Judges 1:18

_ALSO JUDAH TOOK GAZA WITH THE COAST THEREOF, AND ASKELON WITH THE COAST THEREOF, AND EKRON WITH THE COAST THEREOF._ Also Judah took Gaza with the coast thereof. The confederate tribes, pursuing their incursions in that quarter, came successively to Gaze, Askelon, and Ekron, which they took. But the Philistines seem soon to have regained possession of these cities....

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 1:18. _JUDAH TOOK GAZA - AND ASKELON - AND EKRON_] There is a most remarkable variation here in the _Septuagint_; I shall set down the verse: Και ουκ εκληρονομησεν Ιουδας την Γαζαν, ουδε τα ὁρια αυτης· ουδε την Ασκαλωνα, ουδε τα ὁρια αυτης· και την Ακκαρων, ουδε τα ὁρια αυτης· την Αζωτον, ουδε τα περισπορια αυτης· και ην Κυριος μετα Ιουδα. "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...

It is remarkable that Ashdod is not here mentioned, as it is in Joshua 15:46, 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 Joshua 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....

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;...

ALSO JUDAH TOOK GAZA, WITH THE COAST THEREOF,.... Which by lot fell to that tribe, Joshua 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, Joshua 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 Judges 3:3. q Travels, p. 118. Ed. 5....

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

TOOK GAZA, &C. These were wholly or partially retaken by the enemy, Compare Judges 14:19. Jdg 16:1. 1 Samuel 5:10. Perhaps this accounts for the Septuagint reading, "Judah too did not inherit". COAST. border....

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