Judges 1:7-12
Judges 1:7
And Adoni-bezek said, Threescore and ten kings, having their thumbs and their
great toes cut off, gathered their meat under my table: as I have done, so God
hath requited me. And they brought him to Jerusalem, and there he died.
Adoni-bezek admits that fact that he has done it to 70 kings which he has
conquered and now God has reciprocated by having his thumbs and big toes cut
off. So they did not kill him
instantly but took him to Jerusalem and it was there where he died.
Bezek to Jerusalem was about 45 miles (72 km).
The earlier name for Jerusalem was Jebus where we get the Jebusites.
1 Chronicles 11:4 (KJV)
And David and all Israel went to Jerusalem, which is Jebus; where the
Jebusites were, the inhabitants of the land.
Judges 19:10 (KJV) But the man would not
tarry that night, but he rose up and departed, and came over against Jebus,
which is Jerusalem; and there were with him two asses saddled, his concubine
also was with him. Jerusalem
was still referred to as Jebus in the time of the Judges.
Judges 1:8
Now the children of Judah had fought against Jerusalem, and had taken it, and
smitten it with the edge of the sword, and set the city on fire.
At this point the Israelites had fought against Jerusalem or Jebus as it was
known by its ancient name.
Joshua 15:63 (KJV)
As for the Jebusites the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the children of Judah
could not drive them out: but the Jebusites dwell with the children of Judah at
Jerusalem unto this day. Joshua
had fought against Jebus previously but was unable to drive out the Jebusites
and they lived with the children of Judah.
This time the children of Judah had mounted a campaign whereby they
attacked Jerusalem and burned it which was the custom in those days.
The army that Adoni-bezek was leader of took off southward to Hebron and
eastward to Debir. Hebron was about
20 miles (32km) south of Jerusalem and Debir as about 10 miles (16 km) east of
Jerusalem. There were three bandit
captains who were the sons of Anak in Hebron, they were Sheshai, Ahiman, and
Talmai as the ancient records record their names.
Their names are also recorded in Scripture.
Numbers 13:22 (KJV)
And they ascended by the south, and came unto Hebron; where Ahiman,
Sheshai, and Talmai, the children of Anak, were. (Now Hebron was built seven
years before Zoan in Egypt.)
Judges 1:9
And afterward the children of Judah went down to fight against the Canaanites,
that dwelt in the mountain, and in the south, and in the valley.
After Judah had secured the city of Jerusalem, they then mounted a campaign to
attack the south. The land which
was promised to Judah was all the way to the south so it was necessary for them
to mount a campaign to finally expel the inhabitants.
One of the regions of Palestine was the hill country where Hebron and
Debir were located. Then in the
south was located the cities of Arad and Zephath.
Arad was about 35 miles (56 km) south of Jerusalem and Zephath was about
13 miles (21 km) southwest of Jerusalem.
In the valley or the lowlands, there three principal cities of the
Philistines. They were Ekron,
Askalon, and Gaza. Gaza is where
Samson went to meet Delilah.
Askalon was about 46 miles (74 km) southwest of Jerusalem.
Ekron was about 24 miles (38 km) due west of Jerusalem.
Gaza was about 50 miles (80 km) southwest of Jerusalem and was on the
Mediterranean Sea coast. So you can
see from the distances, the children of Judah had a big job ahead of them in
securing many cities which were quite far apart.
Judges 1:10
And Judah went against the Canaanites that dwelt in Hebron: (now the name of
Hebron before was Kirjath-arba:) and they slew Sheshai, and Ahiman, and Talmai.
Their first point of attack was against Hebron which was 20 miles to the south
of Jerusalem. The name
“Kirjath-arba” means “the city of arba.”
Joshua 15:13 (KJV)
And unto Caleb the son of Jephunneh he gave a part among the children of
Judah, according to the commandment of the LORD to Joshua, even the city of Arba
the father of Anak, which city is Hebron.
Arba was also the father of Anak.
Joshua 14:15 (KJV)
And the name of Hebron before was Kirjath-arba; which Arba was a great
man among the Anakims. And the land had rest from war.
Here the children of Judah had slain the children of Anak and with that
came the victory over their people.
Judges 1:11
And from thence he went against the inhabitants of Debir: and the name of Debir
before was Kirjath-sepher:
Then from Hebron they travelled 25 miles (40 km) northeast to Debir.
The name means “the Oracle” and later on it became a Levitical town.
The named “Kirjath-sepher” means “the city of the book.”
Based upon its name, it may have been the center of Canaanite worship,
culture, and education.
Judges 1:12
And Caleb said, He that smiteth Kirjath-sepher, and taketh it, to him will I
give Achsah my daughter to wife.