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Judges Chapter
One
Judges 1
Outlines
New King James Version (NKJV)
INTRODUCTION TO JUDGES 1
The
children of Israel
after Joshua's death
inquiring of the Lord which tribes
should first go up against the remaining Canaanites
Judah is ordered to go up
who with Simeon did
Judges 1:1; and had
success against the Canaanites under Adonibezek
whom they brought to Jerusalem
Judges 1:4; and
against the Canaanites in Hebron
Debir
Zephath
Hormah
Gaza
Ashkelon
and
Ekron
Judges 1:9; the
Benjamites had not such good success as Judah against the Jebusites in
Jerusalem
Judges 1:21; nor as
the house of Joseph had against Bethel
Judges 1:22; nor
could the tribes of Manasseh
Ephraim
Zebulun
Asher
and Naphtali
drive out
the Canaanites from several places which belonged unto them
though many of
them became their tributaries
Judges 1:27; and as
for the Amorites
they were too powerful for the tribe of Dan
though some of
them became tributaries to the house of Joseph
Judges 1:34.cf13
(a) T. Bab. Bava Bathra
fol. 14. 2.
Judges 1:1 Now
after the death of Joshua it came to pass that the children of Israel asked the
Lord
saying
“Who
shall be first to go up for us against the Canaanites to fight against them?”
YLT
1And it cometh to pass
after the death of Joshua
that the sons of Israel ask at Jehovah
saying
`Who
doth go up for us unto the Canaanite
at the commencement
to fight against
it?'
Now after the death of
Joshua
.... With the account of which the preceding book is concluded
and therefore this very properly follows after that; though EpiphaniusF2De
Mensur. & Ponder. c. 13. places the book of Job between them:
it came to pass that the children of Israel asked the Lord; that is
the
heads of them who gathered together at Shiloh
where the tabernacle was; and
standing before the high priest
either Eleazar
or rather Phinehas his son
Eleazar being in all probability dead
inquired by Urim and Thummim:
saying
who shall go up for us against the Canaanites first
to
fight against them? for they had no commander in chief
Joshua leaving no successor
though the Samaritan ChronicleF3Apud Hottinger. Smegma
p. 522.
pretends he did; one Abel
a son of Caleb's brother
of the tribe of Judah
on
whom the lot fell
out of twelve of the nine tribes and a half
to whom Joshua
delivered the government of the nation
and crowned him: but this inquiry was
not for any man to go before them all as their generalissimo
but to know what
tribe should first go up
and they were desirous of having the mind of God in
it
when they might expect to succeed; which to do
at their first setting out
would not only be a great encouragement to them to go on
but strike dread and
terror into their enemies; and this is to be understood of the Canaanites who
remained unsubdued
that dwelt among them
and in cities
which though divided
to them by lot
they were not in the possession of; and these being troublesome
neighbours to them
and besides the Israelites daily increasing
needed more
room and more cities to occupy
and more land to cultivate.
Judges 1:2 2 And the Lord said
“Judah
shall go up. Indeed I have delivered the land into his hand.”
YLT
2And Jehovah saith
`Judah
doth go up; lo
I have given the land into his hand.'
And the Lord said
.... By an
articulate voice
which it is probable was the usual way of answering by Urim
and Thummim:
Judah shall go up; not Judah in person
who was long ago dead
but the tribe of Judah; it was the will of the Lord that that tribe should
engage first with the Canaanites
being the principal one
and the most
numerous
powerful
and valiant
and perhaps had the greatest number of
Canaanites among them; and who succeeding
would inspire the other tribes with
courage
and fill their enemies with a panic:
behold
I have delivered the land into his hands; that part of
it which belonged to that tribe as yet unsubdued
the conquest of which they
are assured of for their encouragement.
Judges 1:3 3 So Judah said to Simeon
his brother
“Come up with me to my allotted territory
that we may fight
against the Canaanites; and I will likewise go with you to your allotted
territory.” And Simeon went with him.
YLT
3And Judah saith to Simeon
his brother
`Go up with me into my lot
and we fight against the Canaanite --
and I have gone
even I
with thee into thy lot;' and Simeon goeth with him.
And Judah said unto Simeon
his brother
.... The men of the tribe of Judah said to those of the tribe of
Simeon
they being not only brethren by father's and mother's side
which was
not the case of all the sons of Jacob
but their possessions and inheritances
lay near together; and indeed those of Simeon were within the inheritance of
the tribe of Judah
Joshua 19:1; so
that as they lived in great nearness and familiarity with each other
their
interests were closely united together:
come up with me into my lot
that we may fight against the
Canaanites; conjunctly: the meaning is
that the tribe of Simeon
as many of
their warlike men as could
would come and join their forces with those of the
tribe of Judah
in order to reduce such cities
in the lot of that tribe
the
Canaanites as yet were in the possession of:
and I likewise will go with thee into thy lot: the cities
being conquered which were in the lot
of the tribe of Judah
that tribe
proposed to bring their united forces into the lot of the tribe of Simeon
and
reduce such cities as were in that lot:
so Simeon went with him: the tribe of Simeon
agreed to the proposal
and went along with the tribe of Judah against their
common enemy.
Judges 1:4 4 Then Judah went up
and
the Lord
delivered the Canaanites and the Perizzites into their hand; and they killed
ten thousand men at Bezek.
YLT
4And Judah goeth up
and
Jehovah giveth the Canaanite and the Perizzite into their hand
and they smite
them in Bezek -- ten thousand men;
And Judah went up
.... Simeon
being along with him
from the southern parts of the land
where they dwelt
and went more northward towards Jerusalem
and which therefore is called a
going up:
and the Lord delivered the Canaanites and Perizzites into their
hands: into the hands of Judah and Simeon: the Canaanites here is not
the common name of the seven nations
but the name of one of those nations
distinguished from the rest
as here from the Perizzites
who otherwise were
also Canaanites; and both these
at least many of them
dwelt in those parts
and
were subdued by the united forces of Judah and Simeon
whereby the Lord's
promise was fulfilled
Judges 1:2
and they slew of them in Bezek ten thousand men: that is
in
and about Bezek
first and last
in the course of this war
as after related.
Jerom saysF4De loc. Heb. fol. 89. H. there were two villages of this
name in his time near one another
seven miles from Neapolis
as you go to
Scythopolis; and our countryman Mr. SandysF5Travels
p. 142. Ed.
5th. says
that when they departed from Bethlehem
bending their course from
the mountains of Judea lying west from it
near to which
on the side of the
opposite hill
they passed a little village called Bezek
as he took it
two
miles from Bethsur
see 1 Samuel 11:8.
Judges 1:5 5 And they found Adoni-Bezek
in Bezek
and fought against him; and they defeated the Canaanites and the
Perizzites.
YLT
5and they find Adoni-Bezek
in Bezek
and fight against him
and smite the Canaanite and the Perizzite.
And they found Adonibezek
in Bezek
.... Who was king of
the place
and whose name signifies lord of
Bezek; not that they took him there
for he is afterwards said to make his
escape from thence
but here he was when they came against that city
and into
which they rushed upon him
and fell upon him as follows:
and they fought against him; entering the city with
their forces:
and they slew the Canaanites and the Perizzites: that were in
it
or about it
even to the number of ten thousand
as before related
Judges 1:4.
Judges 1:6 6 Then Adoni-Bezek fled
and
they pursued him and caught him and cut off his thumbs and big toes.
YLT
6And Adoni-Bezek fleeth
and
they pursue after him
and seize him
and cut off his thumbs and his great
toes
But Adonibezek fled
and
they pursued after him
and caught him
.... It is very probable
his view was to get to Jebus or Jerusalem
a strong and fortified city and he
made his way thither as fast as he could
but was pursued and overtaken by some
of the forces of Judah and Simeon; and the rather it may seem he took this
course
since when he was taken by them
they brought him thither
as follows:
and cut off his thumbs and his great toes; whereby he
was disabled both for fighting and for fleeing. So the Athenians cut off the
thumbs of the right hand of the Aeginetae
the inhabitants of the island of
Aegina
to disable them from holding a spear
as various writersF6Valerius
Maximus
l. 9. c. 2. Aelian
Var. Hist. l. 2. c. 9. Cicero de Officiis
l. 3.
c. 11. relate. Whether the Israelites did this
as knowing this king had used
others in like manner
and so
according to their law of retaliation
"eye
for eye"
&c. Exodus 21:23
required it; or whether
ignorant of it
were so moved and directed by the
providence of God to do this
that the same measure might be measured to him
which he had measured to others
is not certain; the latter seems most
probable
since the Israelites did not usually inflict such sort of
punishments; and besides
according to the command of God
they should have put
him to death
as they were to do to all Canaanites.
Judges 1:7 7 And Adoni-Bezek said
“Seventy kings with their thumbs and big toes cut off used to gather scraps
under my table; as I have done
so God has repaid me.” Then they brought him to
Jerusalem
and there he died.
YLT
7and Adoni-Bezek saith
`Seventy kings -- their thumbs and their great toes cut off -- have been
gathering under my table; as I have done so hath God repaid to me;' and they
bring him in to Jerusalem
and he dieth there.
And Adonibezek said
.... To the
men of Judah
after his thumbs and toes were cut off
his conscience accusing
him for what he had done to others
and being obliged to acknowledge he was
righteously dealt with:
threescore and ten kings
having their thumbs and their great toes
cut off; that is
by him
or by his orders
whom he had conquered and
made captives; according to JosephusF7Antiqu. l. 5. c. 2. sect. 2.
they were seventy two; the number may be accounted for by observing
that in
those times
as appears by the preceding book
every city had a king over it;
and besides
these seventy kings might not be such who had had the government
of so many cities
but many of them such who had reigned successively in the
same city
and had fallen into the hands of this cruel and tyrannical king
one
after another
and their sons also with them might be so called: and these he
says
gathered their meat under my table: were glad to
eat of the crumbs and scraps which fell from thence
and might in their turns
be put there at times for his sport and pleasure
and there be fed with the
offal of his meat
as Bajazet the Turk was served by Tamerlane
who put him
into an iron cage
and carried him about in it
and used him as his footstool
to mount his horse
and at times fed him like a dog with crumbs from his tableF8Such
dogs are called τραπεζηες κυνες
in Homer.
Iliad. 23. ver. 173. & Odyss. 17. ver. 227. :
as I have done
so God hath requited me; whether he
had any knowledge of the true God
and of his justice in dealing with him
according to his deserts
and had a real sense of his sin
and true repentance
for it
is not certain; since the word for God is in the plural number
and
sometimes used of Heathen deities
as it may be here by him; however
the
righteous judgment of God clearly appears in this instance:
and they brought him to Jerusalem; to that part of
Jerusalem which belonged to the tribe of Judah; see Joshua 15:8; here
they brought him alive
and dying
buried him
as JosephusF9Antiqu.
l. 5. c. 2. sect. 2. says; which might be their view in carrying him thither
perceiving he was a dying man; or they had him thither to expose him as a
trophy of victory
and as an example of divine justice:
and there he died: whether through grief and vexation
or of
the wounds he had received
or by the immediate hand of God
or by the hands of
the Israelites
is not said; neither are improbable.
Judges 1:8 8 Now the children of Judah
fought against Jerusalem and took it; they struck it with the edge of the sword
and set the city on fire.
YLT
8And the sons of Judah fight
against Jerusalem
and capture it
and smite it by the mouth of the sword
and
the city they have sent into fire;
Now the children of Judah
had fought against Jerusalem
and had taken it
.... Which accounted for
their carrying Adonibezek thither. This they had done in the times of Joshua;
for when the king of that place was taken and slain by Joshua
it seems that he
and Israel went and fought against the city
and took that in which the tribe
of Judah had a principal concern; so Kimchi and Ben Gersom interpret it; but
Jarchi and Abarbinel are of opinion
that now from Bezek they went up to
Jerusalem
and fought against it
and took it; and so others think
because
only the children of Judah are mentioned
and not all Israel
who fought
together in Joshua's time; nor is there any mention made of its being taken in
his time
and yet it seems plain that it was inhabited in part by the children
of Judah
Joshua 15:63; some
therefore have thought that it was twice taken; that after Joshua had taken it
he and the children of Israel being employed in making conquests in other parts
of the land
the Jebusites repossessed it
from whence they were now again in
part driven
not wholly; and Josephus saysF11Ut supra. (Antiqu. l.
5. c. 2. sect. 2.)
the lower part was taken
and all the inhabitants killed
but the upper part was hard to be taken
because of the strength of the walls
and the nature of the place:
and smitten it with the edge of the sword; the
"inhabitants of it"
so far as they got possession of it:
and set the city on fire; some part of it only
for in some part of it dwelt the children of Judah
and in another part the
Jebusites.
Judges 1:9 9 And afterward the children
of Judah went down to fight against the Canaanites who dwelt in the mountains
in the South
[a] and in the
lowland.
YLT
9and afterwards have the
sons of Judah gone down to fight against the Canaanite
inhabiting the
hill-country
and the south
and the low country;
And afterwards the children
of Judah
.... After the taking of Bezek
and the king of it
having him to
Jerusalem
where he died: they
went down; from Jerusalem; which was on high ground:
to fight against the Canaanites that dwelt in the mountain
and in
the south
and in the valley; into which several parts the lot of the
tribe of Judah was divided; in each of which they had cities
and some
as it
seems
yet unsubdued
and in the hands of the Canaanites; of these several
parts
and the cities in them
see Joshua 15:21.
Judges 1:10 10 Then Judah went against
the Canaanites who dwelt in Hebron. (Now the name of Hebron was formerly
Kirjath Arba.) And they killed Sheshai
Ahiman
and Talmai.
YLT
10and Judah goeth unto the
Canaanite who is dwelling in Hebron (and the name of Hebron formerly [is]
Kirjath-Arba)
and they smite Sheshai
and Ahiman
and Talmai.
And Judah went against the
Canaanites that dwelt in Hebron
.... Hebron was first taken by Joshua
and
the inhabitants of it put to the sword
Joshua 10:36; but
while Joshua was employed in making other conquests
the Canaanites found ways
and means of getting into the possession of it again; wherefore
when a grant
of it was made to Caleb
he
with the assistance of the tribe of Judah
of
which he was prince
regained it
Joshua 15:12;
wherefore what is recorded here is only a repetition of what was then done;
unless it can be thought that this fact was there inserted by anticipation
or
that there were two expeditions of the children of Judah against this place:
now the name of Hebron
before was Kirjatharba: see Joshua 14:15; in
the first of which Caleb
with the assistance of this tribe
drove out the three
giants only
who afterwards got possession again
and in this put them to
death
as follows:
and they slew Sheshai
and Ahiman
and Talmai; see Numbers 13:22; but
what follows concerning their going from hence to Debir
and the offer of Caleb
to give his daughter in marriage to whomsoever should take it
does not seem so
well to agree with times after the death of Joshua; since it is highly probable
that Caleb
who was contemporary with him and Eleazar
was now dead
and at
least cannot well be thought to have a young daughter at this time undisposed
of in marriage; wherefore these facts are only repeated upon observing Judah's
having taken Jerusalem
to show what exploits were performed by men of that
tribe; wherefore for what is after said
Judges 1:11
as is
said in Joshua 15:15
where
the same things are related in express words as here
containing the request of
Caleb's daughter: such an one
as made to Domitian
is related by MartialF12"Est
mihi sitque precor"
&c. l. 9. ep. 16. .
Judges 1:11 11 From there they went
against the inhabitants of Debir. (The name of Debir was formerly
Kirjath Sepher.)
YLT
11And he goeth thence unto
the inhabitants of Debir (and the name of Debir formerly [is] Kirjath-Sepher)
And from thence he went
against the inhabitants of Debir: and the name of Debir before was
Kirjathsepher. See Gill on Joshua 15:15.
Judges 1:12 12 Then Caleb said
“Whoever
attacks Kirjath Sepher and takes it
to him I will give my daughter Achsah as
wife.”
YLT
12and Caleb saith
`He who
smiteth Kirjath-Sepher -- and hath captured it -- then I have given to him
Achsah my daughter for a wife.'
And Caleb said
He that smiteth
Kirjathsepher
and taketh it
to him will I give Achsah my daughter to wife. See Gill on Joshua 15:16.
Judges 1:13 13 And Othniel the son of
Kenaz
Caleb’s younger brother
took it; so he gave him his daughter Achsah as
wife.
YLT
13And Othniel son of Kenaz
younger brother of Caleb
doth capture it
and he giveth to him Achsah his
daughter for a wife.
And Othniel the son of
Kenaz
Caleb's younger brother
took it: and he gave him Achsah his daughter to
wife. See Gill on Joshua 15:17.
Judges 1:14 14 Now it happened
when she
came to him
that she urged him[b] to ask her
father for a field. And she dismounted from her donkey
and Caleb said
to her
“What do you wish?”
YLT
14And it cometh to pass in
her coming in
that she persuadeth him to ask from her father the field
and
she lighteth from off the ass
and Caleb saith to her
`What -- to thee?'
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? See Gill on Joshua 15:18.
Judges 1:15 15 So she said to him
“Give
me a blessing; since you have given me land in the South
give me also springs
of water.” And Caleb gave her the upper springs and the lower springs.
YLT
15And she saith to him
`Give
to me a blessing; when the south land thou hast given me -- then thou hast
given to me springs of water; and Caleb giveth to her the upper springs and the
lower springs.
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. See Gill on Joshua 15:19.
Judges 1:16 16 Now the children of the
Kenite
Moses’ father-in-law
went up from the City of Palms with the children
of Judah into the Wilderness of Judah
which lies in the South near
Arad; and they went and dwelt among the people.
YLT
16And the sons of the Kenite
father-in-law of Moses
have gone up out of the city of palms with the sons of
Judah [to] the wilderness of Judah
which [is] in the south of Arad
and they
go and dwell with the people.
And the children of the
Kenite
Moses' father in law
.... The posterity of Jethro
the
father-in-law of Moses; for though Jethro returned to his own country
after he
had paid a visit to Moses in the wilderness
yet Hobab his son
at the
persuasion of Moses
travelled with him and Israel through the wilderness
and
went with them into Canaan
at least some of his descendants
and settled
there
some in one part of the land
and some in another
of whom we read in
several places of Scripture; they continued to the days of Jeremiah
and then
went by the name of Rechabites
so called from Rechab
a descendant of Jethro:
these
went up out of the city of palm trees; from the city
of Jericho
as the Targum
so called from the great number of palm trees which
grew near it
see Deuteronomy 34:3.
This is to be understood not of the city itself
that was utterly destroyed by
Joshua
and the rebuilding of it was forbidden under a curse
but the country
adjacent
the valley in which it stood
which was set with palm trees; here was
a grove of palm treesF13Justin. e Trogo
l. 36. c. 3.
and the
garden of balsam
which grew nowhere else
as StraboF14Geograph. l.
16. p. 525. says; and who also observes
that here was a royal palace in his
time; this belonged to Herod king of Judea in the times of Augustus Caesar
to
whose palm tree groves there HoraceF15Praeferat Herodis. Palmetis
Pinguibus----De Arte Poet. ver. 184. refers. Here the Kenites first settled
when they came first over Jordan with Joshua
being a most pleasant and
delightful place
and suitable to such persons who dwelt in tents
as they did
and answered to the promise of Moses to Hobab
Numbers 10:29; and
here it seems they had remained to this time: and now they left it
and came
with the children of Judah into the wilderness of Judah; which was
also a convenient place for the habitation of such persons
who loved a
solitary life. Perhaps the Canaanites about Jericho might be troublesome to
them
and therefore chose to stay no longer
there; or
having a peculiar
affection for the tribe of Judah
they chose to be within their lot; and the
rather
as they were a warlike and valiant tribe
they might expect the greater
safety and protection among them:
which lieth
in the south of Arad; that is
which
wilderness of Judah lay there
of which name there was a country or city
see Numbers 21:1; and
here some of them dwelt to the times of Saul
the Amalekites then having got
possession of the southern parts
which they infested and were troublesome to
see 1 Samuel 15:6
and they went and dwelt among the people; of the tribe
of Judah
near some of the cities which were in the wilderness; of which see Joshua 15:63.
Judges 1:17 17 And Judah went with his
brother Simeon
and they attacked the Canaanites who inhabited Zephath
and
utterly destroyed it. So the name of the city was called Hormah.
YLT
17And Judah goeth with Simeon
his brother
and they smite the Canaanite inhabiting Zephath
and devote it;
and [one] calleth the name of the city Hormah.
And Judah went with Simeon
his brother
.... Having subtitled his Canaanites which were in his own lot
according to his promise
he went with his brother Simeon
or the tribe of
Simeon
into their lot to reduce those that were in that:
and they slew the Canaanites that inhabited Zephath
and utterly
destroyed it: where and what this city was is not certain; there was a place
of this name in upper Galilee
mentioned in Jewish writingsF16Juchasin
fol. 68. 1.
which cannot be meant here; and we read of the valley of
Zephathah
2 Chronicles 14:10;
which might have its name from hence
and if so it was near Mareshah:
and the name of the city was called Hormah; from the
destruction made of it
and of the country about it; for now what had been
vowed by Israel in the wilderness
when near Arad
was fulfilled
Numbers 21:1.
Judges 1:18 18 Also Judah took Gaza with
its territory
Ashkelon with its territory
and Ekron with its territory.
YLT
18And Judah captureth Gaza
and its border
and Askelon and its border
and Ekron and its border;
Also Judah took Gaza
with
the coast thereof
.... Which by lot fell to that tribe
Joshua 15:47; it
was not till now subdued:
and Ashkelon with the coast thereof; which
according to our
countryman SandysF17Travels
p. 118. Ed. 5.
was ten miles from
Gaza:
and Ekron with the coast thereof; this also is the lot
that fell to Judah
but was afterwards given to the tribe of Dan
Joshua 15:45; for
whom Judah now fought and took it; but in a short time all these places were
retaken
and possessed by the Philistines
and were three of their five
principalities which they ever after retained
see Judges 3:3.
Judges 1:19 19 So the Lord was with
Judah. And they drove out the mountaineers
but they could not drive out the
inhabitants of the lowland
because they had chariots of iron.
YLT
19and Jehovah is with Judah
and he occupieth the hill-country
but not to dispossess the inhabitants of the
valley
for they have chariots of iron.
And the Lord was with
Judah
.... Encouraging
strengthening
succeeding
and giving the tribe
victory over the Canaanites; the Targum is
"the Word of the Lord was for
the help of the house of Judah:"
and he drove out the inhabitants of the mountains; the
mountainous part of Judea
such as was about Jerusalem
and where Hebron stood
and other cities
see Joshua 15:48
&c. which though fortified both by nature and man
yet God being with them
they were easily subdued:
but could not drive out the inhabitants of the valley; God forsaking
them
because they were afraid of them
for a reason after mentioned
or
through slothfulness
and being weary of fighting
or because they fell into
some sins
which occasioned the divine displeasure; so the Targum
"after
they had sinned
they could not drive out the inhabitants of the valley:"
because they had chariots of iron; but this was no reason
why they could not drive them out
if God was with them
who could as easily
have delivered these into their hands
as the inhabitants of the mountains; but
is the reason why they were afraid to fight with them
and to attempt to drive
them out
and which they themselves gave why they did not.
Judges 1:20 20 And they gave Hebron to
Caleb
as Moses had said. Then he expelled from there the three sons of Anak.
YLT
20And they give to Caleb
Hebron
as Moses hath spoken
and he dispossesseth thence the three sons of
Anak.
And they gave Hebron unto
Caleb
as Moses said
.... Which was done in the times of Joshua
both by him and all
the people
according to the order of Moses. This is to be understood not of
the city which was given to the Levites
but of the fields and parts adjacent
Joshua 14:13
and he expelled thence the three sons of Anak: whose names
are given Judges 1:10; this
shows that this refers to the same expedition as in Joshua 15:14; and
is expressed in the same manner.
Judges 1:21 21 But the children of
Benjamin did not drive out the Jebusites who inhabited Jerusalem; so the
Jebusites dwell with the children of Benjamin in Jerusalem to this day.
YLT
21And the Jebusite
inhabiting Jerusalem
the sons of Benjamin have not dispossessed; and the
Jebusite dwelleth with the sons of Benjamin
in Jerusalem
till this day.
And the children of
Benjamin did not drive out the Jebusites that inhabited Jerusalem
.... That is
that part of it which belonged to them
for it lay between Judah and Benjamin;
and neither of them separately
nor both conjunctly
could drive out the
Jebusites from it
particularly the strong hold on the top of Mount Sion
which
they held to the times of David. Abarbinel is of opinion
that Jerusalem in
those times was not a city enclosed about
but was a large province
part of which
belonged to the tribe of Judah
and another to the tribe of Benjamin
and
another was possessed by the Jebusites; and so Jarchi says it was a province
the name of which was Jebusi:
but the Jebusites dwelt with the children of Benjamin unto this
day; when this book was written
which was done by Samuel
as Kimchi
and Ben Gersom; and it is certain from hence it must have been written before
the reign of David
who dispossessed the Jebusites
2 Samuel 5:6.
Judges 1:22 22 And the house of Joseph
also went up against Bethel
and the Lord was with them.
YLT
22And the house of Joseph go
up -- even they -- to Beth-El
and Jehovah [is] with them;
And the house of Joseph
they also went up against Bethel
.... Which lay upon the
borders of the sons of Joseph
Ephraim and Manasseh
Joshua 16:1; and
though it seems to have been taken when Ai was
Joshua 8:17; yet it
appears that it was now in the possession of the Canaanites; wherefore the
tribes of Ephraim and Manasseh being desirous of enlarging their borders after
the example of Judah
went against this place in order to take it:
and the Lord was with them; the Word of the Lord
as
the Targum
directing
assisting
and succeeding them in their attempt.
Judges 1:23 23 So the house of Joseph
sent men to spy out Bethel. (The name of the city was formerly Luz.)
YLT
23and the house of Joseph
cause [men] to spy about Beth-El (and the name of the city formerly is Luz)
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 1:24 24 And when the spies saw a
man coming out of the city
they said to him
“Please show us the entrance to
the city
and we will show you mercy.”
YLT
24and the watchers see a man
coming out from the city
and say to him
`Shew us
we pray thee
the entrance
of the city
and we have done with thee kindness.'
And the spies saw a man
come forth out of the city
.... Or "the keepers"F18השמרים "custodes"
Pagninus
Montanus;
"observatores"
Vatablus
Drusius
Junius & Tremellius
Piscator.
; those that were sent to watch
and observe
and get what intelligence they
could of the city
and the way into it:
and they said unto him
show us
we pray
thee
the entrance into
the city; not the gate or gates of it
which no doubt were visible enough
but some private way into it; the Jews
as before observed
think the entrance
was by the way of a cave
or some hidden passage
of which Jarchi and Kimchi
make mention:
and we will show thee mercy; give him a reward for
it
or spare him and his family when the city came into their hands.
Judges 1:25 25 So he showed them the
entrance to the city
and they struck the city with the edge of the sword; but
they let the man and all his family go.
YLT
25And he sheweth them the
entrance of the city
and they smite the city by the mouth of the sword
and
the man and all his family they have sent away;
And when he showed them
the entrance
into the city
.... Pointing to it with his fingers
as the
same writers observe:
they smote the city with the edge of the sword; they gave
notice of what intelligence they had got to the body of the army
who came up
entered the city
took it
and put the inhabitants of it to the sword
as they
were ordered to do with all the Canaanites:
but they let go the man and all his family; who had
returned to it
encouraged by the promise made him
and for the sake of saving
of his family; which though not expressed
he might have asked the favour of
sparing them
which might be promised
as was in the case of Rahab; provided he
would either renounce Heathenism
and embrace the true religion
or depart to
another country
the latter of which he chose.
Judges 1:26 26 And the man went to the
land of the Hittites
built a city
and called its name Luz
which is
its name to this day.
YLT
26and the man goeth to the
land of the Hittites
and buildeth a city
and calleth its name Luz -- it [is]
its name unto this day.
And the man went into the
land of the Hittites
.... With his family; Kimchi says this was not one of the seven
nations of Canaan; and it is very clear from this narrative
that the land this
man went to was not in the land of Canaan; though it is certain a people of this
name formerly dwelt there
Genesis 15:20; and
the land of Canaan is called the land of the Hittites
Joshua 1:4; these
either might flee to another country upon Joshua's entry into the land of
Canaan
or a colony of them from thence might settle elsewhere
to which this
man chose to go
who might be originally of them:
and built a city; his family was numerous
and he a man of
wealth
and was allowed to carry all his substance with him:
and called the name of it Luz; in memory of the place
he left
and had long lived in. There is a city called Loussa
among the cities
which Josephus saysF19Antiqu. l. 14. c. 1. sect. 4. were taken by
the Jews from the Arabians; and which is very probably the Lysa of PtolemyF20Geograph.
l. 5. c. 17.
which he places in Arabia Petraea
and might be the same with
this Luz; and
if so
this shows the land this man went into was in Edom
which
is not unlikely; there is another Luza
which JeromF21De loc. Heb.
fol. 92. M. says fell to the lot of the sons of Joseph
near Sichem
three
miles from Neapolis:
which is the name thereof unto this day: the time of
the writing of this book; See Gill on Judges 1:21.
Judges 1:27 27 However
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 were determined to dwell in that land.
YLT
27And Manasseh hath not
occupied Beth-Shean and its towns
and Taanach and its towns
and the
inhabitants of Dor and its towns
and the inhabitants of Iblaim and its towns
and the inhabitants of Megiddo and its towns
and the Canaanite is desirous to
dwell in that land;
Neither did Manasseh
.... One of
the sons of Joseph before mentioned; and it respects that half tribe of
Manasseh
which had its portion on this side Jordan in the land of Canaan:
these did not
drive out the inhabitants of Bethshean 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: all which
were places the half tribe had assigned them in Issachar and Asher; of which
See Gill on Joshua 17:11. This
tribe seems to have been sluggish
and not to have exerted itself at all
or
made any attempts to drive out these people:
but the Canaanites would dwell in that land; not only
desired it
but were determined on it
and rather chose to submit to a tribute
than be expelled
at least would not depart unless they were forced.
Judges 1:28 28 And it came to pass
when
Israel was strong
that they put the Canaanites under tribute
but did not
completely drive them out.
YLT
28and it cometh to pass
when
Israel hath been strong
that he setteth the Canaanite to tribute
and hath not
utterly dispossessed it.
And it came to pass
when
Israel was strong
.... All the tribes of Israel were become numerous
and able to
drive the Canaanites out of the land everywhere
and particularly were able to
assist Manasseh in expelling the Canaanites out of the above places
yet they
did not; but all they did was:
that they put the Canaanites to tribute
and did not utterly drive
them out; which flowed from covetousness
and a love of ease; they did not
care to be at the trouble of expelling them
as they found it turned more to
their account and present advantage to make them tributaries; and this was true
of the Israelites in general
and of the half tribe of Manasseh in particular;
which
as Abarbinel thinks
is here respected.
Judges 1:29 29 Nor did Ephraim drive out
the Canaanites who dwelt in Gezer; so the Canaanites dwelt in Gezer among them.
YLT
29And Ephraim hath not
dispossessed the Canaanite who is dwelling in Gezer
and the Canaanite dwelleth
in its midst
in Gezer.
Neither did Ephraim drive
out the Canaanites that dwelt in Gezer
.... Not so much as made them
tributaries
but made a covenant with them
it is probable
contrary to the
express will of God:
but the Canaanites dwelt in Gezer among them; the
Ephraimites agreeing to it
and here they dwelt to the times of Solomon; See
Gill on Joshua 16:10; where
indeed they are said to be under tribute; but that seems to respect some later
time
and not when they were first admitted to dwell among them
since no
mention is made of it here.
Judges 1:30 30 Nor did Zebulun drive out
the inhabitants of Kitron or the inhabitants of Nahalol; so the Canaanites
dwelt among them
and were put under tribute.
YLT
30Zebulun hath not
dispossessed the inhabitants of Kitron
and the inhabitants of Nahalol
and the
Canaanite dwelleth in its midst
and they become tributary.
Neither did Zebulun drive
out the inhabitants of Kitron
nor the inhabitants of Nahalol
.... The first
of these seems to be the same with Kattah or Kartah
and the latter with
Nahalal
both cities given to the Levites
Joshua 19:15; which
perhaps was the reason of their sloth in driving them out; though it aggravated
their sin not to take care to rid those cities of the Canaanites
which were
given to religious persons:
but the Canaanites dwelt among them
and became tributaries; which is
observed so far in their favour
that they exerted themselves to make them
tributaries
which was more than was done by some others.
Judges 1:31 31 Nor did Asher drive out
the inhabitants of Acco or the inhabitants of Sidon
or of Ahlab
Achzib
Helbah
Aphik
or Rehob.
YLT
31Asher hath not dispossessed
the inhabitants of Accho
and the inhabitants of Zidon
and Ahlab
and Achzib
and Helbah
and Aphik
and Rehob;
Neither did Asher drive
out the inhabitants of Accho
.... The same with Ptolemais; see Gill on Acts 21:7; so
called from the first Ptolemy king of Egypt
who enlarged it; but it has since
recovered its ancient name pretty nearly
and is now called Acca or
Acra."On its north and east sides (Mr. Maundrell saysF23Journey
from Aleppo
p. 54. ) it is encompassed with a spacious and fertile plain; on
the west it is washed by the Mediterranean sea; and on the south by a large
bay
extending from the city as far as Mount Carmel:"
nor the inhabitants of Zidon; a well known city in
Phoenicia
belonging to this tribe
see Joshua 19:28
nor of Ahlab
nor of Achzib
nor Helbah
nor Aphik
nor of Rehob; two of these
places
Ahlab and Helbah
are not mentioned among the cities of the tribe of
Asher
Joshua 19:24;
unless Helbah is the same with Helkath
Judges 1:25; of the
rest
Achzib; see Gill on Joshua 19:29
Aphik
and Rehob; see Gill on Joshua 19:30.
Judges 1:32 32 So the Asherites dwelt
among the Canaanites
the inhabitants of the land; for they did not drive them
out.
YLT
32and the Asherite dwelleth
in the midst of the Canaanite
the inhabitants of the land
for it hath not
dispossessed them.
But the Asherites dwelt
among the Canaanites
the inhabitants of the land
.... They were
in a worse condition than those before mentioned; for the Canaanites were
possessed of their country
especially of the above cities
and were masters of
them; and the Asherites only dwelt among them upon sufferance:
for they did not drive them out; either they did not
attempt it
or they could not do it
and contented themselves with having leave
to dwell among them.
Judges 1:33 33 Nor did Naphtali drive out
the inhabitants of Beth Shemesh or the inhabitants of Beth Anath; but they
dwelt among the Canaanites
the inhabitants of the land. Nevertheless the
inhabitants of Beth Shemesh and Beth Anath were put under tribute to them.
YLT
33Naphtali hath not
dispossessed the inhabitants of Beth-Shemesh
and the inhabitants of
Beth-Anath
and he dwelleth in the midst of the Canaanite
the inhabitants of
the land; and the inhabitants of Beth-Shemesh and of Beth-Anath have become
tributary to them.
Neither did Naphtali drive
out the inhabitants of Bethshemesh
nor the inhabitants of Bethanath
.... Of which
places See Gill on Joshua 19:38
but he dwelt among the Canaanites
the inhabitants of the land; in the same
disgraceful manner as Asher did
owing to cowardice or sloth:
nevertheless
the inhabitants of Bethshemesh
and of Bethanath
became tributaries unto them; these two cities did at length exert
themselves
and got the mastery over the Canaanites
as to make them pay
tribute to them; though they ought to have expelled them
and even destroyed
them
according to the command of God
but avarice prevailed over them.
Judges 1:34 34 And the Amorites forced
the children of Dan into the mountains
for they would not allow them to come
down to the valley;
YLT
34And the Amorites press the
sons of Dan to the mountain
for they have not suffered them to go down to the
valley;
And the Amorites forced
the children of Dan into the mountain
.... Into the mountainous
part of the tribe of Dan; the most noted mountains in it were Sear and Baalah
which lay on the border of Judah
Joshua 15:10; Joppa
in this tribe was built on an high rock
and so Gibbethon
as its name seems to
import
perhaps was built on a hill or mountain
as were the cities after
mentioned:
for they would not suffer them to come down to the valley; which lay
between Joppa and Caesarea
the plain of Sharon
in which were Lydda
Jamnia
&c. which belonged to their tribe
and they afterwards enjoyed; See Gill on
Joshua 19:48.
Judges 1:35 35 and the Amorites were
determined to dwell in Mount Heres
in Aijalon
and in Shaalbim;[c] yet when
the strength of the house of Joseph became greater
they were put under
tribute.
YLT
35and the Amorite is desirous
to dwell in mount Heres
in Aijalon
and in Shaalbim
and the hand of the house
of Joseph is heavy
and they become tributary;
But the Amorites would
dwell in Mount Heres in Aijalon
and in Shaalbim
.... And they would not
suffer the Danites to dwell in the valley
a fruitful and delightful part of
their country
terrifying them with their iron chariots
which in the vale they
could make use of to great advantage; so neither would they let them dwell
alone in the mountainous part of their tribe
but would dwell with them
particularly in three places mentioned: where Mount Heres was is not certain; it
signifies the "sun"; very probably it had its name from the worship
of the sun on it
or from the sun standing still near it; for Aijalon
where
that miracle was wrought
is next mentioned. Perhaps it might be near to
Timnathheres
which was in Mount Ephraim
Judges 2:9; since
Ephraim assisted in making these places tributaries; of the two cities
Aijalon
and Shaalbim
see Joshua 19:42
yet the hand of the house of Joseph prevailed
so that they became
tributaries; or "the hand of it became heavy"F24יתכבד יד "et aggravata est
manus"
V. L. Paginus Montanus. ; by which it does not clearly appear
whether the hand of Joseph was made heavy
and to hang down
by the Amorites;
or whether it was heavy upon them
and so prevailed over them
as our version;
but the Septuagint puts it out of doubt
reading the words
"and the hand of
the house of Joseph was heavy upon the Amorites;'the Ephraimites being near to
the tribe of Dan
and observing how they were pressed by the Amorites
took up
arms in their favour
and obliged the Canaanites of the above places to become
tributaries to the Danites.
Judges 1:36 36 Now the boundary of the
Amorites was from the Ascent of Akrabbim
from Sela
and upward.
YLT
36and the border of the
Amorite [is] from the ascent of Akrabbim
from the rock and upward.
And the coast of the
Amorites was from the going up to Akrabbim
.... Of which
See Gill on Numbers 34:4 and
See Gill on Joshua 15:3
from the rock
and upwards; even from the city Petra
in Idumea
and beyond that; and there was a country near Idumea
called
Acrabatane
from this mountain Akrabbim
"Then Judas fought against the
children of Esau in Idumea at Arabattine
because they besieged Gael: and he
gave them a great overthrow
and abated their courage
and took their spoils.'
(1 Maccabees 5:3)such was
the extent of these people
that their coast reached from the places
mentioned
to the mountains where the above cities of Dan were; they were the most
powerful people among the Canaanites
and lay on both sides of Jordan
and were
very troublesome to Israel
yet were at length destroyed
Amos 2:9.
──《John Gill’s
Exposition of the Bible》
New King James
Version (NKJV)