March 30

Judges 1-2 (biblegateway.com)

Faithfulness and Forgetfulness

The book of Judges begins where Joshua left off, describing Israel’s transition from a united conquest to a fragmented and often disobedient nation. By faithfully obeying the Lord, Joshua led Israel to military victory. However, after his death, the tribes failed to completely remove the remaining inhabitants, causing God to withdraw His promise to help them in battle. As a result, the next generation turned away from God and fell into idol worship. These opening chapters establish the book’s central message: when God’s people forget Him and compromise with the world, they suffer the consequences, but His mercy remains available when they repent.

Judges 1 begins after the death of Joshua, with Israel seeking God’s guidance on which tribe should lead the continued conquest of Canaan (v. 1). The land was conquered in principle under Joshua, yet there remain both pockets of Canaanite resistance and large areas that still need to be settled. The allotted territory generally belongs to Israel, but many of the original inhabitants need to be dislodged.

The Lord appoints Judah to go first, and they successfully defeat the Canaanites and Perizzites at Bezek, capturing their king, Adoni-Bezek. In an act of divine justice, they cut off his thumbs and big toes, just as he had done to seventy other kings, and he acknowledges that God has repaid him for his cruelty (v. 2-7).

Judah, along with the tribe of Simeon, continues their conquest by capturing Jerusalem, Hebron, and Debir (see map) (v. 8-11). Judah’s initial success in destroying Jerusalem may have been limited to the unfortified southwest hill (modern Mount Zion). In any case, Judah failed to permanently drive out the Jebusites (Josh. 15:63), and the Benjamites were not any more successful (v. 21). Jerusalem, situated on the border between Judah and Benjamin, remained unconquered until David successfully took the city (2 Sam. 5:6-10).

On this occasion, or perhaps an earlier one, Caleb led the defeat of Hebron (v. 20). This passage, nearly identical to Joshua 15:13-19, likely serves as a “flashback” to the earlier capture of Hebron and Debir. In a notable event, Caleb, one of the faithful spies from Moses’ time (Numbers 14:6-9), offers his daughter Achsah in marriage to whoever captures Kiriath-Sepher (v. 12). His nephew Othniel accomplishes the task (v. 13), and later becomes Israel’s first judge (Judges 3:9-10). Caleb’s offer parallels Saul’s later promise of his daughter Michal to David in exchange for defeating the Philistines (1 Samuel 18:25). After her marriage, Achsah requests springs of water in addition to land (v. 14-15), recognizing that land without a reliable water source was of little value.

Judah and Simeon continue their victories, striking down the Canaanites in Zephath, renaming it Hormah (meaning “destruction”) as a symbol of their conquest (v. 17). Judah also conquers Gaza, Ashkelon, and Ekron, important Philistine cities (v. 18). However, their success begins to falter as they fail to drive out the inhabitants of the plains because the enemy had iron chariots (v. 19). This moment reveals a lack of faith, as God had previously promised victory over all enemies regardless of their military strength. While Caleb successfully expels the Anakim from Hebron, securing his inheritance (v. 20), other tribes begin to struggle due to partial obedience and fear.

As the chapter progresses, it becomes clear that many tribes fail to fully drive out the Canaanites. The Benjamites do not remove the Jebusites from Jerusalem, allowing them to remain in the city (v. 21). The house of Joseph successfully conquers Bethel with God’s help but relies on a Canaanite informant to do so, hinting at their dependence on human strategy rather than full reliance on God (v. 22-26).

Several other tribes fall into partial obedience and compromise. Manasseh, Ephraim, Zebulun, Asher, and Naphtali fail to drive out the Canaanites entirely, choosing instead to enslave them (v. 27-33). The Danites struggle even more, as the Amorites push them back into the hills, showing their weakness due to disobedience (v. 34-36). This pattern of incomplete obedience directly disobeys God’s command to remove the Canaanites fully and foreshadows the spiritual and moral decline of Israel. By allowing the Canaanites to remain, Israel opens the door to idolatry, corruption, and eventual oppression, which becomes the central theme of Judges.

When the Israelites first entered the Promised Land (Joshua 1–12), they fought together as one unified army, defeating the inhabitants and weakening them to the point where they could no longer retaliate. However, after the land was divided among the twelve tribes (Joshua 13–24), it became each tribe’s responsibility to drive out the remaining enemies in their own territory. Some tribes had more success than others. Under Joshua’s leadership, they all started strong, but over time, fear, exhaustion, lack of discipline, and personal pursuits distracted them. As a result, their faith weakened, and eventually, “everyone did as they saw fit” (Judges 17:6).

Judges 1 highlights the dangers of partial obedience, as many tribes conquered parts of their land but failed to remove all the Canaanites. This disobedience eventually led to their downfall, reminding us that when we only obey God partially, we leave room for sin to grow in our lives. The chapter also highlights that compromise leads to spiritual decline. Instead of fully obeying God’s command, the Israelites chose to coexist with the Canaanites, which later drew them into idolatry and sin. Likewise, when we tolerate sin instead of removing it, it weakens our relationship with God.

This chapter also serves as a powerful reminder that faith cannot thrive on past victories alone; it must be lived out daily. It should shape every aspect of our lives, not just be something we hold onto in times of crisis. Beware of starting strong in your faith only to become distracted from your true purpose: loving God and living fully for Him.

Finally, despite Israel’s failure, God remains faithful. However, actions still have consequences. Although God had promised them victory, their lack of faith and full obedience led to unfulfilled potential and future suffering. We must trust that God’s commands are for our good, even when they seem difficult. When we fully trust and obey God, we experience the blessings of His faithfulness.

Judges 2 serves as a transition from Joshua’s leadership to the time of the judges, revealing the spiritual decline of Israel and introducing the cycle that will define the rest of the book—disobedience, oppression, repentance, and deliverance. The chapter highlights Israel’s failure to remain faithful to God and the consequences of their compromise with the Canaanites. However, despite their rebellion, God remains merciful, raising up judges to deliver them when they cry out to Him.

The chapter opens with the Angel of the Lord appearing at Bochim, where He rebukes Israel for failing to drive out the Canaanites as commanded (v. 1-2). Because the words of God’s preeminent messenger are the words of the Lord Himself, this should likely be read as a theophany, that is, a visible revelation of God. Some commentators suggest that the angel of the Lord, at least in these cases, is a preincarnate appearance of the Messiah. His presence is prominent during the time of Moses (Ex. 3:2-15; Num. 22:22-35) and Joshua (Josh. 5:13-15). This divine manifestation also appeared during the period of the Judges to Gideon (Judges 6:11-24) and to the parents of Samson (13:3-21).

In this instance, God reminds them of His covenant faithfulness, saying, “I will never break My covenant with you” (v. 1), but warns that because of their disobedience, the Canaanites will now become a trap for them: “They shall be thorns in your sides, and their gods shall be a snare to you” (v. 3). This prophecy will be fulfilled as Israel repeatedly falls into idolatry throughout the book of Judges. The people respond with weeping and sacrifices (v. 4-5), but their repentance proves to be short-lived.

After the rebuke at Bochim, the text reflects on Joshua’s death and the transition to the next generation (v. 6-9). Under Joshua and the elders who had witnessed God’s miracles, Israel remained faithful (v. 7), but after they died, a new generation arose “who did not know the Lord or the work that He had done for Israel” (v. 10). The account of Joshua’s death is found here and at the end of the book of Joshua (24:29). Either this account is a summary of what happened earlier, or the account in the book of Joshua omitted the events in the first chapter of Judges. At any rate, this shift marks a critical turning point—the younger generation had forgotten God’s faithfulness, leading to spiritual decline. This pattern serves as a warning that faith must be intentionally passed down.

The heart of the chapter describes Israel’s downward spiral into sin and the recurring cycle of the judges:

1. Israel turns away from God – They “did evil in the sight of the Lord” and began worshiping Baal and Ashtaroth, the false gods of the Canaanites (v. 11-13). Their idolatry violated the first commandment (Exodus 20:3) and was a direct result of their failure to drive out the Canaanites.

2. God’s anger leads to oppression – In response to their disobedience, “the anger of the Lord was kindled against Israel”, and He allowed them to be plundered by their enemies (v. 14-15). Instead of victory, they suffered constant defeat, unable to stand against their enemies.

3. God raises up judges – In His mercy, God provides deliverance by raising up judges, who were both military leaders and spiritual guides (v. 16).

4. Israel repeatedly falls back into sin – Despite God’s deliverance, Israel quickly turns back to idolatry, refusing to listen to the judges and continuing in rebellion (v. 17-19). Each generation grows progressively worse, as they “did not cease from their own doings nor from their stubborn way” (v. 19).

Because of Israel’s persistent rebellion, God declares that He will no longer drive out the remaining Canaanites (v. 20-21). Instead, the Canaanites will serve as a test to see whether Israel will remain faithful or fall into further disobedience (v. 22-23). This judgment highlights a crucial truth: sinful compromise leads to lasting consequences. By failing to fully obey God, Israel invited spiritual corruption and ongoing struggles into their future.

Judges 2 highlights the importance of intentionally passing down faith to the next generation. A new generation arose that did not know God, serving as a warning that faith must be actively taught and lived out. We are called to disciple the next generation, sharing God’s faithfulness and commands so they do not drift away. When faith is neglected, idolatry takes its place, leading to oppression. Israel’s sin resulted in defeat and suffering, reminding us that when we prioritize anything above God, whether success, comfort, or relationships, it ultimately enslaves us rather than bringing fulfillment.

Yet, God’s mercy is greater than our failures. Despite Israel’s repeated rebellion, God raised up judges to deliver them, pointing to Jesus, our ultimate Deliverer, who rescues us from sin. No matter how far we fall, God’s grace is available when we repent. However, disobedience has lasting consequences. Because Israel compromised with the Canaanites, they faced continued struggles. Likewise, when we allow sin to take root in our lives, it weakens our faith and creates strongholds that are difficult to overcome. Finally, God allows testing to refine us. The remaining Canaanites became a test for Israel, just as God allows challenges in our lives to reveal our hearts and strengthen our faith. Instead of resisting trials, we should see them as opportunities to trust God more deeply.

Judges 2 lays the foundation for Israel’s tragic cycle of disobedience, oppression, repentance, and deliverance. Their failure to fully obey God led to spiritual compromise, which in turn brought suffering. However, despite their unfaithfulness, God remained merciful, raising up deliverers to rescue them. This chapter serves as a warning and an encouragement: while disobedience leads to bondage and hardship, God is always ready to restore those who turn back to Him. The question remains for every generation: Will we faithfully follow God, or will we allow compromise to lead us away from Him?

Judges 1-2 sets the stage for Israel’s spiritual and moral decline, showing how partial obedience leads to long-term consequences. However, God remains faithful, raising up judges to deliver His people when they cry out to Him. As we reflect on these chapters, we must ask: Are we fully obeying God, or are we allowing spiritual compromises to weaken our faith? The story of Judges is not just ancient history—it is a timeless warning and an invitation to trust and follow God wholeheartedly.

Map - Judah Fights for Its Land