2 And the LORD H3068 said, H559 Judah H3063 shall go up: H5927 behold, I have delivered H5414 the land H776 into his hand. H3027
Judah, H3063 thou art he whom thy brethren H251 shall praise: H3034 thy hand H3027 shall be in the neck H6203 of thine enemies; H341 thy father's H1 children H1121 shall bow down H7812 before thee. Judah H3063 is a lion's H738 whelp: H1482 from the prey, H2964 my son, H1121 thou art gone up: H5927 he stooped down, H3766 he couched H7257 as a lion, H738 and as an old lion; H3833 who shall rouse him up? H6965 The sceptre H7626 shall not depart H5493 from Judah, H3063 nor a lawgiver H2710 from between his feet, H7272 until H3588 Shiloh H7886 come; H935 and unto him shall the gathering H3349 of the people H5971 be.
But chose H977 the tribe H7626 of Judah, H3063 the mount H2022 Zion H6726 which he loved. H157 And he built H1129 his sanctuary H4720 like high H7311 palaces, like the earth H776 which he hath established H3245 for ever. H5769 He chose H977 David H1732 also his servant, H5650 and took H3947 him from the sheepfolds: H4356 H6629
And on the east side H6924 toward the rising H4217 of the sun shall they of the standard H1714 of the camp H4264 of Judah H3063 pitch H2583 throughout their armies: H6635 and Nahshon H5177 the son H1121 of Amminadab H5992 shall be captain H5387 of the children H1121 of Judah. H3063
And he that offered H7126 his offering H7133 the first H7223 day H3117 was Nahshon H5177 the son H1121 of Amminadab, H5992 of the tribe H4294 of Judah: H3063
For G1063 it is evident G4271 that G3754 our G2257 Lord G2962 sprang G393 out of G1537 Juda; G2455 of G1519 which G3739 tribe G5443 Moses G3475 spake G2980 nothing G3762 concerning G4012 priesthood. G2420
And G2532 one G1520 of G1537 the elders G4245 saith G3004 unto me, G3427 Weep G2799 not: G3361 behold, G2400 the Lion G3023 of G5607 G1537 the tribe G5443 of Juda, G2455 the Root G4491 of David, G1138 hath prevailed G3528 to open G455 the book, G975 and G2532 to loose G3089 the seven G2033 seals G4973 thereof. G846
And G2532 I saw G1492 heaven G3772 opened, G455 and G2532 behold G2400 a white G3022 horse; G2462 and G2532 he that sat G2521 upon G1909 him G846 was called G2564 Faithful G4103 and G2532 True, G228 and G2532 in G1722 righteousness G1343 he doth judge G2919 and G2532 make war. G4170 G1161 His G846 eyes G3788 were as G5613 a flame G5395 of fire, G4442 and G2532 on G1909 his G846 head G2776 were many G4183 crowns; G1238 and he had G2192 a name G3686 written, G1125 that G3739 no man G3762 knew, G1492 but G1508 he himself. G846 And G2532 he was clothed G4016 with a vesture G2440 dipped G911 in blood: G129 and G2532 his G846 name G3686 is called G2564 The Word G3056 of God. G2316 And G2532 the armies G4753 which were G3588 in G1722 heaven G3772 followed G190 him G846 upon G1909 white G3022 horses, G2462 clothed G1746 in fine linen, G1039 white G3022 and G2532 clean. G2513 And G2532 out of G1537 his G846 mouth G4750 goeth G1607 a sharp G3691 sword, G4501 that G2443 with G1722 it G846 he should smite G3960 the nations: G1484 and G2532 he G846 shall rule G4165 them G846 with G1722 a rod G4464 of iron: G4603 and G2532 he G846 treadeth G3961 the winepress G3025 G3631 of the fierceness G2372 and G2532 wrath G3709 of Almighty G3841 God. G2316 And G2532 he hath G2192 on G1909 his vesture G2440 and G2532 on G1909 his G846 thigh G3382 a name G3686 written, G1125 KING G935 OF KINGS, G935 AND G2532 LORD G2962 OF LORDS. G2962
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible » Commentary on Judges 1
Commentary on Judges 1 Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
CHAPTER 1
Jud 1:1-3. The Acts of Judah and Simeon.
1. Now after the death of Joshua—probably not a long period, for the Canaanites seem to have taken advantage of that event to attempt recovering their lost position, and the Israelites were obliged to renew the war.
the children of Israel asked the Lord—The divine counsel on this, as on other occasions, was sought by Urim and Thummim, by applying to the high priest, who, according to Josephus, was Phinehas.
saying, Who shall go up for us against the Canaanites first—The elders, who exercised the government in their respective tribes, judged rightly, that in entering upon an important expedition, they should have a leader nominated by divine appointment; and in consulting the oracle, they adopted a prudent course, whether the object of their inquiry related to the choice of an individual commander, or to the honor of precedency among the tribes.
2. the Lord said, Judah shall go up—The predicted pre-eminence (Ge 49:8) was thus conferred upon Judah by divine direction, and its appointment to take the lead in the ensuing hostilities was of great importance, as the measure of success by which its arms were crowned, would animate the other tribes to make similar attempts against the Canaanites within their respective territories.
I have delivered the land into his hand—not the whole country, but the district assigned for his inheritance.
3. Judah said unto Simeon his brother, Come up with me …, that we may fight against the Canaanites—Being conterminous tribes (Jos 19:1, 2), they had a common interest, and were naturally associated in this enterprise.
Jud 1:4-21. Adoni-bezek Justly Requited.
5, 6. Bezek—This place lay within the domain of Judah, about twelve miles south of Jerusalem.
found Adoni-bezek—that is, "lord of Bezek"—he was "found," that is, surprised and routed in a pitched battle, whence he fled; but being taken prisoner, he was treated with a severity unusual among the Israelites, for they "cut off his thumbs and great toes." Barbarities of various kinds were commonly practised on prisoners of war in ancient times, and the object of this particular mutilation of the hands and feet was to disable them for military service ever after. The infliction of such a horrid cruelty on this Canaanite chief would have been a foul stain on the character of the Israelites if there were not reason for believing it was done by them as an act of retributive justice, and as such it was regarded by Adoni-bezek himself, whose conscience read his atrocious crimes in their punishment.
7. Threescore and ten kings—So great a number will not appear strange, when it is considered that anciently every ruler of a city or large town was called a king. It is not improbable that in that southern region of Canaan, there might, in earlier times, have been even more till a turbulent chief like Adoni-bezek devoured them in his insatiable ambition.
8. Now the children of Judah had fought against Jerusalem, and had taken it—The capture of this important city, which ranks among the early incidents in the war of invasion (Jos 15:63), is here noticed to account for its being in the possession of the Judahites; and they brought Adoni-bezek thither [Jud 1:7], in order, probably, that his fate being rendered so public, might inspire terror far and wide. Similar inroads were made into the other unconquered parts of Judah's inheritance [Jud 1:9-11]. The story of Caleb's acquisition of Hebron is here repeated (Jos 15:16-19). [See on Jos 15:16.]
16. the children of the Kenite, Moses' father-in-law, went up out of the city of palm trees with the children of Judah—called "the Kenite," as probably descended from the people of that name (Nu 24:21, 22). If he might not himself, his posterity did accept the invitation of Moses (Nu 10:32) to accompany the Israelites to Canaan. Their first encampment was in the "city of palm trees"—not Jericho, of course, which was utterly destroyed, but the surrounding district, perhaps En-gedi, in early times called Hazezon-tamar (Ge 14:7), from the palm-grove which sheltered it. Thence they removed for some unknown cause, and associating themselves with Judah, joined in an expedition against Arad, in the southern part of Canaan (Nu 21:1). On the conquest of that district, some of this pastoral people pitched their tents there, while others migrated to the north (Jud 4:17).
17-29. And Judah went with Simeon his brother—The course of the narrative is here resumed from Jud 1:9, and an account given of Judah returning the services of Simeon (Jud 1:3), by aiding in the prosecution of the war within the neighboring tribes.
slew the Canaanites that inhabited Zephath—or Zephathah (2Ch 14:10), a valley lying in the southern portion of Canaan.
Hormah—destroyed in fulfilment of an early vow of the Israelites (see on Nu 21:2). The confederate tribes, pursuing their incursions in that quarter, came successively to Gaza, Askelon, and Ekron, which they took. But the Philistines seem soon to have regained possession of these cities.
19. the Lord was with Judah; … but they could not drive out the inhabitants of the valley—The war was of the Lord, whose omnipotent aid would have ensured their success in every encounter, whether on the mountains or the plains, with foot soldiers or cavalry. It was distrust, the want of a simple and firm reliance on the promise of God, that made them afraid of the iron chariots (see on Jos 11:4-9).
21. the children of Benjamin did not drive out the Jebusites that inhabited Jerusalem—Judah had expelled the people from their part of Jerusalem (Jud 1:8). The border of the two tribes ran through the city—Israelites and natives must have been closely intermingled.
Jud 1:22-26. Some Canaanites Left.
22, 23. the house of Joseph—the tribe of Ephraim, as distinguished from Manasseh (Jud 1:27).
24. the spies … said, … Show us, … the entrance into the city—that is, the avenues to the city, and the weakest part of the walls.
we will show thee mercy—The Israelites might employ these means of getting possession of a place which was divinely appropriated to them: they might promise life and rewards to this man, though he and all the Canaanites were doomed to destruction (Jos 2:12-14); but we may assume the promise was suspended on his embracing the true religion, or quitting the country, as he did. If they had seen him to be firmly opposed to either of these alternatives, they would not have constrained him by promises any more than by threats to betray his countrymen. But if they found him disposed to be serviceable, and to aid the invaders in executing the will of God, they might promise to spare him.
26. Luz—(See on Ge 12:7; Ge 28:18).
27-36. The same course of subjugation was carried on in the other tribes to a partial extent, and with varying success. Many of the natives, no doubt, during the progress of this exterminating war, saved themselves by flight and became, it is thought, the first colonists in Greece, Italy, and other countries. But a large portion made a stout resistance and retained possession of their old abodes in Canaan. In other cases, when the natives were vanquished, avarice led the Israelites to spare the idolaters, contrary to the express command of God; and their disobedience to His orders in this matter involved them in many troubles which this book describes.