Judges 1:24-25
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The spies don't just ask for a way into the city, but for "the entrance," implying they’re looking for a weakness or a secret path, not just the main gate. Their promise of "mercy" is a tactical offer, a way to achieve their goal by exploiting this man's potential disloyalty.
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.” And he showed them the way into the city. And they struck the city with the edge of the sword, but they let the man and all his family go.
English Standard Version (ESV)
As the tribes of Israel begin to settle in the land, the tribe of Joseph (specifically Ephraim) is tasked with conquering Bethel. To do this, they send spies to scout the city, seeking an entrance, which leads them to encounter a man who betrays his own people by offering to show them a way in.
Sometimes, the quickest way to an objective isn't the most honorable. When the spies needed access, they found a willing guide.
The spies from the tribe of Joseph (specifically Ephraim, as noted in Judges 1:22) were on a mission to conquer cities that belonged to the Canaanites. They weren't looking for a fight in the open, but a way in.
When they encountered a man leaving the city, their immediate thought wasn't to force him, but to entice him. Their offer, 'we will deal kindly with you,' was essentially a bribe. They were promising safety and perhaps even reward in exchange for information about the city's weakest point or a secret entrance.
This strategy of using internal treachery was common in ancient warfare, especially when direct assault was too risky. The spies leveraged the man's fear or greed to achieve their goal quickly.
Is it ever right to exploit someone's weakness or disloyalty? The Bible doesn't shy away from these tough questions.
The spies' offer to 'deal kindly' with the man raises serious moral questions. This man was betraying his own people, acting as a traitor to gain his own safety. His actions were 'execrable,' as one commentator put it – deeply wrong and sinful.
However, from a military perspective, the Israelites were justified in using any means to conquer the Canaanites, who were under divine judgment. The land was given to Israel, and the Canaanites were to be driven out.
Yet, the text doesn't condone the man's treachery. It simply records the interaction. This highlights a tension: God's purposes can be worked out even through morally compromised individuals and situations. The spies weren't necessarily being wicked by accepting the help, but the man offering it was certainly acting sinfully.
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Understand the original words
ragalim · Hebrew Noun
Individuals sent to gather information or observe enemy positions; their reports were essential for military strategy and often tested the faith of the people of Israel.
chesed · Hebrew Noun
A Hebrew term (hesed) denoting covenantal loyalty, steadfast love, kindness, or mercy; it often implies an act of favor that goes beyond mere obligation.
lephi chareb · Hebrew Noun phrase
A phrase describing total military victory or conquest through warfare; it represents the judgment and power exerted by the Israelites against their enemies.
This verse reveals a critical moment in the early Israelite settlement: the tribes were not fully eradicating the Canaanites as commanded. Instead, they sometimes resorted to deception and bribery, like the spies here, highlighting a lapse in obedience and faith that would plague them throughout the period of the Judges.
c. 1406 BC
Israel Enters the Promised Land
Following the death of Moses and the leadership of Joshua, the Israelites cross the Jordan River and begin their conquest of Canaan.
c. 1405 BC
Joshua's Conquest of Canaan
Joshua leads the Israelites in a series of military campaigns, conquering significant cities and territories across Canaan. Major battles include Jericho, Ai, and Gibeon.
c. 1405 BC
Division of the Land
After the major military campaigns, the land of Canaan is divided among the twelve tribes of Israel according to God's instructions.
c. 1405 - 1385 BC— this verse
Partial Conquest by the Tribes
Following Joshua's death, the tribes are tasked with driving out the remaining inhabitants of Canaan in their assigned territories. This verse occurs during this period of incomplete conquest.
c. 1385 BC
Death of Joshua
The death of Joshua marks the end of an era of strong leadership and centralized authority, leading to a period where 'every man did that which was right in his own eyes.'
This passage directly parallels the spies' deceptive tactics and conditional promise of mercy, highlighting Rahab's role in aiding Israel by revealing secret ways into Jericho.
Genesis 12:2-3This foundational promise to Abraham underscores the divine mandate for Israel's conquest, suggesting that actions like the spies' might be seen within the larger framework of fulfilling God's plan, even if the methods appear ethically complex.
Deuteronomy 7:1-2This command to utterly destroy the Canaanites provides the ideological backdrop for why such deception might be considered permissible by Israel, as it served the ultimate purpose of securing the Promised Land for God's people.
1 Samuel 11:1-3This account shows a similar situation where negotiations and conditional mercy are offered by Israelite leaders (in this case, Saul) to an enemy, revealing a recurring pattern in how Israel interacted with hostile cities.
jfbJudges 1:24: "And the spies saw a man come forth out of the city, and they said unto him, Shew us, we pray thee, the entrance into the city, and we will shew thee mercy."
- the spies … said, … Show us, … the entrance into the city—that is, the avenues to the city, and the weakest part of the walls.we will show thee mercy—The Israelites might employ these means of getting possession of a place which was divinely appropriated to them: they might promise life and rewards to this man, though he a…
jfbJudges 1:22-26: "And the house of Joseph, they also went up against Bethel: and the LORD was with them."
Jud 1:22-26. Some Canaanites Left.22, 23. the house of Joseph—the tribe of Ephraim, as distinguished from Manasseh (Jud 1:27).
The spies don't just ask for a way into the city, but for "the entrance," implying they’re looking for a weakness or a secret path, not just the main gate. Their promise of "mercy" is a tactical offer, a way to achieve their goal by exploiting this man's potential disloyalty.
As the tribes of Israel begin to settle in the land, the tribe of Joseph (specifically Ephraim) is tasked with conquering Bethel. To do this, they send spies to scout the city, seeking an entrance, which leads them to encounter a man who betrays his own people by offering to show them a way in.
As the tribes of Israel begin to settle in the land, the tribe of Joseph (specifically Ephraim) is tasked with conquering Bethel. To do this, they send spies to scout the city, seeking an entrance, which leads them to encounter a man who betrays his own people by offering to show them a way in.
"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.” And he showed them the way into the city. And they struck the city with the edge of the sword,…" — The spies don't just ask for a way into the city, but for "the entrance," implying they’re looking for a weakness or a secret path, not just the main gate. Their promise of "mercy" is a tactical of…
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Last reviewed October 2026
