Judges 1:1-7 – Victory for Judah and Simeon
When Joshua was still leading Israel, the nation defeated many powerful kings and cities in the land of Canaan. Then they gathered at Gilgal near Jericho, where God told each tribe where it was to settle. Therefore, after Joshua’s death, the tribes of Israel went their separate ways, each into its own allotted land, to complete the conquest.
In today’s reading, God tells Judah to go fight against the Canaanites. We must remember that it was because of the wickedness of the peoples of the land that God would not allow them to live alongside the Israelites in the land He had promised them (Deuteronomy 18:12).
In Joshua 19:1 and 9 we read that the inheritance of Simeon was in the midst of the inheritance of Judah. Therefore, the people of Judah invite the tribe of Simeon to come with them as they conquer and settle their tribal territories. The first enemies they encounter are Canaanites and Perizzites under the leadership of Adoni-bezek, a wicked and cruel king who had cut off the thumbs and big toes of seventy kings he had defeated in battle. Judah and Simeon defeat Adoni-bezek’s army and the wicked king flees. When the Israelites catch up to him, they cut off his thumbs and big toes, just has he had done to so many others. The Bible does not tell us that this was a good thing for them to do to Adoni-bezek, but according to verse 7, it is clear that Adoni-bezek believed he deserved the punishment he had received. More importantly, he acknowledges that God is sovereign over these events, saying “As I have done, so God has repaid me.”
God is in control of all events. We can be grateful for this, because it means that He will cause even bad things to work for the good of His people (Romans 8:28) and that nothing can change His good plan for us (Romans 8:31-39).
Questions
- Why was Israel supposed to drive out the peoples of the land?
- Who was in control of what happened to Adoni-bezek?
Prayer Points
- Give thanks that God is in control of all things.
- Use prayer points from your congregation.
- Pray for family matters.