Judges 1:31-36

Judges 1:31

Neither did Asher drive out the inhabitants of Accho, nor the inhabitants of Zidon, nor of Ahlab, nor of Achzib, nor of Helbah, nor of Aphik, nor of Rehob:

Asher also made the same mistake as the other tribes by not driving out the Canaanites.  Accho and Achzib were both on the Mediterranean Sea as port cities.  Ahlab was located north of Tyre on the coast of the Mediterranean Sea.  Zidon was the northernmost city and was about 20 miles (32 km) north of Ahlab.  Rehob was located due east of Accho.  Rehob was located due south of Accho.  The location of Helbah is not known unless it is identified under another name.

Judges 1:32

But the Asherites dwelt among the Canaanites, the inhabitants of the land: for they did not drive them out.

This is a very interesting way the Bible records this.  Normally, we would read that the Canaanites dwelt among whatever tribe was in view but here it states that the children of Asher had dwelt among the Canaanites.  It may also be revealing here that the Asherites were in the minority numbers.  Here Asher was living in the midst of a pagan nation and surrounded by them.  Instead of driving them out by the hand of God, they chose to dwell with them.  It was like Lot who pitched his tent toward Sodom.  (Gen. 13:12)  This resulted in Lot losing his wife and his two sons-in-law who refused to leave.  The biblical term “drive them out” means they were to occupy the land by removing the present occupants.

Judges 1:33

Neither did Naphtali drive out the inhabitants of Beth-shemesh, nor the inhabitants of Beth-anath; but he dwelt among the Canaanites, the inhabitants of the land: nevertheless the inhabitants of Beth-shemesh and of Beth-anath became tributaries unto them.

Here we see the unbelief continuing and still spreading among the tribes.  Now we come to Naphtali who did not drive out the inhabitants but placed the Canaanites to tribute while living among them.  Beth-Anath was located about 15 miles (24 km) southeast of Tyre but that is not a definite location as the location has been lost in antiquity.  The name Beth-shemesh means “house of the sun” and may have been a center of Baal worship for the Canaanites.  Its location was in the Galilee about 18 miles (29 km) northwest of the Sea of Galilee.  It is not the same Beth-shemesh which is found west of Jerusalem. 

Judges 1:34

And the Amorites forced the children of Dan into the mountain: for they would not suffer them to come down to the valley:

The children of Dan must have been a very weak tribe since here we have the first time one of the tribes was forced out of the area which God was going to give to them.  The Amorites would not let them come down to the valley.  The valley would have been the “Plain of Sharon” which was north of Joppa along the Mediterranean coast.

Judges 1:35

But the Amorites would dwell in mount Heres in Aijalon, and in Shaalbim: yet the hand of the house of Joseph prevailed, so that they became tributaries.

The house of Joseph would not stand by and see the children of Dan be denied the land which was promised to them by God.  So they took up arms and prevailed over the Amorites.  The Amorites dwelled in Mount Heres in Aijalon which was located about 20 miles (32 km) west of the Sea of Galilee.  Shaalbim was about 17 miles (27 km) northwest of Jerusalem.  Here again the Canaanites were not driven out but put to forced labor.

Judges 1:36

And the coast of the Amorites was from the going up to Akrabbim, from the rock, and upward.