Judges 1:29

_NEITHER DID EPHRAIM DRIVE OUT THE CANAANITES THAT DWELT IN GEZER; BUT THE CANAANITES DWELT IN GEZER AMONG THEM._ Neither did Ephraim drive out the Canaanites that dwelt in Gezer - a town and petty kingdom (Joshua 12:12) situated in the southern border of Ephraim, westward (1 Chronicles 7:28) between the lower Beth-heron and the Mediterranean (Joshua 16:3)....

21-36 The people of Israel were very careless of their duty and interest. Owing to slothfulness and cowardice, they would not be at the pains to complete their conquests. It was also owing to their covetousness: they were willing to let the Canaanites live among them, that they might make advantage of them. They had not the dread and detestation of idolatry they ought to have had. The same unbelief that kept their fathers forty years out of Canaan, kept them now out of the full possession of it. Distrust of the power and promise of God deprived them of advantages, and brought them into troubles. Thus many a believer who begins well is hindered. His graces languish, his lusts revive, Satan plies him with suitable temptations, the world recovers its hold; he brings guilt into his conscience, anguish into his heart, discredit on his character, and reproach on the gospel. Though he may have...

Verse Judges 1:29. _NEITHER DID EPHRAIM_] See the notes on the parallel passages, Joshua 16:5....

EXPOSITION JUDGES 1:21 This verse is identical with Joshua 15:63, except that there we read "the children of Judah" instead of "the children of Benjamin," as in this verse. The boundary line between Judah and Jerusalem passed through JEBUS or JEBUSI, as Jerusalem was anciently called (see Joshua 15:8; Joshua 18:28; Judges 19:10, Judges 19:11;...

NEITHER DID EPHRAIM DRIVE OUT THE CANAANITES THAT DWELT IN GEZER,.... Not so much as made them tributaries, but made a covenant with them, it is probable, contrary to the express will of God: BUT THE CANAANITES DWELT IN GEZER AMONG THEM; the Ephraimites agreeing to it, and here they dwelt to the times of Solomon; Joshua 16:10; where indeed they are said to be under tribute; but that seems to respect some later time, and not when they were first admitted to dwell among them, since no mention is made of it here....

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

DWELT: i.e. in friendly relations. Psalms 133:1; 2 Kings 4:13. See note on 1 Kings 9:16; 1 Kings 9:17....

_The ill-success of the different tribes: they settle among the older population_ From this point the form of the narrative changes. Hitherto successes as well as failures have been recorded, with ancient traditions of particular episodes; now follows a bare list of Canaanite strongholds which the new-comers failed to capture. Other towns may have been occupied by the tribes in their several districts; but in most cases the Israelites had to be content to settle down side by side with the old inhabitants. Again the Book of Joshua furnishes parallels and additions....

NEITHER DID EPHRAIM DRIVE OUT THE CANAANITES— So far from it, they suffered them to enjoy among them all the privileges of a free people, even as if they had been allied; which is the meaning of the expression, to dwell among them, see 2 Kings 4:13....