Judges 1 18

Judges 1:18 kjv

Also Judah took Gaza with the coast thereof, and Askelon with the coast thereof, and Ekron with the coast thereof.

Judges 1:18 nkjv

Also Judah took Gaza with its territory, Ashkelon with its territory, and Ekron with its territory.

Judges 1:18 niv

Judah also took Gaza, Ashkelon and Ekron?each city with its territory.

Judges 1:18 esv

Judah also captured Gaza with its territory, and Ashkelon with its territory, and Ekron with its territory.

Judges 1:18 nlt

In addition, Judah captured the towns of Gaza, Ashkelon, and Ekron, along with their surrounding territories.

Judges 1 verses

Judges 1 18 Meaning

Judges 1:18 states that the tribe of Judah successfully captured Gaza, Ashkelon, and Ekron, along with their surrounding territories, during their initial efforts to take possession of the promised land after the death of Joshua. This verse records an early victory for Judah against powerful Philistine cities.

Judges 1 18 Context

Judges 1:18 is set in the transitional period immediately following the death of Joshua, marking the beginning of the "Judges" era. After initial questions to the Lord, the tribe of Judah, accompanied by Simeon, takes the lead in clearing out their tribal allotment in the Promised Land. The preceding verses (Judges 1:1-17) recount some initial victories and alliances, demonstrating partial obedience and success, particularly in the hill country and south. However, this verse concerning the Philistine cities introduces a critical tension that becomes clear in the very next verse (Judges 1:19). The conquest described in Judges 1:18 represents Judah's bold push into the strategic Philistine plain, a difficult and often contested region. This action reflects the initial zeal and God's assistance in fulfilling the promises of the land.

Judges 1 18 Word analysis

• Also (וְגַם wəḡam): A connective particle, indicating continuity and adding another item to the list of Judah's activities and successes mentioned in the preceding verses. It links this conquest to Judah's broader initial efforts.
• Judah (יְהוּדָה yəhûḏâ): The lead tribe in Israel's conquest after Joshua. Its preeminence in military efforts reflects God's choice and the fulfillment of earlier blessings, particularly Jacob's prophecy in Genesis 49:8-10.
• took (וַיִּלְכֹּ֣ד wayyilkōḏ): From the Hebrew root לכד (lakad), meaning "to seize," "capture," "conquer," or "take possession of." It denotes a military act of capture. However, in light of Judges 1:19 and later Philistine history, this "taking" might indicate a temporary capture, a partial control, or a successful assault on the city proper rather than a complete and permanent eradication of their power or dispossessing all inhabitants from the region.
• Gaza (עַזָּה ʿAzzah): A prominent city of the Philistine Pentapolis, located on the southern coastal plain. Its name means "strong." It was a key trade route city and a powerful stronghold, demonstrating a significant military accomplishment.
• with the coast thereof (וְאֶת־גְּבוּלָהּ wəʾeṯ-gəḇûlāh): From the Hebrew word גְּבוּל (gəbûl), meaning "border," "territory," "region," or "boundary." This indicates that Judah conquered not just the walled city itself but also its surrounding villages and agricultural lands, essential for controlling the area's resources.
• and Askelon (וְאֶת־אַשְׁקְלֹ֥ון wəʾeṯ-ʾAšqəlôn): Another major city of the Philistine Pentapolis, located on the central coast. Like Gaza, it was a strong and strategic Philistine stronghold.
• and Ekron (וְאֶת־עֶקְרֹ֖ון wəʾeṯ-ʿEqrôn): The northernmost major Philistine city of the Pentapolis, also vital for trade and military control. Its name relates to the idea of "uprooting" or "sterility."

Words-group by words-group analysis:

• "Also Judah took...": This phrase highlights the initiator (Judah) and the action (taking/capturing), connecting this victory to Judah's role as the leading tribe blessed by God (Genesis 49). It indicates successful military initiative.
• "...Gaza with the coast thereof, and Askelon with the coast thereof, and Ekron with the coast thereof.": This list of specific cities emphasizes the strategic importance of the captured targets. These were major Philistine centers in the coastal plain. The repetition of "with the coast thereof" underscores that the conquest extended beyond mere city walls, implying control over valuable territory. The naming of specific locations underlines the historical claim being made by the text, although as seen in the very next verse (Judg 1:19), the nature of this "taking" would be critically qualified.

Judges 1 18 Bonus section

The historical reality suggested by other biblical texts (e.g., the books of Samuel, prophecies against Philistia) is that these cities largely remained under Philistine control for centuries. This tension between Judges 1:18 and Judges 1:19 is central to understanding the theme of the Book of Judges: the consequences of partial obedience. It's plausible that while Judah secured temporary footholds or even captured the cities briefly, they failed to eradicate the Philistine presence or to hold permanent, firm control due to their technological inferiority (iron chariots) and lack of complete trust in God to overcome this obstacle. This reflects a human limitation or reluctance that countered the divine promise and ability to deliver. The phrase "the coast thereof" signifies valuable agricultural land and trade routes associated with each city, underscoring the importance of what Judah could have fully secured. These Philistine cities continued to pose a threat, eventually leading to periods of Israelite oppression.

Judges 1 18 Commentary

Judges 1:18 initially portrays Judah's remarkable success in conquering three vital Philistine strongholds—Gaza, Ashkelon, and Ekron, along with their territories. This seemingly complete victory fulfills the divine mandate to dispossess the inhabitants of Canaan and aligns with Judah's inheritance (Josh 15:45-47). It suggests the Lord's presence and power empowering Israel to overcome formidable enemies. However, the subsequent verse, Judges 1:19, presents a stark contrast: "And the LORD was with Judah; and he drave out the inhabitants of the mountain; but could not drive out the inhabitants of the valley, because they had chariots of iron." This immediate qualification means that Judah's "taking" of the coastal cities was either a temporary hold, a partial conquest of the cities but not their broader regional control, or that the control was not effectively maintained, particularly in the flatter regions where Philistine iron chariots were decisive. The initial success in verse 18 sets up the recurring pattern in the Book of Judges: God enables, Israel falters due to incomplete obedience. This verse, therefore, represents a flash of what could have been, an initial success tainted by the broader failure to completely obey God's command, which ultimately left the powerful Philistines as a constant thorn in Israel's side throughout their early history (1 Samuel 5-7).