1Es geschah nach dem Tod Jehoschuas, die Söhne Jissraels befragten IHN, sprechend: Wer soll von uns zu Beginn gegen den Kanaaniter aufziehn, ihn zu bekriegen? 2ER sprach: Jehuda soll aufziehn, schon habe ich das Land in seine Hand gegeben. 3Jehuda sprach zu Schimon, seinem Bruder: Zieh hinauf mit mir in mein Los, daß wir den Kanaaniter bekriegen, auch ich will mit dir in dein Los gehn. Schimon ging mit ihm. 4Jehuda zog hinauf, ER gab den Kanaaniter und Prisiter in ihre Hand, sie schlugen sie in Besek, zehntausend Mann, 5sie fanden den Adonibesek in Besek, bekriegten ihn, schlugen den Kanaaniter und den Prisiter. 6Adonibesek floh, sie jagten ihm nach, sie ergriffen ihn, sie hackten die Daumen an seinen Händen und seinen Füßen ab. 7Adonibesek sprach: Siebzig Könige, die Daumen an ihren Händen und ihren Füßen abgehackt, lasen auf unter meinem Tisch, - wie ich getan habe, so hat Gott mir vergolten. Man brachte ihn nach Jerusalem, dort starb er. 8Die Söhne Jehudas bekriegten Jerusalem, sie eroberten es, sie schlugen es mit der Schneide des Schwerts, und die Stadt steckten sie in Brand. 9Danach stiegen die Söhne Jehudas hinab, den Kanaaniter zu bekriegen, der das Gebirg, den Mittag und die Niedrung besaß, 10Jehuda ging gegen den Kanaaniter vor, der in Hebron saß, der Name Hebrons aber war vordem Kirjat Arba, sie schlugen den Scheschai, den Achiman und den Talmai. 11Von dort ging er gegen die Insassen von Dwir vor, der Name Dwirs aber war vordem Kirjat Ssefer. 12Kaleb sprach: Wer Kirjat Ssefer schlägt und es erobert, dem will ich meine Tochter Achssa zum Weibe geben. 13Otniel Sohn des Knas, eines Bruders Kalebs, jünger als er, eroberte es, und er gab ihm seine Tochter Achssa zum Weib. 14Es war, als sie einzog: sie lockte ihm ab, von ihrem Vater die Aue heischen zu dürfen, dann glitt sie vom Esel. Kaleb sprach zu ihr: Was ist dir? 15Sie sprach zu ihm: Schenk mir ein Segenspfand! in Land der Mittagsdürre gabst du mich ja, gib mir Wasserbecken mit! Kaleb gab ihr Ober-Becken und Unter-Becken. 16Die Söhne des Keniters aber, Mosches Schwagers, stiegen von der Palmenstadt mit den Söhnen Jehudas in die Wüste Jehuda, die beim Mittagsland von Arad ist, er ging hin und saß mit dem Volk. 17Jehuda ging mit seinem Bruder Schimon vor, sie schlugen den Kanaaniter, der in Zfat saß, und bannten es, man rief den Namen der Stadt Chorma, Bannung. 18Jehuda eroberte Gasa und seine Mark, Askalon und seine Mark, Ekron und seine Mark. 19ER war mit Jehuda, der erbte das Gebirge, denn nicht zu enterben waren die Insassen der Tiefebene, denn sie hatten eisernes Fahrzeug. 20Sie gaben Kaleb Hebron, wie Mosche geredet hatte, er enterbte dort die drei Anaksöhne. 21Den Jebussiter aber, der in Jerusalem saß, enterbten die Söhne Binjamins nicht, der Jebussiter blieb ansässig mit den Söhnen Binjamins in Jerusalem, bis auf diesen Tag. 22Die vom Hause Jossefs zogen auf, auch sie, nach Bet-El, und ER war bei ihnen. 23Sie ließen durchspüren, das Haus Jossefs, bei Bet-El, der Name der Stadt aber war vordem Lus, 24die Beobachter sahn einen Mann aus der Stadt kommen, sie sprachen zu ihm: Ersichte uns doch einen Zugang in die Stadt, und wir wollen an dir hold tun. 25Er ersichtete ihnen einen Zugang in die Stadt, sie schlugen die Stadt mit der Schneide des Schwerts, aber den Mann und all seine Sippe schickten sie von dannen. 26Der Mann wanderte ins Land der Chetiter, er baute eine Stadt und rief ihren Namen Lus, das ist ihr Name bis auf diesen Tag. 27Nicht enterbte Mnasche Bet Schan und seine Tochterstädte, Taanach und seine Tochterstädte, die Insassen von Dor und seine Tochterstädte, die Insassen von Jiblam und seine Tochterstädte, die Insassen von Megiddo und seine Tochterstädte, der Kanaaniter unterwand sich in dieser Landschaft ansässig zu bleiben. 28Es geschah, als Jissrael erstarkte: es setzte den Kanaaniter in Fronpflicht, aber enterbt, enterbt haben sie ihn nicht. 29Efrajim enterbte nicht den Kanaaniter, der in Gaser saß, der Kanaaniter blieb ansässig innen bei ihm in Gaser. 30Sbulun enterbte nicht die Insassen von Kitron und die Insassen von Nahalol, der Kanaaniter blieb ansässig innen bei ihm, sie wurden fronpflichtig. 31Ascher enterbte nicht die Insassen von Akko und die Insassen von Sidon, Achlab, Achsib, Chelba, Afik, Rchob, 32ansässig wurde der Ascherit innen bei dem Kanaaniter, den Landesinsassen, denn er enterbte ihn nicht. 33Naftali enterbte nicht die Insassen von Bet Schamesch und die Insassen von Bet Anat, er wurde ansässig innen bei dem Kanaaniter, den Landesinsassen, die Insassen von Bet Schamesch und Bet Anat wurden ihnen fronpflichtig. 34Der Amoriter, - sie drängten die Söhne Dans ins Gebirg, denn nicht gab jener zu, daß er in die Tiefebne hinabging, 35der Amoriter unterwand sich, in Har Chares, in Ajjalon und in Schaalbim ansässig zu bleiben. Die Hand des Hauses Jossefs lag schwer auf, sie wurden fronpflichtig. 36Die Gemarkung des Amoriters war vom Skorpionenaufstieg, vom Felsen, aufwärts gewesen.
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.