Judges 1

Verse 1. After. Hebrew “And after,” as if this consultation had taken place immediately after the decease of their late victorious general, who had not pointed out his successor. But it is probable that the ancients who governed in their respective tribes, ( Calmet.) were only roused to this act of vigour some time after, on seeing the preparations of the Chanaanites, particularly of Adonibezec, whose power became very alarming. Bible.—Indeed it is wonderful how he had escaped the vigilance of Josue, if he had been king during the lifetime ( Calmet.) of that enterprising leader. It is therefore more likely that he took advantage of the lethargy of the Israelites after his death, and rose to a degree of eminence, which made the people of God consult the high priest, how they were to resist his efforts, ( Bible.) who was to be their generalissimo, ( Calmet.) or which of the tribes was to make head against him. Menochius.—God only gave answer to the last question, and it does not appear that all Israel was engaged in this war. After the defeat of the king, the different tribes might easily have subdued the enemies who held possession of part of their territory, if they had been vigorous.

When rendered in ALL CAPITAL LETTERS, “LORD” or “GOD” is the translation of God’s Proper Name (Hebrew “יהוה”, usually pronounced Yahweh).

Verse 2. Said, by the mouth of Phinees, (Josephus verse 2,) who had succeeded Eleazar in the pontificate. The latter survived Josue some time, so that this must have happened some time later. Le Clerc offers violence to the text, when he asserts that the war against Adonibezec took place under the government of Josue.—Juda. Some suppose that this is the name of the leader: but most people conclude from the sequel, that it designated the tribe. Calmet.—This first judge was of this tribe, but not all of them. The manner of consulting the Lord was by the high priest praying before the tabernacle. Exodus 29. Worthington.

“Behold”, from “הִנֵּה”, means look at, take notice, observe, see, or gaze at. It is often used as an interjection.

Verse 3. Brother. They had the same mother, Lia, and were intermixed in the same country. The two tribes unite both for the public and their own private advantage. The king whom they attacked first, did not dwell in the territory of Juda, as the others did, whom they defeated in this chapter.

Verse 4. Pherezite. This name denotes “a countryman,” as the former does “a merchant.” None of the children of Chanaan were of this appellation. Genesis 10:15. The people of the country assembled therefore at Bezec, where Saul called a rendezvous when he was going to attack Jabes, and which seems to have been near the Jordan, 17 miles from Sichem. Eus. Saint Jerome—It signifies “lightning.” A place of this name lies to the west of Bethlehem. Menochius.

Verse 5. Adonibezec, “Lord of Bezec.” The cruelty of this tyrant, and the oppression which he probably made some of the Israelites suffer, roused their attention, and they treated him as he had treated others. He had perhaps recourse to such a cruel expedient, to disable his enemies from ever entering the lists against him afterwards, as the Athenians, who cut off the fingers of the inhabitants of Egina, that these islanders might not dispute with them the empire of the sea. Cic. Offic. 3. Some have thus maimed themselves that they might be exempted from going to war, a practice not unusual among the Romans; and the Italian word poltron, signifies one whose fingers are cut off, as it was supposed, out of cowardice. David ordered the hands and the feet of the murderers of Isboseth to be cut off, and this sort of punishment is common in the eastern countries. Eight hundred Greeks who had been treated in this manner by the Persians, presented themselves to Alexander, at Persepolis, to implore his protection. Curt. and so forth

Verse 7. Table, at different times. Bible.—These were probably princes of some cities of Chanaan, who had been conquered by the tyrant. He obliged them to feed, like dogs, of what he threw down from his splendid table. Thus Sesostris made the kings whom he had overcome, drag his chariot. Sapor forced the Emperor Valerian to serve as a footstool, when he got on horseback. Tamberlane fed Bajazet in a cage, like a wild beast. Jovius, and so forth Calmet.—Me. So true is that Wisdom (11:17,) by what things a man sinneth, by the same also he is tormented. Menochius.

The Hebrew word rendered “God” is “אֱלֹהִ֑ים” (Elohim).

Verse 8. Jerusalem. This city was divided into two; one part was called Jebus, the other Salem; the one was in the tribe of Juda, the other in the tribe of Benjamin. After it was taken and burnt by the men of Juda, it was quickly rebuilt again by the Jebusites, as we may gather from verse 21, and continued in their possession till it was taken by king David. Challoner.—Fire. They treated it with such severity, because it seems to have revolted, (Serarius) though the text of Josue (10:25,) only says that the king was slain. But (Calmet. 15:63 and here) verse 21 it is said, that the children of Juda and of Benjamin dwelt along with the Jebusites.

Verse 9. Plains, towards the west, which were very fruitful. They did not expel all the inhabitants from this part, as they had done from the mountains, which lay on the south of the promised land, verse 19. Calmet.

Verse 10. Hebron. This expedition against Hebron, and so forth is the same as is related Joshua 15:24. It is here repeated, to give the reader at once a short sketch of all the achievements of the tribe of Juda against the Chanaanites. Challoner.—Josue had taken Hebron before; (Joshua 10:37,) and Caleb retakes it. Calmet.

Verse 11. The city of letters. Perhaps so called, from some famous school or library kept there. Challoner.—The explanation, that is, and so forth is added by the Vulg. Bible.—Madrid, in Arabic, means “the mother of sciences.” Menochius.

Verse 13. Brother, or near relation, but much younger. See Joshua 15:17. Calmet.

Verse 16. The Cinite. Jethro, the father-in-law of Moses, was called Cinæus, or the Cinite: and his children, who came along with the children of Israel, settled themselves among them in the land of Chanaan, embracing their worship and religion. From these the Rechabites sprang, of whom see Jerem. 35.—The city of palms. Jericho, so called from the abundance of palm-trees, ( Ch). or rather Engaddi, which is sometimes called Hazazon-Thamar, on that account. It lies nearer to the Dead Sea. Jericho was not rebuilt till the reign of Achab. See Joshua 6:26.—Arad was one of the most southern towns of Juda, near the country of the Amalecites. Saul ordered the descendants of Jethro to depart from among them. 1 Kennicott. 15:6. The Israelites had defeated the king of Arad long before. Numbers 21:1. Calmet.—With him. Hebrew “the people” of Israel, ( Menochius.) or of Arad. Calmet.

Verse 17. Sephaath, near Maresa, where Asa defeated the king of Arabia. 2 Chronicles 14:9. It was also called Sephata, and afterwards Horma. Calmet.—Septuagint “they anathematized it, and utterly destroyed it, and they called the city Exolethreusis, “utter ruin.” Bible.—Whether they had engaged themselves by vow to do so, or they treated the city in this manner in thanksgiving for the victory, is uncertain. Menochius.

Verse 18. Gaza, and so forth These were three of the principal cities of the Philistines, famous both in sacred and profane history. They were taken at this time by the Israelites; but as they took no care to put garrisons in them, the Philistines soon recovered them again, ( Ch). or perhaps the villages and territory were only seized by Juda; the cities being too well defended. Josue had not attacked them. Joshua 12:3. Josephus says that only Ascalon and Azotus, in the plain, fell into the hands of the Israelites; and the Roman Septuagint reads with a negation, ( Calmet.) which is inserted by Grabe in his edition as an interpolation, or as a peculiarity of the Alex. MSS. “and Juda did (not) possess Gaza with its dependencies, and Ascalon … and Accaron … and Azotus, with its fields around.” Bible.—The situation of Gaza, Ascalon and Accaron in the plain, would seem to secure them from being captured, verse 19. Saint Augustine and Procopius admit the negation. But the original and all the versions reject it, so that the children of Juda must have had possession of these cities at least for a short time. Calmet. See Calmet. 15 and 16. 1 Kennicott. 6:17. Menochius.

Verse 19. Was not able, and so forth Through a cowardly fear of their chariots armed with hooks and scythes, and for want of confidence in God. Challoner.—Hebrew does not sy expressly that Juda could not: quia non ad expellendum, and so forth He had not the courage or the will. With God’s assistance, what had he to fear? Were these Philistines with their chariots, more terrible than the giants in their fortresses?—Scythes. Hebrew receb barzel, “chariots of iron.” Calmet.—The Rom. and Alex. Septuagint have “Rechab was opposed to them.” Bible.—The edit. of Basil adds, “and they had chariots of iron,” as Saint Augustine (q. 5,) reads. A double translation is thus given. Calmet.—These chariots were calculated to cut down all that came in contact with them. Curt. iv. Worthington.

Verse 20. Enac, mentioned verse 10. Septuagint add, that “he took the three cities … and destroyed,” and so forth See Joshua 15:14. Bible.

Verse 21. Day, before the reign of David. See Joshua 15:63. The Jebusites occupied the citadel, and so forth Calmet.

Verse 22. Of Joseph, on the west side of the Jordan, attacked Bethel, which it does not appear that Josue molested. Bible.—Instead of house, some Hebrew MSS. and the Arab. and Septuagint read, “the sons,” which seems to be the better reading. Kennicott.

Verse 23. Besieging. Hebrew “sent to descry,” or they came upon it like spies.

Verse 24. Mercy. The city belonged of right to them, so that they might use this means, as they were not bound to enquire by what motives the man was actuated thus to betray his country. He might be convinced, like Rahab, that God had granted it to the Israelites, and these might justly requite his good dispositions and suffer him to depart in peace. Bonf. Grot. Calmet.

Verse 26. Hetthim. The Hethite lived towards the south of Chanaan. The man probably retired into the stony Arabia, where we find the city of Lusa or Elysa. Ptolemy verse 16.—He gave it this name in memory of his native city, ( Calmet.) which was called Luza, or “of nuts.” Menochius.

Verse 27. Bethsan, and so forth See Joshua 17:11.—Began. Hebrew “would dwell.” Bible.—The Israelites sinfully acquiesced, partly through slothfulness and the dislike of war, and partly that they might receive tribute from the Chanaanites. Menochius.

Verse 28. Them. We shall see the punishment of their prevarication during the greatest part of this book. Calmet.

Verse 31. Accho. Hebrew haco. The Greeks not knowing the derivation of this word, supposed that the city was so called from ake, “a remedy,” as they pretend that Hercules was cured in this place. It was also called Ptolemais, after the king of Egypt. The little river Belus, and the famous bed of sand so proper for making glass, were in the neighbourhood. Plin. verse 19.—Ahalab. The situation is unknown, unless it be Aleppo. They say it is the famous city of Berea. Calmet.

Verse 35. He dwelt. That is, the Amorrhite. Challoner.—Hebrew “But the Amorrhites would dwell in Mount Hares, in Aialon, and in Salebim.” Some copies of the Septuagint seem to give the meaning of these proper names, though inaccurately. Bible.—Solomon had one of his twelve officers at Salebim, in the tribe of Daniel 3 Kennicott. 4:9.

Verse 36. Rock, Petra, the capital of Arabia, which Josephus (iii. 2,) assigns to Amalec. The Amorrhites dwelt in many parts of the land of promise, ( Calmet.) particularly in the higher places about the Dead Sea. Bible.