Q58: CAN GOD BE DEFEATED BY IRON CHARIOTS (Judges 1:19)? Please Comment on Judges 1:19. The Bible Writer Seems So Enamored With The Technology of the Day -- The IRON CHARIOTS -- That Even God Could Not Prevail!

Hi, Lope. Can you comment on Judges 1:19. The Bible writer seems so enamored with the Technology of the day -- the IRON CHARIOTS -- that even God could not prevail. 

-- MICHAEL REGONDOLA
   Cavite City, Philippines

• Judah captured Gaza and its territory, Ashkelon and its territory, and Ekron and its territory.  (Jdg 1:18)

• The LORD was with Judah and enabled them to take possession of the hill country, but they could not drive out the people who were living in the valley because those people had iron chariots.  (Jdg 1:19)

Were the iron chariots too strong for God? Can God be defeated by chariots of iron, when God Himself has thousands and thousands of chariots of angels (Psalm 68:17)?

• The chariots of God are twenty thousand, even thousands of angels: the Lord is among them, as in Sinai, in the holy place. (Psa 68:17 KJV)

A CLASSIC EXAMPLE OF BIBLE MISTRANSLATION!

The verse (Judges 1:19) is improperly translated. The first clause, The Lord was with Judah should be part of verse 18; this gives the reason for the success of the tribe of Judah: The Lord was with Judah, and therefore Judah captured Gaza and its territory, Ashkelon and its territory, and Ekron and its territory (Judges 1:18). It is because that the LORD was with Judah, that they were able to conquer their enemies.

The remaining part of the verse either refers to a different time, or to the sin of the tribe of Judah against the Lord, which caused Him to withdraw His support. As always, when the people of God commit sin, God leaves them. Therefore, they lost God's protection, and their enemies became strong and fearsome to the Israelites.

The following Scriptures show that when Israel sins, God always leave them, and they are given (sold) to their enemies as punishment of the sin.

• The Israelites again did what was evil in the sight of the LORD after Ehud had died.  (Jdg 4:1)

• So the LORD sold them into the hand of Jabin king of Canaan, who reigned in Hazor. The commander of his forces was Sisera who lived in Harosheth of the Nations.  (Jdg 4:2)

Because of their unbelief and/or sins, they distrusted God's power to destroy those who had chariots of iron, whereby God was provoked to withdraw His helping hand. Not because the iron chariots were too strong for God's power; but because their courage and faith failed when they saw them. And God is not with them anymore.

WHEN GOD'S PEOPLE REPENTS AND RETURNS TO HIM, NO IRON CHARIOTS OR ADVANCED HI-TECH WEAPONS OF WAR CAN DEFEAT THEM!

But when Israel or His chosen people return to God, God fights for them, and no IRON CHARIOTS can stand before them! 

• Then the Israelites cried out to the LORD, because Jabin had 900 iron chariots, and he harshly oppressed them 20 years.  (Jdg 4:3)

HOW GOD DESTROYED THE IRON CHARIOTS AS HE FIGHTS FOR HIS CHOSEN PEOPLE

• It was reported to Sisera that Barak son of Abinoam had gone up Mount Tabor.  (Jdg 4:12)

• Sisera summoned all his 900 iron chariots and all the people who were with him from Harosheth of the Nations to the Wadi Kishon.  (Jdg 4:13)

• Then Deborah said to Barak, "Move on, for this is the day the LORD has handed Sisera over to you. Hasn't the LORD gone before you?" So Barak came down from Mount Tabor with 10,000 men following him.  (Jdg 4:14)

• The LORD threw Sisera, all his charioteers, and all his army into confusion with the sword before Barak. Sisera left his chariot and fled on foot.  (Jdg 4:15)

• That day God subdued Jabin king of Canaan before the Israelites.  (Jdg 4:23)

IF  GOD IS WITH HIS PEOPLE, IRON CHARIOTS ARE NOTHING BEFORE THEM!

• You can also drive out the Canaanites, even though they have iron chariots and are strong."  (Jos 17:18)

This is the meaning given to the verse by Jonathan ben Uzziel: "And the Word of the LORD  was in the support of the house of Judah, and they extirpated the inhabitants of the mountains; but afterwards, when they sinned, they were not able to extirpate the inhabitants of the plain country, because they had chariots of iron." 

SUMMARY: Judges 1:19 is a mistranslation. The first clause, The Lord was with Judah should be part of verse 18. It does not mean that God cannot drive away the IRON CHARIOTS as verse 1:19 presented. 

The reason why the Israelites cannot drive away the Iron Chariots is because God left them because of their sins or lack of faith. Without God in their midst, they lost the divine protection that God provides, so they are now weak before their enemies.

NOTE: Bible verses used in this article is based on the Holman Christian Standard Bible (HCSB). If not, the quoted translation is mentioned. 

-- LOPE COLUMNA --

    The BIBLE EXPLAINER AND REVELATOR

Lope, thanks for the scholarly answer to my question. But could God accept his words to be mistranslated? Doesn't that make the Bible inaccurate? I'll be citing more passages for your comments. Among all that I've talk too, no one commented like you do. I trust you have the ability to get to the actual answer. If its a mistranslation, we all should take it as that and close the issue. Be clear on my motive: I don't want to believe. I want to know.

-- MICHAEL REGONDOLA