Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Judges 1:22
And the house of Joseph, they also went up against Bethel: and the LORD [was] with them.
22. the house of Joseph ] i.e. the tribes of Ephraim and Manasseh (Jos 17:17); from 2Sa 19:16; 2Sa 19:20 it appears that the tribe of Benjamin was included.
they also ] Just as Judah went up, Jdg 1:4.
Beth-el ] The modern Btn, about four hours N. of Jerusalem, 2880 ft. above the sea, and high up in the Central Range (cf. Jdg 4:5, Jdg 20:18; Jdg 20:31 etc.). From Jericho the direct ascent to Beth-el must have passed Ai, the capture of which is recorded in Joshua 8; but we are to think of a gradual process of occupation rather than of a campaign in regular stages.
and the Lord was with them ] as He was with Judah, Jdg 1:19. The LXX. cod. A reads ‘and Judah was with them,’ most likely due to a copyist’s slip; in Hebrew Jehovah and Judah differ in only one letter.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
22 26. The fortunes of the house of Joseph
The account of the capture of Beth-el ( Jdg 1:22-26) has all the marks of antiquity, like the early fragments preserved in Jdg 1:1-21. After the invasion of the South comes the invasion of Central Palestine, and, as this ancient version of the history shews, the two were independent of one another. The narrative knows nothing of such a leader as Joshua, though tradition connected him with the house of Joseph (Jos 19:50 JE, Jos 24:1 [Shechem], Jos 24:30 E; Jdg 2:9), and with the taking of Ai near Beth-el (Joshua 8).
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
Bethel was within the borders of Benjamin, but was captured, as we here learn, by the house of Joseph, who probably retained it.
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
Jdg 1:22-26
The house of Joseph . . . went up against Bethel; and the Lord was with them.
Success in carrying out Gods commands
This work of the house of Joseph which they went about, namely, to take this city Bethel, as God had injoined them, doth lively set before our eyes the duty of all Gods people, that is to say, readily to go about and set upon the work that God hath appointed them, yea, and this is to be done, whatsoever discouragements may stand up in the way to hinder them. For hath not He commanded them? And is not He able to remove those impediments, rather than they shall hinder His work in the hands of His servants? For otherwise, if we look not to God by faith, but what let is in the way, and be hindered thereby, we shall cast the commandment of God behind our back, and do as they who observe the wind, and therefore sow not; and look too much to the clouds, and therefore reap not; and so for fear of inconveniences we shall let pass necessary duties. Again, when we thrive and have good success, we bless God, and are merry; but if we be crossed, we curse ourselves with impatience. Whereas it ought to be enough to us, that God hath brought it to pass either thus, or otherwise. And beside the authority He hath over us, His bountiful rewarding of us in His service, ought to encourage us to address ourselves to all such work; and not only so, but further, seeing He commandeth and would have us do it, as it may be most for our own ease, that is, willingly, readily, cheerfully; for the Lord loveth that, in all His service, as He loveth a cheerful giver. And we know (for our own parts) that men go untowardly about that work which they take in hand unwillingly. But I would that even they who are so, did go about that which they do by Gods commandment cheerfully, and with delight for the Lords sake; then should there many excrements be cut off from the infinite actions which are done in our lives, and with so much sin removed; many plagues and annoyances should be avoided from mens lives also. (R. Rogers.)
The spies saw a man come forth.
The spies and the man of Bethel
In this verse, where it is said that the spies met this man coming out of the city, somewhat is to be noted by occasion of the man and somewhat from the spies. By the man first, going in his simplicity out of the city (whether to save his life or upon some other necessary occasion), meeting with these spies, and falling into such a fright thereby, that either he must lose his life or betray the city (for the spies said to him, Show us the way into the city and we will show thee mercy). We may see what straits and difficulties we meet with in this life; for that peril which we neither fear nor once think of, may befall us, even to the hazarding of our lives, much more of our undoing, or the loss of the best of Gods blessings that we enjoy, as wife, children, goods, dec. The Shunammites child went into the field in the morning well, but died at noon. This we have to learn by occasion of the man. Now of the spies. The spies offered him kindness, if he would show them the way into the city; in that they dealt kindly with him, rather than roughly and cruelly, seeking such a matter at his hands, they did as became them. But he being one of the cursed nations, how could they promise him mercy? For though they did so to Rahab before, yet she turned to their religion; and so did the Gibeonites serve them as bondmen, and embraced their religion also. But no such thing can be said of this man, for he went unto the Hittites, out of the seven cursed nations, and dwelt there. I answer, we must interpret the laws of God against the Canaanites, and concerning the rooting them out, by mitigating them with this equity, that if they made peace with Israel, they should not root them out. And this appears by that which is written in Joshua, that these nations were rooted out, seeing none of them save the Gibeonites, made peace with the Hebrews. And this being so, teacheth all men to deal even with the bad kindly, and to be harmless toward them. And again, oh that we could deal pitifully, kindly, and lovingly with the miserable and the afflicted; and that all the gentlest means were used to reclaim offenders, of whom there is hope, such as are as this man of Bethel was, in great distress, which is not done but very rarely, and therefore is there much hardness of heart in those to whom it is neglected, and wilfulness, that carrieth them to all profaneness and impenitency. (R. Rogers.)
Fuente: Biblical Illustrator Edited by Joseph S. Exell
Verse 22. The house of Joseph, they also went up against Bethel] That is, the tribe of Ephraim and the half tribe of Manasseh, who dwelt beyond Jordan. Beth-el was not taken by Joshua, though he took Ai, which was nigh to it.
Instead of beith Yoseph, “the house of Joseph,” ten of Dr. Kennicott’s MSS. and six of De Rossi’s have beney Yoseph, “the children of Joseph;” and this is the reading of both the Septuagint and Arabic, as well as of two copies in the Hexapla of Origen.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
The house of Joseph, i.e. the tribe of Ephraim, as appears from their opposition to the tribe of Manasseh, Jdg 1:27.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
22, 23. the house of Josephthetribe of Ephraim, as distinguished from Manasseh (Jud1:27).
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
And the house of Joseph, they also went up against Bethel,…. Which lay upon the borders of the sons of Joseph, Ephraim and Manasseh, Jos 16:1; and though it seems to have been taken when Ai was, Jos 8:17; yet it appears that it was now in the possession of the Canaanites; wherefore the tribes of Ephraim and Manasseh being desirous of enlarging their borders after the example of Judah, went against this place in order to take it:
and the Lord [was] with them; the Word of the Lord, as the Targum, directing, assisting, and succeeding them in their attempt.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
Like Judah, so also (“they also,” referring back to Jdg 1:2, Jdg 1:3) did the house of Joseph (Ephraim and western Manasseh) renew the hostilities with the Canaanites who were left in their territory after the death of Joshua. The children of Joseph went up against Bethel, and Jehovah was with them, so that they were able to conquer the city. Bethel had indeed been assigned to the tribe of Benjamin (Jos 18:22), but it was situated on the southern boundary of the tribe-land of Ephraim (Jos 16:2; Jos 18:13); so that the tribe of Joseph could not tolerate the Canaanites in this border town, if it would defend its own territory against them, and purge it entirely of them. This is a sufficient explanation of the fact that this one conquest is mentioned, and this only, without there being any necessity to seek for the reason, as Bertheau does, in the circumstance that the town of Bethel came into such significant prominence in the later history of Israel, and attained the same importance in many respects in relation to the northern tribes, as that which Jerusalem attained in relation to the southern. For the fact that nothing more is said about the other conquests of the children of Joseph, may be explained simply enough on the supposition that they did not succeed in rooting out the Canaanites from the other fortified towns in their possessions; and therefore there was nothing to record about any further conquests, as the result of their hostilities was merely this, that they did not drive the Canaanites out of the towns named in Jdg 1:27, Jdg 1:29, but simply made them tributary. , they had it explored, or spied out. is construed with here, because the spying laid hold, as it were, of its object. Bethel, formerly Luz, now Beitin: see at Gen 28:19 and Jos 7:2.
Fuente: Keil & Delitzsch Commentary on the Old Testament
Be” Subjugated, vs. 22-26
Israel had won a victory over Bethel in the days of Joshua, at the same time that Ai was conquered (Jos 8:17; Jos 12:16). It appears that the land was now needed for occupancy of the Ephraimites, so they launched another campaign to occupy it. Spies were sent to spy it out. They took a page from the spies who dealt with Rahab at Jericho (Jos 2:14 and context), and offered to save a man’s life in the capture of the city if he would show them how the city could be entered. There is some question whether they should have done this, since the Lord had promised them victory without making deals, and had told them to exterminate all the people. Nevertheless, the Lord gave them victory, and the man’s life was spared.
The city was never called anything but Luz by the Canaanites. The Bible refers to it as Bethel from the time of Abraham. It is doubtful that Abraham ever knew it by the name of Bethel, for the place received its name much later as a result of Jacob’s vision of the ladder at the place as he fled from Esau (Gen 28:19). Moses recorded these things centuries later, and applied the name by which it was then known to the Israelites, from the beginning of the Genesis record of Abraham in Canaan.
Fuente: Garner-Howes Baptist Commentary
Conquest of Other Tribes Jdg. 1:22-36
22 And the house of Joseph, they also went up against Beth-el: and the Lord was with them.
23 And the house of Joseph sent to descry Beth-el (Now the name of the city before was Luz.)
24 And the spies saw a man come forth out of the city, and they said unto him, Show us, we pray thee, the entrance into the city, and we will show thee mercy.
25 And when he showed them the entrance into the city, they smote the city with the edge of the sword; but they let go the man and all his family.
26 And the man went into the land of the Hittites, and built a city, and called the name thereof Luz: which is the name thereof unto this day.
27 Neither did Manasseh drive out the inhabitants of Beth-shean and her towns, nor Taanach and her towns, nor the inhabitants of Dor and her towns, nor the inhabitants of Ibleam and her towns, nor the inhabitants of Megiddo and her towns: but the Canaanites would dwell in that land.
28 And it came to pass, when Israel was strong, that they put the Canaanites to tribute, and did not utterly drive them out.
29 Neither did Ephraim drive out the Canaanites that dwelt in Gezer; but the Canaanites dwelt in Gezer among them.
30 Neither did Zebulun drive out the inhabitants of Kitron, nor the inhabitants of Nahalol; but the Canaanites dwelt among them, and became tributaries.
31 Neither did Asher drive out the inhabitants of Accho, nor the inhabitants of Zidon, nor of Ahlab, nor of Achzib, nor of Helbah, nor of Aphik, nor of Rehob:
32 But the Asherites dwelt among the Canaanites, the inhabitants of the land: for they did not drive them out.
33 Neither did Naphtali drive out the inhabitants of Beth-shemesh, nor the inhabitants of Beth-anath; but he dwelt among the Canaanites, the inhabitants of the land: nevertheless the inhabitants of Beth-shemesh and of Beth-anath became tributaries unto them.
34 And the Amorites forced the children of Dan into the mountain: for they would not suffer them to come down to the valley:
35 But the Amorites would dwell in mount Heres in Aijalon, and in Shaalbim: yet the hand of the house of Joseph prevailed, so that they became tributaries.
36 And the coast of the Amorites was from the going up to Akrabbim, from the rock, and upward.
14.
What is known of the history of Bethel? Jdg. 1:22-23
The children of Israel would be especially anxious to possess this site; for it was here that God appeared to the patriarch, Jacob, when he fled from the presence of his brother, Esau. The town came into such significant prominence in the later history of Israel that it attained the same importance in many respects in relation to the northern tribes, as that which Jerusalem attained in relation to the southern. Bethel was a name given to the site by Jacob (Gen. 28:19), and this name signified to Israel that it was the house of God. Luz was the name by which the Canaanites identified the place. The men of Bethel had assisted the men of Ai in resisting Israels armies led by Joshua (Jos. 8:17), but no specific reference is made to the capture of Bethel in Joshuas day. The account here describes how this important site came into the possession of Israel.
15.
Did the other tribes drive the Canaanites from their land? Jdg. 1:27; Jdg. 1:29-31; Jdg. 1:33-34
Some of them did; some of them did not. Ephraim followed the good example of Judah and drove the Canaanites from their hill-country; but we read of Manasseh that they did not drive out the inhabitants of Beth-shean and its towns . . . (Jdg. 1:27 ff.). God had told them that those who remained would be as thorns in their sides and that their gods would be a snare unto the people, and so did the events turn out. Manasseh, Ephraim, Zebulun, Asher, Naphtali, and Dan are singled out as tribes who failed to exterminate completely the Canaanites whose land they inherited. Nothing is said of failure in this respect on the part of Benjamin, except in regard to the Jebusites in Jerusalem (Jdg. 1:21). Neither is an appraisal given of the work of Reuben, Gad or Issachar.
16.
What kind of tribute was exacted? Jdg. 1:28; Jdg. 1:30; Jdg. 1:33; Jdg. 1:35
The men became subject to taskwork. This was the way in which the children of Joseph treated the Canaanites whom they were not able to drive out of their territory (Jos. 17:13). In similar fashion, Israel made the Gibeonites do servile work when these Canaanites tricked the people into making a peace treaty with them. At that time, Joshua declared, Now therefore ye are cursed, and there shall none of you be freed from being bondsmen, and hewers of wood and drawers of water for the house of my God (Jos. 9:23). Such must have been the fate of the other Canaanites whom the Israelites did not exterminate but whom they were able to subjugate.
17.
Which tribe was especially oppressed by the Canaanites? Jdg. 1:34-36
Dan was forced up into the mountains by the Amorites who dwelt in their land. Such pressure on the part of the Amorites induced a portion of the Danites to emigrate and seek an inheritance in the northern part of Palestine where an earlier conquest had been made (cf. Judges 18; Jos. 19:47). Dans territory lay on the west of the land given to the children of Benjamin. It also was between Judah on the south and Ephraim on the north. The western border was the Mediterranean Sea. In such a position, it was the very heart of the territory occupied by the Philistines. This particular group of Canaanites were perennial enemies of Israel and waged warfare that was unusually fierce. The fact that Dan was especially oppressed by these Canaanites provides a background for a better understanding of the career of Samson, who was from the tribe of Dan.
18.
What was the general boundary of the territory held by the Amorites? Jdg. 1:34-36
Special reference is made to the places where the Amorites dwelt in force. They were in the territory of Dan and forced this tribe up into the hill country. This area was along the Mediterranean Sea and lay in the midst of the land assigned to Ephraim on the north and Judah on the south. These Amorites, a particular group of the Canaanites, also dwelt in Mount Heres in Aijalon and in Shaalabim. Shaalabim and Aijalon are points mentioned in the territory assigned to the tribe of Dan, and the mention of these points gives an idea of the citadels which were held by the Amorites. Although these Canaanites were able to maintain control in these areas, the people of Ephraim prevailed against them as they assisted their brethren, the Danites; and these Amorites were made subject to taskwork. Another area where the Amorites prevailed was in the south, since the ascent of Akrabbim, mentioned also in Jos. 15:3, denotes the sharply projecting line of cliffs which intersected the Ghor below the Dead Sea. These cliffs formed the southern boundary of the Promised Land (cf. Num. 34:4 and Jos. 15:2-3). The rock mentioned has many times been taken as a reference to Petra, but it is better considered as a reference to the rock which was smitten when Israel needed water (Num. 20:8; Num. 20:10). These Amorites also extended their territory beyond this point to the north. The fact that the Amorites were allowed to hold these strong points indicates the weakness of the children of Israel as they failed to fulfill Gods will for them completely.
Fuente: College Press Bible Study Textbook Series
(22) The house of Joseph.Ephraim and Manasseh. The narrative now leaves the conquest of southern for that of central Palestine (Joshua 16, 17).
Beth-el.The position of this town on the highway between Hebron and Shechemthe main thoroughfare of Palestine (Jdg. 20:31; Jdg. 21:19)gave it great importance, as did also its sacred connection with events in the life of Abraham (Gen. 12:8-9; Gen. 13:3-4; Gen. 12:8) and Jacob (Gen. 28:10-17). For its subsequent history, see Jdg. 20:18-26, and the history of the northern kingdom, Hos. 10:8; Amo. 5:21-23; Amo. 7:10; 1 Kings 12, 13; 2Ki. 2:3, &c. It is now the wretched village of Beitin. Bethel belonged properly to Benjamin (Jos. 18:22), but possibly, as in the case of Jerusalem, the border of Ephraim and Benjamin separated the upper from the lower town.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
CONQUEST OF BETH-EL, Jdg 1:22-26.
22. House of Joseph The combined forces of Ephraim and western Manasseh. This seems evident, not only from the words, but also from the fact that Manasseh and Ephraim are mentioned separately, in Jdg 1:27; Jdg 1:29, in reference to other matters. Beth-el belonged to the tribe of Benjamin, (Jos 18:22,) but was so near the border of Ephraim that the security and peace of all the neighbouring tribes required the expulsion of the Canaanites from it. So important was it to accomplish this conquest that the whole house of Joseph unite in the war.
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
‘ And the house of Joseph, they also went up against Bethel, and Yahweh was with them.’
It appears that Bethel, having possibly (but not necessarily) been taken along with Ai in the days of Joshua 8, had again been occupied by Canaanites after the Israelites moved on. It lay on the borders of the sons of Joseph, Ephraim and Manasseh. Therefore they combined together to take it.
“And Yahweh was with them.” Thus they would be victorious.
Fuente: Commentary Series on the Bible by Peter Pett
Jdg 1:22. The house of Joseph Instead of beth, house, the Cambridge Manuscript reads, beni, the children, which seems to be the better reading, as the context is, and they ascended, &c. The LXX and Arabick read children.
Fuente: Commentary on the Holy Bible by Thomas Coke
The success of the house of Joseph is particularly marked in the cause of it. The Lord was with them. In the Chaldee paraphrase of this passage it is said, the word of Jehovah was with them, a well known title of Jesus. And in this sense how very precious it is to see the Lord Jesus with his people, leading them on to sure conquest and victory! We have abundant reason to bless the Holy Ghost for the clear explanation of those passages which speak of the uncreated Word, in his decidedly referring to the person of Jesus, as that beautiful passage in the revelation shows, Rev 19:11-13 .
Fuente: Hawker’s Poor Man’s Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
Jdg 1:22 And the house of Joseph, they also went up against Bethel: and the LORD [was] with them.
Ver. 22. And the Lord was with them. ] “The Lord, mighty in battle.”
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
22 And of some have compassion, making a difference:
Ver. 22. And of some ] Or (according to other copies), “Retell their false reasonings,” and dispute them out of their errors, , alias .
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
the house: Num 1:10, Num 1:32, Jos 14:4, Jos 16:1-4, 1Ch 7:29, Rev 7:8
the Lord: Jdg 1:19, Gen 49:24, 2Ki 18:7
Reciprocal: Gen 28:19 – the name Gen 35:6 – Luz Num 14:9 – the Lord Jos 12:16 – Bethel Jos 16:2 – Bethel Jos 18:13 – side of Luz 1Sa 30:27 – Bethel 1Ki 11:28 – the house 1Ch 7:28 – Bethel Amo 5:6 – the house
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Jdg 1:22-25. The house of Joseph That is, the tribe of Ephraim. Show us the entrance into the city That is, where it may be most easily entered. For they did not inquire the way to the gate, which, no doubt, was common and plain enough; but for the weakest part, where the walls were lowest, or most out of repair, or had the least guard. Or they desired him, perhaps, to show them some private way to get into it, which none knew but the inhabitants. He showed them the entrance Upon which, we may suppose, notice was immediately sent to the army, which lay near. They smote the city Came upon them suddenly, and attacked them where they least expected it; so that the assailants met with little resistance.
Fuente: Joseph Bensons Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
Jdg 1:22-26. The Josephites Capture Bethel.This is the only exploit of Ephraim and Manasseh recorded here, the purpose of the writer being rather to emphasize the incompleteness of the conquest than to enumerate victories. Bethel is the modern Beitin, 10 m. N. of Jerusalem.
Jdg 1:24. What the watchers, or scouts, wished to discover was not the gate, which they could see with their own eyes, but the point where the defences were weakest and an entrance could be most easily effected.
Jdg 1:25. The citizen whom they questioned was put on the horns of a dilemma, having either to defy his enemies or to betray his friends. He chose the safe course, which meant death to all the inhabitants of the town except himself and his own family.
Jdg 1:26. With no apparent qualms of conscience, or sense of dishonour, he went and founded a new Luz in the land of the Hittites, i.e. Northern Syria, as the Amarna tablets indicate. The exact site of the new Luz is unknown.
Fuente: Peake’s Commentary on the Bible
The activities of the other tribes 1:22-36
Fuente: Expository Notes of Dr. Constable (Old and New Testaments)
The writer described Ephraim and Manasseh together as "the house of Joseph" (Jdg 1:22-29). First, he narrated Ephraim’s activity (Jdg 1:22-26). The Ephraimites’ treatment of the man of Bethel who gave them information violated God’s orders. They should have put him to death along with the rest of the Bethelites whom they did kill. This incomplete obedience is what the writer again emphasized in this passage that alludes to Bethel’s illustrious history (Gen 28:18-22; Gen 35:1-15; Gen 48:3) and tragic future (1Ki 12:25-33; 1Ki 13:1-19; 2Ki 23:15-17).