Judges 1:10

10. The conquest of Hebron (contrast Jos_10:36-37 D) is here ascribed to Judah as part of the general operations against the Canaanites (Jdg_1:9); later on, the Judahites, having taken the city, made it over to Caleb (Jdg_1:20). In Jos_15:14 J, however, Hebron is captured by Caleb; it was a victory over the Anâkim, not over Canaanites in general; and such was undoubtedly the original version of the story. The editor here has altered the original narrative to fit his scheme of Judah’s victories; this has involved the removal of Jdg_1:20 from its proper place before Jdg_1:10. Fortunately the parallel passage in Joshua helps us to recover the original form of the text:

Jos_15:13-15.Jdg_1:20; Jdg_1:10-11.And unto Caleb the son of Jephunneh he gave [Hebron]†[22]. And Caleb drove out thence the three sons of Anak, Sheshai, and Ahiman, and Talmai, the children of Anak. And he went up thence against the inhabitants of Debir etc.

[22] The words which intervene come from P.And they gave Hebron unto Caleb, as Moses had spoken: and he drove out thence the three sons of Anak (20), Sheshai, and Ahiman, and Talmai (10b). And he went thence against the inhabitants of Debir etc. (11).Thus the whole of Jdg_1:10, except the names of the giants, is due to the editor. Arranging the text in this way we obtain a consistent narrative, a proper subject for the verb ‘and he went’ in Jdg_1:11, and the introduction of Caleb at a point which explains how he came to be speaking in Jdg_1:12.

Hebron] The modern el-Ḥalîl (= the friend), so called from its association with Abraham the friend of God, is the highest point in the Judaean Highlands, 3040 ft. above the sea. Its position made it the metropolis of the Negeb, which began a little to the south.

now the name of Hebron beforetime was Kiriath-arba] An archaeological gloss, cf. 11b. The ancient name of Hebron is frequently mentioned by P, e.g. Gen_23:2, Jos_15:54 etc.; in Gen_23:19; Gen_35:27 P it is given as Mamre. Kiriath-arba = lit. ‘city of four,’ i.e. Tetrapolis, perhaps because the city was divided into four quarters inhabited by different races; cf. Tripolis on the Phoenician coast, founded by Tyre, Sidon, and Aradus. The word arba is not a proper name, as a late Jewish tradition took it, Jos_14:15; Jos_15:13; Jos_21:11; in all three places the LXX has preserved the original reading ‘Kiriath-arba the metropolis of Anak.’ Burney in Journ. Theol. Studies 12:118 f. explains the name as ‘the city of (the god) Four’; he quotes Babyl. parallels for this usage; which, however, is questioned by some Assyriologists.

Sheshai, and Ahiman, and Talmai] Either ‘the three sons of the Anak’ from Jdg_1:20 (cf. Jos_15:14) should precede; or we may place ‘the children of Anak’ after the names, following the LXX here and Jos_15:14. The names may refer to families rather than to individuals; they look as if they were Aramaic. Sheshai (Ezr_10:40) is connected by Sayce with the Shasu, i.e. ‘plunderers,’ or Bedouin of S. Canaan frequently alluded to on Egyptian monuments, though the forms are not philologically the same; cf. Sheshan in 1Ch_2:31-35, a name belonging to this region. Ahiman 1Ch_9:17 probably = ‘brother of Mìnî,’ the god of fortune, Isa_65:11. Talmai is found in N. Arabia, in Nabataean inscriptions (C.I.S. ii. 321, 344, 348), and as the name of kings of Lihyan, an Arabian tribe (Müller, Epigr. Denkmäler aus Arabien nos. 4, 9, 25 from el-‘Öla). The three giants are mentioned in connexion with the visit of the spies, one of whom was Caleb, to Hebron Num_13:22; Num_13:28 JE. The spies travelled northwards from Kadesh; and Caleb, when he attacked Hebron, most likely also advanced from the south. The two expeditions cannot have been separated by any long interval of time, according to the narrative of J.

Underlying the story there seems to be a dim recollection of the fact that the various clans which in time grew into the tribe of Judah, the Calebites, Kenites, Jerahmeelites, entered Canaan, not from the E. after crossing the Jordan, but from the S. by advancing from Kedesh.

The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges (gen. ed. J. J. S. Perowne; Cambridge University Press, 1878–1918) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Jdg 1:10 And Judah went against the Canaanites that dwelt in Hebron: (now the name of Hebron before [was] Kirjatharba:) and they slew Sheshai, and Ahiman, and Talmai.

Ver. 10. And they slew Sheshai, &c.] Those huge giants were slain by such as seemed but grasshoppers unto them. See Jos 11:21-22.

10 But these speak evil of those things which they know not: but what they know naturally, as brute beasts, in those things they corrupt themselves.

Ver. 10. Of those things which they] So do the Papists in railing against imputed righteousness, assurance of salvation, the testimony of God’s Spirit witnessing with our spirits, &c.

In those things they corrupt themselves] As in eating, drinking, carnal copulation, &c., holding neither mean nor measure, as he in Aristophanes (in Ranis), οστις γε πινειν οιδε και βινειν μονον, who was good for nothing else but to epicurize.

John Trapp, A Commentary or Exposition upon All the Books of the Old and New Testament (1647–1656) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

CONQUEST OF HEBRON, AND EXPLOIT AND REWARD OF OTHNIEL, Jdg_1:10-15.

This passage is nearly identical with Jos_15:14-19. It may have been copied from the Book of Joshua, or from some older work. See the notes on the passage in Joshua. It is characteristic of the Hebrew historians to interweave such episodes as this and the following one about the Kenites into a narrative which touches persons or places with which they were associated.

The date of this conquest of Hebron and Debir is uncertain, but from Jos_14:6-15; Jos_15:13-19, it appears that it occurred during the lifetime of Joshua. Caleb was eighty-five years old at the time of the Conquest, or at its close, and some little time may have passed before he conquered Debir, but not probably many years. But whatever the date, the episodical character of this section, (Jdg_1:10-16,) and the resumption of the narrative of Judah and Simeon’s exploits at Jdg_1:17, show the futility of arguing from this passage that all the rest of the events of the chapter must have happened before the death of Joshua.

Daniel D. Whedon (gen. ed.), Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1874–1909) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

These three were giants, and the children of Anak.

Geneva Bible (1599) marginal notes — public domain. Text via Bolls.life.

(10) That dwelt in Hebron.—See Jos_10:36-37. Hebron is midway between Jerusalem and Beersheba, and twenty miles from either. The first name of the city, which is one of the most ancient in the world (Num_13:22), was Mamre (Gen_13:18), from the name of its chief (Gen_14:24). It is now called El-Khulîl (“the friend”), from Abraham. It was a city of refuge (Jos_21:11-13). If the view taken as to the chronology of this chapter is correct, this assault is identical with those touched upon in Jos_11:21; Jos_14:6-15; Jos_15:13-14. The LXX. have, “Hebron came forth against Judah.” For later references to Hebron, see Neh_11:25; 1Ma_5:65.

Kirjath-arba.—That is, “the city of Arba.” The word afterwards became archaic and poetical (Psa_48:2; Isa_25:2). All the cities thus named (Kir-jath-huzoth, Kirjath-jearim, &c.) existed before the conquest of Palestine. We find the root in Iskariot (i.e., man of Kerioth, a town in the south of Judah). Arba was the father of Anak (Jos_15:13; Jos_14:15), and Fürst interprets the name “hero of Baal.” Some, however, take Arba for the numeral “four,” so that Kirjath-arba would mean Tetrapolis; and connect the name Hebron with the Arabic “Cherbar,” a confederation, “the cities of Hebron” (2Sa_2:3).

Sheshai, and Animan, and Talmai.—Possibly the names of three clans of the Anakim (Num_13:22-23). The Anakim are connected with the Nephilim—giant races sprung from the union of the sons of God with the daughters of men. Josephus says that giant bones of the race were shown in his day (Antt. v. 2, § 3). They were doubtless the bones of extinct animals, and being taken for human remains might well lead to the conclusion of Josephus, that these giants “had bodies so large, and countenances so entirely different from other men, that they were surprising to the sight.”

A Bible Commentary for English Readers, edited by Charles John Ellicott (1878–1897) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

And Judah went against the Canaanites that dwelt in Hebron,.... Hebron was first taken by Joshua, and the inhabitants of it put to the sword, Jos 10:36; but while Joshua was employed in making other conquests, the Canaanites found ways and means of getting into the possession of it again; wherefore, when a grant of it was made to Caleb, he, with the assistance of the tribe of Judah, of which he was prince, regained it, Jos 15:12; wherefore what is recorded here is only a repetition of what was then done; unless it can be thought that this fact was there inserted by anticipation, or that there were two expeditions of the children of Judah against this place:

now the name of Hebron, before was Kirjatharba: see Jos 14:15; in the first of which Caleb, with the assistance of this tribe, drove out the three giants only, who afterwards got possession again, and in this put them to death, as follows:

and they slew Sheshai, and Ahiman, and Talmai; see Num 13:22; but what follows concerning their going from hence to Debir, and the offer of Caleb to give his daughter in marriage to whomsoever should take it, does not seem so well to agree with times after the death of Joshua; since it is highly probable that Caleb, who was contemporary with him and Eleazar, was now dead, and at least cannot well be thought to have a young daughter at this time undisposed of in marriage; wherefore these facts are only repeated upon observing Judah's having taken Jerusalem, to show what exploits were performed by men of that tribe; wherefore for what is after said, Jdg 1:11, as is said in Jos 15:15, where the same things are related in express words as here, containing the request of Caleb's daughter: such an one, as made to Domitian, is related by Martial (l).

(l) "Est mihi sitque precor", &c. l. 9. ep. 16.

John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible (1746–1763) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

Hebron. This expedition against Hebron, &c., is the same as is related [in] Josue xv. 24. It is here repeated, to give the reader at once a short sketch of all the achievements of the tribe of Juda against the Chanaanites. (Challoner) --- Josue had taken Hebron before; (Josue x. 37,) and Caleb retakes it. (Calmet)

George Leo Haydock (1774–1849), Haydock's Catholic Family Bible and Commentary, 1859 edition — public domain. Excludes Psalms (Douay-Rheims chapter numbering differs from Protestant) and Deuterocanonical books (Catholic canon only).

Judah went, under the conduct of Caleb, as it is recorded, Jos 15:11, &c.; for that relation, and this here following, are doubtless one and the same expedition and war, as appears by all the circumstances; and it is mentioned either there by anticipation, or here by repetition. Of this and the following verses, see the notes there.

Matthew Poole's English Annotations on the Holy Bible (1683–1685) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

Hebron See Num_13:22Jo Num_14:13-15 Num_15:13-19. Hebron was the burial-place of Abraham and Sarah, (Gen_23:2, etc.; Gen_25:9) of Isaac and Rebekah, and of Jacob and Leah, (Gen_35:27-29 Gen_49:31 Gen_50:13) and the mosque, within whose massive walls the tombs of Abraham and the other four above mentioned are still preserved with the utmost reverence, is the most remarkable object in the modem city, which is called El-Khalil (the friend), after Abraham, the friend of God. A very interesting account of the Prince of Wales"s visit to the Mosque of Hebron in 1862 is given in Dean Stanley s "Sermons in the East." David reigned in Hebron seven years and six mouths before he transferred the seat of power to Jerusalem. (see 2Sa_2:1, etc.; 2Sa_5:1-5)

The Pulpit Commentary (1880–1919), ed. H.D.M. Spence-Jones & Joseph S. Exell — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Judah went - Under the conduct of Caleb, as is recorded, ver. 14, &c., for that relation, and this, are doubtless one and the same expedition, and it is mentioned there by anticipation.

John Wesley, Explanatory Notes Upon the Whole Bible (1754–1765) — public domain. Text via the GEBible commentary corpus.