Judg 1:11-13 | KingComments | STEP | Judah moves on. His next goal is Hebron. The meaning of this name is ‘fellowship’. This city was first owned by the Canaanites who gave the city the name Kiriath-arba. Kiriath-arba means ‘city of giants’. In reality not the tribe of Judah, but the individual Caleb has conquered this city ( ). The fact that the capture of Hebron is attributed to the tribe shows that Caleb puts the mark of his personal faithfulness, strength, perseverance and faith on the whole tribe. The faith of the individual is attributed to the whole. Caleb is not afraid of the giants. He has already shown this when he returns as one of the twelve spies to Moses with his account of what he has seen in the land ( ). Ten spies have been impressed by the amazingly strong walls of the cities and the amazing giants that live there. According to them, they can never win. But the language of Caleb is different. The reason for this is that he does not compare the walls and the giants with himself and his own strength, but with God. What do thick walls and giants mean to the almighty God? This faith shines between so much unbelief and deviation. This is also the case today in the church, where, in the midst of general decay, personal faithfulness is found. This faithfulness is found among men and women who do not compare the difficulties with themselves, but put them quietly in the hand of the Lord and trust that He is above the circumstances and indicates a way of victory in them. Personal faithfulness still benefits the whole today. A ‘city of giants’ is then transformed into a city of ‘fellowship’. Where faith chases away the enemy, there is fellowship with God and His people instead. The conquest of Kiriath-sepher connects to this. Kiriath-sepher means ‘the city of the book’. This is the name of the city when it is in the hands of the enemy. Possibly it is a center of Canaanite scholarship. Today we might call it a ‘university city’. The new name given to this city is Debir which means ‘(a living) oracle’ or ‘speaking of God’. We can also learn a lesson from this. To unbelievers, or to people who pretend to be Christians, but have no life from God, the Bible is just a book. However, as soon as one receives new life through repentance and new birth, this book becomes “the Word of God” which “is living and active and sharper than any two-edged sword” ( ). Many have testified that through the new life they have started to see and read the Bible differently. What seemed like a dead letter at first, is going to live. We will encounter ‘the Bible’, the Word of God, in the book of Judges in many more pictures. Victory over our spiritual enemies is only achieved if we make the Word of God our own by living according to it. Especially for elders or overseers, of whom the judges are also a picture, it is important that they know the Word of God. They must be able to teach ( ).

‏ Judges 1:11-13

Caleb

Judah moves on. His next goal is Hebron. The meaning of this name is ‘fellowship’. This city was first owned by the Canaanites who gave the city the name Kiriath-arba. Kiriath-arba means ‘city of giants’. In reality not the tribe of Judah, but the individual Caleb has conquered this city (Jos 15:14-15). The fact that the capture of Hebron is attributed to the tribe shows that Caleb puts the mark of his personal faithfulness, strength, perseverance and faith on the whole tribe. The faith of the individual is attributed to the whole.

Caleb is not afraid of the giants. He has already shown this when he returns as one of the twelve spies to Moses with his account of what he has seen in the land (Num 13:30 ; Num 14:6-10 ; 24 ; 38). Ten spies have been impressed by the amazingly strong walls of the cities and the amazing giants that live there. According to them, they can never win. But the language of Caleb is different. The reason for this is that he does not compare the walls and the giants with himself and his own strength, but with God. What do thick walls and giants mean to the almighty God?

This faith shines between so much unbelief and deviation. This is also the case today in the church, where, in the midst of general decay, personal faithfulness is found. This faithfulness is found among men and women who do not compare the difficulties with themselves, but put them quietly in the hand of the Lord and trust that He is above the circumstances and indicates a way of victory in them. Personal faithfulness still benefits the whole today. A ‘city of giants’ is then transformed into a city of ‘fellowship’. Where faith chases away the enemy, there is fellowship with God and His people instead.

The conquest of Kiriath-sepher connects to this. Kiriath-sepher means ‘the city of the book’. This is the name of the city when it is in the hands of the enemy. Possibly it is a center of Canaanite scholarship. Today we might call it a ‘university city’. The new name given to this city is Debir which means ‘(a living) oracle’ or ‘speaking of God’.

We can also learn a lesson from this. To unbelievers, or to people who pretend to be Christians, but have no life from God, the Bible is just a book. However, as soon as one receives new life through repentance and new birth, this book becomes “the Word of God” which “is living and active and sharper than any two-edged sword” (Heb 4:12). Many have testified that through the new life they have started to see and read the Bible differently. What seemed like a dead letter at first, is going to live.

We will encounter ‘the Bible’, the Word of God, in the book of Judges in many more pictures. Victory over our spiritual enemies is only achieved if we make the Word of God our own by living according to it. Especially for elders or overseers, of whom the judges are also a picture, it is important that they know the Word of God. They must be able to teach (1Tim 3:2).

Othniel

There is another important aspect to Caleb’s attitude and behavior, and that is that he encourages others to behave in the same way. By his example he wakes this up in others. That’s still how it works. The faithfulness of the individual arouses others to act in this way. The name ‘Caleb’ means, among other things, ‘wholeheartedly’. It always comes down to an undivided heart. Whosoever serves and trusts God with all his heart achieves victories of faith. The spark of this enthusiasm of faith then jumps over to others, as here to Othniel.

The name Othniel means ‘lion of God’ or ‘my power is God’. In him we see an example of the heroism of faith. The cause of this lies not in his own power but in the power of God. He relies on that. Caleb’s proposal finds connection with him through the example he saw in Caleb.

An additional incentive is the reward that Caleb is promising. He promises that whoever takes Kiriath-sepher will have his daughter Achsah as his wife. This was not said to deaf ears in the case of Othniel.