Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Judges 1:19
And the LORD was with Judah; and he drove out [the inhabitants of] the mountain; but could not drive out the inhabitants of the valley, because they had chariots of iron.
19. The natural place for this verse is after Jdg 1:7, i. e. after the account of Judah’s first success in the Southern Highlands. He conquered the hill country, but the inhabitants of the plain were too strong for him. There is no one word for the Hebr. verb meaning ‘drive out,’ ‘dispossess,’ ‘conquer.’
for he could not drive out ] lit. ‘for (he was) not for driving out,’ a most unusual construction; correct he was not able to drive out, so two Hebr. MSS. and the Versions. The text of Jdg 1:21 ; Jdg 1:27 ; Jdg 1:32 is to be corrected in the same way. Comparing Jdg 1:21 with Jos 15:63, Jdg 1:27 with ib. Jdg 17:12, 2Ch 8:8 with 1Ki 9:21, we note a tendency to obliterate the impotence of Israel. In this chap. the editor’s theory (Jdg 2:1 b 5 a) has influenced the alteration: the cause of the tribes’ failure was not their inability to match the Canaanites, but their unfaithfulness (so Targum here).
the inhabitants of the valley ] i.e. of the Philistine plain, between the hills and the sea; see Jdg 1:18 note.
chariots of iron ] Cf. Jdg 4:3; Jdg 4:13, Jos 17:16; Jos 17:18; i.e. plated or studded with iron, like the Hittite chariots figured on Egyptian monuments: the currus falcati, i. e. scythed chariots, as Vulgate renders, were not yet invented. The horses and chariots of the Canaanites were probably adopted from the Egyptians; but ultimately, like those of the Egyptians, from the Hittites or N. Syrians. Recent excavations confirm what we learn from the O.T. Thus at Taanach iron implements have been found in large quantities; at Megiddo they occur plentifully first at the period which is dated in the middle of the Israelite monarchy, also much earlier but in smaller quantities. In Egypt iron was in common use at the time of the Exodus, and considerably earlier; it came chiefly from the mines in the Sinaitic Peninsula.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
Verse 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.] Strange! were the iron chariots too strong for Omnipotence? The whole of this verse is improperly rendered. The first clause, The Lord was with Judah should terminate the 18th verse, and this gives the reason for the success of this tribe: The Lord was with Judah, and therefore he slew the Canaanites that inhabited Zephath, c., &c. Here then is a complete period: the remaining part of the verse either refers to a different time, or to the rebellion of Judah against the Lord, which caused him to withdraw his support. Therefore the Lord was with Judah, and these were the effects of his protection but afterwards, when the children of Israel did evil in the sight of the Lord, and served Baalim, c., God was no longer with them, and their enemies were left to be pricks in their eyes, and thorns in their side, as God himself had said.
This is the turn given to the verse by Jonathan ben Uzziel, the Chaldee paraphrast: “And the WORD of Jehovah was in the support of the house of Judah, and they extirpated the inhabitants of the mountains but afterwards, WHEN THEY SINNED, they were not able to extirpate the inhabitants of the plain country, because they had chariots of iron.” They were now left to their own strength, and their adversaries prevailed against them.
From a work called the Dhunoor Veda, it appears that the ancient Hindoos had war chariots similar to those of the Canaanites. They are described as having many wheels, and to have contained a number of rooms. – Ward’s Customs.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
On account of their unbelief, whereby they doubted and distrusted Gods power to destroy those who had chariots of iron and so gave way to their own fear and sloth, whereby God was provoked to withdraw his helping hand from them, and so they were really made impotent, as they were unwilling. See Jos 17:16.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
19. the Lord was with Judah; . . .but they could not drive out the inhabitants of the valleyThewar was of the Lord, whose omnipotent aid would have ensured theirsuccess in every encounter, whether on the mountains or the plains,with foot soldiers or cavalry. It was distrust, the want of a simpleand firm reliance on the promise of God, that made them afraid of theiron chariots (see on Jos 11:4-9).
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
And the Lord was with Judah,…. Encouraging, strengthening, succeeding, and giving the tribe victory over the Canaanites; the Targum is,
“the Word of the Lord was for the help of the house of Judah:”
and he drove out [the inhabitants of] the mountains; the mountainous part of Judea, such as was about Jerusalem, and where Hebron stood, and other cities, see Jos 15:48, c. which though fortified both by nature and man, yet God being with them, they were easily subdued:
but could not drive out the inhabitants of the valley God forsaking them, because they were afraid of them, for a reason after mentioned, or through slothfulness, and being weary of fighting, or because they fell into some sins, which occasioned the divine displeasure; so the Targum,
“after they had sinned, they could not drive out the inhabitants of the valley:”
because they had chariots of iron; but this was no reason why they could not drive them out, if God was with them, who could as easily have delivered these into their hands, as the inhabitants of the mountains; but is the reason why they were afraid to fight with them, and to attempt to drive them out, and which they themselves gave why they did not.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
(19) The Lord was with Judah.The Targum here has The Word of the Lord. The expression is frequently used to imply insured prosperity (Gen. 39:23; 1Sa. 18:14; 2Ki. 18:7. Comp. Mat. 18:20).
But.Rather, for (k): i.e., they only dispossessed their enemies of the mountain, for, &c.
Could not.The Hebrew seems purposely to avoid this expression, and says there was no driving out. Judah could have driven them out; but their faith was cowed by the (Jdg. 1:19) iron chariots.
The valley.Here Emek, not Shephelah. Broad sweeps between parallel ranges of hills, like, e.g., the valley of Jezreel, i.e., the plain of Esdraelon. It differs from G, which means a gorge or ravine.
Chariots of iron.See Jdg. 4:3; Jos. 11:6-9; Jos. 17:16; 1Sa. 13:6. R. Tanchum makes it mean very strong chariots; but the phrase means either chariots with iron-bound wheels, or scythed chariots. Ktesias attributes scythed chariots to Ninus, but none are seen on the Nineveh sculptures, and it is doubtful whether they were known so early. Xenophon says that scythed chariots were invented by Cyrus, which would not be till five centuries after this period. For this clause the LXX. have, because Rechab resisted them, mistaking rekeb, chariot, for a proper name (as they often do with other words). Hence the notion of Theodoret that the Kenites, to which Rechab belonged (2Ki. 10:15-23; Jer. 35:2), secretly helped the Philistines, is quite groundless. We see a reason for the partial failure of the Israelites in the fact that at this time they had not attained to the same level of civilisation as the Canaanites in arts and arms. This advantage could only have been rendered unavailing by more faith and faithfulness than they showed in their conduct. Their warriors often rather overran than subdued the land. . . . The chariots and better arms of the Canaanites rendered the conquest of the valleys and plains long and laborious, especially to Joseph, Judah, and Dan. . . . The Hebrews walked upon the high places of the land (Psa. 18:33; 2Sa. 22:34; Hab. 3:19; Isa. 58:14; Deu. 32:13; Deu. 32:29; Deu. 32:33); but these heights were often encompassed like islands by the inhabitants of the valleys (Ewald, ii. 264).
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
19. And he drave out the inhabitants of the mountain Hebrews, he seized or possessed the mountain. In ordinary cases of foreign invasion the mountains are the fortresses which are last to surrender. But the Israelites, having confidence only in mountain warfare, concentrated their energies upon these fastnesses and secured their possession.
But could not drive out Literally, for not to drive out the inhabitants of the valley; that is, they were not to be driven out, or, as one might say, there was no driving them out. The word rendered valley is , emek, and does not necessarily refer at all to the Philistine plain, which is called the Shephelah, Jdg 1:9. Emek denotes any valley, basin, or depression between mountains, and may here refer to plains situated among the mountains of Judah or elsewhere.
Because they had chariots of iron This we are doubtless to take as the occasion, not the necessitating cause, of Judah’s ultimate failure to conquer all his foes. Iron chariots could not withstand the forces of Joshua (Jos 11:4-9) nor of Barak, (Jdg 4:15,) when the people of Jehovah fought with faith in his power, and Judah might likewise have conquered; but we understand that, after many triumphs, when Judah was brought to face these chariots of iron instruments of warfare strange and terrible he hesitated, wavered, gave way to fear, and thus lost faith in God, and then there was no driving out his enemy.
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
‘ And Yahweh was with Judah, and he drove out inhabitants of the hill country, for he could not drive out the inhabitants of the valley because they had chariots of iron.’
The hill country was permanently and solely possessed, but not the coastal plain. The idea is not that Yahweh could not, no such thought was in the writer’s mind, but that Judah failed. God would only help them so far. This may have been because they were dilatory, or because of fear and lack of faith in Yahweh (compare Jos 17:16 and note the promise for the future in Jos 17:18; see also Jdg 4:3). We should note that Joshua was not defeated by the chariots (Jdg 11:9).
If Jdg 1:18 is not read with a negative as LXX, it may be that this indicates that they succeeded at first in initially capturing three of the cities, taking them by surprise by coming from the south, but that their success was only temporary, and that then they were overcome by combined forces with their chariots, and after a time driven out of all. In this respect the non-mention of Ashdod is significant, and if the newly arrived and settled Philistines were expecting an attack from the East they may well have gathered their forces near Gath.
Fuente: Commentary Series on the Bible by Peter Pett
Jdg 1:19. But could not drive out the inhabitants, &c. But proceeded not to drive out, &c. Jun. Tremel. Wat. This version gives us the true sense of the passage. We are not to suppose that chariots of iron rendered the inhabitants of the valley invincible to a people aided and protected by Almighty God; but only that these tribes, content with their former victories, and terrified at the formidable appearance of the enemy, wanted confidence in the Lord, and dared not to attack the Philistines; insomuch, that, being unworthy of God’s succour, they were left to themselves, to their false policy and shameful timidity: and hence, perhaps, they abandoned Gaza, Askelon, and Ekron, which they had before taken. See ch. Jdg 3:3.
Note; (1.) They who do the work of the Lord unfaithfully will surely suffer for it. (2.) A favourable opportunity neglected can very rarely be recovered. (3.) Unbelief of God’s promises is the cause of all our complaints.
Fuente: Commentary on the Holy Bible by Thomas Coke
Jdg 1:19 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.
Ver. 19. Drave out the inhabitants of the mountain. ] Or, Possessed the mountain: for the same Hebrew word Jarash, signifies to possess and to dispossess.
But could not drive out.
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
19 These be they who separate themselves, sensual, having not the Spirit.
Ver. 19. Who separate ] From Church assemblies, upon pretence of newer lights, greater holiness. The Arabic renders it, intermitters, sc. of Church worship. Such as upon pretence of a more than ordinary holiness, and I know not what imaginary perfection, thought they might give over hearing of the word, as having immediate teaching; and separated from holy duties, as the words following show.
Sensual ] Gr. , animal; such as have no more than a reasonable soul, and are yet in their pure naturals, 1Co 2:14 , and by their profane practices animas etiam incarnaverunt, have turned their very spirits into a lump of flesh.
Having not the Spirit ] Unless it be the spirit of delusion, as Muncer the Anabaptist had, who wrote a book against Luther, dedicated it “To the most illustrious Prince Christ” (as his words are), uphraideth Luther with want of the Spirit, and calleth him a carnal man, a silly soul. (Scultet. Annal. 338.)
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
he drave out = he possessed. (Omit italics.)
mountain = hill country.
valley = lowlands.
chariots of iron. Compare Jdg 4:3.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
the Lord: Jdg 1:2, Jdg 6:12, Jdg 6:13, Gen 39:2, Gen 39:21, Jos 1:5, Jos 1:9, Jos 14:12, 2Sa 5:10, 2Ki 18:7, Psa 46:7, Psa 46:11, Psa 60:12, Ecc 9:11, Isa 7:14, Isa 8:10, Isa 41:10, Isa 41:14, Isa 41:15, Mat 1:23, Rom 8:31
he drave: etc. or he possessed the mountain
but could: Not because the iron chariots were too strong for Omnipotence, or because he refused to help them; but because their courage and faith failed when they saw them. Jdg 1:27-32, Jos 7:12, Mat 14:30, Mat 14:31, Mat 17:19, Mat 17:20, Phi 4:13
chariots: Exo 14:7-31, Jos 11:1-9, Jos 17:16-18, Psa 46:9
Reciprocal: Num 13:17 – the mountain Jdg 1:22 – the Lord Jdg 2:14 – could not Jdg 4:3 – chariots Psa 106:34 – did not Oba 1:19 – the plain
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Jdg 1:19. Could not drive out the inhabitants of the valley Because of their unbelief, through which they distrusted Gods power to destroy those who had chariots of iron, and so gave way to their own fear and sloth, whereby God was provoked to withdraw his helping hand.