Judges 1
SIBInforms us of the activity or sloth of the tribes of Israel in extirpating the Canaanites from their respective territories. (1) Judah, directed of God, and assisted by the Simeonites, takes Bezek, cuts off the thumbs and great toes of its king, as he had done to seventy of his fellow princes; takes Jerusalem, Heir, Deir, Hormah, Gaza, and other places; but doves not attack the Canaanites of the low country who had chariots of iron
Judges 1:1-20
But (2) the other tribes acted still worse. The Benjaminites did nothing to expel the Canaanites
Judges 1:21
The Ephraunites and Manassites began well against Bethel, but soon stopt short: they, however, as well as the Zebulunites and Naphtalites, as quickly as they could, rendered the Canaanites tributary to them; 22—30, 33. The Asherites did not so much as require tribute; 31, 32: and the Danites yielded up part of their territory which they had possessed to the Amorites; 34—36. • Josh. 24. 29, 30. • Num. 27. 21. Exod. 28. 30. ch. 20. 18. 1 Sam. 23. 9, 10. Prov. 3. 5, 6. • Gen. 46. 12. & 49. 8—10. Deut. 32. 8. 1s. 51. 4. Rev. 19. 11—16. Dan. 7. 14. Ps. 72. 8. & 2. 8. • • Exod. 23. 28 —30. & 34. 11
Judges 1:33
Prov. 1. 31 & 13. 21. Mat. 7. 2. Rev. 13. 10. & 16. 6. Rom. 2. 15. Ps. 37. 36. 38. & 140. 11. Josh. 15. 63. ver. 21. 2 Sam. 5. 7. • Josh. 10. 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 Kirjatharba:) 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 Before Christ 1434 or 1424. 1 Josh. 10. 36. & 11. 21. & 15. 13-15. 2 Or low country. 2 2 Josh. 15. 16 -19. 1 Sam. 17. 26. & 18. 25. 3 Ch. 3. 9. This affair of Caleb and Othniel happened ten years before this war of Judah and Simeon. 4 Or present. Gen. 33. 11. 1 Sam. 25. 18. 27. & 30. 26. Josh. 15. 19. & 22. 7. 2 Kin. 5. 15. Heb. 6. 7. 5 Exod. 3. 1. & 18. 1 Num. 10. 30. ch. 4. 17. 1 Sam. 15. 6. 1 Chr. 2. 55. Jer. 35. 2. 6 Deut. 34. 3. Num. 24. 21. 22. & 21. 1. Josh. 12. 14. 7 2 Chr. 14. 10. Num. 21. 1. 3. & 14. 45. 8 Josh. 13. 3. & 15. 45-47. 1 Sam. 7. Exod. 23. 31. ch. 3. 1. 3. 9 Is. 41. 10, 14, 15. Rom. 8. 31. Josh. 15. 46. 10 Or he possessed the mountain. 11 Josh. 7. 11. & 13. 6. & 17. 18. Mat. 17. 19. & 13. 56. 3
REFLECTIONS UPON CHAP. I.—Difficult and extensive is the work which the people of God and the rulers of nations and churches have to go through with, after one would think every thing was rectified. There is need to acknowledge the Lord in all our ways, that being animated by him to our proper work, we may prosecute it with courage and success. And the more honour or ability God gives to men, the more difficult work he assigns them. But God most fearfully humbles the proud, marks their sins in their judgments, and metes out to them the measure which they had meted out to others; while such as share with the people of God in their wilderness sufferings, share also in their eternal inheritance. Our own unbelief, sloth, and cowardice, frequently hinder our performance of duty, and prevent or mar much of our happiness. Yea, many secret enemies, still abiding in our hearts, prevent our fully entering into the rest and peace of the gospel, and are causes of daily disquietude and anxiety. But, in following bad examples, things readily go on to worse and worse. And yet how great is the goodness of God—instead of casting off his chosen people, he multiplies his pardons and mercies to them. 4