Judges1

After Joshua's death, the tribe of Judah, with the Lord's guidance, led the initial conquest against the Canaanites, achieving significant victories including the defeat of Adonibezek and the capture of Jerusalem. However, despite these early successes, many Israelite tribes, and even Judah in some areas, failed to completely dispossess the indigenous inhabitants. This resulted in the Canaanites dwelling among them, often becoming tributaries, marking a departure from the full conquest commanded.

Judah and Simeon Receive the Commission

1
After the death of Joshua, the children of Israel asked of the LORD, saying, “Who should go up for us first against the Canaanites, to fight against them?” ​
2
The LORD said, “Judah shall go up. Behold, I have delivered the land into his hand.” ​
3
Judah said to Simeon his brother, “Come up with me into my lot, that we may fight against the Canaanites; and I likewise will go with you into your lot.” So Simeon went with him. ​
4
Judah went up, and the LORD delivered the Canaanites and the Perizzites into their hand. They struck ten thousand men in Bezek.
5
They found Adoni-Bezek in Bezek, and they fought against him; and they struck the Canaanites and the Perizzites.
6
But Adoni-Bezek fled; and they pursued him, and caught him, and cut off his thumbs and his big toes. ​
7
Adoni-Bezek said, “Seventy kings, having their thumbs and their big toes cut off, scavenged under my table. As I have done, so God has done to me.” They brought him to Jerusalem, and he died there. ​

Judah’s Campaigns in the South

8
The children of Judah fought against Jerusalem, took it, struck it with the edge of the sword, and set the city on fire. ​
9
After that, the children of Judah went down to fight against the Canaanites who lived in the hill country, and in the South, and in the lowland.
10
Judah went against the Canaanites who lived in Hebron (now the name of Hebron before was Kiriath Arba); and they struck Sheshai, and Ahiman, and Talmai.
11
From there he went against the inhabitants of Debir. (Now the name of Debir before was Kiriath Sepher.)
12
Caleb said, “I will give Achsah my daughter as wife to he who strikes Kiriath Sepher, and takes it.” ​
13
Othniel the son of Kenaz, Caleb’s younger brother, took it, so he gave him Achsah his daughter as wife.
14
When she came, she got him to ask her father for a field. She dismounted from off of her donkey; and Caleb said to her, “What would you like?”
15
She said to him, “Give me a blessing; because you have set me in the land of the South, give me also springs of water.” Then Caleb gave her the upper springs and the lower springs. ​
16
The children of the Kenite, Moses’ brother-in-law, went up out of the city of palm trees with the children of Judah into the wilderness of Judah, which is in the south of Arad; and they went and lived with the people. ​
17
Judah went with Simeon his brother, and they struck the Canaanites who inhabited Zephath, and utterly destroyed it. The name of the city was called Hormah.
18
Also Judah took Gaza with its border, and Ashkelon with its border, and Ekron with its border.
19
The LORD was with Judah; and drove out the inhabitants of the hill country; for he could not drive out the inhabitants of the valley, because they had chariots of iron. ​
20
They gave Hebron to Caleb, as Moses had spoken: and he drove out there the three sons of Anak.

Benjamin and Joseph Failures

21
The children of Benjamin did not drive out the Jebusites who inhabited Jerusalem; but the Jebusites dwell with the children of Benjamin in Jerusalem to this day. ​
22
The house of Joseph, they also went up against Bethel; and the LORD was with them. ​
23
The house of Joseph sent to spy out Bethel. (Now the name of the city before was Luz.)
24
The watchers saw a man come out of the city, and they said to him, “Please show us the entrance into the city, and we will deal kindly with you.”
25
He showed them the entrance into the city; and they struck the city with the edge of the sword; but they let the man go and all his family.
26
The man went into the land of the Hittites, and built a city, and called its name Luz, which is its name to this day. ​

Widespread Tribal Compromise

27
Manasseh did not drive out the inhabitants of Beth Shean and its towns, nor Taanach and its towns, nor the inhabitants of Dor and its towns, nor the inhabitants of Ibleam and its towns, nor the inhabitants of Megiddo and its towns; but the Canaanites would dwell in that land. ​
28
When Israel had grown strong, they put the Canaanites to forced labor, and did not utterly drive them out. ​
29
Ephraim didn’t drive out the Canaanites who lived in Gezer; but the Canaanites lived in Gezer among them.
30
Zebulun didn’t drive out the inhabitants of Kitron, nor the inhabitants of Nahalol; but the Canaanites lived among them, and became subject to forced labor.
31
Asher didn’t drive out the inhabitants of Acco, nor the inhabitants of Sidon, nor of Ahlab, nor of Achzib, nor of Helbah, nor of Aphik, nor of Rehob;
32
but the Asherites lived among the Canaanites, the inhabitants of the land; for they did not drive them out. ​
33
Naphtali didn’t drive out the inhabitants of Beth Shemesh, nor the inhabitants of Beth Anath; but he lived among the Canaanites, the inhabitants of the land: nevertheless the inhabitants of Beth Shemesh and of Beth Anath became subject to forced labor.
34
The Amorites forced the children of Dan into the hill country; for they would not allow 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 subject to forced labor.
36
The border of the Amorites was from the ascent of Akrabbim, from the rock, and upward.

Study Notes for Judges 1

Verse 1

This verse marks the transition from the unified leadership of Joshua to the decentralized tribal initiatives, indicating that Israel still sought divine guidance (likely via the high priest/Urim and Thummim) before military action.

Verse 2

Judah, the tribe from which the Messiah would eventually come (Gen. 49:10), is chosen by God to lead the first wave of conquest, demonstrating their preeminence among the tribes.

Verse 3

Judah sought a strategic alliance with Simeon. Simeon’s territory was located entirely within Judah’s allotment (Josh. 19:1), making mutual assistance necessary for them both to secure their inheritance.

Verse 6

Mutilating the hands and feet was a common ancient practice intended to permanently cripple a defeated enemy, rendering them useless as warriors or runners.

Verse 7

Adonibezek recognizes the principle of divine justice (lex talionis) at work. This foreign king implicitly acknowledges that Israel’s God controls history and justly repays cruelty.

Verse 8

This capture likely refers to the lower city of Jerusalem; the Jebusite fortress (the City of David, cf. v. 21) remained unconquered until the time of King David (2 Sam. 5:6-7).

Verse 12

This account is a virtual repetition of Joshua 15:16-19. It highlights Othniel’s prowess; he later becomes the first Judge of Israel (Judges 3:9-11), establishing his early leadership credentials.

Verse 15

Achsah’s request for springs of water demonstrates wisdom and initiative. She understood that even a promised land was useless without essential resources to sustain life and agriculture.

Verse 16

The Kenites, descendants of Moses’ father-in-law, were non-Israelite allies who maintained fidelity to Israel and settled peacefully in the southern wilderness, illustrating a positive integration.

Verse 19

This is a pivotal theological statement. Although 'the LORD was with Judah,' their failure to conquer the valley is attributed to the enemy’s superior technology (iron chariots), implying a lack of faith in God’s ability to overcome material obstacles.

Verse 21

The failure of Benjamin to expel the Jebusites from Jerusalem is the first explicit failure listed, immediately following Judah's success, setting a negative tone for the rest of the chapter.

Verse 22

The 'house of Joseph' refers to the combined strength of Ephraim and Manasseh. They initially showed more vigor than Benjamin, though their success was still incomplete (v. 29).

Verse 26

The spared man established a city named Luz in the land of the Hittites. This suggests that while Israel spared some individuals, they likely relocated, potentially spreading Canaanite influence elsewhere.

Verse 27

This verse begins the long list of tribes who failed to secure their allotted territories. The phrase 'the Canaanites would dwell in that land' shows the resilience and successful resistance of the native inhabitants.

Verse 28

Putting the Canaanites to tribute was a compromise that violated God's covenant command to drive them out completely (Deut. 7:2). This pragmatic solution led directly to future spiritual contamination.

Verse 32

Asher’s failure was total; they ended up dwelling 'among the Canaanites' rather than possessing the land, demonstrating the danger of compromise leading to cultural assimilation.

Verse 34

Dan’s failure was particularly severe: instead of conquering the inhabitants, the Amorites successfully forced the Danites into the mountains, reversing the intended conquest and leading later to Dan’s relocation (Judges 18).

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