Judges 1:3

Then the men of Judah said to their brothers the Simeonites, “Come up with us to our allotted territory, and let us fight against the Canaanites. And we likewise will go with you to your territory.” So the Simeonites went with them.

Berean Standard Bible

Follow its threads on the canvas →

Study note

Setting — The men of Judah address the Simeonites immediately after the Lord commands Judah to lead the initial conquest (Judges 1:2). They propose a reciprocal military agreement to secure their respective allotted territories.

The words — The verb עֲלֵה ('a.Leh) means "come up," directing the Simeonites to join the ascent into the land. The phrase בְ/גוֹרָלִ֗/י (ve./go.ra.L/i) translates literally to "in my lot," denoting the tribal inheritance boundary.

The thread — The territorial overlap between the two tribes is recorded in Joshua 19:1, where Simeon’s inheritance lies within Judah’s allotment. The partnership reappears when Judah again joins the Simeonites to attack Zephath in Judges 1:17.

Why it lands — The text records a pragmatic military pact before detailing its execution, requiring the reader to track how tribal cooperation fulfills the conquest narrative. It demands attention to how shared inheritance and coordinated action structure the early settlement accounts.

Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.

The Hebrew words

וַיֹּ֣אמֶרva/i.Yo.merand/ he said יְהוּדָה֩ye.hu.DahJudah לְשִׁמְע֨וֹןle./shim.'onto/ Simeon אָחִ֜יו'a.Chi/vbrother/ his עֲלֵ֧ה'a.Lehcome up אִתִּ֣י'i.T/iwith/ me בְגוֹרָלִ֗יve./go.ra.L/iin/ lot/ my וְנִֽלָּחֲמָה֙ve./ni.la.cha.Mahso/ let us fight בַּֽכְּנַעֲנִ֔יba./ke.na.'a.Niagainst the/ Canaanite[s]וְהָלַכְתִּ֧יve./ha.lakh.Tiand/ I will go גַם־gam-also אֲנִ֛י'a.NiI אִתְּךָ֖'i.te./Khawith/ you בְּגוֹרָלֶ֑ךָbe./go.ra.Le./khain/ lot/ your וַיֵּ֥לֶךְva/i.Ye.lekhand/ he went אִתּ֖וֹ'i.T/owith/ him שִׁמְעֽוֹן׃shim.'onSimeon

King James Version

And Judah said unto Simeon his brother, Come up with me into my lot, that we may fight against the Canaanites; and I likewise will go with thee into thy lot. So Simeon went with him.

Cross-references

Joshua 19:1 The second lot came out for the clans of the tribe of Simeon: Their inheritance lay within the territory of Judah
Judges 1:17 Then the men of Judah went with their brothers the Simeonites, attacked the Canaanites living in Zephath, and devoted the city to destruction. So it was called Hormah.
2 Samuel 10:11 “If the Arameans are too strong for me,” said Joab, “then you will come to my rescue. And if the Ammonites are too strong for you, then I will come to your rescue.
Genesis 29:33 Again she conceived and gave birth to a son, and she said, “Because the LORD has heard that I am unloved, He has given me this son as well.” So she named him Simeon.