JUDGES 1
1 Now after the death of Joshua it came to pass, that the children of Israel asked the LORD, saying, Who shall go up for us against the Canaanites first, to fight against them?
2 And the LORD said, Judah shall go up: behold, I have delivered the land into his hand.
3 And Judah said unto Simeon his brother, Come up with me into my lot, that we may fight against the Canaanites; and I likewise will go with thee into thy lot. So Simeon went with him.
4 And Judah went up; and the LORD delivered the Canaanites and the Perizzites into their hand: and they slew of them in Bezek ten thousand men.
5 And they found Adoni-bezek in Bezek: and they fought against him, and they slew the Canaanites and the Perizzites.
6 But Adoni-bezek fled; and they pursued after him, and caught him, and cut off his thumbs and his great toes.
7 And Adoni-bezek said, Threescore and ten kings, having their thumbs and their great toes cut off, gathered their meat under my table: as I have done, so God hath requited me. And they brought him to Jerusalem, and there he died.
8 Now the children of Judah had fought against Jerusalem, and had taken it, and smitten it with the edge of the sword, and set the city on fire.
9 And afterward the children of Judah went down to fight against the Canaanites, that dwelt in the mountain, and in the south, and in the valley.
10 And Judah went against the Canaanites that dwelt in Hebron: (now the name of Hebron before was Kirjath-arba:) and they slew Sheshai, and Ahiman, and Talmai.
11 And from thence he went against the inhabitants of Debir: and the name of Debir before was Kirjath-sepher:
12 And Caleb said, He that smiteth Kirjath-sepher, and taketh it, to him will I give Achsah my daughter to wife.
13 And Othniel the son of Kenaz, Caleb's younger brother, took it: and he gave him Achsah his daughter to wife.
14 And it came to pass, when she came to him , that she moved him to ask of her father a field: and she lighted from off her ass; and Caleb said unto her, What wilt thou?
15 And she said unto him, Give me a blessing: for thou hast given me a south land; give me also springs of water. And Caleb gave her the upper springs and the nether springs.
16 And the children of the Kenite, Moses' father-in-law, went up out of the city of palm trees with the children of Judah into the wilderness of Judah, which lieth in the south of Arad; and they went and dwelt among the people.
17 And Judah went with Simeon his brother, and they slew the Canaanites that inhabited Zephath, and utterly destroyed it. And the name of the city was called Hormah.
18 Also Judah took Gaza with the coast thereof, and Askelon with the coast thereof, and Ekron with the coast thereof.
19 And the LORD was with Judah; and he drove out the inhabitants of the mountain; but could not drive out the inhabitants of the valley, because they had chariots of iron.
20 And they gave Hebron unto Caleb, as Moses said: and he expelled thence the three sons of Anak.
21 And the children of Benjamin did not drive out the Jebusites that inhabited Jerusalem; but the Jebusites dwell with the children of Benjamin in Jerusalem unto this day.
22 And the house of Joseph, they also went up against Bethel: and the LORD was with them.
23 And the house of Joseph sent to descry Bethel. (Now the name of the city before was Luz.)
24 And the spies saw a man come forth out of the city, and they said unto him, Show us, we pray thee, the entrance into the city, and we will show thee mercy.
25 And when he showed them the entrance into the city, they smote the city with the edge of the sword; but they let go the man and all his family.
26 And the man went into the land of the Hittites, and built a city, and called the name thereof Luz: which is the name thereof unto this day.
27 Neither did Manasseh drive out the inhabitants of Beth-shean and her towns, nor Taanach and her towns, nor the inhabitants of Dor and her towns, nor the inhabitants of Ibleam and her towns, nor the inhabitants of Megiddo and her towns: but the Canaanites would dwell in that land.
28 And it came to pass, when Israel was strong, that they put the Canaanites to tribute, and did not utterly drive them out.
29 Neither did Ephraim drive out the Canaanites that dwelt in Gezer; but the Canaanites dwelt in Gezer among them.
30 Neither did Zebulun drive out the inhabitants of Kitron, nor the inhabitants of Nahalol; but the Canaanites dwelt among them, and became tributaries.
31 Neither did Asher drive out the inhabitants of Accho, nor the inhabitants of Zidon, nor of Ahlab, nor of Achzib, nor of Helbah, nor of Aphik, nor of Rehob:
32 But the Asherites dwelt among the Canaanites, the inhabitants of the land: for they did not drive them out.
33 Neither did Naphtali drive out the inhabitants of Beth-shemesh, nor the inhabitants of Beth-anath; but he dwelt among the Canaanites, the inhabitants of the land: nevertheless the inhabitants of Beth-shemesh and of Beth-anath became tributaries unto them.
34 And the Amorites forced the children of Dan into the mountain: for they would not suffer them to come down to the valley:
35 But the Amorites would dwell in mount Heres in Aijalon, and in Shaalbim: yet the hand of the house of Joseph prevailed, so that they became tributaries.
36 And the coast of the Amorites was from the going up to Akrabbim, from the rock, and upward.
JUDGES 1
* Proceedings of the tribes of Judah and Simeon. (1-8) Hebron
and other cities taken. (9-20) The proceedings of other tribes.
(21-36)
#1-8 The Israelites were convinced that the war against the
Canaanites was to be continued; but they were in doubt as to the
manner in which it was to be carried on after the death of
Joshua. In these respects they inquired of the Lord. God
appoints service according to the strength he has given. From
those who are most able, most work is expected. Judah was first
in dignity, and must be first in duty. Judah's service will not
avail unless God give success; but God will not give the
success, unless Judah applies to the service. Judah was the most
considerable of all the tribes, and Simeon the least; yet Judah
begs Simeon's friendship, and prays for aid from him. It becomes
Israelites to help one another against Canaanites; and all
Christians, even those of different tribes, should strengthen
one another. Those who thus help one another in love, have
reason to hope that God will graciously help both. Adoni-bezek
was taken prisoner. This prince had been a severe tyrant. The
Israelites, doubtless under the Divine direction, made him
suffer what he had done to others; and his own conscience
confessed that he was justly treated as he had treated others.
Thus the righteous God sometimes, in his providence, makes the
punishment answer the sin.
#9-20 The Canaanites had iron chariots; but Israel had God on
their side, whose chariots are thousands of angels, #Ps 68:17|.
Yet they suffered their fears to prevail against their faith.
About Caleb we read in #Jos 15:16-19|. The Kenites had settled
in the land. Israel let them fix where they pleased, being a
quiet, contented people. They that molested none, were molested
by none. Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth.
#21-36 The people of Israel were very careless of their duty and
interest. Owing to slothfulness and cowardice, they would not be
at the pains to complete their conquests. It was also owing to
their covetousness: they were willing to let the Canaanites live
among them, that they might make advantage of them. They had not
the dread and detestation of idolatry they ought to have had.
The same unbelief that kept their fathers forty years out of
Canaan, kept them now out of the full possession of it. Distrust
of the power and promise of God deprived them of advantages, and
brought them into troubles. Thus many a believer who begins well
is hindered. His graces languish, his lusts revive, Satan plies
him with suitable temptations, the world recovers its hold; he
brings guilt into his conscience, anguish into his heart,
discredit on his character, and reproach on the gospel. Though
he may have sharp rebukes, and be so recovered that he does not
perish, yet he will have deeply to lament his folly through his
remaining days; and upon his dying bed to mourn over the
opportunities of glorifying God and serving the church he has
lost. We can have no fellowship with the enemies of God within
us or around us, but to our hurt; therefore our only wisdom is
to maintain unceasing war against them.
