We do not know the geographical distribution of the 12 tribes of Israel while they were slaves in Egypt. Somehow, Moses managed to call together 600,000 Israelites to leave Egypt. I am sure that was the first time these twelve tribes came together, travelled together and fought together. After growing up together in the wilderness for forty years, they began to show signs of becoming a people. They worshipped the same God. They observed the same set of laws.
After entering the Promised Land, under the leadership of Joshua, they fought battles to occupy the towns and cities. But I suppose the process might be two-pronged. For some, the process sounds like ethnic cleansing. The Israelites killed everyone. Babies and old men were not spared. For others, the process sounds like cultural assimilation. The Israelites settled down, mixing with the local people.
We begin reading the book of Judges today. The first chapter of Judges paints the social background from which the judges arose.
After the death of Joshua, the people asked God who should fight with the Canaanites.
After the death of Joshua the people of Israel inquired of the LORD,of "Who shall go up first for us against the Canaanites, to fight against them?"
The LORD said, "Judah shall go up; behold, I have given the land into his hand." (Judges 1:1-2)
It sounds strange. Had not Joshua finished the invasion? Was not Joshua who divided up the land among the 12 tribes? Why did the twelve tribes still need to fight the Canaanites in order to occupy the land?
The rest of the chapter talked about the performance of different tribes. Of the 12 tribes, only 9 were mentioned. The tribes of Reuben, Issachar and Gad were not mentioned. In fact, the people of Reuben and Gad occupied the land on the east of the River Jordan. So, probably, these two tribes did not cross the River to take part in the invasion of Canaan. The case of Issachar was a puzzle.
For the remaining tribes, only three drove the local people away or eliminated them. Judah and Simeon worked together to occupy the southern part, including Jerusalem. Remember, Caleb came from Judah (Judges 1:3-21). The house of Joseph occupied Bethel (Judges 1:23-25). The remaining tribes, Benjamin (Judges 1:21), Manasseh (Judges 1:27), Ephraim (Judges 1:29), Zebulun (Judges 1:30), Asher (Judges 1:31-32), Naphitali (Judges 1:33) did not drive out the local people but lived among them. The tribe of Dan was even worse. The Amorites drove them back into the hilly country (Judges 1:34).
Judges 1 poses two problems to the readers.
Problem#1: The tribe of Judah conquered a lot of land, took Jerusalem and set it on fire (Judges 1:8). Later, the Benjaminites lived with the people in Jerusalem. What had happened?
But the people of Benjamin did not drive out the Jebusites who dwelt in Jerusalem; so the Jebusites have dwelt with the people of Benjamin in Jerusalem to this day (Judges 1:21).
The only explanation I can offer is that the tribe of Judah, probably under the leadership of Caleb, worked like a bulldozer. This seems to be the meaning of Judges 1:1-2. They invaded the land and handed the rule of the land over to the other tribes. Therefore, after capturing Jerusalem, the people of Judah gave it to the Benjaminites to manage it. However, the Benjaminites did not do a good enough job. The Jebusites were able to stay in Jerusalem.
Problem#2: It is more difficult to handle. What does "the house of Joseph" mean (Judges 1:22-23, 35)? Forty years ago, when Moses sent out 12 spies to explore the land, the tribe of Joseph was equivalent to the tribe of Manasseh.
from the tribe of Joseph (that is from the tribe of Manasseh), Gaddi the son of Susi (Numbers 13:11).
Forty years later, we had a house of Joseph independent of Manasseh. It occupied Bethel which belonged to Ephraim (Joshua 16) and put pressure on the Amorites.
the Amorites persisted in dwelling in Harheres, in Aijalon, and in Shaalbim, but the hand of the house of Joseph rested heavily upon them, and they became subject to forced labor (Judges 1:35)
Aijalon and Shaalbim were within the inheritance of the Benjaminites. North of the Benjaminites was the land of Ephraim and Manasseh was north of Ephraim (Joshua 16-17). So, what was this "house of Joseph" independent of Manasseh and Ephraim?
Judges 2 is a summary of all the plots of the stories of tribal heroes in the rest of the book of Judges.
And the people of Israel did what was evil in the sight of the LORD and served the Baals;
and they forsook the LORD, the God of their fathers, who had brought them out of the land of Egypt; they went after other gods, from among the gods of the peoples who were round about them, and bowed down to them; and they provoked the LORD to anger.
They forsook the LORD, and served the Baals and the Ashtaroth.
So the anger of the LORD was kindled against Israel, and he gave them over to plunderers, who plundered them; and he sold them into the power of their enemies round about, so that they could no longer withstand their enemies.
Whenever they marched out, the hand of the LORD was against them for evil, as the LORD had warned, and as the LORD had sworn to them; and they were in sore straits.
Then the LORD raised up judges, who saved them out of the power of those who plundered them.
And yet they did not listen to their judges; for they played the harlot after other gods and bowed down to them; they soon turned aside from the way in which their fathers had walked, who had obeyed the commandments of the LORD, and they did not do so (Judges 2:11-17).
The cycle would repeat itself many times. Israelites worshipped idols. God forsook them and handed them over to the aliens. When Israelites cried for help, God would raise powerful judges to deliver them from oppression. After a short period of peaceful time, the Israelites would worship idols again and the whole cycle began anew. The situation would not change until a united Kingdom under the leadership of a king arose. A king would centralize the worship of God and lead the whole nation to worship God. However, many kings were bad and would lead the whole nation to worship idols. This was not the only problem with a king as a leader. Sooner or later, a king would make the nation his family business. He would pass the kingdom to his son and grandsons. Unlike judges, a king would not hand his crown over to a capable king who was not his own son. But we have jumped to the next book in the Bible.
Dear Lord, let us learn from the mistakes of the Israelites. Let us not stay away from You. It does us no good because You are our life. Amen.
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