11 And 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?' 2 And Jehovah saith, 'Judah doth go up; lo, I have given the land into his hand.' 3 And 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. 4 And Judah goeth up, and Jehovah giveth the Canaanite and the Perizzite into their hand, and they smite them in Bezek—ten thousand men; 5 and they find Adoni-Bezek in Bezek, and fight against him, and smite the Canaanite and the Perizzite. 6 And Adoni-Bezek fleeth, and they pursue after him, and seize him, and cut off his thumbs and his great toes, 7 and 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.
8 And 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;
9 and afterwards have the sons of Judah gone down to fight against the Canaanite, inhabiting the hill-country, and the south, and the low country; 10 and 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.
11 And he goeth thence unto the inhabitants of Debir (and the name of Debir formerly 'is' Kirjath-Sepher), 12 and Caleb saith, 'He who smiteth Kirjath-Sepher—and hath captured it—then I have given to him Achsah my daughter for a wife.' 13 And Othniel son of Kenaz, younger brother of Caleb, doth capture it, and he giveth to him Achsah his daughter for a wife. 14 And 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?' 15 And 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.
16 And 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. 17 And 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. 18 And Judah captureth Gaza and its border, and Askelon and its border, and Ekron and its border; 19 and 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. 20 And they give to Caleb Hebron, as Moses hath spoken, and he dispossesseth thence the three sons of Anak.
21 And 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.
22 And the house of Joseph go up—even they—to Beth-El, and Jehovah 'is' with them; 23 and the house of Joseph cause 'men' to spy about Beth-El (and the name of the city formerly is Luz), 24 and 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.' 25 And 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; 26 and 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.
27 And 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; 28 and it cometh to pass, when Israel hath been strong, that he setteth the Canaanite to tribute, and hath not utterly dispossessed it. 29 And Ephraim hath not dispossessed the Canaanite who is dwelling in Gezer, and the Canaanite dwelleth in its midst, in Gezer.
30 Zebulun hath not dispossessed the inhabitants of Kitron, and the inhabitants of Nahalol, and the Canaanite dwelleth in its midst, and they become tributary.
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.