spies to scout out Bethel, looking for the shortest route possible to get into the city. The spies see a man leaving the city and offer to deal kindly with the man if he will show them the route.

It’s true that something similar happened with Jericho. The prostitute Rahab protected the spies. She, however, confessed loyalty to the God of Israel. She was allowed to live when the walls came down, but she and her people were also fully integrated into the people of Israel. It’s clear that the people of Ephraim mean to allow this man to live if he will show them the way into the city. However, this man does not claim to follow Israel’s God. He becomes a traitor to his people simply to save his own life.

Verse 25. And he showed them the way into the city. And they struck the city with the edge of the sword, but they let the man and all his family go.

The tribe of Ephraim wants to capture the city of Bethel. To do so, they seem to be following a plan that worked for capturing and destroying the city of Jericho. They send in spies (Joshua 2:1–7). Those spies contact a man leaving the city. They offer to “deal kindly” with the man, likely by agreeing to let him live, if he will show them a way into the city.

The spies of Jericho made a similar offer to the prostitute Rahab, but she had already expressed faith and loyalty to the God of Israel. This Bethelite has not done so. He shows them a way into the city simply to avoid being killed by the spies of Ephraim. He betrays his own people to save his life and that of his family.

Ephraim’s tribe is successful to a point. They conquer Bethel and destroy the city. However, they fail to obey God’s command to utterly destroy all the region’s inhabitants (Deuteronomy 20:16–18). They let the traitor live and do not even require him and his family to join them. They simply let him go (Judges 1:26).

Verse 26. And the man went to the land of the Hittites and built a city and called its name Luz. That is its name to this day.

The people of the tribe of Ephraim succeed in destroying the Canaanite people of the city of Bethel/Luz (Judges 1:22–25). They almost obey God’s command to utterly dedicate the inhabitants to destruction (Deuteronomy 20:16–18). Instead, they let one man and his family go free in exchange for his help in getting them into Bethel to destroy it.

The result is found in this verse. The man travels to live with the Hittite people and builds a new city. He calls this city Luz, after the old city. He succeeds in replacing a Canaanite city destroyed by the Israelites with a new one of the same name. This is a direct result of the Israelite’s failure to obey God’s command to thoroughly cleanse the Promised Land of all Canaanite influence.

Verse 27. Manasseh did not drive out the inhabitants of Beth-shean and its villages, or Taanach and its villages, or the inhabitants of Dor and its villages, or the inhabitants of Ibleam and its villages, or the inhabitants of Megiddo and its villages, for the Canaanites persisted in dwelling in that land.

The first chapter of Judges has reported on the success and failure of each tribe of Israel. Their mission was to drive out the inhabitants of Canaan from their allotted territories. Judah, Simeon, and Ephraim all experienced some success (Judges 1:17–20) but were incomplete in their effort to destroy or drive away the Canaanites. Benjamin failed completely. They could not force the Jebusites from Jerusalem, and so they lived among them (Judges 1:21).

Now the chapter concludes with a list of similar failures by most of the remaining tribes in their territories. They were unsuccessful in obeying God’s command to devote all the Canaanites to destruction (Deuteronomy 20:16–17). God’s purpose for this harsh process was to prevent the depraved evils of Canaanite culture from interfering with Israel (Deuteronomy 20:18).

The writer of Judges makes no comment as to exactly why these tribes of Israel failed. Much grief will come from their failure, beginning in the very next chapter. This has led to much speculation. It’s possible the people gave only a halfhearted effort. They might have wavered in their confidence or relied too much on their own strength and not that of God. God might have stymied individual victories due to sin among the people. The following verse points out that the ultimate cause was the Israelites themselves: whether by indifference or lack of effort, they simply stopped short of their goal (Judges 1:28).

The writer starts this latest account with the tribe of Manasseh. The people of Manasseh failed to drive out the Canaanites in the five key cities in their allotted territory between the Jordan River and the Mediterranean Sea. The Canaanites persisted in and around Beth-Shean, Taanach, Dor, Ibleam, and Megiddo, in the strategic heart of the Promised Land.

Context Summary
Judges 1:27–36 gives nearly the same report about six separate tribes of Israel: Manasseh, Ephraim, Zebulun, Asher, Naphtali, and Dan. Each fails to drive out the inhabitants of the cities in their allotted territories. Some succeed, eventually, in subjugating portions of the Canaanites or Amorites. None succeeds in obeying God’s command to completely purge the land of those depraved cultures (Deuteronomy 20:16–18). Instead, the people mingle among the Israelites, with terrible consequences in the chapters to come.

Verse 28. When Israel grew strong, they put the Canaanites to forced labor, but did not drive them out completely.

Most of the tribes of Israel failed to entirely remove the Canaanites from their allotted territories (Judges 1:17–21). The writer of Judges is listing these tribes and the places where Canaanites remained living in the land. The Israelites seem to simply have lacked the will or the trust in God to destroy the Canaanites as God had commanded (Deuteronomy 20:16–18).

Here, Scripture notes that Israel could have destroyed the Canaanites, eventually. They were not defeated in battle—they simply stopped short of a complete victory. The people of Israel willfully chose not to follow through on God’s command. As the nation took root, the people thrived. They began to outnumber the Canaanites in some places. When they became strong enough to purge evil Canaanite culture from the land, however, they chose instead to enslave the people. They used the Canaanites for labor instead of destroying them. Harsh though this may seem, later chapters show the terrible suffering Israel experienced as a result.

Verse 29. And Ephraim did not drive out the Canaanites who lived in Gezer, so the Canaanites lived in Gezer among them.

Earlier in the chapter, the writer of Judges reported on a military victory for the “house of Joseph.” This most likely meant the tribe of Ephraim (Genesis 48:3–6). They successfully captured the city at Bethel. This great success was tempered by the fact that they allowed one of the residents of Bethel to live in exchange for helping them find a way into the city. That man joined the Hittites and launched a new Canaanite city with the same name as the one destroyed by the people of Ephraim (Judges 1:22–26).

Now Judges calls Ephraim by name in reporting that they also failed to drive out the Canaanites in the city of Gezer, west of Jerusalem and about halfway to the sea. Gezer guarded an important crossroad for all of Palestine. Because they could not or did not remove the Canaanites, the people of the land continued to live among the people of the tribe of Ephraim.

God’s purpose for removing the wicked people of Canaan was closely tied to their cancerous, depraved culture (Deuteronomy 7:1–4, 9:4–5). Israel’s failure to purge that evil (Deuteronomy 20:16–18) would lead to tremendous suffering, as the rest of the book of Judges will explain.

Verse 30. Zebulun did not drive out the inhabitants of Kitron, or the inhabitants of Nahalol, so the Canaanites lived among them, but became subject to forced labor.

The small tribe of Zebulun also failed to drive the Canaanites from their territory. This includes those in and around the cities of Kitron and Nahalol, west of the Sea of Galilee. As was the case with several of the tribes, the people of Zebulun did eventually succeed in forcing the Canaanite people in their territory into slavery or “forced labor.”

When they grew strong enough to enslave the Canaanites, however, they would have been strong enough to destroy them or drive them out of the land (Judges 1:28). At that point, they were willfully disobeying God’s command to devote all the residents of the land to destruction (Deuteronomy 20:16–18). They chose, instead, to keep them around for the economic advantage of their labor. This would create tragic consequences for the entire nation.

Verse 31. Asher did not drive out the inhabitants of Acco, or the inhabitants of Sidon or of Ahlab or of Achzib or of Helbah or of Aphik or of Rehob,

The territory for the tribe of Asher was a long, narrow strip of land in the very northwest corner of Israel along the Mediterranean coast. Despite being the people of Yahweh, the Asherites did not drive out the Canaanite inhabitants (Deuteronomy 20:16–18) from the towns of Acco, Helbah, Aphik, or Rehob.

In fact, for the first time, rather than reporting that Canaanites lived among the Israelites in a territory, Scripture says the Asherites lived among the Canaanites (Judges 1:32). This means the tribe of Asher stopped well short of conquering the territory. Instead, they integrated into the local communities. The Canaanites allowed them to live in the land instead of the other way around.

Verse 32. so the Asherites lived among the Canaanites, the inhabitants of the land, for they did not drive them out.

Describing one territory after another, the writer of Judges has reported that the tribes of Israel failed to drive the Canaanites out of their land, allowing the Canaanites to live among them (Judges 1:19–31). This time, reporting on the tribe of Asher, the writer says the Asherites lived among the Canaanites. The people of Asher became the minority group, at least in terms of power, in their own God-given territory.

Whether the issue is lack of will or lack of strength or lack of interest, one tribe after another fails to do what God has commanded them to do. God’s command was not spiteful—it was about Israel’s survival (Deuteronomy 20:16–18). By leaving the notably wicked Canaanites in the land, Israel planted the seeds of future suffering. Much of the book of Judges is taken up with explaining these hardships.

Verse 33. Naphtali did not drive out the inhabitants of Beth-shemesh, or the inhabitants of Beth-anath, so they lived among the Canaanites, the inhabitants of the land. Nevertheless, the inhabitants of Beth-shemesh and of Beth-anath became subject to forced labor for them.

Naphtali’s allotted territory sits at the northern end of Israel between Asher to the west and Manasseh to the east. As was the case with Asher, the people of Naphtali are said to have lived among the Canaanites instead of allowing the Canaanites to live among them. The language suggests that it was the Canaanites who allowed God’s people to remain instead of the other way around. With each report, the tribes of Israel sound weaker and weaker in comparison to the people of the land.

All the same, the people of Israel grow stronger over time. Eventually, the people of the tribe of Naphtali grow strong enough enslave the Canaanites of a couple of the cities in their territory: Beth-shemesh and Beth-anath. To be obedient to the Lord, however, the Naphtali tribe should have destroyed the Canaanites instead of making slaves of them (Deuteronomy 20:16–18). Canaanite culture was so thoroughly evil that God did not want His people taking on any of their ways. This, unfortunately, is exactly what will happen, much to Israel’s harm.

Verse 34. The Amorites pressed the people of Dan back into the hill country, for they did not allow them to come down to the plain.

The reports on the failure of the tribes of Israel to drive out the Canaanites from their territories continue (Judges 1:27–33). Dan’s small territory was situated on the Mediterranean coast, with the larger tribes of Manasseh to the north, Judah to the south, and Ephraim to the east.

The fighting men of Dan seem to have at least engaged in battle with the inhabitants of the land. The text here calls the enemy forces “Amorites,” rather than Canaanites. Scholars report that, during the period Judges was written, the names Canaanite and Amorite may have been used interchangeably and somewhat generically of the occupants of Palestine (Joshua 24:15).

As was the case with Judah (Judges 1:19), the people of Dan failed to overcome the Amorites on the plain. They were forced to retreat to the hill country and out of reach of the Amorites.

Verse 35. The Amorites persisted in dwelling in Mount Heres, in Aijalon, and in Shaalbim, but the hand of the house of Joseph rested heavily on them, and they became subject to forced labor.

As was the case with the other tribes of Israel (Judges 1:27–34), the people of Dan have not been able to drive the local inhabitants out of their territory along the coast of the Mediterranean. Instead, the Amorites there have been able to drive the citizens of Dan off the plain and up into the hill country, where they settle.

The Amorites remained entrenched in Mount Heres, perhaps also known as “Sun Mountain.” They are also secured at Shaalbim and Aijalon, a city guarding an important trade route in the region.

The phrase “the house of Joseph” refers to the tribe of Ephraim (Genesis 48:3–6). Since the places described in this verse were so near to Ephraim’s territory, that tribe apparently became strong enough to eventually cross into Dan’s territory and enslave Amorites of that region. It’s important to recall that whenever any of the tribes enslaved inhabitants of the land, they are making a willful choice to disobey God’s command. Awful as it may seem, their mission was to destroy the intensely wicked Canaanites (Deuteronomy 7:1–4; 9:4–5). The price for that repeated disobedience will be quite high (Deuteronomy 20:16–18).

Verse 36. And the border of the Amorites ran from the ascent of Akrabbim, from Sela and upward.

Judges chapter 1 ends with a detail about the group identified as the Amorites in southern Israel. It’s possible that the names “Amorite” and “Canaanite” were used generically for the general population at this time (Joshua 24:15).

The tribe of Dan had been unable to take the plains from the Amorites in their territory, though Ephraim had been able to enslave at least some of the Amorite population eventually (Judges 1:34–35). This verse adds that the Amorite territory may have started as far south as the southwestern edge of the Sea of Galilee, where the “ascent of Akrabbim” is thought to have been located. The border ran to a now unknown location called Sela.

End of Judges 1

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