Powerless to Possess. — KEN D. MILLER

20 This is the inheritance of the tribe of the people of Judah according to their clans. 21 The cities belonging to the tribe of the people of Judah in the extreme south, toward the boundary of Edom, were Kabzeel, Eder, Jagur, 22 Kinah, Dimonah, Adadah, 23 Kedesh, Hazor, Ithnan, 24 Ziph, Telem, Bealoth, 25 Hazor-hadattah, Kerioth-hezron (that is, Hazor), 26 Amam, Shema, Moladah, 27 Hazar-gaddah, Heshmon, Beth-pelet, 28 Hazar-shual, Beersheba, Biziothiah, 29 Baalah, Iim, Ezem, 30 Eltolad, Chesil, Hormah, 31 Ziklag, Madmannah, Sansannah, 32 Lebaoth, Shilhim, Ain, and Rimmon: in all, twenty-nine cities with their villages.

33 And in the lowland, Eshtaol, Zorah, Ashnah, 34 Zanoah, En-gannim, Tappuah, Enam, 35 Jarmuth, Adullam, Socoh, Azekah, 36 Shaaraim, Adithaim, Gederah, Gederothaim: fourteen cities with their villages.

37 Zenan, Hadashah, Migdal-gad, 38 Dilean, Mizpeh, Joktheel, 39 Lachish, Bozkath, Eglon, 40 Cabbon, Lahmam, Chitlish, 41 Gederoth, Beth-dagon, Naamah, and Makkedah: sixteen cities with their villages.

42 Libnah, Ether, Ashan, 43 Iphtah, Ashnah, Nezib, 44 Keilah, Achzib, and Mareshah: nine cities with their villages.

45 Ekron, with its towns and its villages; 46 from Ekron to the sea, all that were by the side of Ashdod, with their villages.

47 Ashdod, its towns and its villages; Gaza, its towns and its villages; to the Brook of Egypt, and the Great Sea with its coastline.

48 And in the hill country, Shamir, Jattir, Socoh, 49 Dannah, Kiriath-sannah (that is, Debir), 50 Anab, Eshtemoh, Anim, 51 Goshen, Holon, and Giloh: eleven cities with their villages.

52 Arab, Dumah, Eshan, 53 Janim, Beth-tappuah, Aphekah, 54 Humtah, Kiriath-arba (that is, Hebron), and Zior: nine cities with their villages.

55 Maon, Carmel, Ziph, Juttah, 56 Jezreel, Jokdeam, Zanoah, 57 Kain, Gibeah, and Timnah: ten cities with their villages.

58 Halhul, Beth-zur, Gedor, 59 Maarath, Beth-anoth, and Eltekon: six cities with their villages.

60 Kiriath-baal (that is, Kiriath-jearim), and Rabbah: two cities with their villages.

61 In the wilderness, Beth-arabah, Middin, Secacah, 62 Nibshan, the City of Salt, and Engedi: six cities with their villages.

63 But the Jebusites, the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the people of Judah could not drive out, so the Jebusites dwell with the people of Judah at Jerusalem to this day. – Joshua 15:20-63 ESV

According to this passage, the tribe of Judah received well over 100 cities and their surrounding villages as part of their inheritance and allotment of the land. The large portion awarded to them was due to the size of their tribe and it covered four distinct regions: The Negev in the south, the lowland plains, the mountains or hill country and the desert. While their territory extended all the way to the Mediterranean Sea, much of this land was occupied by the Philistines, and they would prove to be quite resistant to any attempts by Judah to remove them from the land. The city of Jerusalem was located at the northern-most boundary of their allotment and it too would continue to harbor a contingent of Canaanite enemies. While Joshua and the armies of Israel had effectively conquered that region, they had failed to capture the city of Jerusalem. So, there remained in the land a variety of potential physical and spiritual threats to the tribe of Judah. The book of Judges records that it was not until after the death of Joshua that the tribe of Judah finally captured and occupied the city of Jerusalem.

8 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. 9 And afterward the men of Judah went down to fight against the Canaanites who lived in the hill country, in the Negeb, and in the lowland. 10 And Judah went against the Canaanites who lived in Hebron (now the name of Hebron was formerly Kiriath-arba), and they defeated Sheshai and Ahiman and Talmai. – Judges 1:8-10 ESV

The clans of Judah would continue to wage war against the remaining remnant of the Canaanites in their land, but like all the other tribes, they would prove to be unsuccessful in completely eradicating the pagan presence.

18 Judah also captured Gaza with its territory, and Ashkelon with its territory, and Ekron with its territory. 19 And the Lord was with Judah, and he took possession of the hill country, but he could not drive out the inhabitants of the plain because they had chariots of iron. 20 And Hebron was given to Caleb, as Moses had said. And he drove out from it the three sons of Anak. 21 But the people of Benjamin did not drive out the Jebusites who lived in Jerusalem, so the Jebusites have lived with the people of Benjamin in Jerusalem to this day. – Judges 1:18-21 ESV

While Judah eventually took possession of the land located along the shore of the Mediterranean Sea, they did not completely eliminate the Philistines. And the Jebusites, who were the original occupants of Jerusalem, remained in the land, co-existing alongside the people of Benjamin for years to come. And the record of Judah’s land allotment ends with an almost toss-away reference to their failure to eliminate the Jebusites.

But the Jebusites, the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the people of Judah could not drive out, so the Jebusites dwell with the people of Judah at Jerusalem to this day. – Joshua 15:63 ESV

Why is this significant? Because it reflects a nagging tendency on the part of the people of Israel that will show up in the record of each of the tribes. In each and every case, the tribes would end up failing to completely cleanse their respective land allotments of any and all pagan people groups. And it is essential that we reflect on the possible cause of their failure. Notice what verse 63 says: “But the Jebusites…the people of Judah could not drive out.” Why? Was it because God was not strong enough? Was it because the Jebusites were too powerful? God had given the city of Jericho into the hands of Joshua and his forces, completely destroying the walls of their city by way of a miracle. God had assisted the people of Israel in destroying a five-nation federation that had come against them, by wiping out part of the enemy forces with hailstones. There is no reason to think that the Jebusites were somehow too great for God to do anything about them. This reflects a failure on the part of the people of Judah, not God. They did not trust in and rely upon God. Any failure to remove their enemies from the land was not due to a lack of power on God’s part. He had not abandoned them. He had not ceased to fight for them. But it reflects a tendency on their part to try and do God’s will without God’s help.

In the original Hebrew, the text tells us that Judah was yakol yarash – they were powerless to possess. They failed to take possession of what was rightfully theirs, that which had been given to them by God. And God had promised to fight alongside them, providing them with victory over their foes. So, if they were powerless to possess, it was because they were attempting to fight their battles in their own strength. And just as, years earlier, the people of Israel had attempted to attack the city of Ai and had failed, the tribe of Judah would find themselves either unable or simply unwilling to remove the Jebusites from their land. Perhaps it was just easier to compromise and let them remain. What harm could they possibly do? How dangerous could they be? So, concessions were made. Subtle compromises were put into effect. And, by doing so, the people of Judah were not only refusing to obey God’s command, they were rejecting the gift of His inheritance. The land He had provided was not fully theirs. The rest He had promised would not be fully experienced. By allowing their enemies to remain in the land, Judah compromised their convictions and robbed themselves of the benefits of God’s promised blessings.

There should be an overwhelming desire in the heart of each and every child of God to have any remaining sin exposed and removed. The great king, David, prayed a powerful prayer to God, asking for His divine help in eradicating hidden sin from his own heart.

23 Search me, O God, and know my heart;
test me and know my anxious thoughts.
24 Point out anything in me that offends you,
and lead me along the path of everlasting life. – Psalm 139:23-24 NLT

The tribe of Judah could have removed the Jebusites. All they needed to do was trust God. Had they simply acknowledged their sins of compromise and complacency, and turned to God for help, He would have given them victory over their enemies. The presence of the Jebusites was an offense to God. They were a constant reminder of Judah’s disobedience. And they would prove to be a roadblock, preventing the people of God from fully experiencing the blessings of God.

New Living Translation (NLT) Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

Ken Miller