Albert Barnes Commentary Judges 1:2

"And Jehovah said, Judah shall go up: behold, I have delivered the land into his hand." — Judges 1:2 (ASV)

And the Lord said - that is, answered by Urim and Thummim. The land was the portion which fell to Judah by lot, not the whole land of Canaan . The priority given to Judah is a plain indication of divine direction. It points to the birth of our Lord of the tribe of Judah. Judah associated Simeon with him (Judges 1:3) because their lots were intermingled (Joshua 19:1).