11 Now it came about after the death of Joshua that the sons of Israel inquired of the Lord , saying , "Who shall go up first for us against the Canaanites , to fight against them?" 2 The Lord said , " Judah shall go up; behold , I have given the land into his hand ." 3 Then Judah said to Simeon his brother , "Come up with me into [1]the territory allotted me, that we may fight against the Canaanites ; and [2]I in turn will go with you into [3]the territory allotted you." So Simeon went with him. 4 Judah went up, and the Lord gave the Canaanites and the Perizzites into their hands , and they [4]defeated ten thousand men at Bezek . 5 They found Adoni-bezek in Bezek and fought against him, and they [5]defeated the Canaanites and the Perizzites . 6 But Adoni-bezek fled ; and they pursued him and caught him and cut off his [6]thumbs and big toes e . 7 Adoni-bezek said , "Seventy kings with their thumbs and their big toes e cut off used to gather up scraps under my table ; as I have done , so God has repaid me." So they brought him to Jerusalem and he died there .
8 Then the sons of Judah fought against Jerusalem and captured it and struck it with the edge of the sword and set the city on fire .
9 Afterward the sons of Judah went down to fight against the Canaanites living in the hill country and in the [7]Negev and in the lowland . 10 So Judah went against the Canaanites who lived in Hebron (now the name of Hebron formerly was Kiriath-arba ); and they struck Sheshai and Ahiman and Talmai .
11 Then from there he went against the inhabitants of Debir (now the name of Debir formerly was Kiriath-sepher ). 12 And Caleb said , "The one who attacks Kiriath-sepher and captures it, I will even give him my daughter Achsah for a wife ." 13 Othniel the son of Kenaz , Caleb's younger brother , captured it; so he gave him his daughter Achsah for a wife . 14 Then it came about when she came to him, that she persuaded him to ask her father for a field . Then she alighted from [8]her donkey , and Caleb said to her, "What [9]do you want?" 15 She said to him, "Give me a blessing , since you have given me the land of the [10]Negev , give me also springs of water ." So Caleb gave her the upper springs and the lower springs .
16 The [11]descendants of the Kenite , Moses' father-in-law , went up from the city of palms with the sons of Judah , to the wilderness of Judah which is in the south of Arad ; and they went and lived with the people . 17 Then Judah went with Simeon his brother , and they struck the Canaanites living in Zephath , and utterly destroyed it. So the name of the city was called Hormah . 18 And Judah took Gaza with its territory and Ashkelon with its territory and Ekron with its territory . 19 Now the Lord was with Judah , and they took possession of the hill country ; but they could not [12]drive out the inhabitants of the valley because they had iron chariots . 20 Then they gave Hebron to Caleb , as Moses had [13]promised ; and he drove out from there the three sons of Anak .
21 But the sons of Benjamin did not drive out the Jebusites who lived in Jerusalem ; so the Jebusites have lived with the sons of Benjamin in Jerusalem to this day .
22 Likewise the house of Joseph went up against Bethel , and the Lord was with them. 23 The house of Joseph spied out Bethel ( now the name of the city was formerly Luz ). 24 The spies saw a man coming out of the city and they said to him, "Please show us the entrance to the city and we will treat you kindly ." 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 free . 26 The man went into the land of the Hittites and built a city and named e it Luz [14]which is its name to this day .
27 But Manasseh did not take possession 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 ; so the Canaanites persisted in living in that land . 28 It came about when Israel became strong , that they put the Canaanites to forced labor , but they did not drive them out completely . 29 Ephraim did not drive out the Canaanites who were living in Gezer ; so the Canaanites lived in Gezer among them.
30 Zebulun did not drive out the inhabitants of Kitron , or the inhabitants of [15]Nahalol ; so the Canaanites lived among them and became subject to forced labor .
Matthew Henry's Commentary on Judges 1:1-30
Commentary on Judges 1:1-8
(Read Judges 1:1-8)
The Israelites were convinced that the war against the Canaanites was to be continued; but they were in doubt as to the manner in which it was to be carried on after the death of Joshua. In these respects they inquired of the Lord. God appoints service according to the strength he has given. From those who are most able, most work is expected. Judah was first in dignity, and must be first in duty. Judah's service will not avail unless God give success; but God will not give the success, unless Judah applies to the service. Judah was the most considerable of all the tribes, and Simeon the least; yet Judah begs Simeon's friendship, and prays for aid from him. It becomes Israelites to help one another against Canaanites; and all Christians, even those of different tribes, should strengthen one another. Those who thus help one another in love, have reason to hope that God will graciously help both. Adoni-bezek was taken prisoner. This prince had been a severe tyrant. The Israelites, doubtless under the Divine direction, made him suffer what he had done to others; and his own conscience confessed that he was justly treated as he had treated others. Thus the righteous God sometimes, in his providence, makes the punishment answer the sin.
Commentary on Judges 1:9-20
(Read Judges 1:9-20)
The Canaanites had iron chariots; but Israel had God on their side, whose chariots are thousands of angels, Joshua 15:16-19. The Kenites had settled in the land. Israel let them fix where they pleased, being a quiet, contented people. They that molested none, were molested by none. Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth.
Commentary on Judges 1:21-36
(Read Judges 1:21-36)
The people of Israel were very careless of their duty and interest. Owing to slothfulness and cowardice, they would not be at the pains to complete their conquests. It was also owing to their covetousness: they were willing to let the Canaanites live among them, that they might make advantage of them. They had not the dread and detestation of idolatry they ought to have had. The same unbelief that kept their fathers forty years out of Canaan, kept them now out of the full possession of it. Distrust of the power and promise of God deprived them of advantages, and brought them into troubles. Thus many a believer who begins well is hindered. His graces languish, his lusts revive, Satan plies him with suitable temptations, the world recovers its hold; he brings guilt into his conscience, anguish into his heart, discredit on his character, and reproach on the gospel. Though he may have sharp rebukes, and be so recovered that he does not perish, yet he will have deeply to lament his folly through his remaining days; and upon his dying bed to mourn over the opportunities of glorifying God and serving the church he has lost. We can have no fellowship with the enemies of God within us or around us, but to our hurt; therefore our only wisdom is to maintain unceasing war against them.