Judges 1:22-36
Summary for Judg 1:22-36: 1:22-36 a Two references to the descendants of Joseph (1:22 b, 35 c) frame this litany of the northern tribes’ failures to drive out the enemy. 1:22 d The Lord was with the descendants of Joseph (the tribes of Ephraim and Manasseh), but only in their united attack on Bethel, a place sacred to Israelite memories from the days of Jacob (Gen 28:19 e). They failed in attacks made separately (Judg 1:27-29 f).• Bethel is associated with the battle against Ai (Josh 7:2 g) and is listed in the summary statement of kings that Israel had defeated (Josh 12:16 h).
1:24 i To have mercy (Hebrew khesed) has the overtones of making a covenant (see also 8:35 j, “loyalty”).
1:26 k The land of the Hittites was probably a general name for North Syria, not the Hittite Kingdom of Anatolia (now Turkey). Nothing is known of the new Luz.
1:27 l This chain of Canaanite cities stretched from Dor on the Mediterranean to Beth-shan in the Jordan Valley and effectively cut off the northern tribes from those south of the Jezreel Valley. Likewise, a number of the cities listed in the south (1:35 m) probably cut Judah off from the northern tribes.
1:34 n Dan’s failure to take the land represents total infidelity and led to the complete abandonment of a portion of the Promised Land (chs 17–18 o).
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