Judges 1

Chapter 1

Judah and Simeon Conquer the Land

1 After the death of Joshua, the Israelites asked the LORD, “Which tribe should go first to attack the Canaanites?”

2 The LORD answered, “Judah, for I have given them victory over the land.”

3 The men of Judah said to their relatives from the tribe of Simeon, “Join with us to fight against the Canaanites living in the territory allotted to us. Then we will help you conquer your territory.” So the men of Simeon went with Judah.
4 When the men of Judah attacked, the LORD gave them victory over the Canaanites and Perizzites, and they killed 10,000 enemy warriors at the town of Bezek.5 While at Bezek they encountered King Adoni-bezek and fought against him, and the Canaanites and Perizzites were defeated.

6 Adoni-bezek escaped, but the Israelites soon captured him and cut off his thumbs and big toes.

7 Adoni-bezek said, “I once had seventy kings with their thumbs and big toes cut off, eating scraps from under my table. Now God has paid me back for what I did to them.” They took him to Jerusalem, and he died there.
8 The men of Judah attacked Jerusalem and captured it, killing all its people and setting the city on fire.9 Then they went down to fight the Canaanites living in the hill country, the Negev, and the western foothills.t

10 Judah marched against the Canaanites in Hebron (formerly called Kiriath-arba), defeating the forces of Sheshai, Ahiman, and Talmai.
11 From there they went to fight against the people living in the town of Debir (formerly called Kiriath-sepher).12 Caleb said, “I will give my daughter Acsah in marriage to the one who attacks and captures Kiriath-sepher.”

13 Othniel, the son of Caleb’s younger brother, Kenaz, was the one who conquered it, so Acsah became Othniel’s wife.

14 When Acsah married Othniel, she urged himt to ask her father for a field. As she got down off her donkey, Caleb asked her, “What’s the matter?”

15 She said, “Let me have another gift. You have already given me land in the Negev; now please give me springs of water, too.” So Caleb gave her the upper and lower springs.

16 When the tribe of Judah left Jericho—the city of palms—the Kenites, who were descendants of Moses’ father-in-law, traveled with them into the wilderness of Judah. They settled among the people there, near the town of Arad in the Negev.
17 Then Judah joined with Simeon to fight against the Canaanites living in Zephath, and they completely destroyedt the town. So the town was named Hormah.t

18 In addition, Judah captured the towns of Gaza, Ashkelon, and Ekron, along with their surrounding territories.

Israel Fails to Conquer the Land

19 The LORD was with the people of Judah, and they took possession of the hill country. But they failed to drive out the people living in the plains, who had iron chariots.

20 The town of Hebron was given to Caleb as Moses had promised. And Caleb drove out the people living there, who were descendants of the three sons of Anak.

21 The tribe of Benjamin, however, failed to drive out the Jebusites, who were living in Jerusalem. So to this day the Jebusites live in Jerusalem among the people of Benjamin.
22 The descendants of Joseph attacked the town of Bethel, and the LORD was with them.23 They sent men to scout out Bethel (formerly known as Luz).24 They confronted a man coming out of the town and said to him, “Show us a way into the town, and we will have mercy on you.”25 So he showed them a way in, and they killed everyone in the town except that man and his family.

26 Later the man moved to the land of the Hittites, where he built a town. He named it Luz, which is its name to this day.
27 The tribe of Manasseh failed to drive out the people living in Beth-shan,t Taanach, Dor, Ibleam, Megiddo, and all their surrounding settlements, because the Canaanites were determined to stay in that region.

28 When the Israelites grew stronger, they forced the Canaanites to work as slaves, but they never did drive them completely out of the land.

29 The tribe of Ephraim failed to drive out the Canaanites living in Gezer, so the Canaanites continued to live there among them.

30 The tribe of Zebulun failed to drive out the residents of Kitron and Nahalol, so the Canaanites continued to live among them. But the Canaanites were forced to work as slaves for the people of Zebulun.
31 The tribe of Asher failed to drive out the residents of Acco, Sidon, Ahlab, Aczib, Helbah, Aphik, and Rehob.

32 Instead, the people of Asher moved in among the Canaanites, who controlled the land, for they failed to drive them out.

33 Likewise, the tribe of Naphtali failed to drive out the residents of Beth-shemesh and Beth-anath. Instead, they moved in among the Canaanites, who controlled the land. Nevertheless, the people of Beth-shemesh and Beth-anath were forced to work as slaves for the people of Naphtali.
34 As for the tribe of Dan, the Amorites forced them back into the hill country and would not let them come down into the plains.35 The Amorites were determined to stay in Mount Heres, Aijalon, and Shaalbim, but when the descendants of Joseph became stronger, they forced the Amorites to work as slaves.

36 The boundary of the Amorites ran from Scorpion Passt to Sela and continued upward from there.

Judges 1

Judah Takes the Lead

1 After Joshua died, the Israelites askedt the Lord, “Who should lead the invasion against the Canaanites and launch the attack?”t2 The Lord said, “The men of Judah should take the lead.t Be sure of this! I am handing the land over to them.”t

3 The men of Judah said to their relatives, the men of Simeon,t “Invade our allotted land with us and help us attack the Canaanites.t Then wet will go with you into your allotted land.” So the men of Simeon went with them.
4 The men of Judah attacked,t and the Lord handed the Canaanites and Perizzites over to them. They killed ten thousand men at Bezek.5 They mett Adoni-Bezek at Bezek and fought him. They defeated the Canaanites and Perizzites.6 When Adoni-Bezek ran away, they chased him and captured him. Then they cut off his thumbs and big toes.7 Adoni-Bezek said, “Seventy kings, with thumbs and big toes cut off, used to lick upt food scrapst under my table. God has repaid me for what I did to them.”t They brought him to Jerusalem,s where he died.

8 The men of Judah attacked Jerusalem and captured it. They put the sword to it and set the city on fire.
9 Later the men of Judah went down to attack the Canaanites living in the hill country, the Negev, and the lowlands.t10 The men of Judah attacked the Canaanites living in Hebron. (Hebron used to be called Kiriath Arba.) They killed Sheshai, Ahiman, and Talmai.11 From there they attacked the people of Debir.t (Debir used to be called Kiriath Sepher.)12 Caleb said, “To the man who attacks and captures Kiriath Sepher I will give my daughter Acsah as a wife.”

13 When Othniel son of Kenaz, Caleb’s younger brother,t captured it, Calebt gave him his daughter Acsah as a wife.
14 One time Acsaht came and charmed her fathert so she could ask him for some land. When she got down from her donkey, Caleb said to her, “What would you like?”

15 She answered, “Please give me a special present.t Since you have given me land in the Negev, now give me springs of water.” So Caleb gave her both the upper and lower springs.t

16 Now the descendants of the Kenite, Moses’ father-in-law, went up with the people of Judah from the City of Date Palm Trees to Arad in the desert of Judah,s located in the Negev.t They went and lived with the people of Judah.t
17 The men of Judah went with their brothers the men of Simeont and defeated the Canaanites living in Zephath. They wiped out Zephath.t So people now call the city Hormah.s

18 The men of Judah captured Gaza, Ashkelon, Ekron, and the territory surrounding each of these cities.t
19 The Lord was with the men of Judah. They conqueredt the hill country, but they could nots conquer the people living in the coastal plain, because they had chariots with iron-rimmed wheels.t20 Caleb receivedt Hebron, just as Moses had promised. He drove out the three Anakites.

21 The men of Benjamin, however, did not conquer the Jebusites living in Jerusalem.s The Jebusites live with the people of Benjamin in Jerusalem to this very day.s

Partial Success

22 When the ment of Joseph attackedt Bethel,s the Lord was with them.23 When the men of Joseph spied out Bethel (it used to be called Luz),24 the spies spottedt a man leaving the city. They said to him, “If you show us a secret entrance into the city, we will reward you.”25 He showed them a secret entrance into the city, and they put the city to the sword. But they let the man and his extended family leave safely.

26 Het moved to Hittite country and built a city. He named it Luz, and it has kept that name to this very day.
27 The men of Manasseh did not conquer Beth Shan, Taanach, or their surrounding towns. Nor did they conquer the people living in Dor, Ibleam, Megiddos or their surrounding towns.t The Canaanites managedt to remain in those areas.t

28 Whenever Israel was strong militarily, they forced the Canaanites to do hard labor, but they never totally conquered them.

29 The men of Ephraim did not conquer the Canaanites living in Gezer. The Canaanites lived among them in Gezer.

30 The men of Zebulun did not conquer the people living in Kitron and Nahalol.t The Canaanites lived among them and were forced to do hard labor.
31 The men of Asher did not conquer the people living in Acco or Sidon,s nor did they conquer Ahlab, Aczib, Helbah, Aphek, or Rehob.t

32 The people of Asher live among the Canaanites residing in the land because they did not conquer them.

33 The men of Naphtali did not conquer the people living in Beth Shemesh or Beth Anath.t They live among the Canaanites residing in the land. The Canaanitest living in Beth Shemesh and Beth Anath were forced to do hard labor for them.
34 The Amorites forced the people of Dan to live in the hill country. They did not allow them to live int the coastal plain.35 The Amorites managedt to remain in Har Heres,t Aijalon, and Shaalbim. Whenever the tribe of Joseph was strong militarily,t the Amorites were forced to do hard labor.

36 The border of Amorite territory ran from the Scorpion Ascentt to Sela and on up.t