Judges 1:34 describes a specific territorial limitation imposed on the tribe of Dan by the Amorites in the early period of the Judges. Let's break it down:
"The Amorites forced the children of Dan into the hill country..." This means the Amorites, a strong and well-established people in the land of Canaan, were militarily dominant over the tribe of Dan in a specific area. They were actively pushing Dan away from the more desirable and strategically advantageous areas. The term "forced" implies a military or strategic advantage held by the Amorites, pushing the Danites into a less-desirable area.
"...for they would not allow them to come down to the valley;" The "valley" in this context typically refers to a fertile, relatively flat area that is suitable for agriculture and settlement. These valleys often contained important trade routes and were more easily defended. The Amorites prevented the Danites from occupying these valleys. This suggests the Amorites controlled the valleys and the surrounding access points and were able to successfully resist Danite attempts to settle there.
In summary:
The verse illustrates the failure of the tribe of Dan to fully conquer their allotted territory. The Amorites, a strong Canaanite group, held control of the valleys and prevented the Danites from settling there. This resulted in the Danites being confined to the less desirable and potentially more difficult to defend "hill country." It highlights the incomplete conquest of Canaan and the challenges faced by the Israelite tribes in establishing themselves in the promised land. It also shows the consequences of disobedience to God's command to drive out all the inhabitants of the land. This inability to secure their original inheritance would eventually lead a segment of the Danites to seek new territory and relocate to the far north of Canaan.
Judges 1:34 describes a specific territorial limitation imposed on the tribe of Dan by the Amorites in the early period of the Judges. Let's break it down:
"The Amorites forced the children of Dan into the hill country..." This means the Amorites, a strong and well-established people in the land of Canaan, were militarily dominant over the tribe of Dan in a specific area. They were actively pushing Dan away from the more desirable and strategically advantageous areas. The term "forced" implies a military or strategic advantage held by the Amorites, pushing the Danites into a less-desirable area.
"...for they would not allow them to come down to the valley;" The "valley" in this context typically refers to a fertile, relatively flat area that is suitable for agriculture and settlement. These valleys often contained important trade routes and were more easily defended. The Amorites prevented the Danites from occupying these valleys. This suggests the Amorites controlled the valleys and the surrounding access points and were able to successfully resist Danite attempts to settle there.
In summary:
The verse illustrates the failure of the tribe of Dan to fully conquer their allotted territory. The Amorites, a strong Canaanite group, held control of the valleys and prevented the Danites from settling there. This resulted in the Danites being confined to the less desirable and potentially more difficult to defend "hill country." It highlights the incomplete conquest of Canaan and the challenges faced by the Israelite tribes in establishing themselves in the promised land. It also shows the consequences of disobedience to God's command to drive out all the inhabitants of the land. This inability to secure their original inheritance would eventually lead a segment of the Danites to seek new territory and relocate to the far north of Canaan.