This passage seems to be a long list of ancient battles in distant places, with no possible relevance to our lives some 30 centuries later. However, a closer look suggests a pattern that is all too familiar, one we must carefully guard ourselves against.

The description of Israel's conquest begins in the southern region and traces Judah's campaign, which is much more successful than those of the other tribes-in the upland campaign around Jerusalem (vv. 4-8); the capture of the Hebron region (vv. 9-15); the southern campaign (vv. 16-17); and the coastal plain (v. 18). It is an impressive record of conquered Canaanite strongholds.

But there are two disturbing notes which indicate an emerging pattern that will grow increasingly prominent. The first is found in verse 6: Judah conquers Bezek, capturing the ″king″ and cutting off his thumbs and his big toes. This was an effective and brutal way of ending his military career; he could handle neither bow nor sword again. But mutilation was a pagan practice, not a biblical one. The men of Judah had been commanded to put him to death, but they were drawing their standards from the cultures around them, adopting Canaanite practices. Judah's obedience was only partial. The second note is found in verse 19. Judah is unable to drive out the inhabitants of the plains because they have iron chariots. This seems logical-the Canaanites had superior military technology that gave them an advantage. However, Yahweh had promised that He would drive out the enemy. In fact, Joshua had declared that ″though the Canaanites have chariots fitted with iron and though they are strong, you can drive them out″ (Joshua 17:18). The real reason why Judah did not have victory was because they did not fully trust their God. Diminished power is always the result of diminished faith.

The phrase, ″were unable to drive the people from the plains″ (Judges 1:19), is echoed throughout the rest of the chapter. Benjamin fails to drive out the Jebusites (v. 21), while Manasseh does not drive out the pagan inhabitants (vv. 27-28). The same record is given of Ephraim (v. 29), Zebulun (v. 30), and Asher (vv. 31-32). With Dan, we reach the lowest point (vv. 34-36): they are pressed into the hill country because the Amorites won't allow them to come down to the plain.

The lesson of Judges 1 is very clear. The people of Israel deliberately chose to obey God only partially. Rather than following the Lord wholeheartedly, they compromised. In a few short verses we have moved from conquest to compromised coexistence to capitulation. This is a pattern that will yield very bitter fruits.