And the men of Judah fought against Jerusalem and captured it and struck it with the edge of the sword and set the city on fire.
English Standard Version (ESV)
This verse reveals that while Judah "captured" Jerusalem and "set the city on fire," it wasn't a complete victory. Some inhabitants escaped to a stronghold and held out, meaning the conquest wasn't absolute, foreshadowing later struggles for the city.
And the men of Judah fought against Jerusalem and captured it and struck it with the edge of the sword and set the city on fire.
English Standard Version (ESV)
This verse describes an early military success for the tribe of Judah against Jerusalem, a significant Canaanite stronghold. It follows the initial steps of the Israelite invasion where Judah, along with Simeon, was tasked with clearing their allotted territories. While this conquest is mentioned here as a decisive victory where the city was captured and burned, historical accounts suggest the Jebusites, specifically in their citadel, managed to hold out and reoccupy parts of Jerusalem until David's time.
Judah decisively defeats Jerusalem, striking with the sword and setting it ablaze. It sounds like a complete victory, right? But Scripture reveals a more complex reality.
This verse describes a significant military action by the tribe of Judah against Jerusalem. They successfully captured the city, inflicted heavy casualties, and even set it on fire. However, the commentaries highlight a crucial detail: this was not the end of the story for Jerusalem's inhabitants, the Jebusites.
Lingering Presence
Despite this fierce battle, some Jebusites retreated to a stronghold within the city. They managed to hold out for centuries, even into the time of King David. This means that while Judah achieved a victory, they didn't achieve a total expulsion.
A Pattern of Incompletion
This isn't an isolated incident. Throughout the book of Judges, we see a recurring theme of incomplete conquest. Israel often fails to fully drive out the Canaanites, leading to ongoing conflict and compromise. This particular event sets a tone for the rest of the book.
The verse uses stark language: 'struck it with the edge of the sword' and 'set the city on fire.' What does this violent imagery convey about God's commands and the reality of warfare?
The phrases used here paint a vivid picture of the brutality of ancient warfare. 'Struck it with the edge of the sword' is a common idiom for complete annihilation, leaving no survivors. The mention of setting the city on fire further emphasizes the totality of the destruction meted out.
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No Quarter Given
Commentaries suggest that 'with the edge of the sword' implies that no mercy or quarter was given to the inhabitants. This was not a skirmish; it was a decisive, devastating blow intended to remove the enemy presence entirely.
Divine Mandate and Human Cost
While this language is harsh, it reflects the commands God gave Israel to cleanse the land of the Canaanites due to their extreme wickedness. However, it also reminds us of the terrible human cost involved in warfare, even when deemed necessary by divine decree. The severity of the language underscores the seriousness of the task God had given His people.
Understand the original words
Yehudah · Hebrew Proper Noun
The tribe of Israel designated to lead the conquest of the land and from which the Messianic line would descend. Judah represents strength, leadership, and divine initiative.
This event highlights the ongoing struggle for the Promised Land; even after initial victories, the conquest was a protracted process, with certain strongholds like Jerusalem's citadel remaining in enemy hands for generations.
c. 1400 BC
Joshua Conquers Canaan
Under Joshua's leadership, the Israelites waged war against the Canaanites, conquering numerous cities and kings, including the king of Jerusalem. However, complete occupation and expulsion of all inhabitants were not fully achieved.
c. 1350 BC— this verse
Judah Captures Jerusalem
The tribe of Judah, as recorded here in Judges 1:8, fought against Jerusalem, took the city, struck it with the sword, and set it ablaze. This accounts for Adoni-bezek being brought to Jerusalem.
c. 1350 BC
Jebusites Retake Mount Zion
Despite Judah's victory, the Jebusites retained control of the stronghold on Mount Zion. This means Jerusalem was not fully subdued and remained partially inhabited by Jebusites.
c. 1000 BC
David Captures Jerusalem
Centuries later, King David finally conquered the Jebusite stronghold on Mount Zion, bringing the entire city under Israelite control and establishing it as his capital.
This passage directly states that the men of Judah could not drive out the Jebusites from Jerusalem, highlighting the incomplete conquest mentioned in Judges 1:8 and showing the ongoing struggle for the city.
2 Samuel 5:6-7This passage describes David's conquest of Jerusalem from the Jebusites centuries later, emphasizing that the 'blind and lame' who were said to defend the city were still in control, underscoring the fact that the earlier victory in Judges 1:8 was not a final expulsion.
Judges 1:21This verse shows the tribe of Benjamin failing to drive out the Jebusites from Jerusalem, reinforcing the idea that Jerusalem remained a Jebusite stronghold despite attempts to capture it.
Joshua 10:23-26This account details Joshua's victory over the kings of the Amorites, including the king of Jerusalem, and how he struck them and the cities, providing context for the initial defeat of Jerusalem's forces before its later partial capture by Judah.
wesleyJudges 1:8: "Now the children of Judah had fought against Jerusalem, and had taken it, and smitten it with the edge of the sword, and set the city on fire."
1:8 And took - Yet some of the inhabitants retired into the castle, and held out there 'till David's time.
jfbJudges 1:8: "Now the children of Judah had fought against Jerusalem, and had taken it, and smitten it with the edge of the sword, and set the city on fire."
- Now the children of Judah had fought against Jerusalem, and had taken it—The capture of this important city, which ranks among the early incidents in the war of invasion (Jos 15:63), is here noticed to account for its being in the possession of the Judahites; and they brought Adoni-bezek thither [Jud 1:7], in order, probably, that his fa…
This verse reveals that while Judah "captured" Jerusalem and "set the city on fire," it wasn't a complete victory. Some inhabitants escaped to a stronghold and held out, meaning the conquest wasn't absolute, foreshadowing later struggles for the city.
This verse describes an early military success for the tribe of Judah against Jerusalem, a significant Canaanite stronghold. It follows the initial steps of the Israelite invasion where Judah, along with Simeon, was tasked with clearing their allotted territories. While this conquest is mentioned here as a decisive victory where the city was captured and burned, historical accounts suggest the Jebusites, specifically in their citadel, managed to hold out and reoccupy parts of Jerusalem until David's time.
This verse describes an early military success for the tribe of Judah against Jerusalem, a significant Canaanite stronghold. It follows the initial steps of the Israelite invasion where Judah, along with Simeon, was tasked with clearing their allotted territories. While this conquest is mentioned here as a decisive victory where the city was captured and burned, historical accounts suggest the Jebusites, specifically in their citadel, managed to hold out and reoccupy parts of Jerusalem until David's time.
"And the men of Judah fought against Jerusalem and captured it and struck it with the edge of the sword and set the city on fire." — This verse reveals that while Judah "captured" Jerusalem and "set the city on fire," it wasn't a complete victory. Some inhabitants escaped to a stronghold and held out, meaning the conquest wasn't a…
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Last reviewed October 2026