Charles Ellicott Commentary Judges 1:19

"And Jehovah was with Judah; and drove out [the inhabitants of] the hill-country; for he could not drive out the inhabitants of the valley, because they had chariots of iron." — Judges 1:19 (ASV)

The Lord was with Judah. The Targum here has “The Word of the Lord.” The expression is frequently used to imply insured prosperity (Genesis 39:23; 1 Samuel 18:14; 2 Kings 18:7. Compare to Matthew 18:20).

But. Rather, this should be understood as for (kî); that is, they only dispossessed their enemies of the mountain for the reason that follows.

Could not. The Hebrew seems purposely to avoid this expression, and says, “there was no driving out.” Judah could have driven them out, but their faith was cowed by the iron chariots (Judges 1:19).

The valley. Here the term is Emek, not Shephelah. This refers to “broad sweeps between parallel ranges of hills,” like, for example, the “valley of Jezreel” (that is, the plain of Esdraelon). It differs from Gî, which means a gorge or ravine.

Chariots of iron. See Judges 4:3; Joshua 11:6–9; Joshua 17:16; 1 Samuel 13:6. Rabbi Tanchum interprets it to mean “very strong chariots,” but the phrase means either “chariots with iron-bound wheels” or “scythed chariots.”

Ktesias attributes scythed chariots to Ninus, but none are seen on the Nineveh sculptures, and it is doubtful whether they were known so early. Xenophon says that scythed chariots were invented by Cyrus, which would not be until five centuries after this period.

For this clause, the Septuagint has, “because Rechab resisted them,” mistaking rekeb, “chariot,” for a proper name (as they often do with other words). Hence, the notion of Theodoret that the Kenites, to whom Rechab belonged (2 Kings 10:15–23; Jeremiah 35:2), secretly helped the Philistines, is quite groundless.

We see a reason for the partial failure of the Israelites in the fact that at this time they had not attained to the same level of civilization as the Canaanites in arts and arms. This advantage could only have been rendered unavailing by more faith and faithfulness than they showed in their conduct. “Their warriors often rather overran than subdued the land... . The chariots and better arms of the Canaanites rendered the conquest of the valleys and plains long and laborious, especially to Joseph, Judah, and Dan... . The Hebrews walked upon the high places of the land (Psalms 18:33; 2 Samuel 22:34; Habakkuk 3:19; Isaiah 58:14; Deuteronomy 32:13; Deuteronomy 32:29; Deuteronomy 32:33); but these heights were often encompassed like islands by the inhabitants of the valleys” (Ewald, ii. 264).