Judges 1:24 kjv
And the spies saw a man come forth out of the city, and they said unto him, Show us, we pray thee, the entrance into the city, and we will show thee mercy.
Judges 1:24 nkjv
And when the spies saw a man coming out of the city, they said to him, "Please show us the entrance to the city, and we will show you mercy."
Judges 1:24 niv
the spies saw a man coming out of the city and they said to him, "Show us how to get into the city and we will see that you are treated well."
Judges 1:24 esv
And the spies saw a man coming out of the city, and they said to him, "Please show us the way into the city, and we will deal kindly with you."
Judges 1:24 nlt
They confronted a man coming out of the town and said to him, "Show us a way into the town, and we will have mercy on you."
Judges 1 24 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Gen 12:7-8 | "The LORD appeared to Abram and said, 'To your offspring I will give this land'... from there he moved... to a mountain east of Bethel..." | Significance of Bethel's land promise. |
| Gen 28:10-22 | Jacob's dream at Luz, renaming it Bethel ("House of God"). | Bethel's spiritual importance, sacred ground. |
| Num 13:1-2, 17-20 | Moses sending spies to scout Canaan. | Spying as a military tactic. |
| Num 21:1-3 | Israel's vow to utterly destroy cities of Arad if given victory. | Context of the "ban" (herem). |
| Deut 7:1-6 | Command to utterly destroy Canaanite nations, no covenant, no mercy. | Divine command against compromise. |
| Deut 20:10-18 | Laws of warfare: offer peace to distant cities, destroy those in the land. | Contrast: this act is outside the "ban". |
| Josh 2:1, 9-14 | Joshua sending spies to Jericho; Rahab hiding them and asking for mercy. | Parallel: Canaanite betrayal for self-preservation, but by faith. |
| Josh 6:22-25 | Rahab and her family spared by Joshua because of the spies' oath. | Fulfillment of a promise of mercy to a traitor. |
| Josh 7:1 | Achan's sin by taking devoted things, violating the "ban." | Consequence of Israel's disobedience regarding the "ban." |
| Josh 9:3-21 | The Gibeonites deceive Israel into a covenant. | Another instance of Israel's compromise/deception leading to leniency. |
| Judg 1:19 | Judah unable to drive out the inhabitants of the plain because of iron chariots. | Context of incomplete conquest due to pragmatic reasons. |
| Judg 1:25-26 | The man shows the entrance; Israelites spare him, he goes to build a city in Hittite land. | Immediate consequence of the deal. |
| Prov 28:13 | "Whoever conceals their sins does not prosper, but the one who confesses and renounces them finds mercy." | Concept of mercy tied to repentance. |
| Isa 55:7 | "Let the wicked forsake their ways... and to our God, for he will profusely pardon." | Mercy as a divine attribute. |
| Hos 6:6 | "For I desire mercy, not sacrifice, and acknowledgment of God rather than burnt offerings." | God's priority for mercy over strict ritual. |
| Matt 5:7 | "Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy." | New Testament teaching on showing mercy. |
| Matt 9:13 | Jesus quotes Hos 6:6: "Go and learn what this means: 'I desire mercy, not sacrifice.'" | NT emphasis on mercy/compassion. |
| James 2:13 | "Judgment without mercy will be shown to anyone who has not been merciful. Mercy triumphs over judgment." | Mercy as a core Christian principle. |
| Gen 43:30 | Joseph's hidden emotional display towards Benjamin, showing racham (compassion). | Biblical concept of brotherly/familial compassion. |
| 1 Sam 24:12-22 | David showing mercy to Saul, securing an oath for his family. | Strategic mercy in conflict. |
| Zech 7:9 | "Thus says the LORD of hosts: Render true judgments, show kindness and mercy to one another." | Prophetic command for kindness and mercy. |
Judges 1 verses
Judges 1 24 Meaning
Judges 1:24 describes an instance during Israel's conquest of Canaan where the "house of Joseph" (comprising the tribes of Ephraim and Manasseh) were besieging the city of Luz (which later became known as Bethel). During their siege, their reconnaissance team, referred to as "watchers," encountered a man leaving the city. They proposed a deal to him: if he would reveal a vulnerable entry point into the city, they would spare his life and extend kindness to him, implying protection and a reprieve from the destruction facing the city's inhabitants. This verse details the initiation of a pragmatic negotiation by the Israelites, prioritizing strategic gain over strict adherence to the divine command for utter destruction of the Canaanites.
Judges 1 24 Context
This verse is situated in the opening chapter of the book of Judges, which describes the period immediately following Joshua's death. Unlike the united efforts under Joshua, this era sees individual tribes or groups of tribes attempting to secure their inherited territories, often with mixed success. Judges 1:22-26 specifically details the campaign of the "house of Joseph" (Ephraim and Manasseh) against Luz, an ancient city also known as Bethel. The wider context of Judges 1 is one of incomplete conquest. Despite divine commands to utterly destroy the Canaanites and avoid alliances with them (Deut 7:1-6), the Israelites often faltered, either due to military limitations (Judg 1:19) or pragmatic choices, as seen in this verse. This incomplete obedience would later lead to significant religious and social issues, including the adoption of Canaanite practices and continuous cycles of apostasy, oppression, and deliverance, which characterize the rest of the book of Judges. The act described in verse 24, a negotiated truce based on a local betrayal, exemplifies Israel's gradual departure from the rigorous adherence to God's commandments for conquest.
Word Analysis
- And the watchers (וַיִּרְאוּ הַשֹּׁמְרִים - vayir'u hash-shomrim):
- Watchers (shomrim): Refers to a specific group engaged in observation or surveillance, indicating they were spies or scouts from the Israelite army. This is distinct from regular soldiers and implies a deliberate strategy.
- saw a man (אִישׁ יֹצֵא - ish yotzei):
- Man (ish): A generic term, indicating an ordinary male inhabitant, not a military leader. His anonymity makes him representative of opportunism.
- Coming out (yotzei): Suggests he was leaving the city perhaps unnoticed by his own people, offering the Israelite "watchers" an unexpected opportunity for interaction.
- out of the city (מִן־הָעִיר - min ha'ir):
- Refers to Luz/Bethel, indicating a point of vulnerability or movement observed by the scouts.
- and they said unto him, Show us (וַיֹּאמְרוּ לוֹ הַרְאֵנוּ - vayomeru lo ha'r'enu):
- A direct address and proposition. "Show us" is an imperative, yet softened by the following plea.
- we pray thee, the entrance into the city (נָא אֶת־מְבוֹא הָעִיר - na et mevo ha'ir):
- Pray thee (na): A polite but insistent plea, emphasizing their earnestness.
- Entrance (mavo): Implies a strategic weak point, not necessarily the main gate. This was crucial for an easy capture without significant losses.
- and we will show thee mercy (וְנַעֲשֶׂה עִמְּךָ חָסֶד - v'na'aseh im'cha chesed):
- Mercy (chesed): A crucial term meaning covenant loyalty, steadfast love, kindness, or grace. In this context, it signifies a conditional act of sparing life and extending protection based on a transaction, rather than pure benevolence. It's a pragmatic "mercy," contrasting with God's unconditional chesed. The Hebrew implies a specific act of kindness or an agreement, not merely a feeling. It's an operational agreement between two parties.
- Word Group: Show us...and we will show thee mercy:
- This phrase highlights a pragmatic exchange. The Israelites, rather than relying solely on God's strength or upholding the complete destruction of Canaanites, engage in a bargain. This transactional chesed is conditional, contingent upon betrayal, and reveals a human-centric approach to conquest, emphasizing expedience over adherence to divine commands for the herem (the ban).
Judges 1 24 Commentary
Judges 1:24 is a brief but pivotal narrative demonstrating the practical approach Israel began to adopt after Joshua's strong leadership. It highlights a common theme in Judges: incomplete obedience and pragmatism overriding divine commands. Instead of waiting for divine intervention or completely devastating the city, the "house of Joseph" (representing a significant portion of Israel) opts for a strategic shortcut. By offering chesed (mercy/kindness) to a native Canaanite in exchange for military intelligence, they prioritize convenience and minimize their own casualties. This incident stands in stark contrast to the divine command for the total expulsion or destruction of the Canaanites (Deut 7:1-6), as their continued presence would prove to be a snare (Judg 2:2-3). While seemingly a wise military move, it subtly compromises Israel's unique calling as God's separated people. The chesed shown here is not driven by the spiritual principles often associated with the term (e.g., God's covenant love) but by self-interest and military gain. This sets a dangerous precedent for future compromises and syncretism that plague Israel throughout the period of the Judges.
Bonus SectionThe act of sparing the man from Luz (Bethel) leads directly to his establishment of a new city in "the land of the Hittites" (Judg 1:26). This detail is significant as it demonstrates how a spared Canaanite not only survived but perpetuated a Canaanite cultural presence elsewhere, contrasting with the ideal of a cleansed land for Israel. Some scholars suggest "land of the Hittites" might refer to a broader northern Syrian region or that the term was a general ethnonym for peoples of Canaan at the time. This strategic "mercy" directly contributes to the dilution of the conquest's original divine purpose. The historical significance of Bethel (Luz) itself as a prominent site of pagan worship in the Northern Kingdom later (1 Kings 12:28-29) provides an ironic backdrop to this verse. The city, sacred in Israelite history due to Jacob's vision (Gen 28), eventually became a center of apostasy, embodying the consequences of Israel's early compromises like the one detailed here.