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Adam Clarke Bible Commentary

Judges 1

Judges 1:1

THE BOOK OF JUDGES -Year before the common year of Christ, 1443. -Julian Period, 3271. -Year from the Flood, 904. -Year before the first Olympiad, 667. -Creation from Tisri, or September, 2561. CHAPTER I _After the death of Joshua the Israelites purpose to attack the_ _remaining Canaanites;... [ Continue Reading ]

Judges 1:2

Verse Judges 1:2. _THE LORD SAID, JUDAH SHALL GO UP_] They had inquired of the Lord by Phinehas the high priest; and he had communicated to them the Divine counsel.... [ Continue Reading ]

Judges 1:3

Verse Judges 1:3. _COME UP WITH ME INTO MY LOT_] It appears that the portions of Judah and Simeon had not been cleared of the Canaanites, or that these were the parts which were now particularly invaded.... [ Continue Reading ]

Judges 1:5

Verse Judges 1:5. _AND THEY FOUND ADONI-BEZEK_] The word מצא _matsa_, "he found," is used to express a _hostile encounter_ between two parties; to _attack, surprise_, c. This is probably its meaning here. _Adoni-bezek_ is literally the _lord of Bezek_. It is very probable that the different Canaanit... [ Continue Reading ]

Judges 1:6

Verse Judges 1:6. _CUT OFF HIS THUMBS_] That he might never be able to _draw_ _his bow_ or _handle_ his _sword_, and _great toes_, that he might never be able to _pursue_ or _escape from_ an adversary.... [ Continue Reading ]

Judges 1:7

Verse Judges 1:7. _THREESCORE AND TEN KINDS_] Chieftains, heads of tribes, or military officers. For the word _king_ cannot be taken here in its proper and usual sense. _HAVING THEIR THUMBS AND THEIR GREAT TOES CUT OFF_] That this was an ancient mode of treating _enemies_ we learn from _AElian_, w... [ Continue Reading ]

Judges 1:8

Verse Judges 1:8. _HAD FOUGHT AGAINST JERUSALEM_] We read this verse in a parenthesis, because we suppose that it refers to the taking of this city by Joshua; for as he had conquered its armies and slew its king, Joshua 10:26, it is probable that he took the city: yet we find that the Jebusites sti... [ Continue Reading ]

Judges 1:9

Verse Judges 1:9. _THE CANAANITES, THAT DWELT TO THE MOUNTAIN_] The territories of the tribe of Judah lay in the most southern part of the promised land, which was very mountainous, though towards the west it had many fine plains. In some of these the Canaanites had dwelt; and the expedition marked... [ Continue Reading ]

Judges 1:12

Verse Judges 1:12-7. _AND CALEB, C._] See this whole account, which is placed here by way of recapitulation, in Joshua 15:13-6, and the explanatory notes there.... [ Continue Reading ]

Judges 1:16

Verse Judges 1:16. _THE CHILDREN OF THE KENITE, MOSES' FATHER-IN-LAW_] For an account of Jethro, the father-in-law of Moses, see Exodus 18:1; Numbers 10:29, c. _THE CITY OF PALM TREES_] This seems to have been some place near Jericho, which city is expressly called the city of palm trees, Deuterono... [ Continue Reading ]

Judges 1:17

Verse Judges 1:17. _THE CITY WAS CALLED HORMAH._] This appears to be the same transaction mentioned Numbers 21:1, c., where see the notes.... [ Continue Reading ]

Judges 1:18

Verse Judges 1:18. _JUDAH TOOK GAZA - AND ASKELON - AND EKRON_] There is a most remarkable variation here in the _Septuagint_; I shall set down the verse: Και ουκ εκληρονομησεν Ιουδας την Γαζαν, ουδε τα ὁρια αυτης· ουδε την Ασκαλωνα, ουδε τα ὁρια αυτης· και την Ακκαρων, ουδε τα ὁρια αυτης· την Α... [ Continue Reading ]

Judges 1:19

Verse Judges 1:19. _AND THE LORD WAS WITH JUDAH, AND HE DRAVE OUT_ THE INHABITANTS OF _THE MOUNTAIN; BUT COULD NOT DRIVE OUT THE_ _INHABITANTS OF THE VALLEY, BECAUSE THEY HAD CHARIOTS OF IRON._] Strange! were the _iron chariots_ too strong for Omnipotence? The whole of this verse is improperly rend... [ Continue Reading ]

Judges 1:21

Verse Judges 1:21. _THE JEBUSITES DWELL WITH THE CHILDREN OF BENJAMIN_] Jerusalem was situated partly in the tribe of _Judah_, and partly in the tribe of _Benjamin_, the _northern_ part belonging to the _latter_ tribe, the _southern_ to the _former_. The _Jebusites_ had their strongest position in t... [ Continue Reading ]

Judges 1:22

Verse Judges 1:22. _THE HOUSE OF JOSEPH, THEY ALSO WENT UP AGAINST BETHEL_] That is, the tribe of Ephraim and the half tribe of Manasseh, who dwelt beyond Jordan. Beth-el was not taken by Joshua, though he took Ai, which was nigh to it. Instead of בית יוסף _beith Yoseph_, "the _house_ of Joseph," t... [ Continue Reading ]

Judges 1:23

Verse Judges 1:23. _BETH-EL - THE NAME OF THE CITY BEFORE_ WAS _LUZ._] Concerning this city and its names, Genesis 28:19.... [ Continue Reading ]

Judges 1:24

Verse Judges 1:24. _SHOW US - THE ENTRANCE INTO THE CITY_] Taken in whatever light we choose, the conduct of this man was execrable. He was a traitor to his country, and he was accessary to the destruction of the _lives_ and _property_ of his fellow citizens, which he most sinfully betrayed, in orde... [ Continue Reading ]

Judges 1:26

Verse Judges 1:26. _THE LAND OF THE HITTITES_] Probably some place beyond the land of Canaan, in Arabia, whither this people emigrated when expelled by Joshua. The man himself appears to have been a Hittite, and to perpetuate the name of his city he called the new one which he now founded _Luz_, thi... [ Continue Reading ]

Judges 1:27

Verse Judges 1:27. _BETH-SHEAN_] Called by the Septuagint Σκυθωνπολις, _Scythopolis_, or _the city of the Scythians_. On these towns see the notes, Joshua 17:12-6.... [ Continue Reading ]

Judges 1:31

Verse Judges 1:31. _NEITHER DID ASHER_] See on Joshua 19:24-6. _ACCHO_] Supposed to be the city of _Ptolemais_, near to Mount Carmel.... [ Continue Reading ]

Judges 1:34

Verse Judges 1:34. _THE AMORITES FORCED THE CHILDREN OF DAN, C._] Just as the ancient Britons were driven into the mountains of Wales by the Romans and the native Indians driven back into the woods by the British settlers in America.... [ Continue Reading ]

Judges 1:35

Verse Judges 1:35. _THE AMORITES WOULD DWELL IN MOUNT HERES_] They perhaps _agreed_ to dwell in the mountainous country, being unable to maintain themselves on the plain, and yet were so powerful that the Danites could not totally expel them; they were, however, laid under tribute, and thus the hous... [ Continue Reading ]

Judges 1:36

Verse Judges 1:36. _AKRABBIM_] Of _scorpions_; probably so called from the number of those animals in that place. _FROM THE ROCK, AND UPWARD._] The Vulgate understand by סלע _sela,_ _a rock_, the city _Petra_, which was the capital of _Arabia Petraea_. THE whole of this chapter appears to be desi... [ Continue Reading ]

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