This chapter helps us to understand the next dark chapter in Israel’s history. They had left inhabitants in the land. They put some effort into getting rid of them, but were unsuccessful, and those inhabitants end up causing them no end of trouble. Judah is chosen by God as the tribe that will lead them, which we might expect because Judah is where the Messiah is predicted to come from.
Genesis 49:10 (WEB) “The scepter will not depart from Judah, nor the ruler’s staff from between his feet, until he comes to whom it belongs.”
Hebrews 7:14 (WEB) “For it is evident that our Lord has sprung out of Judah.”
Each city and town in Canaan had its own “king.” Even though Judah had some success, they ultimately fail to get rid of all the inhabitants (1:19). Judges 1:11-15 is a flashback that’s important because it introduces us to the first “judge,” who we’ll learn about later. The chapter ends with a litany of the entire nation’s failures.
Thought for the day: It’s true in our own lives as well. What we leave that is ungodly ends up continuing to be a problem.
Song of Solomon 2:15 (WEB) “Catch for us the foxes, the little foxes that plunder the vineyards; for our vineyards are in blossom.”
Amen!