Judges 1 26

Judges 1:26 kjv

And the man went into the land of the Hittites, and built a city, and called the name thereof Luz: which is the name thereof unto this day.

Judges 1:26 nkjv

And the man went to the land of the Hittites, built a city, and called its name Luz, which is its name to this day.

Judges 1:26 niv

He then went to the land of the Hittites, where he built a city and called it Luz, which is its name to this day.

Judges 1:26 esv

And the man went to the land of the Hittites and built a city and called its name Luz. That is its name to this day.

Judges 1:26 nlt

Later the man moved to the land of the Hittites, where he built a town. He named it Luz, which is its name to this day.

Judges 1 verses

Judges 1 26 Meaning

(h2)Judges 1:26 states that the man who betrayed the city of Luz (Bethel) was allowed by the house of Joseph to go free. This individual subsequently journeyed into the land inhabited by the Hittites, where he constructed a new city. He named this new settlement Luz, a name that continued to be associated with it up to the time the Book of Judges was written.

Judges 1 26 Context

(h2)Judges chapter 1 portrays the initial efforts of Israelite tribes to take full possession of the land of Canaan after Joshua's death. Unlike Joshua's more unified campaigns, this chapter highlights a decentralized, tribal approach, often marked by partial obedience to God's command to utterly dispossess the inhabitants. Specifically, verses 22-25 detail how the "house of Joseph" (Ephraim and Manasseh) successfully captured Luz (which Jacob had renamed Bethel). Their success was facilitated by a local informant, whom they then spared. This verse (1:26) immediately follows this event, describing the subsequent fate of that spared individual. It underscores the consequences of their decision to show mercy to an inhabitant rather than fully fulfilling God's mandate for disinheritance.

Judges 1 26 Word analysis

(h2)(ul)

• And the man (וְהָאִישׁ - və-hā’îš): This phrase refers directly to the anonymous individual from verse 25, whose actions led to the capture of Luz. His anonymity emphasizes his role as a type, representing the lingering non-Israelite presence.
• went (וַיֵּלֶךְ - vay-yeleḵ): A simple verb signifying purposeful travel and relocation, indicating a deliberate separation from Israelite control and culture.
• into the land of the Hittites (אֶרֶץ הַחִתִּים - ’ereṣ ha-ḥittîm): The Hittites, though previously a major empire in Anatolia, also referred to various smaller city-states or enclaves existing within or adjacent to Canaan during this period. This indicates a destination outside immediate Israelite dominion, possibly in northern Syria, showing the informant sought refuge among a familiar non-Israelite culture.
• and built (וַיִּבֶן - vay-yiben): Denotes an act of construction and establishment. This highlights the man's agency and capability to found a significant settlement, rather than simply becoming a refugee.
• a city (עִיר - ‘îr): More than a mere dwelling, establishing a city implies a collective effort and the presence of followers, perhaps kin or others dispossessed from Canaan. It suggests a new center of non-Israelite life was established.
• and called the name thereof Luz (וַיִּקְרָא שְׁמָהּ לוּז - vay-yiqrā’ šə-māh luz): The act of naming reflects establishing identity and sovereignty. Naming the new city after his old home, Luz, is profoundly ironic. While the original Luz was transformed by Israel into Bethel ("House of God"), this man's "Luz" signifies the pagan continuation of his former life in a foreign land.
• which is the name thereof unto this day (הוּא שְׁמָהּ עַד הַיּוֹם הַזֶּה - hū šə-māh ‘ad hay-yōm haz-zeh): This is a conventional literary device found frequently in historical narratives of the Hebrew Bible. It attests to the lasting nature of the name or event, affirming its historicity for the reader at the time the text was compiled. It confirms the ongoing existence of this distinct, non-Israelite entity.(ul)
• "went into the land of the Hittites, and built a city": This phrase captures the immediate consequence of the house of Joseph's "mercy." Instead of being assimilated or truly neutralised, the man established a new center of activity and identity outside the bounds of Israel, representing a failure to fully clear the land of God's commanded adversaries.
• "and called the name thereof Luz: which is the name thereof unto this day": The naming of the new city "Luz" powerfully juxtaposes the old city's transformation into Bethel ("House of God") under Israelite rule with this man's establishment of a pagan "Luz." The perpetuation of this name "unto this day" subtly implies that while Israel struggled with incomplete obedience, the consequences of that partiality – namely, persistent non-Israelite influences – endured long past the conquest era.

Judges 1 26 Bonus section

(h2)(ul)

• The incident concerning this anonymous man illustrates a broader pattern in Judges: individual tribes often made independent decisions during the conquest phase, which frequently fell short of God's complete directive for dispossessing the inhabitants. This decentralization and pragmatic approach stood in contrast to the unified command under Joshua.
• The "land of the Hittites" in this verse may not refer to the historical Hittite Empire (which had largely declined by this period) but rather to surviving Neo-Hittite city-states or distinct ethnic groups inhabiting parts of northern Syria or pockets within Canaan itself. This specific mention suggests the man found an accepting environment among people culturally or ethnically similar to his own.
• The establishment of "Luz" by this individual serves as a literary counterpoint to the transformation of the original Luz into "Bethel," which meant "House of God" after Jacob's divine encounter (Gen 28:19). The new "Luz" by a non-Israelite, lacking that sacred association, implies a continued non-divine, pagan sphere alongside or near the Israelite domain.
• While not explicitly stated as an act of hostility, the existence of this independent city, founded by a former Canaanite, potentially created a new, autonomous center outside the sphere of the tribes of Israel, illustrating how uneradicated foreign elements could re-establish themselves and persist, posing a potential ongoing threat to Israel's God-given boundaries and spiritual integrity.

Judges 1 26 Commentary

(h2)Judges 1:26 offers a concise yet telling detail within the broader narrative of Israel's partial conquest of Canaan. While the house of Joseph gained a strategic victory at Luz (Bethel) by sparing an informant, this verse reveals an unforeseen consequence: the spared man did not assimilate into Israel but instead established a new, lasting non-Israelite presence. His act of building and naming a new "Luz" among the Hittites symbolizes the persistence of distinct Canaanite identity and culture outside of Israel's direct control. This episode highlights how the practical compromises of Israel's tribal actions, departing from God's full command to dispossess, could lead to ongoing foreign enclaves or influences. It serves as a subtle literary device showing how a momentary "success" (gaining Bethel) led to a long-term implication (the founding of a parallel "Luz"), contributing to the larger problem of Israel's incomplete purification of the land, which in turn leads to the cycles of sin and judgment throughout the book of Judges.