Judges 1:11

_AND FROM THENCE HE WENT AGAINST THE INHABITANTS OF DEBIR: AND THE NAME OF DEBIR BEFORE WAS KIRJATH-SEPHER:_ Debir. Its Canaanite name was Kirjath-sannah - i:e., 'city of palm' (Joshua 15:49); and Kirjath-sepher - i:e., 'city of book.' [Septuagint, polis grammatoon.] Its site is not certainly known. The story of the acquisition of this place is here repeated (see Joshua 15:16), with a few important variations....

9-20 The Canaanites had iron chariots; but Israel had God on their side, whose chariots are thousands of angels, Psalms 68:17. Yet they suffered their fears to prevail against their faith. About Caleb we read in Joshua 15:16-6. The Kenites had settled in the land. Israel let them fix where they pleased, being a quiet, contented people. They that molested none, were molested by none. Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth....

EXPOSITION JUDGES 1:8 Read _Fought against Jerusalem_,_ and took it_,_ and smote it. _It is the continuation of the narrative of the exploits of Judah and Simeon in conquering their respective lots. JUDGES 1:9 THE VALLEY, _i.e._ the _Shephelah_, or lowlands, between the mountains and the coast of the Mediterranean, occupied by the Philistines. JUDGES 1:10 HEBRON See Numbers 13:22; Joshua 14:13-6;...

AND FROM THENCE HE WENT AGAINST THE INHABITANTS OF DEBIR: AND THE NAME OF DEBIR BEFORE [WAS] KIRJATHSEPHER. Joshua 15:15....

ANALYSIS AND ANNOTATIONS I. THE INTRODUCTION: ISRAEL'S FAILURE AND THE RESULTS 1. Israel's Failure in mingling with the Canaanites CHAPTER 1 _ 1. The question and the answer (Judges 1:1)_ 2. Adoni-Bezek (Judges 1:5) 3. Jerusalem (Judges 1:8) 4. Judah's victory and failure (Judges 1:9) 5. The children of Benjamin and their failure (Judges 1:21) 6. The failures of others (Judges 1:22) The book begins with an inquiry of the Lord.

JUDGES 1:1 TO JUDGES 2:5. THE CONQUESTS AND SETTLEMENTS OF THE ISRAELITES IN WESTERN PALESTINE. From this introduction, which is one of the most valuable parts of early Hebrew history, we learn that the various tribes invaded the land either singly or in small groups; that they had failures as well as successes; that in many instances they did not destroy the older population, but settled peacefully among them; and that, in particular, the larger cities of Canaan, as well as the fertile valleys and the Maritime Plain, remained in the possession of the Canaanites. The conquests of Judah were separated from those of Joseph by a belt of walled cities with Jerusalem in its centre. Another line of strongholds, extending from Bethshan near the Jordan to Dor on the sea coast, shut up Ephraim and Manasseh in the central highland

DEBIR... KIRJATH-SEPHER. See note on Joshua 11:21 and Jdg 15:49....

_The conquests of Judah_ 2 _.the land_ Not the whole land, but the part which had fallen to Judah's lot....

AND JUDAH WENT AGAINST THE CANAANITES— See on Joshua 15:18. 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....

_Othniel Conquers Debir and Receives Achsah Judges 1:11-15_ 11 And from thence he went against the inhabitants of Debir: and the name of Debir before was Kirjath-sepher: 12 And Caleb said, He that smiteth Kirjath-sepher, and taketh it, to him will I give Achsah my daughter to wife. 13 And Othni-el the son of Kenaz, Caleb's younger brother, took it: and he gave him Achsah his daughter to wife. 14 And it came to pass, when she came to him, that she moved him to ask of her father a field: and she lighted from off her ass; and Caleb said unto her, What wilt thou? 15 And she said unto him, Give me a blessing: for thou hast given me a south land; give me also springs of water. And Caleb gave her the upper springs and the nether springs....