Tyndale Open Study NotesJudges 1

The first prologue talks about how the tribes did not follow Joshua's farewell instructions (Joshua 23).

Two introductions (Judges 1:1–2:5 and 2:6–3:6) come before the main part of the book. Both start with Joshua's death (Judges 1:1; see also 2:8), linking Judges to the earlier story (Joshua 24:29–33; compare Joshua 1:1; 2 Samuel 1:1).

The request for divine guidance (see Exodus 28:30; Numbers 27:21; 1 Samuel 14:41; 28:6; compare Joshua 7:14) reminds us that the Lord's covenant with Israel included taking the land.

This verse, also found in the epilogues (Judges 20:18), highlights Judah's importance. This tribe did not participate in the judges' decline (compare Judges 15:9–13) after Othniel, the ideal judge connected to Judah through Caleb (Joshua 14:6; 15:13, 17).

• The tribe of Simeon almost vanished within the territory given to Judah (Joshua 19:1).

• fight against the Canaanites...go with you to your territory: See Joshua 16:10; 17:13; 23:4–13.

Hebron was the city closest to Abraham's home by the oaks of Mamre (Genesis 13:18). The patriarchs later lived and were buried there (Genesis 23:19; 35:27; 49:29–32). It was originally called Kiriath-arba, meaning "City of Arba," named after the legendary Arba, who was a great hero of the descendants of Anak and Anak's ancestor (Joshua 14:15; 15:13). The Anakites are identified with the feared Nephilites (Numbers 13:33; see Genesis 6:4).

Debir (formerly known as Kiriath-sepher) (literally City of the Book): This was a major Anakite town in the hill country (Joshua 11:21). Its exact location is uncertain, but it is traditionally thought to be either southwest or east of Hebron.

urged him: See study note on Joshua 15:18–19.

The Kenites were a desert people who lived in the southern region. They were connected to the family of Moses by marriage and were also called Midianites (Exodus 18:1; Numbers 10:29). Moses invited them to share in the covenant blessing (God’s promised favor and protection) given to Israel (Numbers 10:29–32).

At least one Kenite clan accepted this invitation and became part of the tribe of Judah. Later, however, some members of this clan changed their loyalty and supported Jabin of Hazor, an enemy king (Judges 4:11, 17).

• devoted the city to destruction: See Leviticus 27:28–29.

• Hormah: See study note on Numbers 21:2–3.

Gaza, Ashkelon, and Ekron, along with Gath and Ashdod, later became the five main cities of the Philistines (Judges 3:3).

Even with the Lord's presence, they did not finish the conquest due to iron chariots and disobedience (see Joshua 23:12–13; 24:14).

The tribes of Israel did not keep the covenant. Their complacency was rebellion against the Lord, as shown in the rest of the book of Judges.

• The tribe of Benjamin produced many heroes, like Ehud and Saul, but it also showed great unfaithfulness to the covenant, unlike Judah (see Judges 20:18). Like Judah in its first battle (Judges 1:4–8), Benjamin faced strong people in a large city but chose to share the city with them. There is no mention of the Lord's presence (compare Judges 1:19, 22). The Jebusite city stayed under Canaanite control until David's time.

• The phrase "to this day" highlights either ongoing historical situations (here and Judges 6:24) or the continuation of certain customs to a later time (1:26; 10:4; 15:19; 18:12).

Mentions of Joseph's descendants (Judges 1:22, 35) highlight the northern tribes' failures to remove their enemies.

• The Lord supported the descendants of Joseph (the tribes of Ephraim and Manasseh) only when they attacked Bethel together. Bethel was a sacred place for the Israelites since Jacob's time (Genesis 28:19). They failed when they attacked separately (Judges 1:27–29).

• Bethel is linked to the battle against Ai (Joshua 7:2) and is mentioned in the list of kings that Israel defeated (Joshua 12:16).

To show mercy (Hebrew khesed) suggests making a covenant (See also Judges 8:35, "kindness").

The land of the Hittites likely referred to North Syria, not the Hittite Kingdom in Anatolia (modern-day Turkey). We know nothing about the new Luz.

This group of Canaanite cities extended from Dor on the Mediterranean to Beth-shan in the Jordan Valley. It effectively separated the northern tribes from those south of the Jezreel Valley. Similarly, several cities listed in the south (Judges 1:35) likely separated Judah from the northern tribes.

Dan's failure to take the land shows complete unfaithfulness and led to abandoning part of the promised land (Judges 17–18).