Judges 1:1-36
Q.1. Why was there no replacement leader after Joshua? How did Israel defeat their enemies? What was the precedent for the punishment of Adoni-bezek? What happened at Jerusalem and Hebron? (Jdgs.1:1-10)
Joshua had apportioned the Promised Land out to the tribes of Israel. All tribes had their own elders, heads, judges, and officers to lead them (Josh.24:1). Ultimately God was to lead Israel. It is heartening to read that – … the sons of Israel inquired of the Lord, saying, “Who shall go up first for us against the Canaanites, to fight against them?” (Jdgs.1:1). The Lord reassured them – … Judah shall go up; behold, I have given the land into his hand (Jdgs.1:2). The tribe of Judah took the lead and invited the neighbouring tribe of Simeon to help them. Later they would reciprocate (Jdgs.1:3). They conquered much of the territory, and defeated the king named Adoni-bezek (Jdgs.1:4-5). They punished him by cutting off his thumbs and great toes, in the same cruel manner with which he had maimed seventy other kings. This rendered him useless for battle. He acknowledged that this was God’s justice (Jdgs.1:7). Judah conquered both Jerusalem and Hebron. Hebron would become David’s first royal city. Jerusalem would become the capital city in the latter years of his reign, after it was finally taken from the Jebusites by Joab, the army general (Jdgs.1:21; 2 Sam.1:11; 5:1-10).
Q.2. What was the reward for the defeat of Debir? How did the victor enjoy added blessings? Why were the Kenites spared? How victorious was Judah in capturing their territory? – (Jdgs.1:11-21)
Judah wanted to conquer Debir. Caleb promised – … The one who attacks Kiriath-sepher (i.e. Debir) and captures it, I will even give him my daughter Achsah for a wife (Jdgs.1:12). Caleb’s younger brother succeeded and married Achsah. She had many of the sterling qualities of her father, so proved to be a great blessing to him. Achsah boldly and respectfully asked her father for better land – Give me a blessing, since you have given me the land of the Negev, give me also springs of water. So Caleb gave her the upper springs and the lower springs (Jdgs.1:15). The nomadic Kenites were the descendants of Jethro / Hobab, the father-in-law of Moses. Being relatives, they were spared and settled in the wilderness of Judah. Jonadab was a Kenite, and the forefather of the Rechabites. God later used the Rechabites’ disciplined lifestyle to convict Judah of their disobedience (Exo.3:1; Jdgs.1:16; 4:11; 1 Sam.15:6; 1 Chron.2:55; Jer.35:13-17; Amos 6:4-6). Hebron became the inheritance of Caleb, as promised. He firstly had to drive out the three giant sons of Anak (Jdgs.1:20 c.f. Num.13:32-33). Judah succeeded in taking possession of the hill country – … but they could not drive out the inhabitants of the valley because they had iron chariots (Jdgs.1:19). Similarly, they were unable to completely eradicate their enemies in their inherited cities and lands
Q.3. What strategy did the tribes of Joseph use to capture Bethel? How did the tribes handle those whom they were unable to defeat? What lessons can we learn from the conquest of the land? – (Jdgs.1:22-36)
The house of Joseph (i.e. Ephraim & Manasseh) was able to capture Bethel with the help of God (Jdgs.1:22-23). Their spies met a man whom they promised to save, if he showed them access to the city (Jdgs.1:24-26). The tribes were unable to overpower some of the Canaanites in their inherited lands (Jdgs.1:27,29-31,33-34). In time they did take control over many of their enemies – It came about when Israel became strong, that they put the Canaanites to forced labour, but they did not drive them out completely (Jdgs.1:28 c.f. Jdgs.1:30,33,35). The Canaanites persisted in living amongst other tribes – … so the Canaanites lived … among them (Jdgs.1:29 c.f. Jdgs.1:27,30,32-33). These tribes and their gods often would be a snare to Israel. When we came to Christ, we were assured of our future inheritance. However, God requires us to fight for victory over the flesh. If we neglect to do this, we may be overcome by the enemy and come under God’s discipline.