What is the meaning of Judges 1:26? And the man - Judges 1:24–25 tells us that Israelite spies met “a man coming out of the city” of Bethel (formerly Luz) and promised to spare him if he showed them a secret entrance. - Like Rahab in Joshua 2:12–14, he benefited from Israel’s oath, yet unlike Rahab he seems unmoved toward Israel’s God; Scripture simply calls him “the man.” - His release shows Israel kept its word (Deuteronomy 23:21). It also foreshadows the danger of leaving pockets of Canaanite influence (Judges 2:1–3). went to the land of the Hittites - Rather than remain in a territory now under Israelite control (Judges 1:26a), he relocates to Hittite land—part of the very peoples God promised to drive out (Genesis 15:20; Exodus 3:17). - His move illustrates the wider Canaanite dispersion that occurred as Israel advanced (Joshua 13:1–6). - It also shows how incomplete obedience by Israel allowed surviving Canaanites to regroup elsewhere, contributing to future conflicts (Judges 3:5–6). built a city - Instead of assimilating, he founds an entirely new settlement, mirroring Cain’s action in Genesis 4:17 and underlining human tendency to perpetuate culture apart from God. - Building a city required leadership, resources, and followers—evidence he persuaded others to join him, much like the Transjordan tribes built fortified towns in Numbers 32:24. - His initiative contrasts with Israel’s partial conquest; he expands while they hesitate (Judges 1:27–35). and called it Luz - By reviving the earlier name (Genesis 28:19), he preserves his old identity rather than embracing change. - Names in Scripture often convey allegiance; retaining “Luz” signals continuity with pre-conquest Canaanite life (Joshua 16:2). - His choice underscores how culture and worldview persist when not surrendered to God’s rule. which is its name to this day. - This common biblical expression (Joshua 7:26; 2 Chronicles 5:9) affirms the account’s historicity: readers of the time could verify the city still bore that name. - The enduring name is a quiet testimony to Israel’s incomplete obedience; the city’s very survival reminded later generations of what remained unconquered (Judges 2:20–23). - It also highlights God’s faithfulness in preserving Scripture’s accuracy down through the years. summary Judges 1:26 records more than a geographical footnote. It showcases Israel’s kept promise, the flight of a spared Canaanite to Hittite territory, his founding of a new city named Luz, and the ongoing existence of that city “to this day.” The verse underlines the consequences of partial obedience, the persistence of ungodly culture when left unchecked, and the reliability of God’s Word in recounting real, verifiable history. |
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