Judges 1:22-26

Judges 1:22-26

[22] And the house  of Joseph,  they also went up  against Bethel:  and the LORD  was with them. [23] And the house  of Joseph  sent to descry  Bethel.  (Now the name  of the city  before  was Luz.)  [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.  [25] And when he shewed  them the entrance  into the city,  they smote  the city  with the edge  of the sword;  but they let go  the man  and all his family.  [26] And the man  into the land  of the Hittites,  and built  a city,  and called  the name  thereof Luz:  which is the name  thereof unto this day. 

What does Judges 1:22-26 Mean?

Contextual Meaning

The writer described Ephraim and Manasseh together as "the house of Joseph" ( Judges 1:22-29). First, he narrated Ephraim"s activity ( Judges 1:22-26). The Ephraimites" treatment of the man of Bethel who gave them information violated God"s orders. They should have put him to death along with the rest of the Bethelites whom they did kill. This incomplete obedience is what the writer again emphasized in this passage that alludes to Bethel"s illustrious history ( Genesis 28:18-22; Genesis 35:1-15; Genesis 48:3) and tragic future ( 1 Kings 12:25-33; 1 Kings 13:1-19; 2 Kings 23:15-17).