Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Judges 1:18
Also Judah took Gaza with the coast thereof, and Askelon with the coast thereof, and Ekron with the coast thereof.
18. The statement that Judah captured three out of the five chief cities of the Philistines cannot be reconciled with any ancient tradition; it contradicts the next verse and Jdg 3:3, Jos 13:2 f.; it represents the unhistorical theory of the conquest which is found in Jdg 1:4; Jdg 1:8-9, and like them must be regarded as the work of a late redaction. The LXX reads ‘and Judah did not dispossess’ (a different word from ‘took’), and other versions insert the negative; this seems to get over the difficulty; but the LXX version here has little critical value. The expression ‘with the border thereof,’ instead of ‘and the daughters thereof’ ( Jdg 1:27), betrays a different hand.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
It is remarkable that Ashdod is not here mentioned, as it is in Jos 15:46-47, in conjunction with Gaza and Ekron; but that Askelon, which is not in the list of the cities of Judah at all, is named in its stead. (See Jos 13:3 note.) It is a curious fact that when Rameses III took Askelon it was occupied, not by Philistines, but apparently by Hebrews. Rameses began to reign in 1269 B.C., and reigned 25 years. At any time between 1269 and 1244 B.C. such occupation of Askelon by Hebrews agrees with the Book of Judges.
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
Verse 18. Judah took Gaza – and Askelon – and Ekron] There is a most remarkable variation here in the Septuagint; I shall set down the verse: , , , , . “But Judah DID NOT possess Gaza, NOR the coast thereof; neither Askelon, nor the coasts thereof, neither Ekron, nor the coasts thereof; neither Azotus, nor its adjacent places: and the Lord was with Judah.” This is the reading of the Vatican and other copies of the Septuagint: but the Alexandrian MS., and the text of the Complutensian and Antwerp Polyglots, agree more nearly with the Hebrew text. St. Augustine and Procopius read the same as, the Vatican MS.; and Josephus expressly says that the Israelites took only Askelon and Azotus, but did not take Gaza nor Ekron; and the whole history shows that these cities were not in the possession of the Israelites, but of the Philistines; and if the Israelites did take them at this time, as the Hebrew text states, they certainly lost them in a very short time after.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
The principal cities of the Philistines.
Quest. How could this be, when among the people left to try Israel, are the five lords of the Philistines, Jdg 3:3.
Answ. It is only said that they took the cities, and probably contented themselves with making them tributary; but it is not said that they slew the people, as they ought to have done, and as it is said of the other cities here, Jdg 1:5,8,17,25. And the people being thus spared, did by Gods just judgement recover their strength, and expel the Jews out of their cities, as we find afterwards. It is further observable, that Ekron here taken was one of Dans cities, Jos 19:43, and it was attempted and taken here by Judah and Simeon, partly out of love to their brother Dan, and partly to secure their new conquests, and other adjoining territories, from such potent neighbours.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
Also Judah took Gaza, with the coast thereof,…. Which by lot fell to that tribe, Jos 15:47; it was not till now subdued:
and Ashkelon with the coast thereof; which, according to our countryman Sandys q, was ten miles from Gaza:
and Ekron with the coast thereof; this also is the lot that fell to Judah, but was afterwards given to the tribe of Dan, Jos 15:45; for whom Judah now fought and took it; but in a short time all these places were retaken, and possessed by the Philistines, and were three of their five principalities which they ever after retained, see Jud 3:3.
q Travels, p. 118. Ed. 5.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
(18) Took Gaza . . . Askelon . . . Ekron.Three of the five Philistian lordships, to which the LXX. add Ashdod (Azotus). In Jos. 13:3 these five townships are mentioned as still unconquered, and here the LXX. put in a negativeJudah did not inherit Gaza, nor, &c. St. Augustine had the same reading. It is, however, possible that not may have been conjecturally added because of the apparent discrepancy between this passage and Jdg. 3:8; or, again, did not inherit may be a sort of explanatory gloss on the took. Josephus (Antt. v. 2, 4) says that Askelon and Ashdod were taken in the war, but that Gaza and Ekron escaped, because their situation in the plains enabled them to use their chariots; yet in 3, 1, he says that the Canaanites re-conquered Askelon and Ekron. In any case, the conquest was very transitory. (See Jos. 11:22; Jdg. 3:3; Jdg. 3:13 seq.)
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
18. Gaza See note on Jos 10:41. For Ashkelon and Ekron see on Jos 13:3. Since these cities lay in the great Philistine plain, some have thought this verse contradicts the verse following, in which it is said that Judah was unable to drive out the inhabitants of the valley. Accordingly the Septuagint reads: “Judah did not inherit Gaza and her borders, nor Ashkelon and her borders, nor Ekron and her borders, nor Azotus and her suburbs.” But this emendation is unnecessary, for to take these cities and their coasts by storm ( ) is not inconsistent with a failure to drive out all the inhabitants of the valley, and take permanent possession of their coasts.
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
‘ Also Judah took Gaza, with its border, and Ashkelon with its border, and Ekron with its border.’
These were city states in the coastal plain, from Gaza in the south to Ekron in the north, a distance of thirty to forty miles. No mention is made of Gath or Ashdod, which along with Gaza was where Anakim still survived (Jos 11:22). These were possibly the cities they did not conquer because they had iron chariots (Jdg 1:19). It may even be that the reason that they took these three cities so easily was because the fighting men of the cities had joined those of Ashdod and Gath with a view to defence from an attack by Israel from the highlands, not anticipating an attack from the south. All five cities had been captured by the invading Sea Peoples, the Philistines, and formed the foundation of their state, ruled over by five Tyrants who worked in unison. Note that Judah ‘took’ but did not ‘possess’.
Jos 13:1-3 suggests that the Philistines had already arrived, and extensive excavations at the large mound that is thought to be the site of Ekron have indicated no city after the early bronze age before that built in the early iron age, probably by the Philistines.
But one thing to be considered is that LXX here reads ‘did not take’. This may simply be because it saw it as a contradiction to Jdg 1:19, but it may be because it read it in its Hebrew texts. This would in fact find support in the pattern of the narrative. ‘Smote Zephath — did not take Gaza — drove out the inhabitants of the hill country — could not drive out the inhabitants of the valley — drove out the three sons of Anak — did not drive out the Jebusites.’ In each case a positive followed by a negative. This seems fairly strong support for the negative reading.
Fuente: Commentary Series on the Bible by Peter Pett
Jdg 1:18 Also Judah took Gaza with the coast thereof, and Askelon with the coast thereof, and Ekron with the coast thereof.
Ver. 18. Also Judah took Gaza with the coast thereof. ] But lost them again to the Philistines –
“ Non minor est virtus, quam quaerere, parta tueri. ”
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
18 How that they told you there should be mockers in the last time, who should walk after their own ungodly lusts.
Ver. 18. Mockers ] Who fleer a when they should fear. See Trapp on “ 2Pe 3:3 “
Who should walk after their ungodly lusts ] Gr. the lusts of ungodliness, whereby the heart is turned away from God and godliness.
a To laugh mockingly or scornfully; to smile or grin contemptuously; hence, to gibe, jeer, sneer. D
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
took Gaza, &c. These were wholly or partially retaken by the enemy, Compare Jdg 14:19; Jdg 16:1. 1Sa 5:10. Perhaps this accounts for the Septuagint reading, “Judah too did not inherit”.
coast = border.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
Jos 11:22, Jos 13:3, Jos 15:45-47, 1Sa 6:17
Also Judah: There is the following remarkable variation here in the Septuagint:
, , , , . But Judah did not possess Gaza, nor the coasts thereof; nor Askelon, nor the coasts thereof; nor Ekron, nor the coasts thereof; nor Ashdod, nor the coasts thereof.” Procopius and Augustine read the same; and Josephus – Ant. 1. v. c. 2 sec. 4says that the Israelites only took Askelon and Ashdod, but not Gaza or Ekron; and from Jdg 3:3, and the whole succeeding history, it appears that these cities were not in the possession of the Israelites, but of the Philistines.
Gaza: Jdg 3:3, Jdg 16:1, Jdg 16:2, Jdg 16:21, Exo 23:31
Reciprocal: 1Sa 5:10 – God to Ekron Oba 1:19 – the plain
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Jdg 1:18. Judah also took Gaza, Askelon, and Ekron These three cities were in the country of the Philistines, upon the sea-coast, and the Israelites did not hold them long before the Philistines recovered them again. For as the Israelites contented themselves with taking these cities, and making the people tributary without destroying them, it was not difficult for them to regain their liberty.
Fuente: Joseph Bensons Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
1:18 Also Judah took {i} Gaza with the coast thereof, and Askelon with the coast thereof, and Ekron with the coast thereof.
(i) These cities and others were later possessed by the Philistines, 1Sa 6:17.