What does Judges 1:20 Mean?

Context Summary

The conquest of Canaan was very partial. Israel dwelled among the ancient inhabitants of the land, much as the Normans did among the Anglo-Saxons, whom they found in England; and the mixture of the two peoples was the beginning of moral degeneracy and decline in the chosen race. Wherever there was the old-time faith in God, as in the case of Caleb, the land was cleared of the Canaanite; but where God was out, the Canaanite was in.

So it is in the life of the soul. It is intended that the whole should be yielded to Christ, that no evil passion should reign, that no besetting sin should enthrall. But how often Christian people give up the fight! They say that the old Adam is too strong for them, and settle down to a joint-occupation. Let us not yield to reasoning like this! The Lion of Judah can break every chain. By faith in Him we can be more than conquerors! The Holy Spirit strives with the flesh, so that we may not do as otherwise we would. Only give Him the right of way! Sin shall not reign in your mortal body! [source]

Chapter Summary: Judges 1

¹  The acts of Judah and Simeon
⁴  Adonibezek justly requited
⁸  Jerusalem taken
¹⁰  Hebron taken
¹¹  Othniel has Achsah to wife for taking of Debir
¹⁶  The Kenites dwell in Judah
¹⁷  Hormah, Gaza, Askelon, and Ekron taken
²¹  The acts of Benjamin
²²  Of the house of Joseph, who take Bethel
³⁰  Of Zebulun
³¹  Of Asher
³³  Of Naphtali
³⁴  Of Dan