Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Judges 1:10
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.
10. The conquest of Hebron (contrast Jos 10:36-37 D) is here ascribed to Judah as part of the general operations against the Canaanites ( Jdg 1:9); later on, the Judahites, having taken the city, made it over to Caleb ( Jdg 1:20). In Jos 15:14 J, however, Hebron is captured by Caleb; it was a victory over the Ankim, not over Canaanites in general; and such was undoubtedly the original version of the story. The editor here has altered the original narrative to fit his scheme of Judah’s victories; this has involved the removal of Jdg 1:20 from its proper place before Jdg 1:10. Fortunately the parallel passage in Joshua helps us to recover the original form of the text:
Jos 15:13-15. Jdg 1:20; Jdg 1:10-11. And unto Caleb the son of Jephunneh he gave [Hebron] [22] . And Caleb drove out thence the three sons of Anak, Sheshai, and Ahiman, and Talmai, the children of Anak. And he went up thence against the inhabitants of Debir etc.
[22] The words which intervene come from P. And they gave Hebron unto Caleb, as Moses had spoken: and he drove out thence the three sons of Anak (20), Sheshai, and Ahiman, and Talmai (10b). And he went thence against the inhabitants of Debir etc. (11). Thus the whole of Jdg 1:10, except the names of the giants, is due to the editor. Arranging the text in this way we obtain a consistent narrative, a proper subject for the verb ‘and he went’ in Jdg 1:11, and the introduction of Caleb at a point which explains how he came to be speaking in Jdg 1:12.
Hebron ] The modern el-all (= the friend), so called from its association with Abraham the friend of God, is the highest point in the Judaean Highlands, 3040 ft. above the sea. Its position made it the metropolis of the Negeb, which began a little to the south.
now the name of Hebron beforetime was Kiriath-arba ] An archaeological gloss, cf. 11b. The ancient name of Hebron is frequently mentioned by P, e.g. Gen 23:2, Jos 15:54 etc.; in Gen 23:19; Gen 35:27 P it is given as Mamre. Kiriath-arba = lit. ‘city of four,’ i.e. Tetrapolis, perhaps because the city was divided into four quarters inhabited by different races; cf. Tripolis on the Phoenician coast, founded by Tyre, Sidon, and Aradus. The word arba is not a proper name, as a late Jewish tradition took it, Jos 14:15; Jos 15:13; Jos 21:11; in all three places the LXX has preserved the original reading ‘Kiriath-arba the metropolis of Anak.’ Burney in Journ. Theol. Studies 12:118 f. explains the name as ‘the city of (the god) Four’; he quotes Babyl. parallels for this usage; which, however, is questioned by some Assyriologists.
Sheshai, and Ahiman, and Talmai ] Either ‘the three sons of the Anak’ from Jdg 1:20 (cf. Jos 15:14) should precede; or we may place ‘the children of Anak’ after the names, following the LXX here and Jos 15:14. The names may refer to families rather than to individuals; they look as if they were Aramaic. Sheshai (Ezr 10:40) is connected by Sayce with the Shasu, i.e. ‘plunderers,’ or Bedouin of S. Canaan frequently alluded to on Egyptian monuments, though the forms are not philologically the same; cf. Sheshan in 1Ch 2:31-35, a name bel onging to this region. Ahiman 1Ch 9:17 probably = ‘brother of Mn ,’ the god of fortune, Isa 65:11. Talmai is found in N. Arabia, in Nabataean inscriptions (C.I.S. ii. 321, 344, 348), and as the name of kings of Lihyan, an Arabian tribe (Mller, Epigr. Denkmler aus Arabien nos. 4, 9, 25 from el-‘la). The three giants are mentioned in connexion with the visit of the spies, one of whom was Caleb, to Hebron Num 13:22; Num 13:28 JE. The spies travelled northwards from Kadesh; and Caleb, when he attacked Hebron, most likely also advanced from the south. The two expeditions cannot have been separated by any long interval of time, according to the narrative of J.
Underlying the story there seems to be a dim recollection of the fact that the various clans which in time grew into the tribe of Judah, the Calebites, Kenites, Jerahmeelites, entered Canaan, not from the E. after crossing the Jordan, but from the S. by advancing from Kedesh.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
Judah went, under the conduct of Caleb, as it is recorded, Jos 15:11, &c.; for that relation, and this here following, are doubtless one and the same expedition and war, as appears by all the circumstances; and it is mentioned either there by anticipation, or here by repetition. Of this and the following verses, see the notes there.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
And Judah went against the Canaanites that dwelt in Hebron,…. Hebron was first taken by Joshua, and the inhabitants of it put to the sword, Jos 10:36; but while Joshua was employed in making other conquests, the Canaanites found ways and means of getting into the possession of it again; wherefore, when a grant of it was made to Caleb, he, with the assistance of the tribe of Judah, of which he was prince, regained it, Jos 15:12; wherefore what is recorded here is only a repetition of what was then done; unless it can be thought that this fact was there inserted by anticipation, or that there were two expeditions of the children of Judah against this place:
now the name of Hebron, before [was] Kirjatharba: see Jos 14:15; in the first of which Caleb, with the assistance of this tribe, drove out the three giants only, who afterwards got possession again, and in this put them to death, as follows:
and they slew Sheshai, and Ahiman, and Talmai; see Nu 13:22; but what follows concerning their going from hence to Debir, and the offer of Caleb to give his daughter in marriage to whomsoever should take it, does not seem so well to agree with times after the death of Joshua; since it is highly probable that Caleb, who was contemporary with him and Eleazar, was now dead, and at least cannot well be thought to have a young daughter at this time undisposed of in marriage; wherefore these facts are only repeated upon observing Judah’s having taken Jerusalem, to show what exploits were performed by men of that tribe; wherefore for what is after said, Jud 1:11, as is said in Jos 15:15, where the same things are related in express words as here, containing the request of Caleb’s daughter: such an one, as made to Domitian, is related by Martial l.
l “Est mihi sitque precor”, &c. l. 9. ep. 16.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
(10) That dwelt in Hebron.See Jos. 10:36-37. Hebron is midway between Jerusalem and Beersheba, and twenty miles from either. The first name of the city, which is one of the most ancient in the world (Num. 13:22), was Mamre (Gen. 13:18), from the name of its chief (Gen. 14:24). It is now called El-Khull (the friend), from Abraham. It was a city of refuge (Jos. 21:11-13). If the view taken as to the chronology of this chapter is correct, this assault is identical with those touched upon in Jos. 11:21; Jos. 14:6-15; Jos. 15:13-14. The LXX. have, Hebron came forth against Judah. For later references to Hebron, see Neh. 11:25; 1Ma. 5:65.
Kirjath-arba.That is, the city of Arba. The word afterwards became archaic and poetical (Psa. 48:2; Isa. 25:2). All the cities thus named (Kir-jath-huzoth, Kirjath-jearim, &c.) existed before the conquest of Palestine. We find the root in Iskariot (i.e., man of Kerioth, a town in the south of Judah). Arba was the father of Anak (Jos. 15:13; Jos. 14:15), and Frst interprets the name hero of Baal. Some, however, take Arba for the numeral four, so that Kirjath-arba would mean Tetrapolis; and connect the name Hebron with the Arabic Cherbar, a confederation, the cities of Hebron (2Sa. 2:3).
Sheshai, and Animan, and Talmai.Possibly the names of three clans of the Anakim (Num. 13:22-23). The Anakim are connected with the Nephilimgiant races sprung from the union of the sons of God with the daughters of men. Josephus says that giant bones of the race were shown in his day (Antt. v. 2, 3). They were doubtless the bones of extinct animals, and being taken for human remains might well lead to the conclusion of Josephus, that these giants had bodies so large, and countenances so entirely different from other men, that they were surprising to the sight.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
CONQUEST OF HEBRON, AND EXPLOIT AND REWARD OF OTHNIEL, Jdg 1:10-15.
This passage is nearly identical with Jos 15:14-19. It may have been copied from the Book of Joshua, or from some older work. See the notes on the passage in Joshua. It is characteristic of the Hebrew historians to interweave such episodes as this and the following one about the Kenites into a narrative which touches persons or places with which they were associated.
The date of this conquest of Hebron and Debir is uncertain, but from Jos 14:6-15; Jos 15:13-19, it appears that it occurred during the lifetime of Joshua. Caleb was eighty-five years old at the time of the Conquest, or at its close, and some little time may have passed before he conquered Debir, but not probably many years. But whatever the date, the episodical character of this section, (Jdg 1:10-16,) and the resumption of the narrative of Judah and Simeon’s exploits at Jdg 1:17, show the futility of arguing from this passage that all the rest of the events of the chapter must have happened before the death of Joshua.
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
Referral Back to Previous Conquests by Judah in the Time of Joshua ( Jdg 1:10-20 ).
Jdg 1:10
‘ And Judah went against the Canaanites who dwelt in Hebron. Now the name of Hebron was previously Kiriath-arba. And they slew Sheshai, and Ahiman, and Talmai ’
The first attack was on the hill country. Hebron was first taken by Joshua, and the inhabitants put to the sword (Jos 10:36-39) , but while Joshua was employed in making other conquests, the Canaanites who had fled into the mountains clearly took possession of it again. Thus it had to be re-subdued. This kind of situation occurred regularly. Joshua’s onslaught was in order to gain a firm foothold in the land, but the occupation of all cities permanently would take more time. It was an art that had to be learned.
In this case the re-conquest took place through Caleb while Joshua was still alive. It was referred to as being carried out by Joshua as the overall commander-in-chief in Jos 11:21-23, but this does not prevent it having been done by Caleb, for he was acting under Joshua’s leadership. The reason it is described here is that it is seen as being part of Judah’s total conquest of his portion. The writer was not so much concerned with chronology as giving a total picture (the lack of interest in chronology of Israel comes out in that their verbal system was only able to express it imperfectly. For example, they had no pluperfect. Their tenses indicated either completed or incompleted action. What mattered to them was that things were done, not when they were done).
Hebron had been granted to Caleb, the son of Jephunneh the Kenizzite (Num 32:12; Jos 14:13) who was associated with Judah (Jos 15:13), and he then proceeded to take it as described here and in Jos 15:13-19. Some would see this as indicating a Kenizzite invasion from the south not directly connected with the Israelite invasion, but there is nothing in the text to suggest it. When ‘Israel’ came out of Egypt they were made up of many nations (Exo 12:38), which would include Kenizzites, natives of Canaan (Gen 15:19), who had sought refuge at some time in Egypt. It is far more likely that such people, participating in the exodus, would become worshippers of Yahweh, than that a Canaanite tribe invading on their own would.
“Now the name of Hebron was previously Kiriath-arba.” (‘The city of four’ or ‘the city of Arba’) – see Gen 23:2. According to Jos 14:15 LXX it was the ‘mother-city of the Anakim’. There is no reason to doubt that Arba was a name as suggested there, and it was certainly related to the Anakim in some way in the Hebrew text which may suggest it was named after a famous ancestor of the Anakim, possibly named Arba because he had the strength or usefulness of four men.
“And they slew Sheshai, and Ahiman, and Talmai.” These were children of the Anakim (Num 13:22), outsized men and leaders who were renowned fighters (Deu 9:2).
Fuente: Commentary Series on the Bible by Peter Pett
Jdg 1:10-15. And Judah went against the Canaanites See on Jos 15:18-19. The expedition against Hebron seems placed here by way of recapitulation, on account of the other conquests of the tribe of Judah. The whole of this passage, perhaps, had better be rendered in the pluperfect; Caleb had said, &c.
Fuente: Commentary on the Holy Bible by Thomas Coke
Jdg 1:10 And Judah went against the Canaanites that dwelt in Hebron: (now the name of Hebron before [was] Kirjatharba:) and they slew Sheshai, and Ahiman, and Talmai.
Ver. 10. And they slew Sheshai, &c. ] Those huge giants were slain by such as seemed but grasshoppers unto them. See Jos 11:21-22 .
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
10 But these speak evil of those things which they know not: but what they know naturally, as brute beasts, in those things they corrupt themselves.
Ver. 10. Of those things which they ] So do the Papists in railing against imputed righteousness, assurance of salvation, the testimony of God’s Spirit witnessing with our spirits, &c.
In those things they corrupt themselves ] As in eating, drinking, carnal copulation, &c., holding neither mean nor measure, as he in Aristophanes (in Ranis), , who was good for nothing else but to epicurize.
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
now. Note the Figure of speech Parenthesis (App-6), and compare with Jdg 1:17.
Hebron. Compare Num 13:22. Jos 14:13.
Kirjath-arba. Compare Gen 23:2. Jos 14:15; Jos 20:7.
Sheshai. These are sons of Anak. Compare Jdg 1:20.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
Kirjatharba: Jos 14:15
Sheshai: Jdg 1:20, Num 13:22, Num 13:33, Jos 15:13, Jos 15:14, Psa 33:16, Psa 33:17, Ecc 9:11, Jer 9:23
Reciprocal: Gen 23:2 – Kirjatharba Deu 1:28 – we have seen Jos 10:36 – Hebron Jos 11:21 – the Anakims Jos 21:11 – the city of Arba
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
1:10 And Judah went against the Canaanites that dwelt in Hebron: (now the name of Hebron before [was] Kirjatharba:) and they slew {f} Sheshai, and Ahiman, and Talmai.
(f) These three were giants, and the children of Anak.