Evangelist DL Moody said, Christians should live in the world, but not be filled with it. A ship lives in the water; but if the water gets into the ship, she goes to the bottom. So Christians may live in the world; but if the world gets into them, they sink.
Compromise is finding common ground between two contrary parties or ideas. Each party gives a bit from its position so both can move forward together. Compromise can be a valuable tool in solving disagreements.
The problem comes when compromise means betraying your values, integrity, or obedience and devotion to God. This kind of compromise always brews trouble and creates failure. Judges is a book of trouble and failure through compromise. Partially crushed sin prevents rest in God’s promises; toleration of the unholy hinders fellowship with God. Jesus didn’t die on the cross to keep us afloat in sin, but to deliver us from it (Jn 8:30-36; Gal 1:1-5).

I. Kenites (Judg 1:16). The Kenites (the term means metalworkers) were Canaanites living around Mt Sinai at the time of Moses (Gen 15:18-21; Ex 3:1; Num 10:29). Moses fled to Midian after murdering the Egyptian, and there met a priest named Jethro and his seven daughters (Ex 2:15-21; 3:1; Num 10:29; Judg 1:16). Moses married one of these women.
The Kenites were kind to Israel as they wandered forty years in the wilderness (1 Sam 15:6), and entered Canaan with Israel, settling around Jericho (Ex 18:1-7; Num 10:29-33; Jud 1:16; 1 Sam 27:10). When Joshua died, the Kenites migrated southward and settled among the Canaanites.
This verse is significant; it is the first evidence of a problem in the Book of Judges. The Kenites were Gentiles aligned with Israel, but who refused to help Israel destroy the Canaanites … they settled among the Canaanites. Notice this becomes the norm in this chapter (Judg 1:19, 21, 28, 29, 30, 32, 33, 34-35).

II. Compromise (Judg 1:16-34). This passage details the partial conquest of Canaan by 8 of the 12 tribes of Israel. Judah had the most success, but ultimately failed. Rather than destroying the Canaanites, Israel chose to co-exist with the enemy (Judg 1:28, 29, 30, 33, 35). Politically, collecting taxes from the enemy looked like Israelite power, but it was national compromise and spiritual bankruptcy. Even a little compromise was still all-out rebellion against God.
God’s command to Israel was explicit: every Canaanite was to be put to death (Deut 20:16-18). God had been just, patiently giving them more than 350 years to repent (Gen 15:16).Despite God’s patience, the Canaanites remained in their evil and God used Israel to administer His justice (Lev 18:6-30; Deut 18:9-14). God’s command to exterminate the Canaanites was to prevent them from spreading their wickedness among the Jews, made worse by the sin of intermarriage (Ex 23:23-33; 34:11-16; Deut 7:1-5).
Despite great success, Judah couldn’t conquer the mountain people because they had superior weapons; at least that was the excuse. God had previously promised victory and was responsible for every victory (Judg 1:2, 4, 19, 22). He was with Israel, but was Israel with God? The answer is in chapter 2.

III. Covenant (Judg 1:22-26). Ephraim and Manasseh (Joseph) sent spies into Bethel (Luz), and found a man willing to reveal the secret to entering the city. They offered mercy for his help.
Mercy in Hebrew is hesed or loving-kindness; it’s connected to compassion, grace, and peace, and used in the Old Testament to describe God’s covenantal bond of love and faithfulness to His people. God forbid Israel to show hesed to His enemies; it was compromise (Gen 21:23; Deut 7:9).
This story is reminiscent of Rahab and Jericho (Josh 2 and 6), except Rahab became an Israelite; this man went to the land of the Hittites in modern Syria and started a new city he called Luz! Rather than destroying Luz, it just moved!