And the LORD said, Judah shall go up: behold, I have delivered the land into his hand.
Judges 1:2 stands in Judges 1 within an explanatory introductory record in chapters 1 and 2 extending to 3:1-6. That record looks back to the last days of Joshua described in Joshua 24:28-31 and shows that not all of the country had been possessed. Historically it comes after the division and settling of the Promised Land among the tribes. It comes after Joshua's closing work and counsel, when nearing his end he rehearsed God's dealings before Israel, solemnly charged them to choose, and declared that he and his house would serve the Lord. Joshua then died at 110 years, and the verse stands sometime after his death at the beginning of the period covered by Judges.
It belongs to Judges 1 at the beginning of the book of Judges, which continues through chapter 21. The book is named for the leaders God raised up from time to time whose deeds it records. They were generally called to service in a time of great national crisis when the nation had gone into captivity, and for that reason were called saviours or judges through whom help came to Israel. The Lord appointed Judah to go up and lead Israel's campaign, declaring and assuring the tribe that He had delivered the land into Judah's hand.
The verse opens a new period in Israel's national life after deliverance from oppression, when the people were free to obey God and prosper or to choose self-will and bring ruin upon themselves. Its opening chapters show Israel's failure to carry out the instructions God gave and their consequent captivity. God's promise giving the land into Judah's hand means He was not responsible when Judah failed to drive out the inhabitants utterly. The failure came from lack of faith and distrust of God, with faith reaching only to the mountains and shrinking from iron chariots in the valley. The promise stood true, for Judah did conquer in the valleys and low country, including Ekron.
Judges 1:2 stands in Judges 1 within an explanatory introductory record in chapters 1 and 2 extending to 3:1-6. That record looks back to the last days of Joshua described in Joshua 24:28-31 and shows that not all of the country had been possessed. Historically it comes after the division and settling of the Promised Land among the tribes. It comes after Joshua's closing work and counsel, when nearing his end he rehearsed God's dealings before Israel, solemnly charged them to choose, and declared that he and his house would serve the Lord. Joshua then died at 110 years, and the verse stands sometime after his death at the beginning of the period covered by Judges.
It belongs to Judges 1 at the beginning of the book of Judges, which continues through chapter 21. The book is named for the leaders God raised up from time to time whose deeds it records. They were generally called to service in a time of great national crisis when the nation had gone into captivity, and for that reason were called saviours or judges through whom help came to Israel. The Lord appointed Judah to go up and lead Israel's campaign, declaring and assuring the tribe that He had delivered the land into Judah's hand.
The verse opens a new period in Israel's national life after deliverance from oppression, when the people were free to obey God and prosper or to choose self-will and bring ruin upon themselves. Its opening chapters show Israel's failure to carry out the instructions God gave and their consequent captivity. God's promise giving the land into Judah's hand means He was not responsible when Judah failed to drive out the inhabitants utterly. The failure came from lack of faith and distrust of God, with faith reaching only to the mountains and shrinking from iron chariots in the valley. The promise stood true, for Judah did conquer in the valleys and low country, including Ekron.