Judges 1

Prequel to Saviors that fail: When: Israel was in slavery for 400 years. Then Moses led the Exodus into the desert. His successor, Joshua, let them into the promised land. Now, 100 years after the Exodus and 50 years after the Covenant, will God’s people finish what they started? Will God? Who: The 12 tribes of Israel came from Jacob’s (aka Israel) 12 sons. Judah is the star of the show, mostly. Or is God? The Canaanites were the people living in the promised land when the 12 tribes of Israel got there. The various “-ites” (like Perizzites) can be thought of as sub-tribes of Canaanites. Alberta vs Montana vs North Dakota vs Canadian vs American…it does make a difference but they all farm in the cold the same way. The “Judges” didn’t judge like what happens in a courtroom. They were “deliverers” or “saviors”. Who will be saved? This week on Saviors that fail: Israel cries out to God for guidance. So far so good. Judah leads the way. They almost do the right thing. Is almost good enough? Application →Israel slowly becomes like the pagans around them. Will we? .... And will someone finally tell Spain about the Light of the world??? Judges 1 (CSB) Judah’s Leadership against the Canaanites 1 After the death of What’s missing? “After the death of Joshua, the Israelites inquired …” This echoes Joshua 1:1, when after the death of Moses, God spoke to Joshua. The author is saying something without saying it—most of ch 1 occurred before Joshua died. Joshua, the Israelites inquired of the LORD, “Who will be the first to fight for us against the Canaanites?” The LORD answered, “Judah is to go. I have handed the land over to him.” 2 Judah said to his brother Simeon, “Come with me to my allotted territory, and let us fight against the Canaanites. I will also go with you to your allotted Judah and Simeon territory.” So Simeon These brothers (tribes after 500 yrs), went with him. 3 When Judah attacked, the LORD handed the Canaanites and Perizzites over to 4 each led the way in selling Joseph into slavery. Each later stood in the place of Benjamin, Judah admitting guilt and repenting. This repentance preceded Judah becoming the leading tribe and the ancestry of Jesus. Lord of lightning and toes Bezek was wiped off the map. “Adoni-bezek”, which means “Lord of Bezek”, was actually merciful, for a warlord. Cutting off toes and thumbs prevented men from fighting in battle, but let them live to farm. The warlord credits God’s justice, but was Judah listening to God? Or was Judah becoming a little like Adoni-bezek? Deuteronomy 7 commands Israel to wipe out the Canaanites. In this first episode, the begin to fail. them. They struck down ten thousand men in Bezek. 5 They found Adoni-bezek in Bezek, fought against him, and struck down the Canaanites and Perizzites. When Adoni-bezek fled, they pursued him, caught him, and cut off his thumbs and big toes. 7 Adoni-bezek said, “Seventy kings with their thumbs and big toes cut off used to pick up scraps under my table. God has repaid me for what I have done.” They brought him to Jerusalem, and he died there. 6 The men of Judah fought against Jerusalem, captured it, put it to the sword, and set the city on fire. 9 Afterward, the men of Judah marched down to fight against the Canaanites who were living in the hill country, the Negev, and the Judean foothills. 10 Judah also marched against the Canaanites who were living in Hebron (Hebron was formerly named Kiriatharba). They struck down Sheshai, Ahiman, and Talmai. 11 From there they marched against the 8 residents of Debir (Debir was formerly named Kiriath-sepher). Is it all important? The author of Judges is writing to the people during or after King David. Many of the places in Judges are also action spots in David’s life. Making sure that the people in David’s day (and after) knew the updated names was important for the prophet writing Judges. Some names, however, aren’t really important for us. “Kiriath-arba” means “4th Village”; Hebron was Abraham’s home (thus the “Hebrews”). Everything is near some source of water and pastureland. Caleb said, “Whoever attacks and captures Kiriath-sepher, I will give my daughter Achsah to him as a wife.” 13 So Othniel son of Kenaz, Caleb’s youngest brother, captured it, and Caleb gave his daughter Achsah to him as his wife. 12 When she arrived, she persuaded Othniel to ask her father for a field. As she got off her donkey, Caleb asked her, “What do you want?” 15 She answered him, “Give me a blessing. Since you have given me land in the Negev, give me springs also.” So Caleb gave her both the upper and lower springs. 14 The descendants of the Kenite, Moses’s father-in-law, had gone up with the men of 16 Scratchpad: Othniel son of Kenaz This introduction to Othniel shows his character before he is tested as the first “judge” in chapter 3. However, Achsah becomes the focus of this story . . . who is the real hero? The Kenites were not Hebrews, but had married in since the time of Moses. God’s people were not limited to the sons of Jacob. Judah from the City of Palms to the Wilderness of Judah, which was in the Negev of Arad. They went to live among the people. Judah went with his brother Simeon, struck the Canaanites who were living in Zephath, and completely destroyed the town. So they named the town Hormah. 18 Judah captured Gaza and its territory, Ashkelon and its territory, and Ekron and its territory. 19 The LORD was with Judah and enabled them to take possession of the hill country, but they could not drive out the people who were living in the valley because those people had iron chariots. 17 Judah gave Hebron to Caleb, just as Moses had promised. Then Caleb drove out the three sons of Anak who lived there. 20 Goliath was a descendant of Anak. Benjamin’s Failure At the same time the Benjaminites did not drive out the Jebusites who were living in Jerusalem. The Jebusites have lived among the Benjaminites in Jerusalem to this day. 21 Success of the House of Joseph The house of Joseph also attacked Bethel, and the LORD was with them. 23 They sent spies to Bethel (the town was formerly named Luz). 24 The spies saw a man coming out of the town and said to him, “Please show us how to get into town, and we will show you kindness.” 25 When he showed them the way into the town, they put the town to the sword but released the man and his entire family. 26 Then the man went to the land of the Hittites, built a town, and named it Luz. That is its name still today. 22 Failure of the Other Tribes At that time Manasseh failed to take possession of Beth-shean and Taanach and their surrounding villages, or the residents of Dor, Ibleam, and Megiddo and their surrounding villages; the Canaanites were determined to stay in this land. 28 When Israel 27 became stronger, they made the Canaanites serve as forced labor but never drove them out completely. At that time Ephraim failed to drive out the Canaanites who were living in Gezer, so the Canaanites have lived among them in Gezer. 29 Zebulun failed to drive out the residents of Kitron or the residents of Nahalol, so the Canaanites lived among them and served as forced labor. 30 Asher failed to drive out the residents of Acco or of Sidon, or Ahlab, Achzib, Helbah, Aphik, or Rehob. 32 The Asherites lived among the Canaanites who were living in the land, because they failed to drive them out. 31 Naphtali did not drive out the residents of Beth-shemesh or the residents of Beth-anath. They lived among the Canaanites who were living in the land, but the residents of Bethshemesh and Beth-anath served as their forced labor. 33 The Amorites forced the Danites into the hill country and did not allow them to go down into the valley. 35 The Amorites were determined to stay in Har-heres, Aijalon, and Shaalbim. When the house of Joseph got the upper hand, the Amorites were made to serve as forced labor. 36 The territory of the Amorites extended 34 from the Scorpions’ Ascent, that is from Sela upward.