1
After Joshua died, the Israelites asked the LORD, “Who among us should go up first to fight against the Canaanites?”
2
The LORD said, “Judah shall go up; behold, I have given the land into his hand.”
3
Then Judah said to Simeon his brother, “Come up with me into the territory allotted to me, and let us fight against the Canaanites; then I will go with you into the territory allotted to you.” So Simeon went with him.
4
Then the tribe of Judah went up, and the LORD gave the Canaanites and the Perizzites into their hand, and they struck down ten thousand men at Bezek.
5
At Bezek they found Adoni-Bezek and fought against him, and they struck down the Canaanites and the Perizzites.
6
But Adoni-Bezek fled, and they pursued him, captured him, and cut off the thumbs of his hands and feet.
7
Adoni-Bezek said, “Seventy kings with their thumbs cut off from hands and feet used to gather scraps under my table; as I have done, so God has repaid me.” Then he was brought to Jerusalem and died there.
8
After that the men of Judah fought against Jerusalem, captured it, struck it with the edge of the sword, and set the city on fire.
9
Then the men of Judah went down to fight against the Canaanites who lived in the hill country, in the Negeb, and in the lowland.
10
And Judah marched against the Canaanites who lived in Hebron — Hebron was formerly called Kiriath-arba — and they struck down Sheshai, Ahiman, and Talmai.
11
From there they marched against the inhabitants of Debir. Debir was formerly called Kiriath-sepher.
12
Caleb said, “Whoever attacks and captures Kiriath-sepher, I will give him my daughter Achsah as wife.”
13
Othniel, the son of Kenaz, Caleb’s younger brother, captured it; and Caleb gave him his daughter Achsah as wife.
14
When she came, she urged her husband to ask her father for a field. Then she got down from her donkey, and Caleb said to her, “What do you want?”
15
She answered him, “Give me a blessing; since you have given me land in the south, give me also springs of water.” So Caleb gave her the upper springs and the lower springs.
16
The descendants of Hobab, Moses’ father-in-law, the Kenite, went up with the men of Judah from the City of Palms into the wilderness of Judah in the Negeb near Arad; and they settled among the people there.
17
Judah went together with Simeon his brother, and they struck down the Canaanites, the inhabitants of Zephath; they devoted the city to destruction. Therefore the city was named Hormah.
18
Then the tribe of Judah captured Gaza with its territory, Ashkelon with its territory, and Ekron with its territory.
19
And the LORD was with the tribe of Judah, so that they took possession of the hill country; but they could not drive out the inhabitants of the valley, because they had iron chariots.
20
Hebron was given to Caleb, as Moses had said before, and from there he drove out the three sons of Anak.
21
But the Jebusites, the inhabitants of Jerusalem, were not driven out by the descendants of Benjamin, so the Jebusites still lived with the descendants of Benjamin in Jerusalem to this day.
22
The descendants of Joseph also went up against Bethel, and the LORD was with them.
23
The descendants of Joseph sent men to spy out Bethel — the name of the city had formerly been Luz.
24
When the spies saw a man coming out of the city, they said to him, “Please show us how we may enter the city, and we will treat you as a friend.”
25
So he showed them how they could enter the city, and they struck the city with the edge of the sword; but they let that man and all his family go.
26
The man went to the land of the Hittites and built a city there, and named it Luz. That is its name to this day.
27
The tribe of Manasseh did not drive out the inhabitants of Beth-shean and its villages, nor the inhabitants of Taanach and its villages, nor the inhabitants of Dor and its villages, nor the inhabitants of Ibleam and its villages, nor the inhabitants of Megiddo and its villages; for the Canaanites were determined to remain in that land.
28
When Israel became strong, they put the Canaanites to forced labor, but did not drive them out completely.
29
Ephraim also did not drive out the Canaanites who lived in Gezer, so the Canaanites lived among them in Gezer.
30
Zebulun did not drive out the inhabitants of Kitron and the inhabitants of Nahalol, so the Canaanites lived among them, though as forced laborers.
31
Asher did not drive out the inhabitants of Acco, the inhabitants of Sidon, and of Ahlab, Achzib, Helbah, Aphik, and Rehob,
32
so the Asherites lived among the Canaanites, the native inhabitants of the land, because they did not drive them out.
33
Naphtali did not drive out the inhabitants of Beth-shemesh and the inhabitants of Beth-anath, so they lived among the Canaanites, the native inhabitants of the land; but the inhabitants of Beth-shemesh and Beth-anath became forced laborers for them.
34
The Amorites pressed the children of Dan back into the hill country and did not allow them to come down into the valley,
35
and the Amorites were determined to remain in Har-Heres, in Aijalon, and in Shaalbim, though the house of Joseph pressed them hard, and they became forced labor.
36
And the border of the Amorites was from the ascent of Akrabbim, from Sela, and upward.
⚔️🗺️⚠️ Summary of Judges 1 – Half-Hearted Conquest After Joshua’s Death
Judges 1 begins after the death of Joshua. The people of Israel continued the conquest of the land of Canaan, but they did not do it in full obedience. Some tribes succeeded in taking their territory, but many failed to drive out the Canaanites and instead lived alongside them, breaking the command of God. This chapter shows an early decline in obedience, which would have a great impact on the generations that followed.
📌 1. A Good Beginning (verses 1–20)
- After Joshua died, Israel asked the LORD who should go up first.
- The LORD appointed the tribe of Judah, who then fought together with the tribe of Simeon.
- They conquered many cities, including Jerusalem, Hebron, and Debir.
- Caleb, the veteran hero, is also mentioned again for his courage.
- But there is an important note: although Jerusalem was burned, the Jebusites remained there (verse 21).
🎯 A good beginning does not guarantee a faithful ending if it is not continued with complete obedience.
📌 2. Half-Hearted: Victory and Incompleteness (verses 21–36)
- Many tribes of Israel failed to drive out the native inhabitants:
Benjamin failed to drive out the Jebusites.
Manasseh did not drive out the people in Beth-shean and its surrounding towns.
Ephraim, Zebulun, Asher, and Naphtali all lived alongside the pagan nations.
And even were driven out of their land by the Amorites!
🎯 Disobedience and compromise lead to the loss of inheritance and authority.
📖 Main Teaching
- Starting with God is not enough — there must be continual obedience.
- God commanded Israel to drive out completely, not to make peace with sin.
- Half obedience = disobedience.
- Small compromise today can become the root of apostasy tomorrow.
- Spiritual victory requires faith, courage, and total obedience.
✨ Spiritual Meaning (New Testament)
“A little leaven leavens the whole lump.”
“You were running well. Who hindered you…?”
“Friendship with the world is enmity with God!”
🎯 Spiritual warfare must not be fought half-heartedly. We are called to live differently from the world.
“Then the men of Judah fought against Jerusalem and captured it…” – Judges 1:8
“But the Jebusites who lived in Jerusalem were not driven out by the descendants of Benjamin…” – verse 21
“The Israelites became strong, but they made the Canaanites serve as slaves, instead of driving them out.” – verse 28
