Why did the Benjamites fail to drive out the Jebusites from Jerusalem? Setting the Scene: God’s Clear Command - Deuteronomy 7:1-2; 20:16-18—Israel was instructed to “destroy them totally” so idolatry would not corrupt the nation. - Joshua 18:11-28—Benjamin’s territory included Jerusalem; the charge to remove the Canaanites applied to this tribe just as to the others. The Record of Their Failure - Judges 1:21: “But the Benjamites did not drive out the Jebusites living in Jerusalem; to this day the Jebusites live there with the Benjamites.” - Joshua 15:63 likewise notes Judah’s earlier inability, showing the city’s stubborn resistance. - Judges 19:10-12—generations later, Jerusalem is still called “Jebus,” confirming the ongoing occupation. Why Did They Fail? Key Contributing Factors • Lack of Faith and Resolve – Numbers 13:31 shows how fear of fortified cities crippled earlier spies; Jerusalem’s strong walls (2 Samuel 5:6) likely intimidated Benjamin. • Incomplete Obedience – God promised victory (Joshua 1:3-5). When that promise is doubted, obedience becomes half-hearted, and the enemy remains. • Reliance on Others – Jerusalem straddled the Judah-Benjamin border. Each tribe may have expected the other to finish the job, leading to sinful complacency. • Spiritual Compromise – Judges 2:1-3 records the Angel of the LORD rebuking Israel for covenant unfaithfulness; Benjamin’s lapse fits this wider pattern. Wider Biblical Echoes of Incomplete Obedience - Judges 1 repeatedly says, “did not drive out…”—Manasseh (v.27), Ephraim (v.29), Zebulun (v.30). Benjamin’s failure is part of a national drift. - 1 Samuel 15—Saul (a Benjamite) spares Amalekite spoil; the tribe’s earlier compromise foreshadows the king’s partial obedience. - 2 Samuel 5:6-9—only when David trusts the LORD does Jerusalem finally fall, highlighting that victory awaited wholehearted faith. Lessons for Today’s Disciples • God’s commands are for our protection; partial obedience keeps footholds for future trouble. • Spiritual strongholds often appear impregnable, yet God’s promises remain certain. • Shared responsibility in the body of Christ never cancels personal obedience—each believer must act on God’s word. |
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