Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Judges 1:25

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.

25. but they let go ] As Rahab and her kindred were spared, Jos 6:25.

Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

Together with his estate, as the following verse manifests.

Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole

17-29. And Judah went with Simeonhis brotherThe course of the narrative is here resumed fromJud 1:9, and an account given ofJudah returning the services of Simeon (Jud1:3), by aiding in the prosecution of the war within theneighboring tribes.

slew the Canaanites thatinhabited Zephathor Zephathah (2Ch14:10), a valley lying in the southern portion of Canaan.

Hormahdestroyed infulfilment of an early vow of the Israelites (see on Nu21:2). The confederate tribes, pursuing their incursions in thatquarter, came successively to Gaza, Askelon, and Ekron, which theytook. But the Philistines seem soon to have regained possession ofthese cities.

Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible

And when he showed them the entrance, into the city,…. Pointing to it with his fingers, as the same writers observe:

they smote the city with the edge of the sword; they gave notice of what intelligence they had got to the body of the army, who came up, entered the city, took it, and put the inhabitants of it to the sword, as they were ordered to do with all the Canaanites:

but they let go the man and all his family; who had returned to it, encouraged by the promise made him, and for the sake of saving of his family; which though not expressed, he might have asked the favour of sparing them, which might be promised, as was in the case of Rahab; provided he would either renounce Heathenism, and embrace the true religion, or depart to another country, the latter of which he chose.

Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible

25. When he showed them This unpatriotic act is not to be stigmatized as a betrayal of his country, since he did it under duress. The agitation of mind produced by a sudden threat of immediate death disqualifies an ordinary man for responsible action. A very cool and heroic man would have refused a compliance with this request, and would have suffered the consequences. But heroism, though an elevated virtue, cannot be strictly enjoined as a duty. Hence its absence cannot be regarded as a crime.

Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

‘ And he showed them the way in to the city, and they smote the city with the edge of the sword, but they let the man go and all his family.’

“And he showed them the way in to the city.” He betrayed his fellow Canaanites and showed them a means by which they could enter the city.

“And they smote the city with the edge of the sword, but they let the man go and all his family.” The men of Joseph broke into the city and slaughtered its inhabitants. However, like Rahab before him, the man, by his action, saved his family. His departure was presumably a condition of the deal, or possibly his conscience was such that he could no longer stay near the place where he had betrayed his comrades. Either way it meant that the men of Joseph had fully obeyed Yahweh. They had either slain or driven out all the inhabitants.

Fuente: Commentary Series on the Bible by Peter Pett

Jdg 1:25 And when he shewed 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.

Ver. 25. And when he showed them the entrance, ] i.e., Where and how they might best take it.

But they let go the man and all his family. ] Who if he did this out of true faith, as Rahab did, Jos 2:1-24 he is to be excused: but if for selfish ends and sinister respects, he is to be esteemed a traitor, and might have met with such reward as Metius Suffetius did, who was drawn in pieces with wild horses by Tullus Hostilius for his treachery. Or as John Justinian of Genua did, who let Mohammed the great Turk enter Constantinople upon promise to make him king. He made him so; but after three days put him to death. Or, lastly, as he that betrayed the Rhodes; for he had his promised wife and portion presented; but the Turk told him that he would not have a Christian to be his son-in-law; he must needs be a Moslem, that is, a believing Turk both within and without. And therefore he caused his baptized skin, as he called it, to be taken off, and him to be cast in a bed strowed with salt, that he might get a new skin, and so he should be his son-in-law. But the wicked wretch ended his life with shame and torment.

Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)

25 To the only wise God our Saviour, be glory and majesty, dominion and power, both now and ever. Amen.

Ver. 25. See Trapp on “ 1Ti 1:17 “

Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)

they smote: Jos 6:22-25

Reciprocal: Jos 2:14 – when the Lord Jos 6:25 – Rahab Jdg 8:14 – caught 1Sa 30:16 – when he Psa 60:9 – Who

Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge