Judges 1:8

KJV

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.

KJV (with Strong's)

Now the children {H1121} of Judah {H3063} had fought {H3898} against Jerusalem {H3389}, and had taken {H3920} it, and smitten {H5221} it with the edge {H6310} of the sword {H2719}, and set {H7971} the city {H5892} on fire {H784}.

Complete Jewish Bible

Then the people of Y'hudah fought against Yerushalayim, captured it, overpowered it with the sword, and set the city on fire.

Berean Standard Bible

Then the men of Judah fought against Jerusalem and captured it. They put the city to the sword and set it on fire.

American Standard Version

And the children of Judah fought against Jerusalem, and took it, and smote it with the edge of the sword, and set the city on fire.

Commentary

### SUMMARY
Judges 1:8 records a pivotal early triumph for the tribe of Judah following the death of Joshua, detailing their successful military campaign against Jerusalem. This decisive act of conquest, involving the capture of the city, the severe defeat of its inhabitants "with the edge of the sword," and its subsequent destruction by fire, represents a crucial step in Israel's mission to possess the Promised Land according to God's divine mandate, showcasing Judah's initial leadership and commitment to the covenant.

### CONTEXT
* **Literary Context:** The book of Judges commences in a critical transitional period for Israel, immediately following the death of Joshua, the formidable leader who had guided the initial conquest of Canaan. [Judges 1:1](/judges/1-1 "Judges 1:1 - Israel seeks guidance after Joshua's death") sets the stage by illustrating the Israelites' seeking of divine guidance to determine which tribe should lead the continued efforts to dispossess the remaining Canaanite inhabitants. Judah is divinely chosen and, in a strategic alliance with the tribe of Simeon ([Judges 1:3](/judges/1-3 "Judges 1:3 - Judah seeks Simeon's help")), embarks on a series of campaigns. [Judges 1:8](/judges/1-8 "Judges 1:8 - Judah's Conquest of Jerusalem") specifically recounts their initial, highly successful engagement with Jerusalem, serving as an early highlight of Judah's military prowess and obedience. This initial success, however, stands in stark contrast to the later, more ambiguous outcomes and outright failures of other tribes to fully drive out the Canaanites, thereby establishing the cyclical pattern of sin, oppression, and deliverance that defines the book.

* **Historical & Cultural Context:** At the time of this event, Jerusalem, then known as Jebus, was a heavily fortified Canaanite city-state inhabited by the Jebusites. Strategically located on a defensible ridge, it controlled vital north-south routes and access to the central highlands. The methods described—"smitten it with the edge of the sword" and "set the city on fire"—were common practices in ancient Near Eastern warfare, often signifying a complete and decisive victory. These actions were consistent with the *herem* (devotion to destruction) commands given by God for dealing with idolatrous Canaanite populations ([Deuteronomy 7:2](/deuteronomy/7-2 "Deuteronomy 7:2 - Command to utterly destroy the Canaanites")), which aimed to prevent syncretism and preserve Israel's covenant purity. While [Judges 1:8](/judges/1-8 "Judges 1:8 - Judah conquers Jerusalem") describes a significant conquest, the continued presence of Jebusites in Jerusalem, as noted in [Judges 1:21](/judges/1-21 "Judges 1:21 - Benjamin fails to drive out Jebusites from Jerusalem"), suggests that Judah's victory likely pertained to the lower city or a significant portion of it, with the formidable Jebusite stronghold (later the City of David) remaining unconquered until the time of King David ([2 Samuel 5:7](/2_samuel/5-7 "2 Samuel 5:7 - David captures the stronghold of Zion")).

* **Key Themes:** This verse contributes to several overarching themes in Judges and the broader Old Testament narrative. It highlights the theme of **initial obedience and success** in the conquest, demonstrating God's faithfulness to grant victory when His people act in accordance with His will, especially after seeking His guidance, as seen in [Judges 1:1-2](/judges/1-1-2 "Judges 1:1-2 - Israel seeks guidance and Judah is chosen"). It underscores the **divine mandate for conquest and judgment** against the wicked inhabitants of Canaan, portraying Israel's actions not merely as territorial expansion but as an execution of God's righteous judgment against severe moral depravity and idolatry. Furthermore, the prominence of **Judah's leadership and military effectiveness** is established early on, foreshadowing its significant role in Israel's history, particularly as the tribe from which the Davidic monarchy and, ultimately, the Messiah would emerge. The partial nature of this victory, when viewed in light of [Judges 1:21](/judges/1-21 "Judges 1:21 - Benjamin fails to drive out Jebusites from Jerusalem"), also subtly introduces the theme of **incomplete obedience**, which becomes a pervasive and problematic issue throughout the book of Judges, leading to recurring cycles of apostasy and oppression.

### EXPOSITION AND ANALYSIS

#### Key Word Analysis
* **Fought (Hebrew, _lâcham'_):** This verb signifies a deliberate and active engagement in warfare, implying a sustained military campaign. Rooted in the idea of "feeding on" or "consuming," it carries the connotation of destructive conflict, where one force seeks to overcome and prevail over another through battle. This highlights the aggressive and determined nature of Judah's action.
* **Taken (Hebrew, _lâkad'_):** This word denotes the successful act of seizing, capturing, or occupying. It implies that Jerusalem was not merely attacked but brought under the control of Judah, signifying a complete military conquest and the establishment of possession. The term often suggests a strategic and decisive capture, like catching something in a net or trap.
* **Smitten (Hebrew, _nâkâh'_):** A versatile verb indicating a forceful strike, whether light or severe. In this context, combined with "edge of the sword," it signifies a decisive and devastating blow, often leading to death or complete incapacitation. It conveys the thoroughness of Judah's destructive action against the city's inhabitants, aligning with the concept of utter defeat and the execution of divine judgment.

#### Verse Breakdown
* **"Now the children of Judah had fought against Jerusalem":** This opening clause identifies the specific Israelite tribe, Judah, known for its strength and divinely appointed leadership, as the protagonist of this military action. It specifies their target as Jerusalem (Jebus), a significant and strategically important Canaanite city, indicating a direct and intentional confrontation as part of the ongoing conquest of Canaan.
* **"and had taken it":** This signifies the successful outcome of Judah's military engagement. The city was captured, brought under their control, and no longer remained an independent Canaanite stronghold, marking a crucial step in the territorial inheritance promised by God. This phrase emphasizes the achievement of their military objective.
* **"and smitten it with the edge of the sword":** This describes the severity and method of Judah's conquest. It is a powerful idiom in the Hebrew Bible, implying a decisive and destructive blow against the city's inhabitants, likely involving widespread casualties and the elimination of military resistance. This action is consistent with the divine command to utterly destroy the wicked Canaanite nations to prevent their idolatry from corrupting Israel.
* **"and set the city on fire":** This final action confirms the complete devastation of Jerusalem. Burning a city was an ancient Near Eastern practice to ensure its total destruction, preventing its immediate re-fortification by the enemy and serving as a stark symbol of conquest, divine judgment, and the complete dispossession of the previous inhabitants.

#### Literary Devices
[Judges 1:8](/judges/1-8 "Judges 1:8 - Judah conquers Jerusalem") employs several **literary devices** to convey its message with force and clarity. The rapid sequence of verbs—"fought," "taken," "smitten," "set...on fire"—creates a powerful sense of **progression** and **completeness**, emphasizing the thoroughness and efficiency of Judah's military operation. This culminates in a **climax** of destruction, underscoring the decisive nature of their victory. The phrase "smitten it with the edge of the sword" is a potent **idiom** or **metonymy**, where the instrument (sword) stands for the entire act of violent conquest, extermination, and judicial execution. While appearing as a straightforward historical report, the verse also functions as **foreshadowing**. Judah's initial success and prominence foreshadow its future leadership role in Israel, particularly the emergence of the Davidic monarchy from this tribe. Conversely, when read in conjunction with [Judges 1:21](/judges/1-21 "Judges 1:21 - Benjamin fails to drive out Jebusites from Jerusalem"), which states that the Jebusites were *not* driven out of Jerusalem, this verse highlights a subtle **irony** or **paradox** of incomplete obedience that plagues Israel throughout the book of Judges, setting up the broader narrative of cyclical failure and the consequences of compromise.

### THEOLOGICAL AND THEMATIC CONNECTIONS
[Judges 1:8](/judges/1-8 "Judges 1:8 - Judah conquers Jerusalem") stands as a testament to God's faithfulness in granting victory to His people when they act in obedience to His commands. The conquest of Jerusalem by Judah is not merely a military achievement but an act of divine judgment against the deeply entrenched wickedness of the Canaanite inhabitants, consistent with God's long-standing promise to dispossess these nations and give the land to Israel. This initial success demonstrates that when Israel united and followed God's leading, they were empowered to fulfill their covenant obligations and inherit their promised territory. However, the subsequent narrative in Judges reveals that this initial zeal and complete obedience were not sustained, leading to a cycle of compromise, oppression, and incomplete spiritual victory, a pattern that serves as a cautionary tale for all generations of believers regarding the importance of sustained faithfulness and avoiding partial obedience.

* [Deuteronomy 7:1-2](/deuteronomy/7-1-2 "Deuteronomy 7:1-2 - God's command to destroy the Canaanites")
* [Joshua 11:11-12](/joshua/11-11-12 "Joshua 11:11-12 - Example of Herem in Conquest")
* [Judges 1:21](/judges/1-21 "Judges 1:21 - Benjamin's failure to drive out Jebusites from Jerusalem")

### REFLECTION AND APPLICATION
[Judges 1:8](/judges/1-8 "Judges 1:8 - Judah conquers Jerusalem"), while describing ancient warfare, offers profound spiritual lessons for believers today. Judah's decisive action against Jerusalem serves as a powerful reminder of the call to confront and overcome spiritual strongholds in our lives and communities. Just as Judah was mandated to take possession of their physical inheritance, Christians are called to actively engage in spiritual warfare, contending for the spiritual blessings and territory that God has graciously given us in Christ. This involves identifying areas of sin, compromise, or spiritual apathy and, by the power of the Holy Spirit and the truth of God's Word, "smiting" them with decisive action and "setting them on fire" with the purifying flame of God's presence. The initial success of Judah, contrasted with the later incomplete victories by other tribes (as seen throughout the book of Judges), serves as a cautionary tale about the critical importance of complete and sustained obedience to God's will, warning against the dangers of partial obedience that leaves room for continued spiritual struggle and compromise. Believers are encouraged to pursue a thorough and uncompromising pursuit of holiness, allowing God to fully conquer every area of their lives.

#### Questions for Reflection
* **How does Judah's initial obedience and decisive action challenge us to fully obey God's commands in our lives, rather than settling for partial obedience?**
* **What "strongholds" (e.g., sinful habits, negative thought patterns, spiritual apathy, unaddressed idols) in our personal lives or communities need to be "smitten with the edge of the sword" of God's truth and power?**
* **Considering the later failure to fully dispossess the Jebusites from Jerusalem ([Judges 1:21](/judges/1-21 "Judges 1:21 - Benjamin fails to drive out Jebusites from Jerusalem")), what are the dangers of incomplete spiritual victories in our own walk with God, and how can we pursue complete surrender?**

### FAQ

**Was Jerusalem completely destroyed by Judah, or did some inhabitants remain?**

Answer: While [Judges 1:8](/judges/1-8 "Judges 1:8 - Judah conquers Jerusalem") describes a decisive victory where Judah "took" Jerusalem, "smote it with the edge of the sword," and "set the city on fire," the narrative is nuanced. [Judges 1:21](/judges/1-21 "Judges 1:21 - Benjamin fails to drive out Jebusites from Jerusalem") explicitly states that the tribe of Benjamin (who shared the territory with Judah) "did not drive out the Jebusites who inhabited Jerusalem." This suggests that Judah's victory likely pertained to the lower city or a significant portion of it, but the heavily fortified Jebusite stronghold (later known as the City of David) remained unconquered. The Jebusites continued to inhabit Jerusalem alongside the Israelites until King David finally captured the fortress centuries later ([2 Samuel 5:6-7](/2_samuel/5-6-7 "2 Samuel 5:6-7 - David captures Zion")). This partial victory highlights a recurring theme in Judges where Israel's obedience and conquest were often incomplete, leading to ongoing challenges and demonstrating the consequences of failing to fully execute God's commands.

### CHRIST-CENTERED FULFILLMENT
[Judges 1:8](/judges/1-8 "Judges 1:8 - Judah conquers Jerusalem"), with Judah's decisive conquest of Jerusalem, powerfully foreshadows the ultimate and complete victory achieved by the Lion of the tribe of Judah, Jesus Christ. While Judah's victory was significant but ultimately incomplete, Jesus' conquest of sin, death, and the spiritual strongholds of darkness is absolute and eternal. He is the true Warrior who comes not with a physical sword to destroy cities, but with the "sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God" ([Ephesians 6:17](/ephesians/6-17 "Ephesians 6:17 - The Sword of the Spirit")), to "destroy the works of the devil" ([1 John 3:8](/1_john/3-8 "1 John 3:8 - Jesus destroys the works of the devil")). His "fire" is not for physical destruction but for purification and judgment, consuming sin and refining His people, as prophesied in [Malachi 3:2-3](/malachi/3-2-3 "Malachi 3:2-3 - The Refiner's Fire"). Unlike the earthly Jerusalem, which remained partially unconquered for centuries, Christ establishes the New Jerusalem, a spiritual city, where His reign is complete and unchallenged ([Revelation 21:2](/revelation/21-2 "Revelation 21:2 - The New Jerusalem")). His victory on the cross and resurrection is the ultimate "smitting with the edge of the sword," decisively defeating all spiritual enemies and securing for His people an eternal inheritance and a complete liberation from every stronghold of sin and death, fulfilling the promise of a complete and lasting conquest that Israel could not fully achieve. Through Christ, believers are not merely given a portion of the land, but are made co-heirs with Him of all things ([Romans 8:17](/romans/8-17 "Romans 8:17 - Heirs with Christ")), a perfect and enduring fulfillment of God's covenant promises.

Note: Commentary is generated by AI with a directive for Biblical fidelity. Always rely on the Holy Spirit for discernment. The Scripture text and cross-references are from verified, non-AI sources.

Cross-References

Joshua 15:63

As for the Jebusites the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the children of Judah could not drive them out: but the Jebusites dwell with the children of Judah at Jerusalem unto this day.

Judges 1:21

¶ 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.