Judges
Chapter 1
1 After Joshua died, the Israelites asked God, “Who will lead us in battle against the Canaanites first?”
2 God said, “Judah will move forward: see, I have given him control of the land.”
3 Judah said to his brother Simeon, “Come with me to my land so we can fight the Canaanites; and then I’ll go with you to your land.” So Simeon went with him.
4 Judah marched forward; God gave them victory over the Canaanites and Perizzites: they killed ten thousand men in Bezek.
5 They found Adonibezek in Bezek and fought him, killing the Canaanites and the Perizzites.
6 Adonibezek ran away, but they chased him, caught him, and cut off his thumbs and big toes.
7 Adonibezek said, “Seventy kings with their thumbs and big toes cut off used to pick up scraps under my table. Just as I did to them, God has paid me back.” They took him to Jerusalem, and he died there.
8 The people of Judah fought against Jerusalem, captured it, struck it with the sword, and burned the city.
9 Later, the people of Judah went to battle the Canaanites living in the mountains, the south, and the valleys.
10 Judah fought against the Canaanites living in Hebron (previously called Kirjatharba) and killed Sheshai, Ahiman, and Talmai.
11 He left there to fight the people of Debir. Before, Debir was called Kirjathsepher.
12 Caleb said, “The person who attacks Kirjathsepher and captures it, I will give my daughter Achsah to him as his wife.”
13 Othniel, Kenaz’s son and Caleb’s younger brother, captured the city. So Caleb gave his daughter Achsah to Othniel as his wife.
14 When she approached him, she persuaded him to request a field from her father. She got down from her donkey, and Caleb asked her, “What do you want?”
15 She said to him, “Give me a blessing because you’ve given me land in the south; also give me water springs.” And Caleb gave her the upper and lower springs.
16 The Kenite children, who were relatives of Moses’ father-in-law, left the city of palm trees with the Judah children. They traveled to the Judah wilderness in the south, near Arad, and lived there among the people.
17 Judah went with his brother Simeon, and they killed the Canaanites living in Zephath, completely destroying the city. The city was then named Hormah.
18 Judah captured Gaza and its surrounding area, as well as Askelon and its area, and Ekron with its area.
19 God was with Judah; he forced out the people of the mountains but could not force out the people of the valley because they had iron chariots.
20 They gave Hebron to Caleb, as Moses had said, and he drove out the three sons of Anak from there.
21 The Benjamin people did not force the Jebusites out of Jerusalem; instead, the Jebusites lived with the Benjamin people in Jerusalem until now.
22 Joseph’s family went to fight against Bethel, and God was with them.
23 Joseph’s family sent spies to check out Bethel (which was called Luz before).
24 The spies saw a man leave the city and they said to him, “Please show us how to get into the city, and we’ll be kind to you.”
25 When he showed them how to get into the city, they struck the city with their swords, but they spared the man and his family.
26 The man went to the Hittites’ land, built a city, and named it Luz, which it is still called today.
27 Manasseh did not remove the people of Bethshean and its villages, or those of Taanach and its villages, or those of Dor and its villages, or those of Ibleam and its villages, or those of Megiddo and its villages. Instead, the Canaanites continued to live in that area.
28 When Israel became strong, they made the Canaanites pay taxes but did not completely force them out.
29 Ephraim did not force the Canaanites out of Gezer; instead, the Canaanites lived in Gezer with them.
30 Zebulun did not force the people of Kitron or Nahalol to leave. Instead, the Canaanites lived with them and had to pay taxes.
31 Asher did not force out the people of Accho, Zidon, Ahlab, Achzib, Helbah, Aphik, or Rehob.
32 The people of Asher lived with the Canaanites, who were living in the land, because they did not force them out.
33 Naphtali did not force out the people of Bethshemesh or Bethanath; instead, he lived among the Canaanites who were living in the land. However, the people of Bethshemesh and Bethanath paid tribute to them.
34 The Amorites pushed the people of Dan into the mountains because they didn’t let them go down to the valley.
35 The Amorites wanted to live in Mount Heres, Aijalon, and Shaalbim, but the people of Joseph were stronger and made them pay taxes.
36 The Amorites’ territory started at Akrabbim, went from the rock, and stretched upward.