When Faith Falters

The tribes of Judah and Simeon continue their combined offensive against Canaanites still living in the land, moving south into Simeonite territory and then east toward the Mediterranean coast. The text also notes that the family of Moses’ father-in-law, Jethro, goes along with the Israelite armies to find a new settlement. Jethro himself had visited Moses soon after the Exodus (Ex. 18), but left to return to Midian. However, in Numbers 10:29–32 we find Jethro’s son Hobab with the Israelites as they prepare to leave Sinai, and Moses invites him to come with them to Canaan, promising “ ‘that whatever good the LORD will do to us, the same we will do to you.’ ” Hobab and his nomadic family seem to have accepted Moses’ offer. Now they move south from their camp near the City of Palms, in the region of Jericho, and into the Wilderness of Judah, a lightly-inhabited desert area.

The next target for Judah and Simeon is the city of Zephath, which they attack, destroy, and rename Hormah (“destruction”). Israel had devastated and renamed this area before it entered the Promised Land (Num. 21:1–3); the Canaanites apparently rebuilt in the intervening years. Then Judah captures three of the five cities of the Philistines, who later will be among Israel’s most tenacious enemies. This is a significant triumph, and the author of Judges is quick to credit it to God: “the LORD was with Judah,” he notes. Scythe-like, Judah moves through the mountains running up Canaan’s midsection, racking up victory after victory. Here we are told again that Hebron is deeded to Caleb, who drives out the sons of Anak the giant. Yet Joshua earlier was credited with giving Hebron to Caleb (Josh. 14:13), and Judges noted earlier that the sons of Anak were killed (1:10; see Josh. 15:14).

Judah’s offensive finally falters as the armies come down from the mountains to the plains, where they encounter Canaanites with iron chariots. These are powerful weapons on level ground, and the Israelites’ faith quickly wavers. “Had not God expressly promised by the oracle (v. 2) to give them success against the Canaanites in this very expedition, without excepting those that had iron chariots?” Matthew Henry asks in his commentary. “Yet they suffered their fears to prevail against their faith; they could not trust God under any disadvantages.” The sad result is that they fail to dislodge these enemies.