Judges 1:31-32
Asher did not drive out the inhabitants of Acco, or the inhabitants of Sidon or of Ahlab or of Achzib or of Helbah or of Aphik or of Rehob, so the Asherites lived among the Canaanites, the inhabitants of the land, for they did not drive them out.
English Standard Version (ESV)
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This isn't just a list of names; it's a crucial clue about how the tribe of Asher was already compromised. Despite being given a fertile land by God, they failed to push out the established inhabitants, choosing instead to coexist with them in their own territory.
This verse comes right after a list of Israelite tribes who successfully pushed back or subdued the Canaanites in their assigned territories. It highlights how the tribe of Asher, unlike many others, failed to drive out the original inhabitants of key cities along their coastal strip, leaving them to coexist with a foreign, and often idolatrous, population. This failure to complete the conquest sets the stage for future struggles and compromises for Israel.
Judges 1:31 lists a series of cities that the tribe of Asher failed to conquer. These weren't just any towns; they were significant coastal and inland locations.
The tribe of Asher, assigned a rich territory along the coast of Phoenicia, did not drive out the inhabitants of several key cities, including Acco (modern Acre) and Sidon. These were major Phoenician centers known for trade and influence.
A Strategic Oversight
The failure to conquer these cities meant that Israel allowed a foreign, often idolatrous, population to remain within their own promised land. This wasn't just a minor oversight; it was a strategic vulnerability. Cities like Acco and Sidon were powerful Phoenician strongholds. Allowing them to remain unconquered meant that the Israelites lived alongside people who would later influence them toward idolatry and compromise, as the book of Judges clearly illustrates.
The Wider Context
This verse is part of a larger pattern in Judges 1 where various tribes failed to fully dispossess the Canaanites as God had commanded. This often stemmed from a mix of fear, laziness, or a desire to exploit the existing populations for labor, rather than trusting God for complete victory and obedience.
Leaving the Canaanites in place wasn't a neutral act. It set a dangerous precedent with lasting, negative effects on Israel's spiritual and national well-being.
The repeated phrase 'did not drive out' in Judges 1 is a red flag. It signifies a failure to obey God's direct command to completely dispossess the Canaanites.
Seeds of Idolatry
When tribes like Asher allowed the original inhabitants to remain, they invited spiritual contamination. The Canaanites practiced idolatry, often involving sexual immorality and child sacrifice. Living alongside them meant constant exposure to these corrupting influences. As Judges unfolds, we see Israel repeatedly falling into idolatry, a direct consequence of failing to heed God's command for separation.
A Cycle of Failure
Understand the original words
yarash · Hebrew Verb
To dispossess, cast out, or evict, often used in the context of Israel taking possession of the Promised Land from the idolatrous nations. It carries the weight of a divine command and mission to cleanse the land of spiritual corruption.
Kena'ani · Hebrew Noun
The indigenous peoples of the Promised Land who were characterized by their idolatry and opposition to God’s covenant people. They represent the spiritual and moral obstacles Israel was commanded to remove to maintain holiness.
yashab · Hebrew Noun/Participle
Refers to those residing in a specific location; in this context, it emphasizes the people who remained in the land rather than being expelled, leading to the compromise of Israel's covenant responsibilities.
This verse highlights the ongoing struggle for full possession of the land, even generations after the initial conquest, showing that incomplete obedience and faithfulness led to continued presence of Canaanite peoples.
c. 1400 BC
Israelites settle Canaan
Following the Exodus, the Israelite tribes began to conquer and settle the land of Canaan, as instructed by God.
c. 1350 BC - 1200 BC
Egyptian influence in Canaan
During this period, Egypt exerted considerable influence and control over Canaanite cities, including coastal regions that would be claimed by Asher.
c. 1200 BC— this verse
Conquest and settlement by tribes
The Book of Judges describes the ongoing process of Israelite tribes taking possession of their allotted territories, often facing resistance from existing populations.
c. 1150 BC - 1050 BC
Period of Judges
This era was characterized by cycles of Israelite apostasy, oppression by surrounding nations, and deliverance through charismatic leaders known as judges.
This passage highlights the incomplete conquest of the Promised Land, setting the stage for the failures and struggles detailed in Judges, including the specific failures of the tribe of Asher mentioned in Judges 1:31.
Judges 1:21This verse immediately precedes the passage about Asher, showing that the failure to drive out the inhabitants was not an isolated incident but a recurring problem for several tribes, including Benjamin.
Judges 18:28This verse describes how the tribe of Dan, in a later part of the book of Judges, also failed to fully possess their inheritance and were consequently vulnerable to foreign oppression, mirroring Asher's situation.
Leviticus 26:7-8This prophetic warning from Leviticus speaks of God's promise to grant victory over enemies, but it's conditional on obedience, underscoring the spiritual implications of Israel's failure to drive out the Canaanites.
Romans 8:37This New Testament passage speaks of believers being more than conquerors through Christ, offering a powerful contrast to Israel's struggles and demonstrating how complete victory is achievable through spiritual strength in God.
gillJudges 1:31: "Neither did Asher drive out the inhabitants of Accho, nor the inhabitants of Zidon, nor of Ahlab, nor of Achzib, nor of Helbah, nor of Aphik, nor of Rehob:"
Neither did Asher drive out the inhabitants of Accho,.... The same with Ptolemais; see Gill on Acts 21:7 ; so called from the first Ptolemy king of Egypt, who enlarged it; but it has since recovered its ancient name pretty nearly, and is now called Acca or Acra."On its north and east sides (Mr. Maundrell says (w)) it is encomp…
ellicottJudges 1:31: "Neither did Asher drive out the inhabitants of Accho, nor the inhabitants of Zidon, nor of Ahlab, nor of Achzib, nor of Helbah, nor of Aphik, nor of Rehob:"
(31) Neither did Asher. —See Joshua 19:24-31 . Accho.—The seaport so famous under the names of Ptolemais (Acts 21:7; 1 Maccabees 5:15; 1 Maccabees 10:1), Acre, and St. Jean d’Acre (now Acca). Josephus called it Ako (Antt. ix. 14, § 2). Zidon.—(Joshua 11:8.) Asher never succeeded in conquering Zidon, which was the capital of Ph…
This isn't just a list of names; it's a crucial clue about how the tribe of Asher was already compromised. Despite being given a fertile land by God, they failed to push out the established inhabitants, choosing instead to coexist with them in their own territory.
This verse comes right after a list of Israelite tribes who successfully pushed back or subdued the Canaanites in their assigned territories. It highlights how the tribe of Asher, unlike many others, failed to drive out the original inhabitants of key cities along their coastal strip, leaving them to coexist with a foreign, and often idolatrous, population. This failure to complete the conquest sets the stage for future struggles and compromises for Israel.
This verse comes right after a list of Israelite tribes who successfully pushed back or subdued the Canaanites in their assigned territories. It highlights how the tribe of Asher, unlike many others, failed to drive out the original inhabitants of key cities along their coastal strip, leaving them to coexist with a foreign, and often idolatrous, population. This failure to complete the conquest sets the stage for future struggles and compromises for Israel.
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This verse highlights the beginning of a downward spiral. What starts as a failure to conquer becomes a failure to maintain spiritual purity. This leads to oppression by their enemies, crying out to God for deliverance, and then repeating the cycle. The lesson is clear: incomplete obedience has far-reaching and devastating consequences.
c. 1000 BC
United Monarchy established
The establishment of the united monarchy under Saul, David, and Solomon brought a period of greater Israelite stability and expansion, impacting relations with Phoenician cities.
"Asher did not drive out the inhabitants of Acco, or the inhabitants of Sidon or of Ahlab or of Achzib or of Helbah or of Aphik or of Rehob, so the Asherites lived among the Canaanites, the inhabitants of the land, for they did not drive th…" — This isn't just a list of names; it's a crucial clue about how the tribe of Asher was already compromised. Despite being given a fertile land by God, they failed to push out the established inhabitan…
