24.26 The oak in the sanctuary. Cf. “the oak of the pillar at Shechem” (Judg 9.6).
24.27 The inscribed stone is a witness in two senses. It will be a reminder to those who come to worship (cf. 22.27, 34), but it is also a witness because it was present when all the words of the LORD (i.e., vv. 2–13) were proclaimed. Perhaps the stone was coated with plaster into which words were incised.
24.29–33 The book concludes with a variety of notices.
24.29 The title servant of the LORD has been regularly used of Moses (1.1, 2, 13; 8.31, 33; 11.12, 15; 12.6; 13.8; 14.7; 18.7; 22.2, 4, 5); now finally it is applied to Joshua. One hundred ten years was considered an ideal lifetime. Joseph also lived one hundred and ten years and Moses one hundred and twenty (Gen 50.26; Deut 34.7).
24.30 Timnath-serah was granted to Joshua in 19.49–50.
24.31 This looks forward to the book of Judges (cf. Judg 2.7).
24.32 Reference to the bones of Joseph (cf. Gen 50.24–25; Ex 13.19) ties the book of Joshua to the Pentateuch. Jacob had bought. See Gen 33.18–20. Hamor, the father of Shechem. See Gen 34. One hundred pieces of money. The value (weight) of the unit is unknown.
24.33 Eleazar and his son Phinehas are important figures in the second half of Joshua (14.1; 17.4; 19.51; 21.1; 22.13, 30–32). Along with mention of the tent of meeting (18.1; 19.51) and the tabernacle (22.19, 29), they connect the final form of Joshua to the Pentateuch (see note on 24.32).
JUDGES
1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 |
Historical Context
THE BOOK OF JUDGES recounts traditional stories that span a critical period in Israelite history, from the death of Joshua to a tragic and costly civil war. After an incomplete conquest that leaves much land in the hands of Israel’s foes (ch. 1), Israel follows a recurring pattern of disloyalty to God followed by oppression by its enemies. Israel then cries out in repentance and the Lord sends deliverers, the so-called judges. These judges are national military leaders (chs. 2–12) or, in the case of Samson, a solitary champion (chs. 13–16). In the end, Israel descends into idolatry, bloodshed, and civil war (chs. 17–21). The period that is the book’s background extends from the closing decades of the Late Bronze Age through the Iron I period (ca. 1200–1020 BCE). The 410-year span that results from adding up the periods of oppression, the tenures of the judges, and the periods of “rest” mentioned in the book assumes that the judges governed “all Israel” sequentially. In fact, their leadership was more likely local and overlapping.
Despite sweeping claims in the book of Joshua of conquest of all the land, Judges describes continued warfare with Canaanites, plus challenges to Israel’s hegemony posed by various tribal groups (Midianites and Amalekites), by emerging territorial states (Moab and Ammon), and by the arrival of the Philistines on the coast. Equally serious was the threat posed by aspirants to kingship within Israel (e.g., Abimelech, ch. 9) and internal anarchy resulting from the absence of kingship (chs. 17–21). The situation described by Judges continues into the narrative of 1 Samuel, named after the prophet who is also remembered as a “judge” and who facilitated the establishment of the monarchy, anointing first Saul, then David.
Protagonists and Terminology
THE BOOK PRESENTS TWELVE LEADERS: Othniel, Ehud, Shamgar, Deborah, Gideon, Tola, Jair, Jephthah, Ibzan, Elon, Abdon, and Samson. The title, Judges, reflects the fact that a majority of the book’s protagonists are said to have “judged” (Hebrew shafat) Israel. The verb is not limited to strictly judicial function, however, but connotes a general exercise of legitimate “rule.” Though scholars often describe the judges’ leadership sociologically as “charismatic,” “the spirit of the LORD” activates the various leaders with very mixed results. Scholars distinguish between “major judges,” military chiefs and heroes whose exploits are recounted in stories, and “minor judges,” about whom very little is known apart from their being listed in 10.1–5; 12.7–15. Jephthah is a “major judge” (11.1–12.6), but is also listed in the group of “minor judges” (12.7).
Apart from the introduction (2.16–19), the noun “judge” (Hebrew shofet) occurs only once in this book, as a title of the Lord (11.27). As universal Judge, the Lord retains a prerogative that had been attributed to various deities in other ancient Near Eastern societies.
As striking as the absence of the noun “judge” from this book is the presence of the noun “de liverer,” or “savior,” or its related verb “deliver” in reference to four characters (Othniel, Ehud, Tola, and Samson). It is puzzling, therefore, that this language of deliverance is uniformly absent in regard to those leaders about whom popular lore was most prolific, Deborah, Gideon, and Jephthah. In the case of Gideon, neither “judge” nor “deliverer” language is used. What, then, did Gideon do? Perhaps that is precisely the question. Discerning readers will be alert to a sense of irony throughout the depiction of the judges.
Judges reflects Israel’s tradition of sacral war, the conviction that the Lord fought against its enemies as the Divine Warrior. The Lord guided tactics and gave assurance of victory (4.6–7), led supernatural forces into battle (5.20–21), and used panic as an effective weapon (4.15; 7.21–22). Sacral war also could imply the complete slaughter of an enemy population as spoil devoted to the Lord for destruction (1.17; 21.11).
Sources and Development
JUDGES IS PART OF ONE LONG HISTORICAL WORK extending from Joshua through 2 Kings and prefaced by Deuteronomy, which serves as a theological introduction. It continues the Deuteronomistic History (see Introduction to Joshua) from the death of Joshua (Judg 2.8) to just before the birth of Samuel (1 Sam 1). Four stages of development can be discerned in the book. First were various stories of local crises and leaders, classic examples of narrative artistry. These stories, rarely involving more than a few tribes, originated in highland villages that comprised immediate and extended families, the so-called fathers’ houses and clans. Israel had begun as a lineage system and developed over time to become an agrarian territorial state. Stories of the judges preserve memories of that tumultuous epoch. Scholars generally think that in the second stage these independent stories were collected for didactic purposes, perhaps by the mid-eighth century BCE. The stories are arranged so that good examples of leadership (Othniel, Deborah, Jephthah) alternate with not so good examples (Ehud, Gideon, Samson), with the whole book centering on Abimelech’s abortive reign at Shechem. In the third stage these stories were incorporated into the Deuteronomistic History, composed during the reign of the re forming king Josiah (640–609 BCE) to tell the story of Israel’s life in the land. Finally, after the destruction of the nation, this historical work was updated for those living in exile. The era of the judges was enclosed within a grim framework of disobedience and its consequences (1.1–2.5; chs. 17–21).
Israel’s possession of the land was often at risk. The stories in Judges provided generations of readers inspiring (though sometimes imperfect) models for resistance and national solidarity. Eventually the kingdoms of Israel and Judah failed, and large numbers were deported from the land. In its final form, Judges gives one answer to what went wrong: disloyalty to God repeatedly resulted in catastrophe. The cyclical pattern of Judges also offered hope in times of national distress. Repentance and obedience might once again lead to deliverance. [ROBERT G. BOLING, revised by RICHARD D. NELSON]
JUDGES 1
Israel’s Failure to Complete the Conquest of Canaan
1After the death of Joshua, the Israelites inquired of the LORD, “Who shall go up first for us against the Canaanites, to fight against them?” 2The LORD said, “Judah shall go up. I hereby give the land into his hand.” 3Judah said to his brother Simeon, “Come up with me into the territory allotted to me, that we may fight against the Canaanites; then I too will go with you into the territory allotted to you.” So Simeon went with him. 4Then Judah went up and the LORD gave the Canaanites and the Perizzites into their hand; and they defeat
ed ten thousand of them at Bezek. 5They came upon Adoni-bezek at Bezek, and fought against him, and defeated the Canaanites and the Perizzites. 6Adoni-bezek fled; but they pursued him, and caught him, and cut off his thumbs and big toes. 7Adoni-bezek said, “Seventy kings with their thumbs and big toes cut off used to pick up scraps under my table; as I have done, so God has paid me back.” They brought him to Jerusalem, and he died there.
8Then the people of Judah fought against Jerusalem and took it. They put it to the sword and set the city on fire. 9Afterward the people of Judah went down to fight against the Canaanites who lived in the hill country, in the Negeb, and in the lowland. 10Judah went against the Canaanites who lived in Hebron (the name of Hebron was formerly Kiriath-arba); and they defeated Sheshai and Ahiman and Talmai.
11From there they went against the inhabitants of Debir (the name of Debir was formerly Kiriath-sepher). 12Then Caleb said, “Whoever attacks Kiriath-sepher and takes it, I will give him my daughter Achsah as wife.” 13And Othniel son of Kenaz, Caleb’s younger brother, took it; and he gave him his daughter Achsah as wife. 14When she came to him, she urged him to ask her father for a field. As she dismounted from her donkey, Caleb said to her, “What do you wish?” 15She said to him, “Give me a present; since you have set me in the land of the Negeb, give me also Gulloth-mayim.”a So Caleb gave her Upper Gulloth and Lower Gulloth.
16The descendants of Hobabb the Kenite, Moses’ father-in-law, went up with the people of Judah from the city of palms into the wilderness of Judah, which lies in the Negeb near Arad. Then they went and settled with the Amalekites.c 17Judah went with his brother Simeon, and they defeated the Canaanites who inhabited Zephath, and devoted it to destruction. So the city was called Hormah. 18Judah took Gaza with its territory, Ashkelon with its territory, and Ekron with its territory. 19The LORD was with Judah, and he took possession of the hill country, but could not drive out the inhabitants of the plain, because they had chariots of iron. 20Hebron was given to Caleb, as Moses had said; and he drove out from it the three sons of Anak. 21But the Benjaminites did not drive out the Jebusites who lived in Jerusalem; so the Jebusites have lived in Jerusalem among the Benjaminites to this day.
22The house of Joseph also went up against Bethel; and the LORD was with them. 23The house of Joseph sent out spies to Bethel (the name of the city was formerly Luz). 24When the spies saw a man coming out of the city, they said to him, “Show us the way into the city, and we will deal kindly with you.” 25So he showed them the way into the city; and they put the city to the sword, but they let the man and all his family go. 26So the man went to the land of the Hittites and built a city, and named it Luz; that is its name to this day.
27Manasseh did not drive out the inhabitants of Beth-shean and its villages, or Taanach and its villages, or the inhabitants of Dor and its villages, or the inhabitants of Ibleam and its villages, or the inhabitants of Megiddo and its villages; but the Canaanites continued to live in that land. 28When Israel grew strong, they put the Canaanites to forced labor, but did not in fact drive them out.
29And Ephraim did not drive out the Canaanites who lived in Gezer; but the Canaanites lived among them in Gezer.
30Zebulun did not drive out the inhabitants of Kitron, or the inhabitants of Nahalol; but the Canaanites lived among them, and became subject to forced labor.
31Asher did not drive out the inhabitants of Acco, or the inhabitants of Sidon, or of Ahlab, or of Achzib, or of Helbah, or of Aphik, or of Rehob; 32but the Asherites lived among the Canaanites, the inhabitants of the land; for they did not drive them out.
33Naphtali did not drive out the inhabitants of Beth-shemesh, or the inhabitants of Beth-anath, but lived among the Canaanites, the inhabitants of the land; nevertheless the inhabitants of Beth-shemesh and of Beth-anath became subject to forced labor for them.
34The Amorites pressed the Danites back into the hill country; they did not allow them to come down to the plain. 35The Amorites continued to live in Har-heres, in Aijalon, and in Shaalbim, but the hand of the house of Joseph rested heavily on them, and they became subject to forced labor. 36The border of the Amorites ran from the ascent of Akrabbim, from Sela and upward.
next chapter
* * *
a That is Basins of Water
b Gk: Heb lacks Hobab
c See 1 Sam 15.6: Heb people
1.1–36 This introduction reviews the performance of the generation that outlived Joshua and offers a different perspective on the conquest than that given by the book of Joshua. Tribal activities are reported roughly from south to north, beginning with Judah, eager for the offensive, and ending with Dan at a stalemate. Vv. 1–21 describe successful conquests by Judah and Simeon, and vv. 22–36 report the failures of the northern tribes.
1.1 In contrast to what the book of Joshua portrays—a unified, successful conquest under Joshua’s leadership (Josh 11.23; 21.43–45)—Judg 1 describes a mixture of successes and failures attributed to the generation after the death of Joshua. Tactical guidance from God and an assurance of victory (v. 2) were elements in the tradition of sacral war. In sacral war, the Lord in the role of Divine Warrior fought for Israel.
1.1–2 Who shall go up first? This same question and its answer, Judah, are repeated in 20.18 with reference to intertribal warfare. Chs. 1 and 20–21 thus frame the book of Judges.
1.3 The tribe of Simeon may once have ranged into the north-central highlands (Gen 34.25, 30–31) but finally settled in the south, entirely surrounded by Judah (Josh 19.9). The two tribes are personified as individuals.
1.4 The precise meaning of Perizzites is uncertain. Perhaps it denotes the rural inhabitants of the land in contrast to the urban Canaanites.
1.5 Adoni-bezek, or “Lord of Bezek” in Hebrew. Bezek, Khirbet Bezka, near Gezer, is on the outskirts of Judah.
1.8 This claim is difficult to harmonize with v. 21. Jerusalem came under Israelite control only in the time of King David (2 Sam 5.6–9).
1.10 Hebron lies twenty miles (thirty kilometers) south of Jerusalem. Kiriath-arba, in Hebrew “Town of Arba.” Arba was the legendary father of Anak, who gave rise to a lineage of giants (Josh 15.13–14). According to v. 20 and Josh 15.14, Caleb defeated Sheshai and Ahiman and Talmai, sons of Anak.
1.11–15 Nearly identical to Josh 15.13–19.
1.11 Debir is probably Khirbet Rabud, nine miles (fifteen kilometers) southwest of Hebron.
1.12 Caleb, Hebrew, “Dog,” perhaps indicating loyalty.
1.13 Othniel will reappear in 3.7–11 as the first and model “savior-judge” (see Introduction).
1.14 Although Achsah urges Othniel to ask for a field, she immediately takes matters into her own hands.
1.15 Achsah contends that she should receive an additional land grant of pools (Gulloth-mayim, Hebrew, “Bowls of Water”) because she has been assigned dry land (figuratively land of the Negeb).
1.16 Hobab, probably not Moses’ father-in-law (Hebrew choten), but his son-in-law (chatan). The Kenites were a foreign group associated with Israel (5.24; 1 Sam 15.6), perhaps employed as metalworkers. They settled with the “people” Israel (a better reading than “Amalekites”). City of palms, probably Jericho.
1.17 The name Hormah is related to its status as cherem (Hebrew), the spoils of sacral war, in that Judah and Simeon devoted it to destruction. See notes on Josh 6.17; 6.18.
1.18 Gaza, Ashkelon, Ekron, three cities of the Philistine Pentapolis.
1.19 That the LORD was with Judah sounds ironic in light of the following disclaimer. Chariots of iron. Chariots were made of wood and leather; iron was used for assemblage and fittings.
1.21 Jebusites remained a distinct people even after Jerusalem was taken by Israel (2 Sam 24.18).
1.22–26 The capture of Bethel, formerly Luz and later a royal sanctuary of the Northern Kingdom, is reminiscent of the story of Rahab at Jericho (Josh 2.1–24; 6.22–25). The capture of Bethel is the only success reported for a northern tribe.
1.27–33 The failure of five no
rthern tribes (Manasseh, Ephraim, Zebulun, Asher, and Naphtali) to drive out the Canaanites results in a situation of mixed ethnicity and Canaanite subordination.
1.27–29 This information is duplicated in Josh 16.10; 17.11–13. These cities did not become part of Israel until the reigns of David and Solomon.
1.34–35 The Danites were the least successful of the tribes, failing in their attempt to control the foothills between the coastal plain and the Judean highlands. This failure led ultimately to their resettlement in the north (chs. 17–18).
JUDGES 2
Israel’s Disobedience
1Now the angel of the LORD went up from Gilgal to Bochim, and said, “I brought you up from Egypt, and brought you into the land that I had promised to your ancestors. I said, ‘I will never break my covenant with you. 2For your part, do not make a covenant with the inhabitants of this land; tear down their altars.’ But you have not obeyed my command. See what you have done! 3So now I say, I will not drive them out before you; but they shall become adversariesa to you, and their gods shall be a snare to you.” 4When the angel of the LORD spoke these words to all the Israelites, the people lifted up their voices and wept. 5So they named that place Bochim,b and there they sacrificed to the LORD.
Death of Joshua
6When Joshua dismissed the people, the Israelites all went to their own inheritances to take possession of the land. 7The people worshiped the LORD all the days of Joshua, and all the days of the elders who outlived Joshua, who had seen all the great work that the LORD had done for Israel. 8Joshua son of Nun, the servant of the LORD, died at the age of one hundred ten years. 9So they buried him within the bounds of his inheritance in Timnath-heres, in the hill country of Ephraim, north of Mount Gaash. 10Moreover, that whole generation was gathered to their ancestors, and another generation grew up after them, who did not know the LORD or the work that he had done for Israel.
HarperCollins Study Bible Page 104