Judges 1:19

“And the Lord was with Judah, etc.] Encouraging, strengthening, succeeding, and giving the tribe victory over the Canaanites; the Targum is, “the Word of the Lord was for the help of the house of Judah:” and he drove out [the inhabitants of] the mountains; the mountainous part of Judea, such as was about Jerusalem, and where Hebron stood, and other cities, (see <061548>Joshua 15:48), etc. which though fortified both by nature and man, yet God being with them, they were easily subdued: but could not drive out the inhabitants of the valley; God forsaking them, because they were afraid of them, for a reason after mentioned, or through slothfulness, and being weary of fighting, or because they…”

“the Lord was with Judah; . . . but they could not drive out the inhabitants of the valley--The war was of the Lord, whose omnipotent aid would have ensured their success in every encounter, whether on the mountains or the plains, with foot soldiers or cavalry. It was distrust, the want of a simple and firm reliance on the promise of God, that made them afraid of the iron chariots (see on Jos 11:4-9).”

“Could not drive - Because of their unbelief, whereby they distrusted God's power to destroy those who had chariots of iron, and so gave way to their own fear and sloth, whereby God was provoked to withdraw his helping hand. Judges 1:22”

“the Lord: Jdg 1:2, Jdg 6:12, Jdg 6:13; Gen 39:2, Gen 39:21; Jos 1:5, Jos 1:9, Jos 14:12; Sa2 5:10; Kg2 18:7; Psa 46:7, Psa 46:11, Psa 60:12; Ecc 9:11; Isa 7:14, Isa 8:10, Isa 41:10, Isa 41:14, Isa 41:15; Mat 1:23; Rom 8:31 he drave: etc. or he possessed the mountain but could: Not because the iron chariots were too strong for Omnipotence, or because he refused to help them; but because their courage and faith failed when they saw them. Jdg 1:27-32; Jos 7:12; Mat 14:30, Mat 14:31, Mat 17:19, Mat 17:20; Phi 4:13 chariots: Exod. 14:7-31; Jos 11:1-9, Jos 17:16-18; Psa 46:9 Judges 1:20”