Focused Passage

Judges 1:1-7

Incomplete Conquest and the Seeds of Covenant Decline

From inquiry and victory to repetition of failure: Israel begins dependent on the LORD, Judah leads with notable successes, but the chapter widens into a tribal inventory of incomplete obedience, forced labor, coexistence, and territorial pressure.

Berean Standard Bible, Public Domain - Translation notes - Reference sources

1After the death of Joshua, the Israelites inquired of the LORD, “Who will be the first to go up and fight for us against the Canaanites?”

2“Judah shall go up,” answered the LORD. “Indeed, I have delivered the land into their hands.”

3Then the men of Judah said to their brothers the Simeonites, “Come up with us to our allotted territory, and let us fight against the Canaanites. And we likewise will go with you to your territory.” So the Simeonites went with them.

4When Judah attacked, the LORD delivered the Canaanites and Perizzites into their hands, and they struck down ten thousand men at Bezek.

5And there they found Adoni-bezek and fought against him, striking down the Canaanites and Perizzites.

6As Adoni-bezek fled, they pursued him, seized him, and cut off his thumbs and big toes.

7Then Adoni-bezek said, “Seventy kings with their thumbs and big toes cut off have gathered the scraps under my table. As I have done to them, so God has repaid me.” And they brought him to Jerusalem, where he died.

Study Helps

References and Original Words

Verse 1

Cross-references

Joshua 13BSB references Judges 20:18Classic cross-references Numbers 27:21Classic cross-references Joshua 9:14Classic cross-references Judges 20:28Classic cross-references Proverbs 20:18Classic cross-references

Original words

-וַיְהִ֗יH1961Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singularAfterאַחֲרֵי֙H310Prepositionthe deathמ֣וֹתH4194Noun - masculine singular constructof Joshuaיְהוֹשֻׁ֔עַH3091Noun - proper - masculine singularthe Israelitesבְּנֵ֣יH1121Noun - masculine plural construct. . .יִשְׂרָאֵ֔לH3478Noun - proper - masculine singularinquiredוַֽיִּשְׁאֲלוּ֙H7592Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine pluralof the LORDבַּיהוָ֖הH3068Preposition-b | Noun - proper - masculine singular. . .לֵאמֹ֑רH559Preposition-l | Verb - Qal - Infinitive constructWhoמִ֣יH4310Interrogativewill be the firstבַּתְּחִלָּ֖הH8462Preposition-b, Article | Noun - feminine singularto go upיַעֲלֶה־H5927Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singularand fightלְהִלָּ֥חֶםH3898Preposition-l | Verb - Nifal - Infinitive constructfor usלָּ֧נוּPreposition | first person common pluralagainstאֶל־H413Prepositionthe Canaanitesהַֽכְּנַעֲנִ֛יH3669Article | Noun - proper - masculine singular

Verse 2

Cross-references

Revelation 5:5Classic cross-references Hebrews 7:14Classic cross-references Judges 1:19Classic cross-references Genesis 49:8Classic cross-references Numbers 2:3Classic cross-references

Original words

Judahיְהוּדָ֣הH3063Noun - proper - masculine singularshall go upיַעֲלֶ֑הH5927Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singularansweredוַיֹּ֣אמֶרH559Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singularthe LORDיְהוָ֖הH3068Noun - proper - masculine singularIndeedהִנֵּ֛הH2009InterjectionI have deliveredנָתַ֥תִּיH5414Verb - Qal - Perfect - first person common singularthe landהָאָ֖רֶץH776Article | Noun - feminine singular-אֶת־H853Direct object markerinto their handsבְּיָדֽוֹ׃H3027Preposition-b | Noun - feminine singular construct | third person masculine singular

Verse 3

Cross-references

2 Samuel 10:11Classic cross-references Joshua 19:1Classic cross-references Judges 1:17Classic cross-references Revelation 7:7Classic cross-references

Original words

Then the men of Judahיְהוּדָה֩H3063Noun - proper - masculine singularsaidוַיֹּ֣אמֶרH559Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singularto their brothersאָחִ֜יוH251Noun - masculine singular construct | third person masculine singularthe Simeonitesלְשִׁמְע֨וֹןH8095Preposition-l | Noun - proper - masculine singularCome upעֲלֵ֧הH5927Verb - Qal - Imperative - masculine singularwith usאִתִּ֣יH854Preposition | first person common singularto our allotted territoryבְגוֹרָלִ֗יH1486Preposition-b | Noun - masculine singular construct | first person common singularand let us fightוְנִֽלָּחֲמָה֙H3898Conjunctive waw | Verb - Nifal - Conjunctive imperfect Cohortative - first person common pluralagainst the Canaanitesבַּֽכְּנַעֲנִ֔יH3669Preposition-b, Article | Noun - proper - masculine singularAnd weאֲנִ֛יH589Pronoun - first person common singularlikewiseגַם־H1571Conjunctionwill goוְהָלַכְתִּ֧יH1980Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - first person common singularwith youאִתְּךָ֖H854Preposition | second person masculine singularto your territoryבְּגוֹרָלֶ֑ךָH1486Preposition-b | Noun - masculine singular construct | second person masculine singularSo the Simeonitesשִׁמְעֽוֹן׃H8095Noun - proper - masculine singularwentוַיֵּ֥לֶךְH1980Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singularwith themאִתּ֖וֹH854Preposition | third person masculine singular

Verse 4

Cross-references

1 Samuel 11:8Classic cross-references Exodus 23:31Classic cross-references Joshua 11:6Classic cross-references Judges 11:32Classic cross-references

Original words

When Judahיְהוּדָ֔הH3063Noun - proper - masculine singularattackedוַיַּ֣עַלH5927Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singularthe LORDיְהוָ֛הH3068Noun - proper - masculine singular-אֶת־H853Direct object markerdeliveredוַיִּתֵּ֧ןH5414Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singularthe Canaanitesהַכְּנַעֲנִ֥יH3669Article | Noun - proper - masculine singularand Perizzitesוְהַפְּרִזִּ֖יH6522Conjunctive waw, Article | Noun - proper - masculine singularinto their handsבְּיָדָ֑םH3027Preposition-b | Noun - feminine singular construct | third person masculine pluraland they struck downוַיַּכּ֣וּםH5221Conjunctive waw | Verb - Hifil - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine plural | third person masculine pluraltenעֲשֶׂ֥רֶתH6235Number - masculine singular constructthousandאֲלָפִ֖יםH505Number - masculine pluralmenאִֽישׁ׃H376Noun - masculine singularat Bezekבְּבֶ֔זֶקH966Preposition-b | Noun - proper - feminine singular

Verse 5

Original words

And [there]בְּבֶ֔זֶקH966Preposition-b | Noun - proper - feminine singularthey foundוַֽ֠יִּמְצְאוּH4672Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine plural-אֶת־H853Direct object markervvvאֲדֹנִ֥יH137Adoni-bezekבֶ֙זֶק֙H137Noun - proper - masculine singularand foughtוַיִּֽלָּחֲמ֖וּH3898Conjunctive waw | Verb - Nifal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine pluralagainst himבּ֑וֹPreposition | third person masculine singularstriking downוַיַּכּ֕וּH5221Conjunctive waw | Verb - Hifil - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine plural-אֶת־H853Direct object markerthe Canaanitesהַֽכְּנַעֲנִ֖יH3669Article | Noun - proper - masculine singular-וְאֶת־H853Conjunctive waw | Direct object markerand Perizzitesהַפְּרִזִּֽי׃H6522Article | Noun - proper - masculine singular

Verse 6

Cross-references

Psalms 149:8Classic cross-references Exodus 21:24Classic cross-references Psalms 107:40Classic cross-references Psalms 59:11Classic cross-references

Original words

As Adoni-bezekאֲדֹ֣נִיH137Noun - proper - masculine singular. . .בֶ֔זֶקH137Noun - proper - masculine singularfledוַיָּ֙נָס֙H5127Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singularthey pursued himוַֽיִּרְדְּפ֖וּH7291Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine plural. . .אַחֲרָ֑יוH310Preposition | third person masculine singularseized himוַיֹּאחֲז֣וּH270Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine plural-אֹת֔וֹH853Direct object marker | third person masculine singularand cut offוַֽיְקַצְּצ֔וּH7112Conjunctive waw | Verb - Piel - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine plural-אֶת־H853Direct object markerhis thumbsבְּהֹנ֥וֹתH931Noun - feminine dual construct | third person masculine singular. . .יָדָ֖יוH3027Noun - feminine dual constructand big toesוְרַגְלָֽיו׃H7272Conjunctive waw | Noun - feminine dual construct | third person masculine singular

Verse 7

Cross-references

Luke 6:38Classic cross-references Revelation 13:10Classic cross-references 1 Samuel 15:33Classic cross-references James 2:13Classic cross-references Leviticus 24:19Classic cross-references

Original words

Then Adoni-bezekבֶ֗זֶקH137Noun - proper - masculine singularsaidוַיֹּ֣אמֶרH559Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singularאֲדֹֽנִי־אֲדֹֽנִי־H137Seventyשִׁבְעִ֣ים׀H7657Number - common pluralkingsמְלָכִ֡יםH4428Noun - masculine pluralwith their thumbsבְּֽהֹנוֹת֩H931Noun - masculine plural construct. . .יְדֵיהֶ֨םH3027Noun - feminine dual construct | third person masculine pluraland big toesוְרַגְלֵיהֶ֜םH7272Conjunctive waw | Noun - feminine dual construct | third person masculine pluralcut offמְקֻצָּצִ֗יםH7112Verb - Pual - Participle - masculine plural. . .הָי֤וּH1961Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person common pluralhave gathered [the scraps]מְלַקְּטִים֙H3950Verb - Piel - Participle - masculine pluralunderתַּ֣חַתH8478Prepositionmy tableשֻׁלְחָנִ֔יH7979Noun - masculine singular construct | first person common singularAsכַּאֲשֶׁ֣רH834Preposition-k | Pronoun - relativeI have done [to them]עָשִׂ֔יתִיH6213Verb - Qal - Perfect - first person common singularsoכֵּ֥ןH3651AdverbGodאֱלֹהִ֑יםH430Noun - masculine pluralhas repaidשִׁלַּם־H7999Verb - Piel - Perfect - third person masculine singularmeלִ֖יPreposition | first person common singularAnd they brought himוַיְבִיאֻ֥הוּH935Conjunctive waw | Verb - Hifil - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine plural | third person masculine singularto Jerusalemיְרוּשָׁלִַ֖םH3389Noun - proper - feminine singularwhere he diedוַיָּ֥מָתH4191Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular. . .שָֽׁם׃פH8033Adverb

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