שופטים, פרק א׳, פסוק י׳

The conquest of Hebron and the defeat of its towering inhabitants represents a pivotal moment in the settlement of the land. However, this military victory over the giants Sheshai, Ahiman, and Talmai [שטיינזלץ] is not a new event occurring at this point in the historical timeline. Rather, it serves as a summary of a campaign previously recorded during the era of Joshua.

The primary approach among commentators is that this battle actually took place while Joshua was still alive, meaning the tribe of Judah had already marched on the city in the past [רד״ק, מלבי״ם]. The repetition of this story serves a broader editorial purpose. While the earlier accounts focus on the general, national wars to honor Joshua's legacy as a leader, the current narrative shifts focus to the individual battles fought by each specific tribe. To present a complete picture, all of Judah's military campaigns—both past and present—are gathered together in one continuous account [אברבנאל, מצודת דוד, שטיינזלץ]. In contrast, another perspective suggests that the battle truly occurred after Joshua's death. According to this view, the earlier mention of the conquest was merely an introduction, included to demonstrate how God fulfilled His promise to grant Hebron to Caleb as an inheritance [רלב״ג].

Although the conquest of Hebron was driven by Caleb, the victory is ultimately credited to the entire tribe of Judah. Commentators explain that because Caleb served as the tribal leader, the people of Judah accompanied and assisted him and his men in capturing the city. As a result, the monumental achievement is attributed to the tribe as a whole [רלב״ג, מלבי״ם, אברבנאל, מצודת דוד]. Furthermore, a joint effort was necessary because the city of Hebron itself was designated for the Levites, while the surrounding fields and villages were granted to Caleb. This division required the combined strength of the entire tribe to successfully drive out the local inhabitants and secure the area [מלבי״ם].