Judges 1

1 After Joshua died, the Israelites asked the Lord, “Which tribe from among us should go first and attack the Canaanites?”

After the death of Joshua, the Israelites inquired of the LORD, “Who will be the first to go up and fight for us against the Canaanites?”

2 “Judah is to go first,” the Lord replied. “I have handed the land over to them.”

“Judah shall go up,” answered the LORD. “Indeed, I have delivered the land into their hands.”

3 The men of Judah said to their relatives of the tribe of Simeon, “Come with us to the land that has been allotted to us, and fight together with us against the Canaanites. Then we'll do the same for you and your allotted land.” So the tribe of Simeon joined with them.

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.

4 The men of Judah attacked the Canaanites and Perizzites, and the Lord handed them over in defeat. They killed ten thousand of the enemy at the town of Bezek.

When Judah attacked, the LORD delivered the Canaanites and Perizzites into their hands, and they struck down ten thousand men at Bezek.

5 There they confronted Adoni-bezek and fought with him, defeating the Canaanites and Perizzites.

And there they found Adoni-bezek and fought against him, striking down the Canaanites and Perizzites.

6 Adoni-bezek ran away, but they chased after him and captured him, and then cut off his thumbs and big toes.

As Adoni-bezek fled, they pursued him, seized him, and cut off his thumbs and big toes.

7 Adoni-bezek said, “I had seventy kings with their thumbs and big toes cut off picking up left-overs from under my table. Now God has paid me back in the same way what I did to them.” They took him to Jerusalem where he died.

Then Adoni-bezek said, “Seventy kings with their thumbs and big toes cut off have gathered the scraps under my table. As I have done to them, so God has repaid me.” And they brought him to Jerusalem, where he died.

8 The men of Judah attacked Jerusalem and conquered it. They killed the inhabitants with the sword and burned the town down.

Then the men of Judah fought against Jerusalem and captured it. They put the city to the sword and set it on fire.

9 After this the men of Judah went to fight against the Canaanites living in the hill country, in the Negev, and in the foothills of the lowlands.

Afterward, the men of Judah marched down to fight against the Canaanites living in the hill country, in the Negev, and in the foothills.

10 They attacked the Canaanites who lived Hebron (previously known as Kiriath Arba) and defeated Sheshai, Ahiman, and Talmai.

Judah also marched against the Canaanites who were living in Hebron (formerly known as Kiriath-arba), and they struck down Sheshai, Ahiman, and Talmai.

11 From there they went on to attack the people living in Debir (previously known as Kiriath Sepher).

From there they marched against the inhabitants of Debir (formerly known as Kiriath-sepher).

12 Caleb announced, “I will give my daughter Acsah in marriage to whoever attacks and captures Kiriath Sepher.”

And Caleb said, “To the man who strikes down Kiriath-sepher and captures it, I will give my daughter Acsah in marriage.”

13 Othniel, son of Kenaz, Caleb's younger brother, was the one captured it, so he gave him his daughter Acsah in marriage.

So Othniel son of Caleb’s younger brother Kenaz captured the city, and Caleb gave his daughter Acsah to him in marriage.

14 When Acsah came to Othniel, she encouraged him to ask her father for a field. As she got off her donkey, Caleb asked her, “What do you want?”

One day Acsah came to Othniel and urged him to ask her father for a field. When she got off her donkey, Caleb asked her, “What do you desire?”

15 “Please give me a blessing,” she replied. “You gave me land that's like the desert, so please give me springs of water as well.” So Caleb gave her the upper and lower springs.

“Give me a blessing,” she answered. “Since you have given me land in the Negev, give me springs of water as well.” So Caleb gave her both the upper and lower springs.

16 The descendants of Moses' father-in-law, the Kenite, went with the people of Judah from the city of palms to the wilderness of Judah in the Negev near Arad where they settled among the people.

Now the descendants of Moses’ father-in-law, the Kenite, went up with the men of Judah from the City of Palms to the Wilderness of Judah in the Negev near Arad. They went to live among the people.

17 Then Judah joined Simeon and defeated the Canaanites living in Zephath. They completely destroyed the town, so they named it Hormah.

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.

18 Judah also captured the towns of Gaza, Ashkelon, and Ekron, each with its surrounding territory.

And Judah also captured Gaza, Ashkelon, and Ekron—each with its territory.

19 The Lord was with Judah, and they took over the hill country, but they could not drive out the people living on the plain because they had iron chariots.

The LORD was with Judah, and they took possession of the hill country; but they could not drive out the inhabitants of the plains because they had chariots of iron.

20 As Moses had stipulated, Hebron was given to Caleb, who drove out from it the descendants of three sons of Anak.

Just as Moses had promised, Judah gave Hebron to Caleb, who drove out the descendants of the three sons of Anak.

21 However, Benjamin could not drive out the Jebusites, the inhabitants of Jerusalem, so the Jebusites live among the people of Benjamin in Jerusalem to this very day.

The Benjamites, however, failed to drive out the Jebusites living in Jerusalem. So to this day the Jebusites live there among the Benjamites.

22 The descendants of Joseph went and attacked the town of Bethel, and the Lord was with them.

The house of Joseph also attacked Bethel, and the LORD was with them.

23 They sent spies to investigate Bethel, which was previously known as Luz.

They sent spies to Bethel (formerly known as Luz),

24 The spies saw a man leaving the town and told him, “Please show us how to get into town, and we will treat you well.”

and when the spies saw a man coming out of the city, they said to him, “Please show us how to get into the city, and we will treat you kindly.”

25 The man showed them the way into the town, and they killed all the inhabitants except the man and his family, whom they let go.

So the man showed them the entrance to the city, and they put the city to the sword but released that man and all his family.

26 The man moved to the country of the Hittites, and built a town there and called it Luz, which is its name to this day.

And the man went to the land of the Hittites, built a city, and called it Luz, which is its name to this day.

27 However, Manasseh didn't drive out the people living in the towns of Beth Shan, Taanach, Dor, Ibleam, Megiddo and their surrounding villages because the Canaanites insisted on living in the land.

At that time Manasseh failed to drive out the inhabitants of Beth-shean, Taanach, Dor, Ibleam, Megiddo, and their villages; for the Canaanites were determined to dwell in that land.

28 When the Israelites grew stronger, they made the Canaanites do forced labor, but they never completely drove them out.

When Israel became stronger, they pressed the Canaanites into forced labor, but they never drove them out completely.

29 Ephraim didn't drive out the Canaanites living in the town of Gezer, so the Canaanites went on living there among them.

Ephraim also failed to drive out the Canaanites living in Gezer; so the Canaanites continued to dwell among them in Gezer.

30 Zebulun didn't drive out the people living in the towns of Kitron and Nahalol, so the Canaanites went on living there among them. However, the Canaanites were made to do forced labor for the people of Zebulun.

Zebulun failed to drive out the inhabitants of Kitron and Nahalol; so the Canaanites lived among them and served as forced laborers.

31 Asher didn't drive out the people living in the towns of Acco, Sidon, Ahlab, Achzib, Helbah, Aphik, and Rehob,

Asher failed to drive out the inhabitants of Acco, Sidon, Ahlab, Achzib, Helbah, Aphik, and Rehob.

32 so the people of Asher went on living there among the Canaanite inhabitants of the land because they hadn't driven them out.

So the Asherites lived among the Canaanite inhabitants of the land, because they did not drive them out.

33 Naphtali didn't drive out the people living in the towns of Beth-shemesh and Beth-anath. So the people of Asher went on living there among the Canaanite inhabitants of the land because they hadn't driven them out. However, the people of Beth-shemesh and Beth-anath were made to do forced labor for the people of Naphtali.

Naphtali failed to drive out the inhabitants of Beth-shemesh and Beth-anath. So the Naphtalites also lived among the Canaanite inhabitants of the land, but the inhabitants of Beth-shemesh and Beth-anath served them as forced laborers.

34 The Amorites pushed the people of Dan back into the hill country—they did not let them come down into the lowlands.

The Amorites forced the Danites into the hill country and did not allow them to come down into the plain.

35 The Amorites insisted on remaining in Mount Heres, Aijalon, and Shaalbim, but when the tribes of Joseph grew stronger, the Amorites were made to do forced labor.

And the Amorites were determined to dwell in Mount Heres, Aijalon, and Shaalbim. But when the house of Joseph grew in strength, they pressed the Amorites into forced labor.

36 The border with the Amorites ran from Scorpion Pass through Sela and on up from there.

And the border of the Amorites extended from the Ascent of Akrabbim to Sela and beyond.