v1
After the death of Joshua; this introduces the history of Israel for some
centuries, during the period of the Judges. There was no longer one leader over
all Israel, except the Lord God Himself.
The Israelites began well, seeking the mind of the Lord. There remained
groups of Canaanites within the land, and Israel still had the responsibility to
cleanse the land of them.
v3
In Josh 23.4, the responsibility to possess the land was passed to
individual tribes. Here Judah and Simeon joined together to expel the
Canaanites; see also v17.
v5-7
Adoni-Bezek was king of the Canaanites in that region. He received his
just reward, and he realised it.
v8
Judah attacked Jerusalem. In v21 we read that Benjamin failed to drive
out the Jebusites who lived there; presumably they moved back into that part of
the city burned by Judah. It seems that part of Jerusalem fell within Judah’s
territory, and part within Benjamin’s.
200 or more years
later, David had to re-capture the city; we learn that sin is persistent; we may
need to win successive victories; we certainly have to be persistent in dealing
with sins in our own lives.
v10-15
The incident is also recorded in Josh 15.13-19; Judg 1.1-3.6 provide an
overlap with Joshua, as well as giving a summary and introduction to the period
of the Judges. The Jewish mind was less concerned with putting events into
chronological order; rather he would think about themes and subjects.
Since the book of Joshua is more concerned with Israel’s victories as a
nation, it seems that this incident would have happened after Joshua’s death.
v16
The city of Palms was Jericho, 3.13; see Deut 34.3.
v17
The names of cities were changed, to remove the reference to false gods,
and as a testimony to God; see also v10,11,26.
v19-21
Judah and Benjamin both failed to drive out those Canaanites living in
their allotted region. This was true of each tribe mentioned here, apart from
Issachar. Again, the application is clear, sins will cling to us, and effort is
required to drive them out. The Israelites’ failure to deal thoroughly with
the Canaanites led to problems later.