1Po Jozuově smrti se synové Izraele ptali Hospodina: "Kdo z nás má vytáhnout do boje proti Kananejcům jako první?" 2Hospodin odpověděl: "Ať vytáhne Juda. Hle, dal jsem mu tu zem do rukou." 3Kmen Juda pak řekl svým bratrům ze Šimeona: "Pojďte s námi do našeho podílu bojovat proti Kananejcům. My pak zase půjdeme s vámi do vašeho podílu." Kmen Šimeon s ním tedy šel. 4Juda vytáhl a Hospodin vydal Kananejce i Perizejce do jejich rukou. Pobili jich v Bezeku 10 000. 5Tam také narazili na Adoni-bezeka a bojovali s ním. Kananejce i Perizejce pobili, 6ale Adoni-bezek uprchl. Pronásledovali ho, a když ho dopadli, usekali mu palce na rukou i na nohou. 7Adoni-bezek tehdy řekl: "Sedmdesát králů s usekanými palci na rukou i na nohou sbíralo drobty pod mým stolem. Jak jsem jednal, tak mi Bůh odplatil." Odvedli ho do Jeruzaléma a tam zemřel. 8Synové Judy zaútočili také na Jeruzalém a dobyli ho. Vybili město ostřím meče a vypálili. 9Potom sestoupili, aby bojovali proti Kananejcům bydlícím v horách, v Negevu a v podhůří. 10Vytáhli také proti Kananejcům obývajícím Hebron (dříve nazývaný Kiriat-arba), kde porazili Šešaje, Achimana a Talmaje. 11Odtamtud kmen Juda vytáhl proti obyvatelům Debiru (dříve nazývanému Kiriat-sefer). 12Káleb tehdy řekl: "Kdo udeří na Kiriat-sefer a dobude ho, tomu dám za ženu svou dceru Aksu." 13Dobyl ho Otniel, syn Kálebova mladšího bratra Kenaze, a tak mu dal svou dceru Aksu za ženu. 14Jednou za ním přišla a nabádala ho, ať jejího otce žádá o pole. Když sesedla z osla, Káleb se jí zeptal: "Co bys ráda?" 15"Dej mi, prosím, dárek," odpověděla. "Vždyť jsi mi dal zem v negevské poušti. Kéž bys mi dal studánky s vodou." A tak jí dal studánky - Horní i Dolní Gulot. 16S Judovými syny vytáhli z Palmového města do judské pouště na jih od Aradu také potomci Mojžíšova tchána, Kenijce. Když tam dorazili, usídlili se mezi místními. 17Juda ale táhl se svým bratrem Šimeonem dál, vybili Kananejce bydlící v Cefatu a vyhubili je jako proklaté. To město proto dostalo jméno Chorma, Klatba. 18Juda dobýval také Gazu, Aškelon, Ekron a jejich okolí, 19ale nedokázal obyvatele nížiny vyhnat, protože měli železné vozy. Hospodin však byl s Judou, a tak se mu podařilo zabrat pohoří. 20Hebron dali podle Mojžíšova slova Kálebovi a ten odsud vyhnal trojici Anakových synů. 21Synové Benjamínovi ale nevyhnali Jebusejce bydlící v Jeruzalémě, a tak Jebusejci žijí v Jeruzalémě spolu s Benjamínci až dodnes. 22Také Josefovi potomci vytáhli, a to na Bet-el, a Hospodin byl s nimi. 23Když vyslali muže, aby prozkoumali Bet-el (dříve nazývaný Luz), 24uviděli zvědové z města vycházet nějakého muže. "Ukaž nám, prosím, kudy do města," řekli mu, "a zachováme se k tobě milosrdně." 25Ukázal jim tedy, kudy do města, a oni to město vybili ostřím meče. Toho muže ale i s celou rodinou propustili. 26Odešel pak do země Chetitů, vystavěl město, nazval je Luz a tak se jmenuje až dodnes. 27Kmen Manases ale nebyl s to dobýt Bet-šean ani Taanach s jejich vesnicemi. Nevyhnali ani obyvatele Doru, Jibleamu a Megida s jejich vesnicemi. Kananejci totiž byli rozhodnuti v té zemi zůstat. 28Když Izrael později zesílil, podrobil Kananejce nuceným pracím, ale úplně se jich nezbavil. 29Efraim nebyl s to vyhnat Kananejce bydlící v Gezeru, a tak zůstali Kananejci bydlet mezi nimi. 30Zabulon nebyl s to vyhnat obyvatele Kitronu ani Nahalolu, a tak zůstali Kananejci bydlet mezi nimi; byli však podrobeni nuceným pracím. 31Ašer nebyl s to vyhnat obyvatele Akka, Sidonu, Achlabu, Achzibu, Chelby, Afeku ani Rechobu. 32Ašerovci se tedy usídlili uprostřed kananejských obyvatel země, protože je nedokázali vyhnat. 33Neftalí nevyhnal obyvatele Bet-šemeše ani Bet-anatu, a tak se usídlil uprostřed kananejských obyvatel země. Později však podrobili obyvatele Bet-šemeše a Bet-anatu nuceným pracím. 34Syny Danovy zatlačili Emorejci do hor; vůbec je nenechali sestoupit do nížiny. 35Emorejci byli rozhodnuti zůstat v Har-cheresu, v Ajalonu i v Šaalbimu. Teprve když vzrostla moc domu Josefova, byli podrobeni nuceným pracím. 36Emorejská hranice vedla od průsmyku Akrabim, od Sely výše.
Jamieson Fausset Brown Bible Commentary 1 THE ACTS OF JUDAH AND SIMEON. (
Judg 1:1-
Judg 1:3)
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 (
Gen 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 (
Josh 19:1-
Josh 19:2), they had a common interest, and were naturally associated in this enterprise.
5 ADONI-BEZEK JUSTLY REQUITED. (Jdg. 1:4-21)
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 (
Josh 15:63), is here noticed to account for its being in the possession of the Judahites; and they brought Adoni-bezek thither [
Judg 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 [
Judg 1:9-
Judg 1:11]. The story of Caleb's acquisition of Hebron is here repeated (
Josh 15:16-
Josh 15:19). [See on
Josh 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 (
Num 24:21-
Num 24:22). If he might not himself, his posterity did accept the invitation of Moses (
Num 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 (
Gen 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 (
Num 21:1). On the conquest of that district, some of this pastoral people pitched their tents there, while others migrated to the north (
Judg 4:17).
17 And Judah went with Simeon his brother--The course of the narrative is here resumed from
Judg 1:9, and an account given of Judah returning the services of Simeon (
Judg 1:3), by aiding in the prosecution of the war within the neighboring tribes.
slew the Canaanites that inhabited Zephath--or Zephathah (
2Chr 14:10), a valley lying in the southern portion of Canaan.
Hormah--destroyed in fulfilment of an early vow of the Israelites (see on
Num 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
Josh 11:4-
Josh 11:9).
21 the children of Benjamin did not drive out the Jebusites that inhabited Jerusalem--Judah had expelled the people from their part of Jerusalem (
Judg 1:8). The border of the two tribes ran through the city--Israelites and natives must have been closely intermingled.
22 SOME CANAANITES LEFT. (
Judg 1:22-
Judg 1:26)
the house of Joseph--the tribe of Ephraim, as distinguished from Manasseh (
Judg 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 (
Josh 2:12-
Josh 2:14); 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
Gen 12:7;
Gen 28:18).
27 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.