Partial Success in Southern Canaan
May 29, 2019
Commentary
After Joshua’s death Israel presses forward to exterminate the Canaanites who are still holding on to their strongholds in the land. The tribes of Judah and Simeon merged their forces to carry out a series of attacks on the Canaanites in the hill country south of Jerusalem (vv. 1-5). They captured the town of Bezek (thought to be about seventeen miles north of Shechem) and punished the king by cutting off his thumbs and toes (vv. 6-7). They attacked Jerusalem, captured it, killed everyone who lived there, burned it to the ground (v. 8) and then on to defeat the Canaanite (vv. 9-11).
The term Canaanites usually designates all the inhabitants of the land at the time of the Israelite invasion. Sometimes a distinction is made between the Canaanites and the Amorites. The Canaanites occupied the valleys and the Amorites dwelt in the mountains.
We find that both Caleb and Othniel rose to positions of prominence in this truly classless society (vv. 12-15). It is not for sure whether Othniel was the nephew or the younger brother of Caleb. Caleb who by now was an old man, had shown real bravery in the capture of Hebron and now it was Othniel’s turn. Othniel’s success was rewarded by his marriage to Achsah and the city of Teebir appears to have been given to them as an inheritance. Judah had this series of victories for one reason only and that was the fact that the Lord delivered her enemies into her hand (vv. 16-20). We should always remember that our only help is in the Lord.
Application
Caleb showed real bravery as he marched out to conquer the land the Lord promised to give to the Israelites. When I am fearful it is usually because I am concerned about what man may think about me or do to me. What are some areas of life where I tend to be fearful when the Lord wants to give me victory? I need to pray and ask the Lord to help me to have victory in these areas.
Judges 1:1– 20 (NET)
1 After Joshua died, the Israelites asked the Lord, “Who should lead the invasion against the Canaanites and launch the attack?” 2 The Lord said, “The men of Judah should take the lead. Be sure of this! I am handing the land over to them.” 3 The men of Judah said to their relatives, the men of Simeon, “Invade our allotted land with us and help us attack the Canaanites. Then we will go with you into your allotted land.” So the men of Simeon went with them.
4 The men of Judah attacked, and the Lord handed the Canaanites and Perizzites over to them. They killed 10,000 men at Bezek. 5 They met Adoni-Bezek at Bezek and fought him. They defeated the Canaanites and Perizzites. 6 When Adoni-Bezek ran away, they chased him and captured him. Then they cut off his thumbs and big toes. 7 Adoni-Bezek said, “Seventy kings, with thumbs and big toes cut off, used to lick up food scraps under my table. God has repaid me for what I did to them.” They brought him to Jerusalem, where he died. 8 The men of Judah attacked Jerusalem and captured it. They put the sword to it and set the city on fire.
9 Later the men of Judah went down to attack the Canaanites living in the hill country, the Negev, and the foothills. 10 The men of Judah attacked the Canaanites living in Hebron. (Hebron used to be called Kiriath Arba.) They killed Sheshai, Ahiman, and Talmai. 11 From there they attacked the people of Debir. (Debir used to be called Kiriath Sepher.) 12 Caleb said, “To the man who attacks and captures Kiriath Sepher I will give my daughter Achsah as a wife.” 13 When Othniel son of Kenaz, Caleb’s younger brother, captured it, Caleb gave him his daughter Achsah as a wife.
14 One time Achsah came and charmed her father so she could ask him for some land. When she got down from her donkey, Caleb said to her, “What would you like?” 15 She answered, “Please give me a special present. Since you have given me land in the Negev, now give me springs of water.” So Caleb gave her both the upper and lower springs.
16 Now the descendants of the Kenite, Moses’ father-in-law, went up with the people of Judah from the city of date palm trees to Arad in the wilderness of Judah, located in the Negev. They went and lived with the people of Judah.
17 The men of Judah went with their brothers the men of Simeon and defeated the Canaanites living in Zephath. They wiped out Zephath. So people now call the city Hormah. 18 The men of Judah captured Gaza, Ashkelon, Ekron, and the territory surrounding each of these cities.
19 The Lord was with the men of Judah. They conquered the hill country, but they could not conquer the people living in the coastal plain, because they had chariots with iron-rimmed wheels. 20 Caleb received Hebron, just as Moses had promised. He drove out the three Anakites.
Illustration: When the devil knocks send Jesus to the door
The strength for our conquering and our victory is drawn continually from Christ. The Bible teaches that whosoever is born of God does not practice sin. It is like the story of the little girl who said that when the devil came knocking with a temptation, she just sent Jesus to the door. (Who said that by George Sweeting, p. 435).