Who shall go up for us against the Canaanites? To the territories for which lots were cast¹ but are as yet unconquered.

footnotes: ¹ By Yehoshua, Elazar, and the tribal chieftains (Yehoshua, 14:1,2). Chapters 14–19 (there) list in detail the territories alloted to the various tribes when the lots were cast.

Let Yehudah go up. Let the tribe of Yehudah go up first² to conquer their alloted territory.

footnotes: ² The tribesmen of Yehudah were first in many instances; they entered the water first at the splitting of the sea, their banner was the first to proceed when the Yisroelites journeyed in the wilderness, they went up first in the Book of Shoftim. Indeed, at the coming redemption, their tribesman Dovid will reign as the first of his countrymen. (Yalkut, 37:a. See Yalkut to Beshalach, 234)

To his brother Shimon. To the tribe of Shimon.

Go up with me and assist me in conquering my alloted portion. Some interpret "Let Yehudah go up" as a reference to Asniel,³ also known as Ya'avetz;⁴ for it is remarked, in tractate Temurah,⁵ "What was his name? His name was Yehudah, brother of Shimon."⁶ He⁷ told his brother Shimon⁸ to accompany him.

footnotes: ³ Asniel ben Kenaz, the first of the Shoftim to lead Yisroel after the death of Yehoshua. (Below, 3:9–11) ⁴ Ya’avetz is listed among the tribesmen of Yehudah, and described as “revered over his brethren.” (Divrei Hayamim 1, 4:9) ⁶ This was his true name. His surnames were Asniel and Ya’avetz. Asniel is a contraction of ‘anah El’, ‘Adonoy answered’ [Divrei Hayamim 1, 4:10, relates that Adonoy answered his prayer]. Ya’avetz is a contraction of ‘ya’atz v’herebetz’, ‘he counseled and disseminated [Torah]’. (Temurah, 16:a) ⁷ Not the tribe of Yehudah, but the individual Yehudah, otherwise known as Asniel or Ya’avetz. ⁸ The individual Shimon, brother of Yehudah / Asniel. Accordingly, the inquiry “Who shall go up first?” [v.1] did not concern the tribe which would engage in battle first, but the individual who would lead the people into battle. Adonoy answered [v.2] that Yehudah, also known as Asniel or Ya’avetz, would lead.

At Bezek. The name of a place.⁹

footnotes: ⁹ ‘Bezek’ may also be translated as ‘shard’, meaning a broken piece of pottery. Here, however, the reference is to a place named ‘Bezek’. (Yoma, 22:b)

Seventy kings. From here we learn of the eminence and affluence of the Canaanite potentates, for Adoni-bezek was not worthy of being listed among the Canaanite monarchs¹⁰ by the title "king", yet this is written of him.¹¹

footnotes: ¹⁰ Yehoshua 12: 7–24 lists the thirty one Canaanite kings. Adoni bezek is not among them. ¹¹ Yalkut, 37:a.

They brought him to Yerushalayim. They proceeded from there to do battle at Yerushalayim.

They set [literally 'sent'] fire. They sent the fire¹² throughout it.

footnotes: ¹² By igniting it. This follows the literal meaning of שׇלְחוּ, ‘thy sent’. (Metzudas Tzion) Afterward, the B’nei Yehudah went down to wage war with the Canaanites dwelling in the hills, the Negev, and the lowlands.

Coleiv's …brother. Maternally.¹³

footnotes: ¹³ Coleiv is referred to as “the Kenizite” (Yehoshua, 14:6), rather than ‘son of Kenaz’. This indicates that he was not Kenaz’ biological son, but his stepson. (Sotah, 11:b, 12:a).

She cajoled him. She advised him, as in "he took counsel";¹⁴ one counsels a person, and directs his thinking to an alternative. This is my opinion.

footnotes: ¹⁴ Rather than ‘she tempted him’, as in Devarim, 13:7.

She lowered herself. "She lowered herself"¹⁵ as if falling at her father's feet.

footnotes: ¹⁵ This is a quotation from Targum Yonasan.

Arid land. A man barren of anything gainful, as he contains nothing but Torah.¹⁶

footnotes: ¹⁶ Temurah, 16:a.

Streams of water. Wetland, "territory supplied abundantly with water."

From the city of dates. This refers to Yericho, as the fertile tract of Yericho¹⁷ by five hundred amohs. (Yalkut, 38.) was given to them for their consumption until the Beis HaMikdosh would be built. The one in whose portion the Beis HaMikdosh would be built¹⁸ would then receive it,¹⁹ so that all of Yisroel could share in the Beis HaMikdosh. It was given to the descendants of Yisro for four hundred and forty years.²⁰ The scholars among them departed, and went to Asniel, the son of Kenaz, also known as Ya'avetz, to the wilderness of Yehudah south of Arad to study Torah.²¹

footnotes: ¹⁷ An area outside the city, measuring five hundred amohs ¹⁸ The tribe of Binyomin. (Ibid). ¹⁹ In return for the Beis Hamikdosh territory, which would become the property of all the tribes. ²⁰ From the conquest of Eretz Yisroel by Yehoshua, until the construction of the Beis Hamikdosh by King Solomon. (See Melachim 1,6:1.) ²¹ Yalkut, ibid.

He settled with the people. With the disciples who sat before him. He requested of the Holy One, blessed is He, that He furnish him with suitable disciples, as it said, "Ya'avetz cried out to Elohim…etc."²² He furnished him with these pious men.²³

footnotes: ²² “…of Yisroel, saying: If You bless me by broadening my boundary, and Your hand shall be with me…”. (Divrei Hayamim 1, 4:10. See fn.6) ²³ Yalkut, ibid.

However, he could not oust. [Targum] Yonasan interprets: Afterward, as they had sinned, they could not oust the valley dwellers.

But the Yevusi dwellers of Yerushalayim. There was a section of Yerushalayim²⁴ entitled Yevusi. They were descendants of Avimelech,²⁵ and they could not oust them because of the oath—until the arrival of Dovid²⁶—as his²⁷ grandson still lived, and he²⁸ had sworn to him, his son, and his grandson.

footnotes: ²⁴ The reference here is not to members of the Yevusite nation, as Rashi explains that they were descendants of the Pelishte king Avimelech. Cf.Rashi to Yehoshua, 16:63, and Shmuel 2, 5:6. ²⁵ The Pelishite king (Bereishis, 21:32, 26:8). The patriarch Avrohom swore that he would deal kindly with him and his children and grandchildren. (Ibd, 21:23). Avrohom’s descendants were obligated by the oath as well. Cf.Midrash Rabah, Bereishis, 54:2. ²⁶ When Avimelech’s grandchildren no longer survived. (Rashi to Shmueil 2, 5:8) ²⁷ Avimelech’s grandson. ²⁸ Avrohom had sworn.

Beis El which was part of their ancestral allotment. Although Michah's idol²⁹ was in their possession—for Michah was from the tribe of Ephraim—it is said here, "and Adonoy was with them." Concerning this, Daniel said, "Yours, O Adonoy, is benevolence—ours is the face of humiliation."³⁰

footnotes: ²⁹ Chapter 17, v.4 [below] relates that Michah of Mount Ephraim made a graven image and kept it at his home, where it was worshiped. Although the incident is not mentioned earlier in the text, Rashi asserts that the idol was already in existence during the conquest of Eretz Yisroel. See Rasi to 17:1. ³⁰ Daniel, 9:7.

Sent spies. Through others, they sent spies.³¹ "They spied the land"³² is said concerning the spies themselves. However, concerning these who sent spies it is said, "they sent spies."

footnotes: ³¹ This is Targum Yonasan’s translation. ³² Bamidbar, 13:21. This refers to the spies sent by Moshe in the wilderness.

The entrance to the city. It was entered through a cave. A hazelnut tree stood at the mouth of the cave, and they passed through the tree³³ into the cave.

footnotes: ³³ The tree was hollow. They passed through the hollow section into the cave, then through the cave into the city. (Bereishis Rabah, 69:8)

He showed them with his finger.³⁴

footnotes: ³⁴ If this heathen, by the mere flick of a finger, saved himself and his progeny, then certainly one who actively escorts others. (Sotah, 46:b)

Luz. Small nuts grow on this. "Coudre" in old French.

It is so entitled to this day. Sancheriv did not "jumble" it,³⁵ and Nevuchadnetzar did not devastate it.³⁶

footnotes: ³⁵ Sancheriv “jumbled” all the nations of the world by transporting the inhabitants of one country to another. (Yadayim, 4:3, Yeshaya, 10:13). He did the same to the inhabitants of Eretz Yisroel (Melachim 2, 17:6, 23, 24) but not to the inhabitants of Luz. ³⁶ Sotah, 46:b.

Menashe did not oust. Scripture censures them, as they began betraying the Holy One, blessed is He, Who commanded them: "Oust all those dwelling in the land, etc."³⁷

footnotes: ³⁷ Bemidbar, 33:52.