Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Judges 1:9
And afterward the children of Judah went down to fight against the Canaanites, that dwelt in the mountain, and in the south, and in the valley.
Verse 9. The Canaanites, that dwelt to the mountain] The territories of the tribe of Judah lay in the most southern part of the promised land, which was very mountainous, though towards the west it had many fine plains. In some of these the Canaanites had dwelt; and the expedition marked here was for the purpose of finally expelling them. But probably this is a recapitulation of what is related Jos 10:36; Jos 11:21; Jos 15:13.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
And afterwards the children of Judah,…. After the taking of Bezek, and the king of it, having him to Jerusalem, where he died: they
went down; from Jerusalem; which was on high ground:
to fight against the Canaanites that dwelt in the mountain, and in the south, and in the valley; into which several parts the lot of the tribe of Judah was divided; in each of which they had cities, and some, as it seems, yet unsubdued, and in the hands of the Canaanites; of these several parts, and the cities in them, see Jos 15:21.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
| Conquests of Judah. | B. C. 1425. |
9 And afterward the children of Judah went down to fight against the Canaanites, that dwelt in the mountain, and in the south, and in the valley. 10 And Judah went against the Canaanites that dwelt in Hebron: (now the name of Hebron before was Kirjath-arba:) and they slew Sheshai, and Ahiman, and Talmai. 11 And from thence he went against the inhabitants of Debir: and the name of Debir before was Kirjath-sepher: 12 And Caleb said, He that smiteth Kirjath-sepher, and taketh it, to him will I give Achsah my daughter to wife. 13 And Othniel the son of Kenaz, Caleb’s younger brother, took it: and he gave him Achsah his daughter to wife. 14 And it came to pass, when she came to him, that she moved him to ask of her father a field: and she lighted from off her ass; and Caleb said unto her, What wilt thou? 15 And she said unto him, Give me a blessing: for thou hast given me a south land; give me also springs of water. And Caleb gave her the upper springs and the nether springs. 16 And the children of the Kenite, Moses’ father in law, went up out of the city of palm trees with the children of Judah into the wilderness of Judah, which lieth in the south of Arad; and they went and dwelt among the people. 17 And Judah went with Simeon his brother, and they slew the Canaanites that inhabited Zephath, and utterly destroyed it. And the name of the city was called Hormah. 18 Also Judah took Gaza with the coast thereof, and Askelon with the coast thereof, and Ekron with the coast thereof. 19 And the LORD was with Judah; and he drave out the inhabitants of the mountain; but could not drive out the inhabitants of the valley, because they had chariots of iron. 20 And they gave Hebron unto Caleb, as Moses said: and he expelled thence the three sons of Anak.
We have here a further account of that glorious and successful campaign which Judah and Simeon made. 1. The lot of Judah was pretty well cleared of the Canaanites, yet not thoroughly. Those that dwelt in the mountain (the mountains that were round about Jerusalem) were driven out (Jdg 1:9; Jdg 1:19), but those in the valley kept their ground against them, having chariots of iron, such as we read of, Josh. xvii. 16. Here the men of Judah failed, and thereby spoiled the influence which otherwise their example hitherto might have had on the rest of the tribes, who followed them in this instance of their cowardice, rather than in all the other instances of their courage. They had iron chariots, and therefore it was thought not safe to attack them: but had not Israel God on their side, whose chariots are thousands of angels (Ps. lxviii. 17), before whom these iron chariots would be but as stubble to the fire? Had not God expressly promised by the oracle (v. 2) to give them success against the Canaanites in this very expedition, without excepting those that had iron chariots? Yet they suffered their fears to prevail against their faith, they could not trust God under any disadvantages, and therefore durst not face the iron chariots, but meanly withdrew their forces, when with one bold stroke they might have completed their victories; and it proved of pernicious consequence. They did run well, what hindered them? Gal. v. 7. 2. Caleb was put in possession of Hebron, which, though given him by Joshua ten or twelve years before (as Dr. Lightfoot computes), yet being employed in public service, for the settling of the tribes, which he preferred before his own private interests, it seems he did not till now make himself master of; so well content was that good man to serve others, while he left himself to be served last; few are like-minded, for all seek their own,Phi 2:20; Phi 2:21. Yet now the men of Judah all came in to his assistance for the reducing of Hebron (v. 10), slew the sons of Anak, and put him in possession of it, v. 20. They gave Hebron unto Caleb. And now Caleb, that he might return the kindness of his countrymen, is impatient to see Debir reduced and put into the hands of the men of Judah, to expedite which he proffers his daughter to the person that will undertake to command in the siege of that important place, Jdg 1:11; Jdg 1:12. Othniel bravely undertakes it, and wins the town and the lady (v. 13), and by his wife’s interest and management with her father gains a very good inheritance for himself and his family, Jdg 1:14; Jdg 1:15. We had this passage before, Josh. xv. 16-19, where it was largely explained and improved. 3. Simeon got ground of the Canaanites in his border, Jdg 1:17; Jdg 1:18. In the eastern part of Simeon’s lot, they destroyed the Canaanites in Zephath, and called it Hormah–destruction, adding this to some other devoted cities not far off, which they had some time ago, with good reason, called by that name, Num 21:2; Num 21:3. And this perhaps was the complete performance of the vow they them made that they would utterly destroy these cities of the Canaanites in the south. In the western part they took Gaza, Askelon, and Ekron, cities of the Philistines; they gained present possession of the cities, but, not destroying the inhabitants, the Philistines in process of time recovered the cities, and proved inveterate enemies to the Israel of God, and no better could come of doing their work by the halves. 4. The Kenites gained a settlement in the tribe of Judah, choosing it there rather than in any other tribe, because it was the strongest, and there they hoped to be safe and quiet, v. 16. These were the posterity of Jethro, who either went with Israel when Moses invited them (Num. x. 29) or met them about the same place when they came up from their wanderings in the wilderness thirty-eight years after, and went with them then to Canaan, Moses having promised them that they should fare as Israel fared, Num. x. 32. They had at first seated themselves in the city of palm-trees, that is, Jericho, a city which never was to be rebuilt, and therefore the fitter for those who dwelt in tents, and did not mind building. But afterwards they removed into the wilderness of Judah, either out of their affection to that place, because solitary and retired, or out of their affection to that tribe, which perhaps had been in a particular manner kind to them. Yet we find the tent of Jael, who was of that family, far north, in the lot of Naphtali, when Sisera took shelter there, ch. iv. 17. This respect Israel showed them, to let them fix where they pleased, being a quiet people, who, wherever they were, were content with a little. Those that molested none were molested by none. Blessed are the meek, for thus they shall inherit the earth.
Fuente: Matthew Henry’s Whole Bible Commentary
(9) Went down to fight.Went up is the phrase applied to military expeditions (see Jdg. 1:2); went down is the phrase for special battles (1Sa. 26:10; 1Sa. 29:4), like the Latin descendere in aciem. No doubt the phrase arose from the custom of always encamping on hills when it was possible to do so.
In the mountain, and in the south, and in the valley.These are three marked regions of Palestinethe hill-country (ha-Har, Jos. 9:1), in which were Hebron and Debir (Jdg. 1:10-11); the south or Negeb (Jos. 15:21), in which were Arad and Zephath; and the valley, or rather low lands (Shephelah, Jos. 11:16; Jos. 15:33), in which were the three Philistian towns of Gaza, Askelon, and Ekron (Jdg. 1:18). The Har is the central or highland district of Palestine, which runs through the whole length of the country, broken only by the plain of Jezreel. The Negeb, derived from a root which means dry, was the region mainly occupied by the tribe of Simeon. The Shephelah, or low maritime plains (of which the root is perhaps also found in Hi-Spalis, Sevillesee Stanley, Sin. and Pal. 485), is Palestine proper, i.e., the region of Philistia, the sea-coast south of the Plain of Sharon. In the E.V. the name is sometimes rendered as here, the valley (Deu. 1:7; Jos. 9:1, &c.), sometimes we find it as the plain (Oba. 1:19, &c.), or the low plains (1Ch. 27:28).
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
CONQUESTS IN THE TERRITORY OF JUDAH, Jdg 1:9.
9. Afterward After the burning of Jerusalem.
Went down Proceeded southward. As went up (Jdg 1:4) indicates a starting off to battle, so went down indicates a continuation of the war.
The mountain the south the valley The three principal geographical divisions of the territory of Judah. See note on Jos 15:19. Here the thread of the narrative is broken off to introduce the episode about Caleb and Othniel, and the notice of the Kenites.
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
‘ And afterwards the children of Judah went down to fight against the Canaanites who dwelt in the hill country, and in the south, and in the lowland.’
The invasion under Joshua had defeated the forces that had come against it, had weakened the Canaanites, and had subdued parts of the land, especially in the hill country, and they were able to settle down and be at peace. But they saw the whole land as being given to them by God and it was their aim to subdue the whole, and their remit was to drive out the inhabitants. Thus their aim was to attack the hill country, the lower hill country (the Shephelah – the lowlands) and the lands to the south (the Negeb), followed by the coastal plain.
Fuente: Commentary Series on the Bible by Peter Pett
The sons of Judah smite the Anakim and take Hebron
Jdg 1:9-10
9And afterward [Hereupon] the children [sons] of Judah went down [proceeded] to fight against the Canaanites that dwelt in the mountain [mountains], and in the south, and in the valley [lit. depression, low country]. 10And Judah went against the Canaanites that dwelt in Hebron: (now the name of Hebron before [formerly] was Kirjath-arba [The Four Cities30]:) and they slew [smote] Sheshai, and Ahiman, and Talmai.
TEXTUAL AND GRAMMATICAL
[1 Jdg 1:10. This is the nearest we can come in English to Dr. Cassels Vierstadt, Tetrapolis. Against the common Interpretation, City of Arba,Arba being taken as the name of a person,cf. Mr. Grove in Smiths Bib. Dict., s. v Kirjath-arba.Tr.]
EXEGETICAL AND DOCTRINAL
Jdg 1:9 f.. Hereupon the sons of Judah proceeded. They advanced, proceeded, . While , ascendere, was used to express the first attack (Jdg 1:4), the continuation of the conflict is indicated by , descendere, although they advance mountain-ward. Verse 9 sets forth the full extent of the task undertaken by the tribes. Before advancing into the territory allotted them, they have been obliged to resist the attack of Adoni-bezek at its border. They divide their work proper into the conquest of the mountains, the occupancy of the southern tract from the Dead Sea to Beer-sheba, and the seizure of the western lowlands. Details of these undertakings are given us only so far as they concern Caleb and his house. Hence, the conquest of Hebron is first of all related. About this ancient city,31 where Abraham tarried, and the patriarchs repose in the family-vault, the recollections of the tribe of Judah concentrate themselves. It was of old the dwelling-place of valiant people. The robust vine-dressers of the valley, ages before, supported Abraham in his victorious expedition against the eastern hosts. But on the mountains there dwelt a wild and warlike race, the sons of Anak, before whom the faint-hearted spies of Moses formerly trembled. Only Caleb and Joshua were full of confidence in God. On this account, Caleb received the special assurance of Moses that he should possess the land which he had seen; and therefore at the division of the country by Joshua, he brings forward his claim to it (Jos 14:12). Joshua allows it. It is no lightly-gained inheritance that Caleb asks: Therefore give me (he says) this mountain, whereof the Lord spake in that day; for thou hast heard that there are Anakim there, and cities great and fenced; perhaps the Lord will be with me that I drive them out (Jos 14:12). Now, although the conquest of the city, and the expulsion of the Anakim, are already recorded in Jos 15:14, that is only an anticipatory historical notice in connection with the description of boundaries. The events actually occur now, in connection with the first efforts to gain permanent possession of the territory. Caleb, it is true, is old; but younger heroes surround him. They defeated the Anakim.
Jdg 1:10. Hebron, formerly called the Four Cities (Kirjath-arba). It is difficult to see why modern expositors32 take offense at the idea that in Hebron an earlier Tetrapolis is to be recognized. The remark, Jos 14:15 : And the name of Hebron was formerly Kirjath-arba, , cannot furnish the ground; for is here a collective term, like gens, as appears indubitably from Jos 15:13, where we have the expression, Kirjath-arba, the father of Anak ( ) which is Hebron. The Tetrapolis was the ancient seat of powerful tribes, whom the traditions of Israel described as giants. Similar tetrapolitan cities are elsewhere met with. The Indians had a Kturgrma, the Four Villages (Lassen, Ind. Alterth., i. 72). In Phrygia, Cibyra and three other places formed a Tetrapolis (Strabo, lib. xiii. 1, 17). I am inclined to find in the name Cibyra the same idea as in the Arabic Cheibar33 and the Hebrew Chebron (Hebron), namely, that of confederation, community of interest. It is a suggestive fact that Abrahams expedition is joined by the brothers Eshcol, Aner, and Mamre (Gen 14:13); concerning Mamre it is remarked, the same is Hebron (Gen 23:19). The Upper City (Acropolis), situated upon the mountains, and the lower cities lying in the fertile valley which these mountains inclose, together constituted the Tetrapolis. At the present day the city in the valley is still divided into three parts.34 Three sons of Anak are enumerated, manifestly three tribes, probably named after ancient heroes, which tribes coalesced with the mountain city.35 As late as the time of David, the phraseology is, that he dwelt in the cities of Hebron (2Sa 2:3). Probably the name Hebron was originally given to the mountain36 (the which Caleb claims, Jos 14:12), as forming the common defense, and was then after the suppression of the Anakim, transferred to the whole city. The names of the three families of Anakim do not admit of any certain interpretation. might with most probability be interpreted after the analogy of Achijah (Ahijah or Ahiah), Friend of God. , , is the heathen deity (Isa 65:11), who also occurs in Phnician inscriptions, in proper names like , servant of Meni. The name , Sheshai, reminds one of the Egyptian king , Shishak, Sechonchis, who made war on Rehoboam (1Ki 14:25). The name (Sheshbazzar, Ezr 1:8) may also be compared. The third name, Talmai, leaves it doubtful whether it is to be taken primarily as the name of a place or of a person. Stephanus Byzantinus speaks of an Arabic place which he calls Castle . It is possible, however, that analogous mythical ideas come into contact with each other, in the Greek legend concerning Salmoneus,37 father of Tyro, and husband of Sidero. Hesiod already (in a Fragment, ed. Gttling. p. 259) calls him an . Josephus (Ant. v. 2, 3) says that the Anakim were a race of giants, whose bones are still shown to this very day. What stories were current about the discovery of gigantic human remains in Asia Minor and Syria, may be learned from the Heroica of Philostratus (ed. Jacobs, p. 28). A body of gigantic length was found in the bed of the Orontes. It was thought also that the bodies of Orestes and Ajax had been seen. The faint-hearted spies had depicted the Anakim as Nephilim, men like the prehistoric Nibelungen of German story; and from this Josephus constructed his giant-tale.
Jos 15:14 remarks, And Caleb drove thence the three sons of Anak. A contradiction has been found therein with what we read here, And they smote. None really exists. The narrative is actually more exact than is generally supposed. The statement of Jos 15:14 refers to Jdg 1:20. The tribe of Judah had now indeed taken Hebron, and conquered the Anakim; but for peaceable possession the time had not yet come. Accompanied by Simeon, Judah proceeded onward to gain possession of the whole territory. At Jdg 1:19 the whole campaign is finished. Then they give Hebron to Caleb, and he drives out whatever remains of the Anakim. It was not with three per sons, but with three tribes or nations, that they had to do.
Footnotes:
[30][Jdg 1:10. This is the nearest we can come in English to Dr. Cassels Vierstadt, Tetrapolis. Against the common Interpretation, City of Arba,Arba being taken as the name of a person,cf. Mr. Grove in Smiths Bib. Dict., s. v Kirjath-arba.Tr.]
[31]Hebron is said to be seven years older than Zoan (Tanis) in Egypt (Num 13:22). The number seven is here also to be regarded as a round number. It expresses the finished lapse of a long period.
[32]Ritters remarks (xvi. 211 [Gages Trans]. iii. 292, seq.]), would admit of many corrections. Jerome, it is true, follows Jewish traditions (cf. Pirke, R. Eliezer, ch. xx.) when he thinks that the Civitas Quatuor was so named from the patriarchs who were buried there. It is, however, none the less evident from this, that the Jews of old interpreted Kirjath-arba as meaning Tetrapolis. Nor does Num 13:22 afford the slightest occasion for doubting the truth of the statement that Kirjath-arba was the former name of Hebron. Ritter seems especially to have followed Robinson (Bibl. Res. ii. 88.)
[33]Cf. my History of the Jews, in Ersch and Grubers Encyklopadie, ii. 27, p. 166.
[34]Robinson, Bibl. Res., ii. 74.
[35]In a manner analogous perhaps to the fusion of the Ramnes, Tities, and Luceres, into the one Roma of the Ramnes.
[36]Ritter (xvi. 228 [Gages Transl. iii. 301]) proves that the ancient Hebron lay higher than the present, which however can refer only to a part of the city. The great importance of the place is explained by its protected situation in the mountains, along whose slopes it extended down into the valley. That fact only adapted it to be the capital of Davids kingdom. Cf. Jos 11:21 ( ).
[37]Cf. Heyne on Apollodorus, i. 9, p. 59. The later Jews write for Ptolemy. Cf. Ewald, Gesch. Israels, i. 309, 311.
Fuente: A Commentary on the Holy Scriptures, Critical, Doctrinal, and Homiletical by Lange
Judah, under the banner of the Lord, goeth on victoriously. Reader! how profitable is it ever to keep in view His arm, in whom alone we are victorious? If God be for us, who shall be against us? That is a sweet Scripture, and a sweet promise, Isa 54:15-17 .
Fuente: Hawker’s Poor Man’s Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
Jdg 1:9 And afterward the children of Judah went down to fight against the Canaanites, that dwelt in the mountain, and in the south, and in the valley.
Ver. 9. Went down. ] Being heartened by their former successes, but especially by that sweet promise in Jdg 1:2 .
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
9 Yet Michael the archangel, when contending with the devil he disputed about the body of Moses, durst not bring against him a railing accusation, but said, The Lord rebuke thee.
Ver. 9. About the body of Moses ] As desirous thereby to set up himself in the hearts of the living. There is a strange strife still, not of earthly, but of spiritual powers, about the possession of man’s heart. If Satan can get that, he is safe. And so Satan’s vicar. It was a watchword in Gregory XIII’s time in Queen Elizabeth’s days, “My son, give me thy heart.” Be in heart a Papist, and go where you will, and do what you will.
Durst not bring against him a railing accusation, but said, The Lord rebuke thee ] Let us also answer the devil in like sort: or as Grynaeus (out of Chrysostom) when he sent back Pistorius’s railing letters, not so much as opening the seal, Inhonestum est honestam matronam cam meretrice litlgare, It is not seemly for an honest matron to scold with a base harlot.
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
mountain = hill country.
south. Hebrew. Negeb.
valley = lowlands
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
afterward: Jos 10:36, Jos 11:21, Jos 15:13-20
valley: or, low country
Reciprocal: Num 13:17 – the mountain
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Sheshai, Ahiman, and Talmai (Jdg 1:10) were evidently the ruling lords of Hebron (lit. confederacy), the highest city in elevation in Judah (ca. 3,000 ft.). The older name of this town was Kiriath Arba, "city of four." This name may have its origin in an alliance of four communities in that area, or possibly from Arba, the father of Anak, who may have been the founder of the town or towns (cf. Jdg 1:20; Jos 14:15; Jos 15:13; Jos 21:11). [Note: Lindsey, p. 379.] The Anakim had become proverbially great and fearsome foes (cf. Deu 9:2).