Aj – The Failures of the Northern Tribes 1: 22-36

The Failures of the Northern Tribes
1: 22-36

The failures of the Northern tribes DIG: What was significant about the death of Joshua? In what sense were Simeon and Judah brothers? What was the purpose of driving the Canaanites from the Land? Why was it important to eliminate them? What was the problem of war in the TaNaKh? How many times in these verses did the Israelites fail to drive out the Canaanites? What does that say about them?

REFLECT: What does a “holy war” look like today? Who are we fighting against? Who are the Canaanites in your life? Do these verses turn on your competitive drive to win? Or does it turn your stomach in revulsion? Under what conditions would you “go to war” with your blood brother or your spiritual brother? When is it hard for you to obey God? Is it possible that there is an area of compromise in your life now?

Instead of ridding the land of the Canaanites, Isra’el became like the Canaanites.

The account of the northern tribes of Isra’el begins on a positive note with the success of the house of Joseph in their victory over Bethel because ADONAI’s presence was with them. Reference to the success of the house of Joseph concludes the account of the northern tribes in 1:35b, but between these two is a long list of failures as they struggled to take possession of their allotted territory. These accounts of failure grow increasingly worse as the chapter progresses, beginning with the Canaanites living among the tribes (1:29-30), then the tribes living among the Canaanites (1:31-33), and then the Canaanites forced the tribe of Dan into the hill country (1:34). At the beginning and end of the list of failures (1:27 and 1:35b), the author reminds us of the success of the house of Joseph over the Canaanites, but highlights their decision to exploit them as forced labor rather than eliminate them as commanded by ADONAI (see Deuteronomy Dp – Regulations for a Holy War: Canaanite cities within the Land), a failure that will be highlighted in 2:1-5.

The Victory over Bethel (1:22-26): Now the house of Joseph went up and attacked Bethel (1:22a Hebrew). As the leading tribe in the north, the house of Joseph (Ephraim and Manasseh) is mentioned first. Since they will be mentioned separately below, the focus here is on the combined efforts of both tribes, a description that reminds us of the initial account of the southern tribes (1:3 and 17). Bethel means The House of God and is twelve miles north of Jerusalem. Given its commanding position, its capture was of great strategic importance. It also had considerable sentimental and religious significance. Bethel had Israelite connections reaching back to patriarchal times (Genesis 12:8-9 and 35:9-15), so in that sense the taking of Bethel was reclaiming, by the Israelites, of a place which they may have felt was theirs already.²¹

Bethel was actually given to Benjamin, according to Joshua 18:22, but since Bethel was situated on the southern border of the house of Joseph, Ephraim and Manasseh could not tolerate the Canaanites on its border. So just as the tribe of Judah took Jerusalem for Benjamin, the tribes of Ephraim and Manasseh took Bethel for Benjamin. Therefore, the author once again shows Benjamin’s failure to do what the other tribes succeeded in doing. Then comes the divine role: and ADONAI was with them (1:22b Hebrew).²²

Verses 23 to 26 proceed to give the details of the deliverance following the summary statement in verse 22. When they sent men to scout Bethel, formerly known as Luz (1:23 NIV) they saw a man coming out of the city, apparently from a secret entry, which the scouts could not see. And they said to him, “Show us the entrance to the city and we will have mercy on you (1:24 Hebrew). In return for the information, the man was going to be allowed to live in much the same way as Rahab (Joshua 6:17 and 6:22-25). So he showed them the entrance to the city, and the tribes of Joseph put Bethel to the sword, but spared the man and his whole family. He then went to the land of the Hittites, where he built a city and called it Luz, which is its name to this very day (1:25-26 NIV). So once again, a Canaanite escapes the sword by helping the Jews. The difference is that Rahab had already become a believer in the God of Isra’el. There is no indication that this man became a believer. He betrayed his city, only to survive, and there is nothing spiritual about that.²³

Was the house of Joseph’s taking of Bethel really a success? ADONAI went with His people against that city, but the result was that while the old Luz was destroyed, a new one was built, perpetuating the Canaanite culture which Ha’Shem had appointed for destruction (see Leviticus Ff – Cherem). Are we not meant to contrast the first battle in the north with the first one in the south? There, the Lord of Bezek was unjustly spared by the tribe of Judah; here, the man of Luz was unjustly spared by the house of Joseph (1:25-26).

And the contrast continues. Instead of victories of Judah, we find an alarming sequence of events in which the Canaanites were allowed to live at a distance from the Israelites (1:22-26), then the Canaanites were allowed to live among the Israelites (1:27-30), then Israelites were allowed to live among the Canaanites (1:31-33), and finally Israelites were allowed to live at a distance from the Canaanites (1:34). Here too, a tiny epilogue, corresponding to 1:20-21, sums it up nicely: the inhabitants of the land proved so tenacious that for all Judah’s successes, even the southern border is still thought of as an Amorite one. The border of the Amorites ran from the ascent of Akrabbim, from Sela and upward (1:36).

In a word, our review of the field-report has to be: Disappointing. An excellent start falls apart even before we leave Chapter One. But we must get this sobering pattern firmly in our minds, for it will be the pattern of the whole book. We note that Chapter One begins with the obedience of Judah and ends with the disgrace of Dan, and we should not be surprised to find that the overall history of the twelve judges follows the same ominous pattern all the way from Othniel the Judahite to Samson the Danite. ADONAI keeps His promises, but will His people do their part? Will they accept judgment; that is, what He judges, or decides is to be done and then acted upon, or will they ignore Him and to their own thing?²⁴

The first step the new generation took toward defeat and slavery was neglecting the Word of God. ADONAI had commanded that the priests should read Deuteronomy aloud every seven years to all the people at Sukkot (see Deuteronomy Ft – The Reading of Deuteronomy) during the Year of Release (see Deuteronomy Cy – The Year of Release). He wanted every Israelite to be aware of, and understand, His expectations of them. They were to completely destroy the Canaanites (see Deuteronomy Ca – Warning Against Idolatry). Ha’Shem didn’t want the filth of the Canaanite society and religion to contaminate His people Isra’el. She was, and is, the apple of His eye (Deuteronomy 32:10), chosen to fulfill divine purposes in this world. Isra’el would be given the knowledge of the true and living God, the Holy Scriptures, and the Savior. In order to accomplish God’s purposes, the nation had to be separated from all other nations, for if Isra’el was polluted, how could the Holy Son of God come into the world? Ha’Shem is continually at war with sin. This is the explanation for His desire that the Canaanites would be totally exterminated. But Isra’el didn’t obey.

The Failure of Manasseh (1:27-28): The cities mentioned in this verse controlled one of the most important trade-routs of Canaan, which passed through the valleys of Jezreel and Esdraelon and formed a wedge between the Israelites occupying the hill country to the north and south. While victories were recorded in Joshua 12:21 and 23 against the kings of some of these cities, it is clear that the Canaanites were able to dominate the low-lying areas, where they were able to deploy their chariots effectively (Joshua 17:11-13).²⁵

According to the book of Joshua, the tribe of Manasseh received two territories, one east of the Jordan, allotted to it by Moses (Joshua 13:29-31), and the other west of the Jordan given to it by Joshua (Joshua 17:1-11). Only the latter is in view here in Judges 1. According to Joshua 22:9, the eastern half of the tribe of Manasseh had already gone back across the Jordan and settled in its territory there. Interestingly, according to Joshua 17:11 all the towns mentioned here in Judges 1:27 belonged to a special category; they were assigned to Manasseh, but actually lay within the territory of the tribes of Issachar and Asher, to Manasseh’s north. Why Manasseh’s border was not drawn further north we do not know. It is easy to understand, however, why Manasseh, as a more numerous and powerful tribe than its northern neighbors, was assigned the task of conquering and occupying the following particular cities: But the tribe of Manasseh failed to drive out the people living in Beth-shean, Taanach, Dor, Ibleam, Megiddo, and all their surrounding settlement, because the Canaanites were determined to stay in that region (1:27 NLT).²⁶

A glance at a map, however, will show that these cities were widely separated, so that, while the Canaanites were able to maintain control of the valley itself, there would still be considerable freedom of movement between the Israelites and the highlands that were nearby. Beth-shean was an important fortress commanding the junction between the Jordan valley and the valley of Jezreel. Ibleam controlled the southern exit of the Esdraelon valley to Shechem and Bethel. Taanach was five miles south-east of Megiddo, with which it is often associated (Joshua 12:21, 17:11, Judges 5:19, First Kings 4:12), and these two cities dominated the south-western pass from the Esdraelon valley to the Plain of Sharon and beyond. Megiddo was under Egyptian control until the middle of the twelfth century BC when it was suddenly destroyed, remaining unoccupied for a considerable period of time (5:19). Dor was situated on the Mediterranean coast just south of Mount Carmel.²⁷ However, when the Israelites grew stronger, they forced the Canaanites to work as slaves. We are not informed when the final subjugation took place, but it could not have been before king David’s reign. The Israelites’ struggle with the Philistines must have weakened their power already in the days of king Sha’ul, because Beth-shean was in Philistine hands at that time. All these cities became subject to Solomon (First Kings 4:11ff), but then never drove them out completely (1:28 NLT). This is the key problem that sets the stage for the rest of the book. The territory allotted to Ephraim lay immediately south of Manasseh’s, and it extended from the Jordan River to the coastal plain (Joshua 16:5-9).

The Failure of Ephraim (1:29): Now the author provides the summary statement that we might have expected in 1:22. The tribe of Ephraim failed to drive out the Canaanites living in Gezer, so the Canaanites continued to live there among them (1:29 NLT). Gezer is mentioned in Joshua 21:21 as one of the cities in Ephraim’s territory that was set aside for the Levites. But taking it proved to be very difficult. It lay in the foothills on the southwestern border of Ephraim (Joshua 16:3), about 19 miles west-northwest of Jerusalem, overlooking the coastal plain. Gezer lay at a key ancient crossroad where the trunk road leads to Jerusalem and sits in the hills where it branches off from the Via Maris [Way of the Sea].

It seems likely that the Ephraimites, finding Gezer in a weakened state after the defeat of its army by Joshua, were able to enter the city and establish a strong presence there; but they either could not or simply didn’t expel its Canaanite inhabitants, who continued to live there among them. Given this situation, plus the generally chaotic nature of the times, it’s not surprising that Gezer and other cities set aside for the Levites were not realized during the period of the judges. This also helps to explain the unsettled condition of the Levites seen at the end of the book (see Bz – The Epilogue of Judges).²⁸

In the far eschatological future, Joseph, Ephraim’s father will be substituted in the list of undefiled Jews who will be part of the 144,000 during the Great Tribulation (see the commentary on Revelation Cr – Then I Heard the Number of Those Who were Sealed, 144,000 from all the Tribes of Isra’el), because like Dan (see below), they became synonymous with spiritual adultery. After the death of Solomon they set up a golden calf to substitute for the true worship of ADONAI in Jerusalem. Mercifully, however, Dan and Ephraim, will have a portion of Land in the Messianic Kingdom (Ezeki’el 48:1-29).²⁹

The Failure of Zebulun (1:30): The tribe of Zebulun failed similarly to Manasseh and Ephriam because they didn’t drive out the residents of Kitron and Nahalol. As a result, again, the Canaanites continued to live among them. But for those the people of Zebulun were able to subdue, the Canaanites were forced to work as slaves (1:30 NLT).

The Failure of Asher (1:31-32): While most of the tribes were able to occupy at least some part of their allotted territory the tribe of Asher seems to have failed completely to dislodge the Canaanites, hence the significant charge that the tribe of Asher failed to drive out the residents of Acco, Sidon, Ahlab, Aczib, Helbah, aphik, and Rehob (1:31 NLT). The first four cities listed here were all situated on the coast north of Mount Carmel. In this area the Canaanite inhabitants of the land retained the strength which was lost elsewhere, and this region developed into the important maritime kingdom of Phoenicia, which David and Solomon entered into alliance (Second Samuel 5:11 and First Kings 5:1-12). It was the Phoenician princess, Jezebel (see the commentary on Elijah and Elisha At – The Wrath of Jesebel), who introduced the worship of Ba’al into Isra’el following her marriage to Ahab (First Kings 16:31), with disastrous results. Instead, the people of Asher moved in among the Canaanites, who controlled the land, for they failed to drive them out (1:32 NLT). The same situation applied to the tribes of Naphtali and Dan. We must understand that the allocated territories given by Joshua were merely goals. But what was intended was never achieved and the resulting disorganization affected the tribal boundaries which were completely occupied by Canaanites!³⁰

The Failure of Naphtali (1:33): Naphtali’s allotted territory as described in Joshua 19:32-39 was to the east and north of Zebulun’s. Its northern half bordered directly on Asher’s territory, and on the south it had a common border with Issachar. Likewise, the tribe of Naphtali failed to drive out the residents of Beth-shemesh [House of the Sun God] and Beth-anath [House of Anath, the Canaanite goddess of fertility and war]. These two cities hint at their deeper significance for what was happening in Judges Chapter One. Not merely a military clash for control of land, but a clash between two mutually incompatible religious cultures: The worship of YHVH versus the worship of natural phenomena such as the sun or gods such as Anath. Furthermore, given Isra’el’s belief in the one true God (see the commentary on Deuteronomy Bw – Sh’ma Isra’el), no accommodation was possible without compromising the very heart of Isra’el’s covenant faith. But they did compromise. Instead, finding the Canaanites in these cities too entrenched to expel, they moved in among the Canaanites, who controlled the land. However, the Israelites eventually wrestled control away from the Canaanites and the people of Beth-shemesh and Beth-anath were forced to work as slaves for the people of Naphtali (1:33 NLT). Unfortunately, as the rest of the book shows, the Israelites were in turn subdued by the Canaanite gods. So, this brief report of Naphtali’s fortunes is a kind of microcosm of what happened to Isra’el as a whole following Joshua’s death.

The Failure of Dan (1:34-35): The failures of the northern tribes reached a climax when the tribe of Dan was unable to occupy the territory allotted to them due to the opposition of the Amorites and then the pressure of the Philistines (Joshua 19:41-46). They were forced back into the hill country, where they were confined to a very small area on the border of Judah because the Amorites would not let them come down into the plains (1:34 NLT). This note is important in two ways: first, it anticipates the northern migration of the tribe of Dan later in Chapter 18 (see Cb – The Migration of Dan to the North); and second, because Dan was being forced back into the hill country, it marks the end of the decline of Isra’el’s fortunes in Chapter One. The final sad story of Dan also corresponds to the final sad story of Samson the Danite in the series of twelve judges. The Amorites were determined to stay in Mount Heres, Aijalon, and Shaalbrim, but when [the tribe of Manasseh] became stronger, they forced the Amorites to work as slaves before they migrated (1:35 NLT). Rather than having no pity and destroying them, the tribe of Manasseh used them for forced labor.³¹

In the far eschatological future, the tribe of Dan will be omitted from the list of undefiled Jews who will be part of the 144,000 during the Great Tribulation (see the commentary on Revelation Cr – Then I Heard the Number of Those Who were Sealed, 144,000 from all the Tribes of Isra’el). Dan was the first tribe in Isra’el to introduce and embrace idol worship. After the death of Solomon they established a false priesthood and set up a golden calf to be worshiped, turning away from the true worship of ADONAI in Jerusalem. (see the commentary on the Life of King Solomon Dd – Golden Calves at Dan and Bethel). Mercifully, however, Ephraim and Dan, will have a portion of Land in the Messianic Kingdom (Ezeki’el 48:1-29).³²

The Amorite Appendix (1:36): The failure of the tribe of Dan is immediately followed with a description of the border of the Amorites, a striking reminder to us of Isra’el’s failure in its struggle against the Canaanites introduced at the beginning of the chapter. The border of the Amorites ran from the ascent of Akrabbim, from Sela and upward (1:36 ESV). By the time we reach the end of the chapter, the focus has shifted away from the more or less successful occupation and settlement of conquered territory. This verse is telling us that when the whole process of conquest and settlement had run its course, the only border of any significance was the border of the Amorites. Simply put, the Amorites/Canaanites were still the people of the land, and far from driving them out, the Israelites lived among them. So, this verse provides a final mocking comment on the chapter as a whole, since it contains no reference to the northern tribes; indeed, no part of Isra’el at all . . . a silence that speaks volumes about her failure to reach the high expectations with which the chapter began.³³

After some short-lived success, the northern tribes descended into spiritual adultery. This would set the stage for the disastrous reigns of most of the kings of the Northern Kingdom after the death of Solomon (see the commentary on the Life of Solomon Dn – The Kings of Isra’el), and ultimately, the Babylonian Captivity (see Jeremiah Gu – Seventy Years of Imperial Babylonian Rule).

This survey of Isra’el’s fortunes after the death of Joshua begins positively enough, with the Israelites consulting ADONAI, the tribes of Judah and Simeon cooperating, and families functioning normally. Even so, this chapter is saturated by unfulfilled commitment, incomplete obedience, and compromising tolerance. Even when the Israelites gain the upper hand over the Canaanites, they refuse to carry out God’s agenda. Instead of reshaping the world in the image of ADONAI’s will, they live in and with the world (First John 2:15-16). Instead of making this the land of the people of God, they become like the people of the land. This not only explains why the time of the judges turned out to be so dark, but it also serves as a permanent reminder of the deadly consequences of compromise and disobedience to all who claim to be the people of God. At the same time, the chapter announces that if anything positive is accomplished by the people of God, it is because of His gracious presence and His action on our behalf.³⁴

But we cannot leave Chapter 1 without finding some encouragement alongside those relating to Jerusalem and Bethel. This is the account of the capture of Debir, which has already appeared in Joshua 15:14-19, but is no doubt recounted here in 1:11-15 because it points forward to so much else that we shall find in Judges. For the moment, we simply note one thing. In taking the Canaanite town, Othniel also wins the hand of Caleb’s daughter, and fruitful farmland with it; that is, in a chapter which is generally very disappointing we have a story of a task well done, a promise kept, a gift given, and a marriage made. As the rest of Scripture unfolds, we are aware that marriage is going to symbolize the relationship between God and His people. Maybe we have here one key to Judges, the hope that where Isra’el’s behavior is wedded to His judgments, and her behaviors to His power; then, Isra’el becomes the bride of her LORD, and things begin to be as they should.³⁵

Dear heavenly Father, praise You for always being so wonderful! What a joy it is to know that no battle is too hard for You. However, Your people must be obedient to Your Word for the victories to be won. As believers, You will be with us, but we must obey. Isra’el will always be the apple of Your eye; however, when she sins against you and violates Your covenant with her, there will always be consequences. We bow before You in love, willing to fight whatever battles You have for us. In Messiah Yeshua’s holy Name and power of His resurrection. Amen