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Deuteronomy 7:2
And when the LORD thy God shall deliver them before thee; thou shalt smite them,and utterly destroy them; thou shalt make no covenant with them, nor shew mercy unto them:

Deuteronomy 9:3
Understand therefore this day, that the LORD thy Godis he which goeth over before thee;as a consuming fire he shall destroy them, and he shall bring them down before thy face: so shalt thou drive them out, and destroy them quickly, as the LORD hath said unto thee.

Joshua 10:8-10
And the LORD said unto Joshua, Fear them not: for I have delivered them into thine hand; there shall not a man of them stand before thee…

Bezek.

1 Samuel 11:8
And when he numbered them in Bezek, the children of Israel were three hundred thousand, and the men of Judah thirty thousand.

the LORD delivered the Canaanites and Perizzites into their hands
This phrase emphasizes the divine intervention and sovereignty of God in the battles of Israel. The Canaanites and Perizzites were among the various groups inhabiting the land of Canaan, and their defeat was crucial for the Israelites to establish themselves in the land. The deliverance by the LORD highlights the fulfillment of God's promises to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob regarding the land. It also serves as a reminder of the covenant relationship between God and Israel, where obedience to God results in His favor and victory.

and they struck down ten thousand men at Bezek
Bezek is identified as a location where this significant battle took place. The striking down of ten thousand men indicates a decisive victory, showcasing the might and effectiveness of Judah's forces under divine guidance. This victory at Bezek is a testament to the power of God working through His chosen people. The number ten thousand, often used in scripture to denote a large, complete number, underscores the totality of the victory. This event can be seen as a type of Christ's ultimate victory over sin and death, where He conquers the spiritual enemies of His people.

• Judah’s advance flows directly from the Lord’s earlier word: “Judah shall go up; I have delivered the land into their hands” (Judges 1:2).

• The tribe is acting in obedience, not presumption—echoing Jacob’s blessing, “Judah, your brothers will praise you; your hand will be on the neck of your enemies” (Genesis 49:8-10).

• Their leadership role mirrors later moments when Israel asks who should lead and the Lord again answers, “Judah first” (Judges 20:18).

• Scripture consistently credits victory to God rather than military might. As David told Goliath, “the battle belongs to the LORD” (1 Samuel 17:47).

•Proverbs 21:31 reminds us, “Victory is of the LORD,” andPsalm 44:3 celebrates that Israel won the land “not by their sword… but by Your right hand.”

•Judges 1:4 underscores that same pattern: human participation, divine deliverance.

• These two peoples had long occupied the land (Genesis 12:6; 13:7). Their removal fulfills God’s earlier pledge to drive out seven nations mightier than Israel (Deuteronomy 7:1-2).

• Joshua’s generation began the work (Joshua 24:11); now the next generation is continuing it, showing that God’s promises span generations.

• The specific naming of both peoples underlines the historical reality of the conquest rather than a vague spiritual allegory.

• The number points to a decisive, large-scale victory, yet Scripture often pairs such figures with reminders of God’s power: “Five of you will chase a hundred, and a hundred of you will chase ten thousand” (Leviticus 26:8).

•Deuteronomy 32:30 marvels, “How could one man pursue a thousand… unless their Rock had sold them?”—precisely what is happening here.

• Later, David’s triumph over eighteen thousand Edomites (2 Samuel 8:13) continues the theme: God amplifies His people’s efforts beyond human capacity.

• Bezek lies in the hill country of Judah and became famous for Adoni-Bezek’s defeat (Judges 1:5-7).

• The location resurfaces when Saul musters Israel there (1 Samuel 11:8), suggesting it remained a strategic rally point.

• Naming the place anchors the event in real geography, reinforcing the reliability of the biblical record.

Judges 1:4 portrays an obedient tribe stepping forward, a faithful God granting victory, identifiable enemies falling, an overwhelming casualty count underscoring divine power, and a specific battlefield anchoring the story in history. The verse reminds us that when God calls His people to act, He also supplies the deliverance; their role is trustful obedience, His role is sovereign conquest.

The Canaanites and the Perizzites.--SeeGenesis 13:7;Genesis 34:30. The former seem to have beenlowlanders--"by the sea and by the coast of Jordan" (Numbers 13:29), "on the east and on the west" (Joshua 11:3;Joshua 17:16). The Perizzites were the mountain and forest tribes (Joshua 11:3;Joshua 17:15). Their antiquity and importance appear from the allusions to them inGenesis 13:7;Genesis 34:30;1Kings 9:20;2 Esdras 1:21. The name itself seems to imply "open villages" (1Samuel 6:18;Deuteronomy 3:5), and may imply that they were agriculturists. The name does not occur in the genealogy of nations in Genesis 10 . . .

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