Abner Joins David, But Joab Murders Him

Continuing a chronological Bible study:

(2 Samuel 3:1) Now there was long war between the house of Saul and the house of David, but David waxed stronger and stronger, and the house of Saul waxed weaker and weaker.

In the last chapter and post, David had been anointed king over Judah, and even though Saul was dead, the captain of his army, Abner, made Saul's son Ishbosheth king over Israel, all of Israel except Judah, that is.  There was war between the two factions, but it seems David's men must have usually won the battles as David grew stronger and the house of Saul grew weaker.

(2) And to David were sons born in Hebron, and his firstborn was Amnon of Ahinoam the Jezreelitess;

While David reigned in Hebron, sons were born to him.  His firstborn son was Amnon, and his mother was Ahinoam, David's wife, the Jezreelitess.

(3) And his second, Chileab, of Abigail the wife of Nabal the Carmelite; and the third Absalom the son of Maacah the daughter of Talmai king of Geshur;

David's second son was born to his wife Abigail, the widow of Nabal, and his name was Chileab.  Apparently, David took a third wife, Maacah, daughter of Talmai king of Geshur, and she gave him his son, Absalom.

(4) And the fourth, Adonijah the son of Haggith; and the fifth, Shephatiah the son of Abital; (5) And the sixth, Ithream, by Eglah David's wife. These were born to David in Hebron.

It appears that David married as many wives as he had sons, or rather vice versa.  His fourth wife was Haggith and she gave him Adonijah; his fifth wife Abital gave him Shephatiah, and his sixth wife, Eglah, gave him Ithream.  These six sons were born to David in Hebron.

(1 Chronicles 3:1) Now these were the sons of David who were born to him in Hebron, the firstborn Amnon of Ahinoam the Jezreelitess; the second Daniel, of Abigail the Carmelitess;

1 Chronicles 3 also named David's sons.  However, Chileab, the son of Abigail, is called Daniel here.  Daniel is probably his real given name.  Chileab means "like his father," so that may have been a nickname as Junior might be now because he was so much like his father.

(2) The third Absalom the son of Maacah, the daughter of Talmai, king of Geshur; the fourth, Adonijah the son of Haggith; (3) The fifth, Shephatiah of Abital; the sixth, Ithream by Eglah his wife. (4) These six were born to him in Hebron, and there he reigned seven years and six months, and in Jerusalem he reigned thirty-three years.

The rest of David's sons who were born to him in the seven and a half years he reigned in Hebron are repeated.  David then reigned in Jerusalem for thirty-three years.

(2 Samuel 3:6) And it came to pass, while there was war between the house of Saul and the house of David, that Abner made himself strong for the house of Saul.

During the time there was war between the house of David and the house of Saul, Abner was strong in his support for the house of Saul.

(7) And Saul had a concubine whose name was Rizpah, the daughter of Aiah; and Ishbosheth said to Abner, "Why have you gone in to my father's concubine?"

Saul had a concubine whose name was Rizpah, and it seems that Abner had had sexual relations with her, and Saul's son Ishbosheth demanded to know why he had done such a thing.

(8) Then was Abner very angry for the words of Ishbosheth, and said, "Am I a dog's head, which against Judah do show kindness this day to the house of Saul your father, to his brethren, and to his friends, and have not delivered you into the hand of David, that you charge me today with a fault concerning this woman?"

Abner was angry with Ishbosheth because of his accusation against him, although he did not really deny it.  He asked Ishbosheth if he was no better than the head of a dead dog who did not care with whom he lay.  He who had defended the house of Saul, his brethren, and his friends, against the tribe of Judah, and had not allowed him to be delivered into the hand of David, he that loyal supporter of Saul, that is who Ishbosheth dared to accuse of fault concerning Saul's concubine.  Abner might have actually been owning up to the fact that he had had sexual relations with Saul's concubine, but that it could not be seen as a fault because of his fierce loyalty to the house of Saul.

(9) "So do God to Abner, and more also, except, as the Lord has sworn to David, even so I do to him, (10) To transfer the kingdom from the house of Saul, and to set up the throne of David over Israel and over Judah, from Dan to Beersheba."

Abner was so angry that he wished God to destroy him if he did not see that the kingdom of Saul was transferred to David to be king over all of Israel.  It's interesting that he apparently knew all along what the will of God was, but he was actively working against it to set up Ishbosheth as king.  That confirms that he had probably been doing it for only his own self-interests.  Now God used Abner's desire for revenge against Ishbosheth to bring forth His will to have David king over all Israel.

(11) And he could not answer Abner a word again because he feared him.

Ishbosheth had nothing to say to Abner because he feared him.  After all, it was Abner who had made him king, and with the king's army at his command, Abner could easily take him out.

(12) And Abner sent messengers to David on his behalf, saying, "Whose is the land?" Saying, "Make your league with me, and behold, my hand will be with you to bring about all Israel to you."

Abner then sent messengers to David on his own behalf, not from Ishbosheth.  I believe his point was that he was acknowledging that the land was David's, and that he now desired to make a covenant of friendship with him, and he would do everything he could to bring all of Israel under his reign.

(13) And he said, "Well, I will make a league with you, but one thing I require of you, that is, you shall not see my face except you first bring Michal Saul's daughter, when you come to see my face."

David agreed it was well and good to join with Abner, but first before that could happen, Abner must bring David's wife Michal, Saul's daughter, to him.  It seems that even though David had had six wives since Michal, he must have still cared for her, or perhaps it was to demonstrate honor to Saul's family that his daughter might share with him the benefits of his reign.

(14) And David sent messengers to Ishbosheth Saul's son, saying, "Deliver my wife Michal whom I espoused to me for a hundred foreskins of the Philistines."

David then sent messengers to Ishbosheth telling him to deliver his wife Michal to him.  David added that he had purchased her at a great expense and danger to his life by killing a hundred Philistines and bringing their foreskins to Saul as he required in order to marry his daughter (1 Samuel 18:25).

(15) And Ishbosheth sent and took her from her husband, from Phaltiel the son of Laish.

Ishbosheth had Michal removed from her husband, Phaltiel, or Phalti, as he was called in 1 Samuel 25:44, when it was first told that Saul had given his daughter to him.

(16) And her husband went with her along weeping behind her to Bahurim. Then Abner said to him, "Go, return." And he returned.

Michal's current husband went along with her as far as Bahurim, a city in the tribe of Benjamin, because he evidently loved her very much and did not want to lose her, but he was forced to give her up by command of the king and the king's captain.

(17) And Abner had communication with the elders of Israel, saying, "You sought for David in times past to be king over you. (18) Now then do it, for the Lord has spoken of David, saying, 'By the hand of my servant David I will save My people Israel out of the hand of the Philistines and out of the hand of all their enemies.'"

Abner communicated with the elders of Israel, reminding them that it was generally known that David had been anointed to be king over Israel, certainly after Saul's death.  He encouraged them to now make David their king, implying he would no longer oppose him.  He reminded them of the words of the Lord declaring that it would be David who would save Israel out of the hand of the Philistines and all their enemies.  There is no record in the Bible of the Lord saying those words, but He probably did say them to Samuel when He first said He wanted David as king, and they were not recorded, but probably verbally passed down and now general knowledge.

(19) And Abner also spoke in the ears of Benjamin, and Abner went also to speak in the ears of David in Hebron all that seemed good to Israel and that seemed good to the whole house of Benjamin.

Abner spoke these same words especially to the tribe of Benjamin of which was the family of Saul.  He spoke these same words in the hearing of David, or perhaps the meaning is rather that after speaking to the elders of the other tribes, he brought the news to David that all were agreeable that David should be king over them.

(20) So Abner came to David to Hebron, and twenty men with him. And David made Abner and the men with him a feast. (21) And Abner said to David, "I will arise and go and will gather all Israel to my lord the king, that they may make a league with you, and that you may reign over all that your heart desires." And David sent Abner away, and he went in peace.

Abner went to David in Hebron with twenty men.  David received them and made a feast for them.  Abner told David that he would go and do all he could to gather all of Israel to come into agreement with David as their king.  He said he would do this so that David could reign over all that his heart desired, although David had not expressed any impatience to take over the entire kingdom, but had been content to wait on God's timing.  David sent Abner on his way in peace, having made a covenant of peace with him.

(22) And behold, the servants of David and Joab came from a troop and brought in a great spoil with them, but Abner was not with David in Hebron, for he had sent him away, and he was gone in peace. (23) When Joab and all the host with him had come, they told Joab, saying, "Abner the son of Ner came to the king, and he has sent him away, and he has gone in peace."

After Abner had left David, Joab, the captain of David's army, came with his men, apparently after some military excursion against the enemy, and they brought in a very large spoil after evidently conquering the enemy.  Some in David's court told Joab about Abner coming to David, and instead of seizing him, David had allowed him to go in peace.

(24) Then Joab came to the king, and said, "What have you done? Behold, Abner came to you; why is it you have sent him away, and he is quite gone?"

Joab asked David what he had done in allowing Abner to come to him and letting him go in peace, implying that he should have seized him as the enemy.

(25) "You know Abner the son of Ner, that he came to deceive you and to know your going out and your coming in and to know all that you do."

Joab told David that surely Abner had come to deceive him and to learn his movements in order to surely destroy him.

(26) And when Joab had come out from David, he sent messengers after Abner who brought him again from the well of Sirah, but David did not know it.

When Joab left David, he sent messengers after Abner who was apparently at the well of Sirah, which the historian Josephus said was two and a half miles from Hebron.  The messengers brought him from there back to Joab, but David did not know any of this.

(27) And when Abner was returned to Hebron, Joab took him aside in the gate to speak with him quietly and struck him there under the fifth rib that he died, for the blood of Asahel his brother.

When the messengers brought Abner back to Hebron, Joab met him at the gate and pulled him aside supposedly to speak to him in private, but he stabbed him under the fifth rib, in the same place Abner had struck Joab's brother Asahel, and he died.

(28) And afterward, when David heard, he said, "I and my kingdom are guiltless before the Lord forever from the blood of Abner the son of Ner; (29) Let it rest on the head of Joab and on all his father's house, and let there not fail from the house of Joab one who has an issue, or who is a leper, or who leans on a staff, or who falls on the sword, or lacks bread."

When David heard what Joab had done, he declared that he and his kingdom were guiltless before God forever for the murder of Abner, that it was wholly on the head of Joab and his father's house.  It may be that David made that declaration publicly because Joab was his general, and he wanted it known that he did not command that his general kill Abner, that it was totally on Joab.  David went on to curse the family of Joab, wishing that there would always be one who had an issue of blood, or gonorrhea, as it sometimes meant, or one who was a leper, or one who was lame or fell on a sword or lacked food.  David said this in his anger, but I can't help but think he should have cursed Joab alone, not his innocent family after him.

(30) So Joab and Abishai his brother killed Abner because he had slain their brother Asahel at Gibeon in the battle.

It appears that Abishai was in on the plan to murder Abner because he had killed Asahel, the brother of Joab and Abishai, sons of David's sister, Zeruiah.  So it would appear that David's curse would be on his sister's house, all the more reason he should have directed his anger to Joab and maybe Abishai only.  But he had said it in anger; it was not meant as a prophetic curse.

(31) And David said to Joab and to all the people who were with him, "Rend your clothes, and gird yourself with sackcloth, and mourn before Abner." And King David followed the bier.

David told Joab and all the people with him to mourn Abner by the usual expressions of mourning, by tearing their clothes and putting on sackcloth.  King David followed the bed on which Abner's body was laid and carried to the grave.

(32) And they buried Abner in Hebron; and the king lifted up his voice and wept at the grave of Abner, and all the people wept.

They buried Abner in Hebron.  David wept loudly at the grave of Abner, and all the people with him wept.

(33) And the king lamented over Abner, and said, "Did Abner die as a fool dies?"

David lamented over Abner and said words over his grave.  He asked if Abner had died as a fool dies.  The word that was translated as "fool" is "nabal" and also meant stupid and wicked.  I believe David's point was that Abner had not died as a criminal or for any wickedness he had done.  He was unjustly murdered before his time.

(34) "Your hands were not bound nor your feet put into fetters; as a man falls before wicked men, so you fell." And all the people wept again over him.

Abner had not been bound and fettered as a criminal who knew his fate.  He had fallen as one murdered by wicked men.  This made the people weep again over Abner.  This he said in the presence of Joab whom he had told to mourn Abner with him.

(35) And when all the people came to cause David to eat food while it was yet day, David swore, saying, "So do God to me and more also, if I taste bread or anything else till the sun be down."

The people came to David to persuade him to eat, but he refused, swearing an oath that he wished for God to do the greatest evils against him if he even tasted bread before sundown, as he would continue his mourning for Abner until then.

(36) And all the people took notice, and it pleased them, as whatever the king did pleased all the people. (37) For all the people and all Israel understood that day that it was not of the king to kill Abner the son of Ner.

The people took notice of how David conducted himself throughout the entire death and burial of Abner, and it pleased them, for they understood that David had never intended for Abner to be killed.

(38) And the king said to his servants, "Do you not know that there is a prince and a great man fallen this day in Israel?"

Perhaps in explanation to his servants as to why he mourned the man who had so recently been considered an enemy, David explained that Abner had been a great man and even a prince in the house of Saul, as he was Saul's first cousin and a member of the royal family, as well as having the important position as Saul's general.

(39) "And I am this day weak, though anointed king, and these men the sons of Zeruiah are too hard for me. The Lord shall reward the doer of evil according to his wickedness."

Although David had been anointed king, he was very new to the kingdom and had not yet been fully accepted by all of Israel, but Abner had been working on that.  Joab and Abishai, the sons of David's sister Zeruiah, were yet too powerful for David to make one of his first acts as king to punish them.  He said that the Lord would take care of their just punishment.

The Continuing Conquest of Canaan

Continuing a chronological Bible study:

(Judges 1:1) Now after the death of Joshua, it came to pass that the children of Israel asked the Lord, saying, "Who shall go up for us against the Canaanites first, to fight against them?"

Joshua had died in the last chapter and post.  As he left no successor, no commander in chief, the people inquired of the Lord, either by prayer or the Urim and Thummim, which were some sort of objects worn by the high priest that were used to determine God's will, about who would go first to fight the Canaanites that remained in their land.

(2) And the Lord said, "Judah shall go up; behold, I have delivered the land into his hand."

The Lord said that the tribe of Judah should go first against the Canaanites that remained in their land.  He said He had already delivered that Canaanite land into their hand.

(3) And Judah said to Simeon his brother, "Come up with me into my lot that we may fight against the Canaanites, and I likewise will go with you into your lot." So Simeon went with him.

As the tribe of Simeon lay in the middle of the tribe of Judah, Judah's tribe asked the tribe of Simeon to go with them to fight the Canaanites, and in turn, Judah would go with Simeon when they were called to fight.  The tribe of Simeon agreed and went with the tribe of Judah.

(4) And Judah went up, and the Lord delivered the Canaanites and the Perizzites into their hand, and they slew of them in Bezek ten thousand men.

Judah with Simeon went up against the Canaanites and the Perizzites.  The term "Canaanites" often referred to the seven nations that occupied Canaan as a whole, but there was one nation of Canaanites, and it, as well as the nation of Perizzites, were delivered into Israel's hand by the Lord.  The Israelites killed ten thousand men in and around the area of Bezek which was just west of Jerusalem.  This section of a map borrowed from Psalms to God shows the tribes of Judah and Simeon and where they went up to fight in the northeastern part of Judah:

(5) And they found Adoni-Bezek in Bezek, and they fought against him, and they slew the Canaanites and the Perizzites. (6) But Adoni-Bezek fled, and they pursued after him and caught him and cut off his thumbs and his big toes.

The Israelites found the king of Bezek there and fought against him.  They slew the Canaanites and the Perizzites, but King Adoni-Bezek fled from them.  They pursued him and eventually caught him, and they cut off his thumbs and his big toes.  This would have disabled him from fighting as he would not be able to hold a weapon, and he would no longer be able to run.  It was unusual for the Israelites to inflict such torture and punishment, but it may have been God's will as the king himself recognized:

(7) And Adoni-Bezek said, "Seventy kings with their thumbs and big toes cut off gathered scraps under my table; as I have done, so God has requited me." And they brought him to Jerusalem, and there he died.

The king confessed that he had cut off the thumbs and big toes of seventy kings who were then left to gather scraps from under his table.  He said that as he had done so cruelly to others, God had repaid him by doing the same to him.  It's interesting that a pagan king would realize that God had done that to him, so it may be that he spoke under the influence of God's Holy Spirit.  The Israelites brought him to Jerusalem where he died.

(8) Now the children of Judah had fought against Jerusalem and had taken it and struck it with the edge of the sword and set the city on fire.

Judah had previously conquered Jerusalem which was how they were able to take the king there.  During the time of Joshua, the Israelites had not yet been able to drive the Jebusites out of Jerusalem (Joshua 15:63), but apparently Judah had been able to do it.

(9) And afterward the children of Judah went down to fight against the Canaanites who dwelt in the mountains, and in the south, and in the valley.

After the death of King Adoni-Bezek, the Israelites went southward to fight against the Canaanites who still dwelt in other areas of Judah, in the mountains, in the valley, and in the southern part of Judah.

(10) And Judah went against the Canaanites who dwelt in Hebron (now the name of Hebron before was Kirjath Arba), and they killed Sheshai, and Ahiman, and Talmai.

The tribe of Judah went against the Canaanites who still dwelt in Hebron.  The city of Hebron was before named Kirjath Arba for Arba, a chief among the Anakims who were giants in the city.  Caleb had previously driven out the giants, Sheshai, Ahiman, and Talmai (Joshua 15:14), but it seems they must have regained at least parts of the city.  This time the tribe of Judah killed the three giants.

(11) And from there he went against the inhabitants of Debir, and the name of Debir before was Kirjath Sepher.

This and what follows in the next few verses appears to be a retelling of Joshua 15:15-19.  It couldn't have happened after Joshua died because Joshua wrote about it.  Since Jewish tradition considers the prophet Samuel to be the author of Judges, and he would have written this about 300 years after the fact, it may be reasonable to believe he might not have gotten the chronology exactly right.  However, here Samuel was writing about the lands that were conquered after Joshua's initial conquest, and the conquest of Hebron did happen after that.  It was after the tribe of Judah had been given their allotment that Caleb (of Judah) went against the inhabitants of Debir.  Before it was renamed Debir the city was called Kirjath Sepher.

(12) And Caleb said, "He who strikes Kirjath Sepher and takes it, to him I will give Achsah my daughter to wife."

Caleb had said at the time that whoever was able to take Kirjath Sepher would be given his daughter Achsah in marriage (Joshua 15:16).

(13) And Othniel the son of Kenaz, Caleb's younger brother, took it, and he gave him Achsah his daughter to wife.

It was Caleb's nephew Othniel, the son of Kenaz who was Caleb's younger brother, who took Kirjath Sepher, and Caleb indeed gave him his daughter Achsah in marriage.

(14) And it came to pass when she came, that she moved him to ask of her father a field, and she dismounted, and Caleb said to her, "What do you want?" (15) And she said to him, "Give me a blessing, for you have given me a south land; give me also springs of water." And Caleb gave her the upper springs and the lower springs.

When Achsah came to Othniel on her donkey, she persuaded him to ask for a field from her father.  She dismounted her donkey, and Caleb asked her what she wanted.  She asked for an extra blessing.  He had already given her a south land, which might indicate a dry land, so she now asked for springs of water.  Caleb gave her upper springs and lower springs.

The fact that this account was written twice made me look harder at the reason why it was so important.  I read many commentaries and understood what others had found.  It was an illustration of how we can boldly approach our Father in heaven with our requests.  Imagine that!  The holy God of the universe wants to have a father/child relationship with us sinful creatures, and He urges us to come to Him with our petitions.  However, we must remember that the only way we unclean sinners are able to approach Him is because of the blood sacrifice of Jesus Christ that purifies us when we accept His gift.  Jesus said in Matthew 7:11, “If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask Him?"  However, we are to use wisdom and discernment as Achsah did.  She didn't ask for a gold-plated castle, but for springs for her dry land to make it more fruitful for her family.  James said in James 4:3, "You ask and do not receive, because you ask amiss, that you may spend it on your pleasures."  Our Father in heaven wants to bless us with the things that will help us grow and be more effective servants for His church, not with worthless trinkets.  He knows what is best for us, but He invites us to come confidently to Him with our requests, having faith that He will give us what we need, but perhaps not always what we want.

(16) And the children of the Kenite, Moses's father-in-law, went up out of the city of palm trees with the children of Judah into the wilderness of Judah, which is in the south of Arad, and they went and dwelt among the people.

Moses's father-in-law was Jethro, a Kenite.  There is no consensus for whom the Kenites were named, but they were an ancient people living in Canaan in the time of Abraham (Genesis 15:19).  They were among ten tribes whose land God said He was giving to Abram.  However, during the time of Moses and Joshua, only seven nations were named as occupying Canaan.  The Kenites, the Kenizzites, and the Kadmonites, had either become extinct, moved out of Canaan, or mixed with other nations.  Jethro's daughter Zipporah married Moses.  Jethro and his son Hobab had joined with Moses, and Hobab's descendants lived among the Israelites in the land of Canaan; they were the Kenites.  The city of palm trees was Jericho (Deuteronomy 34:3).  The Kenites had apparently resided in Jericho, but they now left it to go with the tribe of Judah and settled in the wilderness of Judah which was south of Arad, which would put them east of the tribe of Simeon according to the map above.  According to Albert Barnes in his Notes on the Bible, the rabbinical story was that Jericho had been given to Hobab.  Joshua had cursed that city and any person who rose up to rebuild it (Joshua 6:26), so apparently the descendants of Hobab had determined to leave that cursed city and dwell among the tribe of Judah in the wilderness.

(17) And Judah went with Simeon his brother, and they slew the Canaanites that inhabited Zephath and utterly destroyed it. And the name of the city was called Hormah.

As the tribe of Judah had promised, they went with the tribe of Simeon and killed the Canaanites who inhabited a city called Zephath in eastern Simeon, and they renamed it Hormah.

(18) Also Judah took Gaza with its territory, and Ashkelon with its territory, and Ekron with its territory.

Judah also took Gaza and Ashkelon on the Mediterranean coast and Ekron in the north.  The Biblical scholars I study wrote that the cities were later retaken and possessed by the Philistines.  John Wesley in his Notes on the Bible, observed that the scripture did not say they slew the people as it did in the verse before it.  The people, being spared, regained their control of the cities.

(19) And the Lord was with Judah, and he drove out the mountaineers, but could not drive out the inhabitants of the valley because they had chariots of iron.

The Lord was with Judah, and the tribe was able to drive out the inhabitants of the mountainous region of Judah.  However, it appears their faith failed when they feared the chariots of iron, and they were unable to drive out the inhabitants of the valley.  The Lord was with them, and there was no reason to believe that He wouldn't be with them to drive out those people, but it appears they didn't even try because of their fear.

(20) And they gave Hebron to Caleb, as Moses said, and he expelled from there the three sons of Anak.

 

Once again, the author of this book wrote in this chapter about the areas that had been left unconquered after Joshua's conquest. He referred again to Hebron which had been given to Caleb.  Caleb had driven out the three giants, Sheshai, Ahiman, and Talmai, whom Judah later killed (v.10).

(21) And the children of Benjamin did not drive out the Jebusites that inhabited Jerusalem, but the Jebusites dwell with the children of Benjamin in Jerusalem to this day.

The tribe of Benjamin did not drive out the Jebusites that inhabited Jerusalem.  Although the tribe of Judah had previously taken the city (v. 8), it appears it was reinhabited by the Jebusites.  They remained dwelling with the tribe of Benjamin to the day the author, probably Samuel, wrote this.  John Gill, in his Exposition of the Bible, wrote that Samuel wrote the book of Judges before the reign of David who would dispossess the Jebusites.

(22) And the house of Joseph, they also went up against Bethel, and the Lord was with them.

The house of Joseph, Ephraim and Manasseh, went up against Bethel in the southern portion of Ephraim.  The inhabitants of Bethel had been driven away from the city by Joshua (Joshua 8:17), but apparently the city had become reinhabited by the Canaanites.  The Lord was with Ephraim and Manasseh as they went against the inhabitants of Bethel.  This map borrowed from Precept Austin, shows all of the tribes, and Bethel is seen in southern Ephraim:

(23) And the house of Joseph sent to descry Bethel. (Now the name of the city before was Luz.)

The tribes of Ephraim and Manasseh sent spies into Bethel to examine the conditions.  The name of Bethel was formerly Luz.

(24) And the spies saw a man come forth out of the city, and they said to him, "Show us, we pray you, the entrance into the city, and we will show you mercy."

The spies saw a man coming out of Bethel.  They asked him to tell them how to get into the city, and they in turn would show him mercy.

(25) And when he showed them the entrance into the city, they struck the city with the edge of the sword, but they let the man and all of his family go.

The man showed the spies a way into the city, and the tribes of Joseph struck the city and killed its inhabitants, but they let the man and his entire family go free.

(26) And the man went into the land of the Hittites and built a city and called its name Luz, which is its name to this day.

The man and his family went into the land of the Hittites where the Hittites apparently dwelt after being expelled from Canaan.  He built a city and called it Luz after the city he had been forced to leave.  Luz was still there at the writing of this book, although it was no longer there at the writing of the Biblical scholars I study, as they didn't know where this city of Luz would have been.

(27) Neither did Manasseh drive out Beth Shean and her towns, nor Taanach and her towns, nor the inhabitants of Dor and her towns, nor the inhabitants of Ibleam and her towns, nor the inhabitants of Megiddo and her towns, but the Canaanites would dwell in that land.

Beth Shean, Taanach, Ibleam, Dor, and Megiddo, were cities given to the half tribe of Manasseh west of the Jordan River out of the lots of Issachar and Asher (Joshua 17:11).  Apparently, they never made any attempt to drive out the inhabitants of the cities and inhabit them as their cities, so the Canaanites dwelt in their land.  The map above shows most of these cities in northern West Manasseh.

(28) And it came to pass, when Israel was strong, that they put the Canaanites to tribute and did not utterly drive them out.

When Israel became strong, they still did not drive out the Canaanites but made them tributaries under them.

(29) Neither did Ephraim drive out the Canaanites that dwelt in Gezer, but the Canaanites dwelt in Gezer among them.

Neither did Ephraim, the other son of Joseph, drive out Canaanites in his land, specifically Gezer, and the Canaanites lived in Gezer among them.  

(30) Neither did Zebulun drive out the inhabitants of Kitron nor the inhabitants of Nahalol, but the Canaanites dwelt among them and became tributaries.

Zebulun did not drive out the inhabitants of Kitron or Nahalol, and the Canaanites there became tributaries.

(31) Neither did Asher drive out the inhabitants of Accho, nor the inhabitants of Zidon, nor of Ahlab, nor of Achzib, nor of Helbah, nor of Aphik, nor of Rehob, (32) But the Asherites dwelt among the Canaanites, the inhabitants of the land, for they did not drive them out.

The tribe of Asher appears especially slothful in driving the Canaanites out of their land as God had instructed.  Out of 22 cities they had been given (Joshua 19:30), they failed to drive the enemy out of seven of them, about one third of their allotted cities.

(33) Neither did Naphtali drive out the inhabitants of Beth Shemesh nor the inhabitants of Beth Anath, but he dwelt among the Canaanites, the inhabitants of the land; nevertheless, the inhabitants of Beth Shemesh and Beth Anath became tributaries to them.

The tribe of Naphtali failed to drive out the Canaanites from Beth Shemesh and Beth Anath, so they dwelt among the Canaanites, but they did make the Canaanites in those cities tributaries to them.

(34) And the Amorites forced the children of Dan into the mountain, for they would not allow them to come down to the valley.

The Amorites in the tribe of Dan's territory forced their tribe into the mountains and would not allow them to go down to the valley.  There must have been a serious lack of faith in God to drive out their enemies that their enemies were able to drive them from their land.

(35) But the Amorites would dwell in Mount Heres in Aijalon, and in Shaalbim, yet the hand of the house of Joseph prevailed so that they became tributaries.

It appears that the Amorites even dwelt among Dan in the mountains.  However, the house of Joseph helped its brother tribe, as Ephraim and Manasseh bordered Dan.  They at least made the Amorites tributaries in Mount Heres in Aijalon and in Shaalbim, however it doesn't appear that they were ever able to make tributaries of the Amorites in the valley.

(36) And the coast of the Amorites was from the going up to Akrabbim, from the rock and upward.

Akrabbim means "scorpion," so this is believed to be the Scorpion Pass, a pass between the south end of the Dead Sea and Zin.  "The rock" is believed to be Petra which was located east of that region on the east side of the Dead Sea.  Looking at the map above, I believe the territory of the Amorites at this time was from the eastern edge of the Wilderness of Zin, eastward below the Dead Sea, and upward on the east side of the Dead Sea, the regions of Edom and Moab.  The Amorites were said to be the most powerful people among the Canaanites and would prove to be very troublesome to Israel.

The Israelites were very careless with their duty to drive out all the Canaanites from their land.  Whether it was laziness or fear and a lack of faith, they did not do as their Lord God had told them to do.  Some of the cities where the Israelites failed to remove the Canaanites were cities that had been given to the Levites, including Taanach, Gezer, Nahalal, and Rehob, which may have been the reason they were lax in driving out the Canaanites.  However, you would think they would take better care of their priests and ministers who served their Lord God.  There may have been some covetousness on Israel's part as well, as they decided making the Canaanites pay tribute was more advantageous to them than driving them out.  However, God's way is always the best way, and by disobeying Him in their total conquest of Canaan, they brought troubles on themselves.  However, this may have been by divine design.  The Israelites had proved to be a people lacking faith and easily drawn away from their Lord.  Perhaps they needed adversity to keep them in check.  It's most often in adversity that people turn toward God.  It's not that God purposely designed things the way they were in order to punish His people.  He just allowed them to do or not do according to their own desires, letting them learn great lessons as He brought them through their adversities.

The Inheritance of the Tribe of Judah

Continuing a chronological Bible study:

(Joshua 15:1) This then was the lot of the tribe of the children of Judah by their families, to the border of Edom, the wilderness of Zin southward, the uttermost part of the south coast.

In the last chapter, Caleb had requested and was granted the land of Hebron for his inheritance.  As he was from the tribe of Judah, it was within Judah's inheritance.  Now a description of all the boundaries of the tribe of Judah were given.  It ranged from Edom in the southeast to the wilderness of Zin in the south wherein lay Kadesh Barnea.  This map from the last chapter shows Judah's lot in the southern region of the land of Canaan:

(2) And their south border was from the shore of the Salt Sea, from the bay that looked southward.

Their south border ran from the southern tip of the Salt Sea, also called the Dead Sea.

(3) And it went out to the south side to Maaleh-Akrabbim and passed along to Zin, and ascended up on the south side to Kadesh Barnea, and passed along to Hezron, and went up to Adar, and fetched a compass to Karkaa.

The border went from the southern tip of the Salt Sea southward to the ascent of Akrabbim, which literally meant Mount of Scorpions, and went along Zin in the south, to Kadesh Barnea, and then up to Hezron and Adar, two cities evidently along the southwestern coast.  And it curved around to Karkaa.  I can't locate all those cities, so the general map above is good for me.  However, it was very important to God that the promised inheritance was well defined.  As discussed before, there will come a time when the people possess their full inheritance.

(4) It passed toward Azmon and went out to the river of Egypt, and the goings out of that coast were at the sea; this shall be your south coast.

The southern border continued toward Azmon out to the river of Egypt which might be the most eastern branch of the Nile, although Biblical scholars disagree on whether the promised land reached that far, so it might mean some other river of Egypt that extended to the promised land.  From there, the southern border ended at the Mediterranean Sea.

(5) And the east border the Salt Sea to the end of Jordan. And the border in the north quarter was from the bay of the sea at the mouth of the Jordan.

The eastern border was the Salt Sea, or the Dead Sea, to the place where the Jordan River flowed into it.  The northern border began from that point.

(6) And the border went up to Beth Hoglah and passed along by the north of Beth Arabah, and the border went up to the stone of Bohan the son of Reuben.

Beth Hoglah and Beth Arabah were said to be cities within the tribe of Benjamin, so they must have been on the border between Benjamin and Judah.  No one seems to know where the stone of Bohan was or why it was placed where it was, but it would have certainly been well known at the time.

(7) And the border went up toward Debir from the valley of Achor and so northward looking toward Gilgal, which is before the going up to Adummim, which is on the south side of the river, and the border passed toward the waters of En Shemesh, and the goings out of it were at En Rogel.

I begin to get lost here, except to look at the map above.  There has to be a third place called Debir as neither one of the other Debirs fits here.  Also there must be another Gilgal.  En Shemesh and En Rogel are along that northern border of Judah.

(8) And the border went up by the valley of the son of Hinnom to the south side of the Jebusite, the same is Jerusalem, and the border went up to the top of the mountain before the valley of Hinnom westward, which is at the end of the valley of the giants northward.

Again I can't locate the exact places, but the border runs along the line of the former Jebusite city, Jebus, renamed Jerusalem, on the border of the tribe of Benjamin.

(9) And the border was drawn from the top of the hill to the fountain of the water of Nephtoah and went out to the cities of Mount Ephron, and the border was drawn to Baalah, which is Kirjath Jearim. (10) And the border compassed from Baalah westward to Mount Seir and passed along to the side of Mount Jearim, which is Chesalon, on the north side, and went down to Beth Shemesh, and passed on to Timnah. (11) And the border went out to the side of Ekron northward, and the border was drawn to Shicron and passed along to Mount Baalah and went out to Jabneel, and the goings out of the border were at the sea.

The northern border of Judah continued to be drawn as described above and ended at the Mediterranean Sea.

(12) And the west border was to the great sea and its coast. This is the coast of the children of Judah round about according to their families.

The western border of the tribe of Judah was the Mediterranean Sea.  That ended the description of the boundaries of Judah's lot all around.

(13) And to Caleb the son of Jephunneh he gave a part among the children of Judah, according to the commandment of the Lord to Joshua, the city of Arba the father of Anak, which is Hebron.

Joshua gave Caleb his own part among the tribe of Judah, according to what the Lord had promised, and Caleb was given in the last chapter (Joshua 14:13).  He gave him the land of Hebron, formerly called Kirjath Arba for Arba, the father of Anak, a great man among the Anakim (Joshua 14:15).

(14) And Caleb drove out the three sons of Anak, Sheshai, and Ahiman, and Talmai, the children of Anak.

Caleb drove out the sons of Anak, the giants in the land, as he said he would if the Lord was with him (Joshua 14:12).

(15) And he went up from there to the inhabitants of Debir, and the name of Debir before was Kirjath Sepher.

After he conquered Hebron, Caleb went up to that third Debir which was surely close to Hebron, and was before named Kirjath Sepher.

(16) And Caleb said, "He who strikes Kirjath Sepher and takes it, to him I will give Achsah my daughter to wife."

Caleb announced that whoever struck and took Kirjath Sepher would be given his daughter Achsah as wife.  Such was the custom in those days, and to be married into the family of the chief prince of the tribe of Judah would have been a very great honor.

(17) And Othneil the son of Kenaz, the brother of Caleb, took it, and he gave him Achsah his daughter to wife.

Othneil, who appears to be Caleb's nephew, the son of his brother Kenaz, took Kirjath Sepher and was given Caleb's daughter Achsah as his wife.  Often the term brother was used to denote a kinsman, not necessarily a brother, but first cousins were allowed to be married then.

(18) And it came to pass as she came, that she moved him to ask of her father a field; and she lighted off her donkey, and Caleb said to her, "What do you want?"

As Achsah came to her husband Othneil, she persuaded him to ask for a field from her father.  I suppose she had been riding a donkey to go off with her new husband, but she dismounted, and her father asked her what she wanted.

(19) Who answered, "Give me a blessing, for you have given me a south land; give me also springs of water." And he gave her the upper springs and the lower springs.

Achsah asked her father Caleb to give her a blessing or a gift.  Apparently he had already given her land.  She called it a south land which may have meant it was dry, so she asked for the extra blessing of springs of water.  Caleb gave her springs in the upper part of her land or perhaps in an additional field adjacent to her land, and he also gave her springs in the lower part.

(20) This is the inheritance of the tribe of the children of Judah according to their families.

The description of the land in the first part of this chapter above and the following list of cities described the inheritance of the tribe of the children of Judah.

(21) And the uppermost cities of the tribe of the children of Judah toward the coast of Edom southward were Kabzeel, and Eder, and Jagur,

I found the following map on the same page previously mentioned, Psalms to God, that shows a little more detail of the cities within the tribe of Judah.  Judging by the location of Kabzeel, I suppose the meaning of the verse is that the "outermost" cities southward, the southern boundary, went from the coast of Edom at the tip of the Dead Sea westward across to Gaza on the Mediterranean Sea, and included the cities of Kabzeel, Eder, and Jagur.  As most of the cities mentioned do not appear on any maps I can find, I'll let the general lines of the boundaries of the tribe depicted in the map below be the best interpretation I have at this point in my study:

(22) And Kinah, and Dimonah, and Adadah, (23) And Kedesh, and Hazor, and Ithnan, (24) Ziph, and Telem, and Bealoth, (25) And Hazor-Hadattah, and Kerioth-Hezron, which is Hazor, 

I am completely lost as to where all these cities are located and will rely only on the general location in the map above.  There must have been at least four different Hazors as supposedly the Hazor in verse 23 is not the same as Hazor in Joshua 11:1.  Then we have Hazor-Hadattah which means New Hazor, and Kerioth-Hezron which is Hazor.  That should be as clear as mud!  Continuing with a list of the cities in this section of Judah's inheritance:

(26) Amam, and Shema, and Moladah, (27) Hazar Gaddah, and Heshmon, and Beth Pelet, (28) And Hazar Shual, and Beersheba, and Bizjothjah, (29) Baalah, and Iim, and Azem, (30) And Eltolad, and Chesil, and Hormah, (31) And Ziklag, and Madmannah, and Sansannah, (32) And Lebaoth, and Shilhim, and Ain, and Rimmon; all the cities, twenty-nine, with their villages.

I counted thirty-six cities listed.  However, it is said that some of these cities were given to the tribe of Simeon (Joshua 19:1), which does indeed appear to be in the middle of the tribe of Judah.

(33) And in the valley, Eshtaol, and Zorah, and Ashnah, 

The valley within the tribe of Judah appears to begin in the north central part of Judah where Eshtaol and Zorah are seen on the map and continues south (north of the southern boundary) and westward:

(34) And Zanoah, and En Gannim, Tappuah, and Enam, (35) Jarmuth, and Adullam, Socoh, and Azekah, (36) And Sharaim, and Adithaim, and Gederah, and Gederothaim, fourteen cities with their villages.

Fourteen cities were in the valley region.  I counted fifteen, but ancient scholars said that Gederah and Gederothaim were one and the same, and it should have been translated "Gederah (or Gederothaim)."

(37) Zenan, and Hadashah, and Migdal Gad, (38) And Dilean, and Mizpeh, and Joktheel, (39) Lachish, and Bozkath, and Eglon, (40) And Cabbon, and Lahmam, and Kithlish, (41) And Gederoth, Beth Dagon, and Naamah, and Makkedah, sixteen cities with their villages.

These appear to be sixteen other cities in the valley region of Judah.

(42) Libnah, and Ether, and Ashan, (43) And Jiphtah, and Ashnah, and Nezib, (44) And Keilah, and Achzib, and Mareshah, nine cities with their villages.

This appears to be a list of nine more cities in the valley or plain region.

(45) Ekron with her towns and her villages, (46) From Ekron to the sea, all that is near Ashdod with their villages, (47) Ashdod with her towns and her villages, Gaza with her towns and her villages, to the river of Egypt and the great sea and its border.

Judah's inheritance included Ekron in the northwestern region to Ashdod on the Mediterranean Sea and along that coast down to Gaza with all their suburbs.

(48) And in the mountains, Shamir, and Jattir, and Socoh, (49) And Dannah, and Kirjath Sannah, which is Debir, (50) And Anab, and Eshtemoh, and Anim, (51) And Goshen, and Holon, and Giloh, eleven cities with their villages.

The mountain region included those eleven cities.

(52) Arab, and Dumah, and Eshean, (53) And Janum, and Beth Tappuah, and Aphekah, (54) And Humtah, and Kirjath Arba, which is Hebron, and Zior, nine cities with their villages.

These nine cities were also in the mountainous or hill country of Judea.

(55) Maon, Carmel, and Ziph, and Juttah, (56) And Jezreel, and Jokdeam, and Zanoah, (57) Cain, Gibeah, and Timnah, ten cities with their villages.

These were ten more cities in the mountainous or hill country.

(58) Halhul, Beth Zur, and Gedor, (59) And Maarath, and Beth Anoth, and Eltekon, six cities with their villages.

These appear to be six more cities in the mountain region of Judah.

(60) Kirjath Baal, which is Kirjath Jearim, and Rabbah, two cities with their villages.

These appear to be two more cities in the mountain region.

(61) In the wilderness, Beth Arabah, Middin, and Secacah, (62) And Nibshan, and the city of Salt, and En Gedi, six cities with their villages.

There were six cities in the wilderness region of Judah.

(63) 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 to this day.

Although Jerusalem was within the tribe of Benjamin, it was on the border between Benjamin and Judah.  It is mentioned here because surely some of the Jebusites who had not been completely driven out of Jerusalem inhabited the outer regions of Jerusalem into Judah.  At the time of Joshua's writing, they still lived among the Israelites.

Thus ended the description of the allotment for the tribe of Judah, which included Caleb's portion and the blessing he gave his daughter.