The Meaning of Judges 1:31 Explained

Judges 1:31

KJV: Neither did Asher drive out the inhabitants of Accho, nor the inhabitants of Zidon, nor of Ahlab, nor of Achzib, nor of Helbah, nor of Aphik, nor of Rehob:

YLT: Asher hath not dispossessed the inhabitants of Accho, and the inhabitants of Zidon, and Ahlab, and Achzib, and Helbah, and Aphik, and Rehob;

Darby: Asher did not drive out the inhabitants of Acco, or the inhabitants of Sidon, or of Ahlab, or of Achzib, or of Helbah, or of Aphik, or of Rehob;

ASV: Asher drove not out the inhabitants of Acco, nor the inhabitants of Sidon, nor of Ahlab, nor of Achzib, nor of Helbah, nor of Aphik, nor of Rehob;

KJV Reverse Interlinear

Neither did Asher  drive out  the inhabitants  of Accho,  nor the inhabitants  of Zidon,  nor of Ahlab,  nor of Achzib,  nor of Helbah,  nor of Aphik,  nor of Rehob: 

What does Judges 1:31 Mean?

Context Summary

Judges 1:16-36 - Flagging In Their Great Task
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

What do the individual words in Judges 1:31 mean?

Asher nor did drive out - the inhabitants of Acco or the inhabitants of Sidon of Ahlab and Achzib Helbah Aphek Rehob
אָשֵׁ֗ר לֹ֤א הוֹרִישׁ֙ אֶת־ יֹשְׁבֵ֣י עַכּ֔וֹ וְאֶת־ יוֹשְׁבֵ֖י צִיד֑וֹן אַחְלָ֤ב וְאֶת־ אַכְזִיב֙ חֶלְבָּ֔ה אֲפִ֖יק רְחֹֽב

אָשֵׁ֗ר  Asher 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: אָשֵׁר  
Sense: son of Jacob and Zilpah.
לֹ֤א  nor 
Parse: Adverb, Negative particle
Root: הֲלֹא 
Sense: not, no.
הוֹרִישׁ֙  did  drive  out 
Parse: Verb, Hifil, Perfect, third person masculine singular
Root: יָרַשׁ  
Sense: to seize, dispossess, take possession off, inherit, disinherit, occupy, impoverish, be an heir.
אֶת־  - 
Parse: Direct object marker
Root: אֹות 
Sense: sign of the definite direct object, not translated in English but generally preceding and indicating the accusative.
יֹשְׁבֵ֣י  the  inhabitants 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Participle, masculine plural construct
Root: יָשַׁב 
Sense: to dwell, remain, sit, abide.
עַכּ֔וֹ  of  Acco 
Parse: Proper Noun, feminine singular
Root: עַכֹּו  
Sense: a seaport town in Asher north of Mount Carmel and south or Tyre.
יוֹשְׁבֵ֖י  the  inhabitants 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Participle, masculine plural construct
Root: יָשַׁב 
Sense: to dwell, remain, sit, abide.
צִיד֑וֹן  of  Sidon 
Parse: Proper Noun, feminine singular
Root: צִידֹון  
Sense: ancient Phoenician city, on Mediterranean coast north of Tyre.
אַחְלָ֤ב  of  Ahlab 
Parse: Proper Noun, feminine singular
Root: אַחְלָב  
Sense: a town allotted to Asher, site presently unknown.
אַכְזִיב֙  Achzib 
Parse: Proper Noun, feminine singular
Root: אַכְזִיב  
Sense: a town in the lowland of west Judah.
חֶלְבָּ֔ה  Helbah 
Parse: Proper Noun, feminine singular
Root: חֶלְבָּה  
Sense: a town of Asher, probably on the plain of Phoenicia not far from Sidon.
אֲפִ֖יק  Aphek 
Parse: Proper Noun, feminine singular
Root: אֲפֵק  
Sense: a Canaanite city near Jezreel.
רְחֹֽב  Rehob 
Parse: Proper Noun, feminine singular
Root: רְחֹב 
Sense: father of Hadadezer the king of Zobah who was killed by David.

What are the major concepts related to Judges 1:31?

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