Judges 1 Commentary

“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.”

Brother. They had the same mother, Lia, and were intermixed in the same country. The two tribes unite both for the public and their own private advantage. The king whom they attacked first, did not dwell in the territory of Juda, as the others did, whom they defeated in this chapter.

“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.”

Pherezite. This name denotes “a countryman,” as the former does “a merchant.” None of the children of Chanaan were of this appellation, Genesis x. 15. The people of the country assembled therefore at Bezec, where Saul called a rendezvous when he was going to attack Jabes, and which seems to have been near the Jordan, 17 miles from Sichem. (Eusebius; St. Jerome) — It signifies “lightning.” A place of this name lies to the west of Bethlehem. (Menochius)

“And they found Adonibezek in Bezek: and they fought against him, and they slew the Canaanites and the Perizzites.”

Adonibezec, “Lord of Bezec.” The cruelty of this tyrant, and the oppression which he probably made some of the Israelites suffer, roused their attention, and they treated him as he had treated others. He had perhaps recourse to such a cruel expedient, to disable his enemies from ever entering the lists against him afterwards, as the Athenians, who cut off the fingers of the inhabitants of Egina, that these islanders might not dispute with them the empire of the sea. (Cicero, Offic. 3.) Some have thus maimed themselves that they might be exempted from going to war, a practice not unusual among the Romans; and the Italian word poltron, signifies one whose fingers are cut off, as it was supposed, out of cowardice. David ordered the hands and the feet of the murderers of Isboseth to be cut off, and this sort of punishment is common in the eastern countries. Eight hundred Greeks who had been treated in this manner by the Persians, presented themselves to Alexander, at Persepolis, to implore his protection. (Curt. &c.)

“And Adonibezek 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. their thumbs: Heb. the thumbs of their hands and of their feet gathered: or, gleaned”

Table, at different times. (Haydock) — These were probably princes of some cities of Chanaan, who had been conquered by the tyrant. He obliged them to feed, like dogs, of what he threw down from his splendid table. Thus Sesostris made the kings whom he had overcome, drag his chariot. Sapor forced the Emperor Valerian to serve as a footstool, when he got on horseback. Tamerlane fed Bajazet in a cage, like a wild beast. (Jovius, &c.) (Calmet) — Me. So true is that Wisdom (xi. 17,) by what things a man sinneth, by the same also he is tormented. (Menochius)

“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.”

Jerusalem. This city was divided into two; one part was called Jebus, the other Salem; the one was in the tribe of Juda, the other in the tribe of Benjamin. After it was taken and burnt by the men of Juda, it was quickly rebuilt again by the Jebusites, as we may gather from ver. 21, and continued in their possession till it was taken by king David. (Challoner) — Fire. They treated it with such severity, because it seems to have revolted, (Serarius) though the text of Josue (x. 25,) only says that the king was slain. But [in] (Josue xv. 63., and here) ver. 21., it is said, that the children of Juda and of Benjamin dwelt along with the Jebusites.

“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. valley: or, low country”

Plains, towards the west, which were very fruitful. They did not expel all the inhabitants from this part, as they had done from the mountains, which lay on the south of the promised land, ver. 19. (Calmet)

“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.”

Hebron. This expedition against Hebron, &c., is the same as is related [in] Josue xv. 24. It is here repeated, to give the reader at once a short sketch of all the achievements of the tribe of Juda against the Chanaanites. (Challoner) — Josue had taken Hebron before; (Josue x. 37,) and Caleb retakes it. (Calmet)

“And from thence he went against the inhabitants of Debir: and the name of Debir before was Kirjathsepher:”

The city of letters. Perhaps so called, from some famous school or library kept there. (Challoner) — The explanation, that is, &c., is added by the Vulgate. (Haydock) — Madrid, in Arabic, means “the mother of sciences.” (Menochius)

“And Othniel the son of Kenaz, Caleb's younger brother, took it: and he gave him Achsah his daughter to wife.”

Brother, or near relation, but much younger. See Josue xv. 17. (Calmet)

“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.”

The Cinite. Jethro, the father-in-law of Moses, was called Cinĉus, or the Cinite: and his children, who came along with the children of Israel, settled themselves among them in the land of Chanaan, embracing their worship and religion. From these the Rechabites sprang, of whom see Jeremias xxxv. —The city of palms. Jericho, so called from the abundance of palm-trees, (Challoner) or rather Engaddi, which is sometimes called Hazazon-Thamar, on that account. It lies nearer to the Dead Sea. Jericho was not rebuilt till the reign of Achab. See Josue vi. 26. — Arad was one of the most southern towns of Juda, near the country of the Amalecites. Saul ordered the descendants of Jethro to depart from among them, 1 Kings xv. 6. The Israelites had defeated the king of Arad long before, Nubmers xxi. 1. (Calmet) — With him. Hebrew, “the people” of Israel, (Menochius) or of Arad. (Calmet)

“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.”

Sephaath, near Maresa, where Asa defeated the king of Arabia, 2 Paralipomenon xiv. 9. It was also called Sephata, and afterwards Horma. (Calmet) — Septuagint, “they anathematized it, and utterly destroyed it, and they called the city Exolethreusis, “utter ruin.” (Haydock) — Whether they had engaged themselves by vow to do so, or they treated the city in this manner in thanksgiving for the victory, is uncertain. (Menochius)

“Also Judah took Gaza with the coast thereof, and Askelon with the coast thereof, and Ekron with the coast thereof.”

Gaza, &c. These were three of the principal cities of the Philistines, famous both in sacred and profane history. They were taken at this time by the Israelites; but as they took no care to put garrisons in them, the Philistines soon recovered them again, (Challoner) or perhaps the villages and territory were only seized by Juda; the cities being too well defended. Josue had not attacked them, Josue xii. 3. Josephus says that only Ascalon and Azotus, in the plain, fell into the hands of the Israelites; and the Roman Septuagint reads with a negation, (Calmet) which is inserted by Grabe in his edition as an interpolation, or as a peculiarity of the Alexandrian manuscripts, “and Juda did [not] possess Gaza with its dependencies, and Ascalon….and Accaron….and Azotus, with its fields around.” (Haydock) — The situation of Gaza, Ascalon and Accaron in the plain, would seem to secure them from being captured, ver. 19. St. Augustine and Procopius admit the negation. But the original and all the versions reject it, so that the children of Juda must have had possession of these cities at least for a short time. (Calmet) See chap. xv., and xvi., and 1 Kings vi. 17. (Menochius)

“And the LORD was with Judah; and he drave out the inhabitants of the mountain; but could not drive out the inhabitants of the valley, because they had chariots of iron. drave: or, possessed the mountain”

Was not able, &c. Through a cowardly fear of their chariots armed with hooks and scythes, and for want of confidence in God. (Challoner) — Hebrew does not say expressly that Juda could not: quia non ad expellendum, &c. He had not the courage or the will. With God’s assistance, what had he to fear? Were these Philistines with their chariots, more terrible than the giants in their fortresses? — Scythes. Hebrew receb barzel, “chariots of iron.” (Calmet) — The Roman and Alexandrian Septuagint have “Rechab was opposed to them.” (Haydock) — The edition of Basil adds, “and they had chariots of iron,” as St. Augustine (q. 5,) reads. A double translation is thus given. (Calmet) — These chariots were calculated to cut down all that came in contact with them. (Curt. iv.) (Worthington)

“And they gave Hebron unto Caleb, as Moses said: and he expelled thence the three sons of Anak.”

Enac, mentioned [in] ver. 10. Septuagint add, that “he took the three cities….and destroyed,” &c. See Josue xv. 14. (Haydock)

“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.”

Day, before the reign of David. See Josue xv. 63. The Jebusites occupied the citadel, &c. (Calmet)

“And the house of Joseph, they also went up against Bethel: and the LORD was with them.”

Of Joseph, on the west side of the Jordan, attacked Bethel, which it does not appear that Josue molested. (Haydock) — Instead of house, some Hebrew manuscripts and the Arabic and Septuagint read, “the sons,” which seems to be the better reading. (Kennicott)

“And the house of Joseph sent to descry Bethel. (Now the name of the city before was Luz.)”

Besieging. Hebrew, “sent to descry,” or they came upon it like spies.

“And the spies saw a man come forth out of the city, and they said unto him, Shew us, we pray thee, the entrance into the city, and we will shew thee mercy.”

Mercy. The city belonged of right to them, so that they might use this means, as they were not bound to enquire by what motives the man was actuated thus to betray his country. He might be convinced, like Rahab, that God had granted it to the Israelites, and these might justly requite his good dispositions and suffer him to depart in peace. (Bonfrere; Grotius; Calmet)

“And the man went into the land of the Hittites, and built a city, and called the name thereof Luz: which is the name thereof unto this day.”

Hetthim. The Hethite lived towards the south of Chanaan. The man probably retired into the stony Arabia, where we find the city of Lusa or Elysa. (Ptolemy v. 16.) — He gave it this name in memory of his native city, (Calmet) which was called Luza, or “of nuts.” (Menochius)

“Neither did Manasseh drive out the inhabitants of Bethshean and her towns, nor Taanach and her towns, nor the inhabitants of Dor and her towns, nor the inhabitants of Ibleam and her towns, nor the inhabitants of Megiddo and her towns: but the Canaanites would dwell in that land.”

Bethsan, &c. See Josue xvii. 11. — Began. Hebrew, “would dwell.” (Haydock) —The Israelites sinfully acquiesced, partly through slothfulness and the dislike of war, and partly that they might receive tribute from the Chanaanites. (Menochius)

“And it came to pass, when Israel was strong, that they put the Canaanites to tribute, and did not utterly drive them out.”

Them. We shall see the punishment of their prevarication during the greatest part of this book. (Calmet)

“Neither did Asher drive out the inhabitants of Accho, nor the inhabitants of Zidon, nor of Ahlab, nor of Achzib, nor of Helbah, nor of Aphik, nor of Rehob:”

Accho. Hebrew haco. The Greeks not knowing the derivation of this word, supposed that the city was so called from aké, “a remedy,” as they pretend that Hercules was cured in this place. It was also called Ptolemais, after the king of Egypt. The little river Belus, and the famous bed of sand so proper for making glass, were in the neighbourhood. (Pliny, [Natural History?] v. 19.) — Ahalab. The situation is unknown, unless it be Aleppo. They say it is the famous city of Berea. (Calmet)

“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 tributaries. prevailed: Heb. was heavy”

He dwelt. That is, the Amorrhite. (Challoner) — Hebrew, “But the Amorrhites would dwell in Mount Hares, in Aialon, and in Salebim.” Some copies of the Septuagint seem to give the meaning of these proper names, though inaccurately. (Haydock) — Solomon had one of his twelve officers at Salebim, in the tribe of Dan, 3 Kings iv. 9.

“And the coast of the Amorites was from the going up to Akrabbim, from the rock, and upward. the going: or, Maalehakrabbim”

Rock, Petra, the capital of Arabia, which Josephus ([Antiquities?] iii. 2,) assigns to Amalec. The Amorrhites dwelt in many parts of the land of promise, (Calmet) particularly in the higher places about the Dead Sea. (Haydock)