Judges 1 - Introduction

INTRODUCTION TO JUDGES 1

The children of Israel, after Joshua's death, inquiring of the Lord which tribes should first go up against the remaining Canaanites, Judah is ordered to go up, who with Simeon did, Judges 1:1; and had success against the Canaanites under Adonibezek, whom they brought to Jerusalem Judges 1:4; and against the Canaanites in Hebron, Debir, Zephath, Hormah, Gaza, Ashkelon, and Ekron, Judges 1:9; the Benjamites had not such good success as Judah against the Jebusites in Jerusalem, Judges 1:21; nor as the house of Joseph had against Bethel, Judges 1:22; nor could the tribes of Manasseh, Ephraim, Zebulun, Asher, and Naphtali, drive out the Canaanites from several places which belonged unto them, though many of them became their tributaries, Judges 1:27; and as for the Amorites, they were too powerful for the tribe of Dan, though some of them became tributaries to the house of Joseph, Judges 1:34.

a T. Bab. Bava Bathra, fol. 14. 2.