Judges 1

NOW after the death of Joshua Not long after it, because Othniel, the first Judge, lived in Ioshuah's time., it came to pass, that the children of Israel asked the LORD Being assembled together at Shiloh, they enquired of the High-priest by the Urim and Thummim. See Numb. 27. 21. Iudg. 20. 18. 1 Sam. 23. 9., saying, Who shall go up for us against the Canaanites first Being sensible that the Canaanites are troublesome to them, and expected great advantage against them by their heedless condition, and finding their People to encrease and multiply exceedingly, and consequently the necessity of enlarging their Quarters, they renew the War. They do not enquire who shall be the Captain General to all the Tribes; but (as appears by the answer) What Tribe shall first undertake the Expedition, that by their success the other Tribes may be encouraged to make the like attempt upon the Canaanites in their several Lots., to fight against them?

And the LORD said, Judah Not a person so called, but the Tribe of Iudah, as is manifest from v. 3, 4, 8, 9. which is chosen for the first enterprise, because they were both most populous, and so most needing enlargement; and withal most Valiant, and therefore most likely to succeed: for God chuseth fit means for the work which he designs; and because the Canaanites were numerous and strong in those parts, and therefore were in time to be suppressed, before they grew too strong for them. shall go up: behold, I have delivered the land into his hand.

And Judah said unto Simeon his brother As nearest to him both by relation, being his Brother by both Parents, which few of them were; and by habitation, as appears from Ios. 19. 1, 2., Come up with me into my lot, that we may fight against the Canaanites Specially so called, because they are distinguished from the Perizzite, v. 4., and I likewise will go with thee into thy lot. So Simeon went with him.

And Judah went up, and the LORD delivered the Canaanites and the Perizzites into their hand, and they slew of them in Bezek Not in the City, for that was not yet taken, v. 5. but in the Territory of it, or near to it; as in Hor is taken, Numb. 33. 37. And in Iericho, Ios. 5. 13., ten thousand men.

And they found Adoni-bezek The Lord or King of Bezek, as his Name signifies, in Bezek Whither he fled, when he had lost the Field., and they fought against him i. e. Against the City wherein he had Encamped himself, and the rest of his Army., and they... lew the Canaanites, and the Perizzites.

But Adoni-bezek fled, and they purfued after him, and caught him, and cut off his thumbs, and his great toes That he might be disenabled to fight with his Hands, or to run away upon his Feet. And this they did, either by the secret instinct and direction of God, or upon notice of his former Tyranny and Cruelty expressed upon others, in this manner, as it follows: either way it was a just requital..

And Adoni-bezek said, Threescore and ten kings Which is not strange in those times and places: for these might be either, First, Kings successively, and so there might be divers of those Kings in one place, and so in others: Or, Secondly, Contemporary Kings For it is well known, that anciently each Ruler of a City, or great Town, was called a King, and had Kingly Power in that place; and many such Kings we meet with in Canaan: and it is probable, that some years before, Kings were more numerous there, till the greater devoured many of the less., having their thumbs That so their hands might be unable to manage weapons of War. and their great toes cut off, gathered their meat under my table An act of Barbarous Inhumanity thus to insult over the miserable, joyned with abominable Luxury.: as I have done so God has requited me He acknowledgeth the Providence and vindictive Justice of God, which also Pharoah did, and others too, without any true sense of Piety.: and they brought him They carried him in Triumph as a monument of Gods righteous Vengeance. to Jerusalem q, and there he died.

(Now the children of Judah had sought against Jerusalem, and had taken it To wit, in Ioshuah's time; which though done before, may be here repeated, to show why they brought Adonibesek to Ierusalem, because that City was in their hands, having been taken before; as may be gathered from Ios. 15. 63. And the taking of this City may be ascribed to the children of Iudah, rather than to Ioshua, because the City was not taken by Ioshua, and the whole Body of the Army in that time when so many Kings were destroyed, Ios. 10. and 12. (for there is mention made of the destroying of the King of Ierusalem, Ios. 10. 23. and 12. 10. But not a word of the taking of Ierusalem, as there is of the taking of, and Libnah, and other Cities belonging to the Kings there mentioned, Ios. 10. 28, &c.) but by the Children of Iudah after they had received their Lot, when at the desire, and with the consent of the Benjamites, in whose Lot Ierusalem fell. Ios. 18. 28. they assaulted and took it, and thereby, as it seems acquired the right of Copartnership with the Benjamites in the possession of that City. Though some think Ierusalem was twice taken, once in Ioshua's Life-time; and being afterwards recovered by the Canaanites, was now retaken by the Children of Iudah., and smitten it with the edge of the sword, and set the city on fire.)

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.

And Judah went against the Canaanites Under the Conduct of Caleb, as it is recorded Ios. 15. 14, &c. for that relation, and this here following, are doubtless one and the same Expedition and War, as appears by all the circumstances; and it is mentioned either there by anticipation, or here by repetition. Of this and the following Verses, see the Notes there. that dwelt in Hebron, (now the name of Hebron before was Kirjath-arba) and they slew Sheshai, and Ahiman, and Talmai.

And from thence he went against the inhabitants of Debir, (and the name of Debir before was Kirjath-sepher.)

And Caleb said, He that smiteth Kirjathsepher, and taketh it, to him will I give Achsah my daughter to wife.

And Othniel the son of Kenaz, Calebs younger brother, took it: and he gave him Achsah his daughter to wife.

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?

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.

¶ And the children of the Kenite, Moses father in law i. e. of Iethro, so called from the people from whom he descended, Numb. 24. 21, 22. And, whatsoever he did, it is evident, that his Posterity came into Canaan with the Israelites, and were there seated with them. See Iudg. 4. 11. 17. and 5. 24. 1 Sam. 15. 6. 1 Chron. 2. 55., went up out of the city of palmtrees t, with the children of Judah, into the wilderness of Judah, which lieth in the south of Arad i. e. From Iericho so called, Deut. 34. 3. not the City, which was utterly destroyed; but the Territory belonging to it, where it seems they were seated as in a most pleasant, and fruitful, and safe place, according to the promise made by Moses to their Father, Numb. 10. 31, 32. and whence they might remove, either to avoid the Society or Molestation of the Neighbouring Canaanites; or out of love to the children of Iudah, whom they went to; or to avoid temptations to Luxury, and exercise themselves in self-denial, and contempt of the present evil World, and the Lusts thereof; as may be thought from Ier. 35. 6, &c. Or for some other cause unknown to us at this distance., and they In the Southern part of the Land of Canaan, where Arad was, Numb. 21. 1. u i. e. Some of them, for others of them dwelt in the contrary quarter, in the most Northern part of the Land. went and dwelt among the people Heb. that people, to wit, those Children of Iudah that lived there..

And Judah went with Simeon his brother According to his Promise, v. 3. and the Laws of Justice and Gratitude., and they slew the Canaanites that inhabited Zephath, and utterly destroyed it (and the name of the city was called Hormah) Either 1. The same place so destroyed and called, Numb. 21. 3. and so what was there Vowed,..., here Executed: Or 2. Some other place called by the same Name upon the like occasion, which was frequent among the Hebrews: This seems more probable, 1. Because this was but one City; that, divers Cities, Numb. 21. 2, 3. 2. Because that seems to have been done in Moses his time, though Interpreters generally think otherwise; of which see my Notes there..

Also Judah took Gaza with the coast thereof, and Askelon with the coast thereof, and Ekron with the coast thereof The principal Cities of the Philistines. Qu. How could this be, when among the people le... t to try Israel, are the five Lords of the Philistines, Judg. 3. 3? Ans. It is only said that they took the Cities, and probably contented themselves with making them Tributary; but it is not said that they slew the people, as they ought to have done; and as it is said of the other Cities here, v. 5, 8, 17, 25. And the people being thus spared, did by Gods Just Judgment, recover their strength, and expel the Iews out of their Cities, as we find afterwards: It is further observable, that Ekron here taken, was one of Dan's Cities, Ios. 19. 43. and it was attempted and taken here by Iudah and Simeon, partly out of love to their Brother Dan, and partly to secure their new Conquests, and other adjoining Territories, from such potent Neighbours..

And the LORD was with Judah, and he drave out the inhabitants of the mountain, but could not Because of their unbelief, whereby they doubted and distrusted Gods power to destroy those who had Chariots of Iron, and so gave way to their own fear and sloth, whereby God was provoked to withdraw his helping hand from them, and so they were really made impotent, as they were unwilling. See Ios. 17. 16. drive out the inhabitants of the valley, because they had charets of iron.

And they gave Hebron unto Caleb, as Moses said: and he expelled thence the three sons of Anak Above mentioned, v. 10..

And the children of Benjamin did not drive out the Jebusites that inhabited Jerusalem: but the Jebusites dwell with the children of Benjamin See on Ios. 15. 36. in Jerusalem unto this day.

¶ And the house of Joseph i. e. The Tribe of Ephraim, as appeaars from their opposition to the Tribe of Manasseh, v. 27., they also went up against Bethel: and the LORD was with them.

¶ And the house of Joseph sent to descry Bethel, (now the name of the city before was Luz.)

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 On which side it is weakest, that we may best invade and take it., and we will show thee mercy.

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 Together with his Estate, as the following Verse manifests..

And the man went into the land of the Hittites Where the Hittites seated themselves after they were driven out of Canaan, which seems to be Northward from Canaan, and near unto it. See 1 King. 11. 1. 1 Chron. 1. 17., and built a city, and called the name thereof Luz: which is the name thereof unto this day.

¶ Neither did Manasseh i. e. That half of this Tribe which dwelt in Canaan. drive out the inhatants of Beth-shean A place near Iordan, Ios. 17. 11., and her towns, nor Taanach Of which see Ios. 1.... 21. and 17. 11., and her towns, nor the inhabitants of Dor A great City with large Territories. See Ios. 11. 2. and 12. 23. and 17. 11., and her towns, nor the inhabitants of Ibleam, and her towns, nor the inhabitants of Megiddo A Royal City. See Ios. 12. 21. and 17. 11., and her towns: but the Canaanites would dwell in that land.

And it came to pass when Israel was strong, that they put the Canaanites to tribute, and did not utterly drive them out.

¶ Neither did Ephraim drive out the Canaanites, that dwelt in Gezer: but the Canaanites dwelt in Gezer Which they possessed till Solomons time, 1 King. 9. 16. among them.

¶ Neither did Zebulun drive out the inhabitants of Kitron, nor the inhabitants of Nahalol: but the Canaanites dwelt among them, and became tributaries.

¶ Neither did Asher drive out the inhabitants of Accho, nor the inhabitants of Zidon, nor of Ahlab, nor Achzib, nor Helbah, nor Aphik, nor of Rehob:

But the Asherites dwelt among the Canaanites, the inhabitants of the land: for they did not drive them out.

¶ Neither did Naphtali drive out the inhabitants of Beth-shemesh, nor the inhabitants of Bethanath, but he dwelt among the Canaanites the inhabitants of the land: nevertheless, the inhabitants of Beth-shemesh A place differing from that Bethshemesh, Ios. 15. 10., and of Beth-anath, became tributaries unto them.

And the Amorites forced the children of Dan into the mountain: for they would not suffer them to come down to the valley i. e. Into the Plain Countrey; which was the occasion of that Expedition for the getting of new quarters; of which we read Ios. 19. and Iudg. 18..

But the Amorites would dwell in mount Heres in Ajalon and in Shaalbim: yet the hand of the house of Joseph i. e. Of the Ephraimites, who helped their Brethren the Danites against the Amorites, and that with good Success. prevailed, so that they became tributaries.

And the coast of the Amorites was from the going up to Akrabbim Which was in the Southern part of Canaan, Ios. 15. 2, 3. from whence it went up towards the North. This is added to show the great power and large extent of this people., from the rock and upward.