Judges 1:4 Meaning and Explanation
“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.”
King James Version (KJV)
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Read Full Chapter →Judah advances, and the LORD gives the Canaanites and Perizzites into their hand at Bezek.
What Does Judges 1:4 Mean?
Judah acts on the promise of verse two, and the result matches the word given. The LORD delivers both the Canaanites and the Perizzites into Israel's hand, and a great host falls at Bezek. The text is careful to credit the victory to the LORD, not to Judah's might; the tribe went up, but it was God who handed the enemy over.
Obedience and divine action meet in this verse. Israel marched, but the deliverance was God's doing. So it always is when His people move at His command: the effort is theirs, the triumph is His. The sober note of ten thousand fallen also reminds the reader that this is real warfare in a fallen world, and that the land was being cleared of the violence and idolatry that filled it.
Frequently Asked Questions About Judges 1:4
What does Judges 1:4 mean?
Judah advances, and the LORD gives the Canaanites and Perizzites into their hand at Bezek.