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.
And Moses saith to Hobab son of Raguel the Midianite, father-in-law of Moses, `We are journeying unto the place of which Jehovah hath said, I give it to you; go with us, and we have done good to thee; for Jehovah hath spoken good concerning Israel.' And he saith unto him, `I do not go; but unto my land and unto my kindred do I go.' And he saith, `I pray thee, forsake us not, because thou hast known our encamping in the wilderness, and thou hast been to us for eyes; and it hath come to pass when thou goest with us, yea, it hath come to pass -- that good which Jehovah doth kindly with us -- it we have done kindly to thee.'
and Saul saith unto the Kenite, `Go, turn aside, go down from the midst of Amalek, lest I consume thee with it, and thou didst kindness with all the sons of Israel, in their going up out of Egypt;' and the Kenite turneth aside from the midst of Amalek.
and the south, and the circuit of the valley of Jericho, the city of palms, unto Zoar.
And the Canaanite -- king Arad -- dwelling in the south, heareth that Israel hath come the way of the Atharim, and he fighteth against Israel, and taketh `some' of them captive.
And Sisera hath fled on his feet unto the tent of Jael wife of Heber the Kenite, for peace `is' between Jabin king of Hazor and the house of Heber the Kenite;
At that time hath king Ahaz sent unto the king of Asshur to give help to him;
And Moses hath been feeding the flock of Jethro his father-in-law, priest of Midian, and he leadeth the flock behind the wilderness, and cometh in unto the mount of God, to Horeb;
And he seeth the Kenite, and taketh up his simile, and saith: `Enduring `is' thy dwelling, And setting in a rock thy nest, But the Kenite is for a burning; Till when doth Asshur keep thee captive?'
And Moses sendeth his father-in-law away, and he goeth away unto his own land.
and the father-in-law of Moses seeth all that he is doing to the people, and saith, `What `is' this thing which thou art doing to the people? wherefore art thou sitting by thyself, and all the people standing by thee from morning till evening?' And Moses saith to his father-in-law, `Because the people come unto me to seek God; when they have a matter, it hath come unto me, and I have judged between a man and his neighbour, and made known the statutes of God, and His laws.' And the father-in-law of Moses saith unto him, `The thing which thou art doing `is' not good;
And Jethro, father-in-law of Moses, taketh a burnt-offering and sacrifices for God; and Aaron cometh in, and all the elders of Israel, to eat bread with the father-in-law of Moses, before God.
And Moses goeth out to meet his father-in-law, and boweth himself, and kisseth him, and they ask one at another of welfare, and come into the tent;
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Matthew Henry Commentary » Commentary on Judges 1
Commentary on Judges 1 Matthew Henry Commentary
An Exposition, With Practical Observations, of
The Book of Judges
Chapter 1
This chapter gives us a particular account what sort of progress the several tribes of Israel made in the reducing of Canaan after the death of Joshua. He did (as we say) break the neck of that great work, and put it into such a posture that they might easily have perfected it in due time, if they had not been wanting to themselves; what they did in order hereunto, and wherein they came short, we are told.
No account is given of Issachar, nor of the two tribes and a half on the other side Jordan.
Jdg 1:1-8
Here,
Jdg 1:9-20
We have here a further account of that glorious and successful campaign which Judah and Simeon made.
Jdg 1:21-36
We are here told upon what terms the rest of the tribes stood with the Canaanites that remained.
Upon the whole matter it appears that the people of Israel were generally very careless both of their duty and interest in this thing; they did not what they might have done to expel the Canaanites and make room for themselves. And,