Judges 1:17

_AND JUDAH WENT WITH SIMEON HIS BROTHER, AND THEY SLEW THE CANAANITES THAT INHABITED ZEPHATH, AND UTTERLY DESTROYED IT. AND THE NAME OF THE CITY WAS CALLED HORMAH._ Judah went with Simeon his brother. The course of the narrative is here resumed from Judges 1:9, and an account given of Judah returning the service of Simeon (Judges 1:3), by aiding in the prosecution of the war within the neighbouring tribes. AND THEY SLEW THE CANAANITES THAT INHABITED ZEPHATH - or Zephatah (2 Chronicles 14:10), lying in the southern portion of Canaan. AND THE NAME OF THE CITY WAS CALLED HORMAH. This name was not now given for the first time. On their early journey toward Canaan the Israelites had

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....

Verse Judges 1:17. _THE CITY WAS CALLED HORMAH._] This appears to be the same transaction mentioned Numbers 21:1, c., where see the notes....

HORMAH - See Numbers 21:1 note. The destruction then vowed was now accomplished. This is another decisive indication that the events here related belong to Joshua’s lifetime. This would be about six years after the vow....

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 JUDAH WENT WITH SIMEON HIS BROTHER,.... Having subtitled his Canaanites which were in his own lot, according to his promise, he went with his brother Simeon, or the tribe of Simeon, into their lot to reduce those that were in that: AND THEY SLEW THE CANAANITES THAT INHABITED ZEPHATH, AND UTTERLY DESTROYED IT: where and what this city was is not certain; there was a place of this name in upper Galilee, mentioned in Jewish writings p, which cannot be meant here; and we read of the valley of Zephathah, 2 Chronicles 14:10; which might have its name from hence, and if so it was near Mareshah: AND THE NAME OF THE CITY WAS CALLED HORMAH; from the destruction made of it, and of the country about it; for now what had been vowed by Israel in the wilderness, when near Arad, was fulfilled,...

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

DESTROYED. devoted. HORMAH. utter destruction....

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