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Judah’s Leadership against the Canaanites

¹ After the death of Joshua,^(C1) the Israelites inquired of the Lord,^(C2) “Who will be the first to fight for us against the Canaanites?”

² The Lord answered, “Judah^(C1) is to go.^(C2) I have handed the land over to him.”^(C3)

³ Judah said to his brother Simeon, “Come with me to my allotted territory, and let us fight against the Canaanites. I will also go with you to your allotted territory.” So Simeon went with him.

⁴ When Judah attacked, the Lord handed the Canaanites and Perizzites^(C1) over to them. They struck down ten thousand men in Bezek.^{(C2) 5} They found Adoni-bezek in Bezek, fought against him, and struck down the Canaanites and Perizzites.

⁶ When Adoni-bezek fled, they pursued him, caught him, and cut off his thumbs and big toes.^{(C1) 7} Adoni-bezek said, “Seventy kings with their thumbs and big toes cut off used to pick up scraps^(F1) under my table. God has repaid me for what I have done.” They brought him to Jerusalem, and he died there.

⁸ The men of Judah fought against Jerusalem, captured it, put it to the sword, and set the city on fire. ⁹ Afterward, the men of Judah marched down to fight against the Canaanites who were living in the hill country, the Negev, and the Judean foothills.^{(F1) 10} Judah also marched against the Canaanites who were living in Hebron^(C1) (Hebron was formerly named Kiriath-arba^(C2)). They struck down Sheshai, Ahiman, and Talmai.^{(C3) 11} From there they marched against the residents of Debir^(C1) (Debir was formerly named Kiriath-sepher).

¹² Caleb^(C1) said, “Whoever attacks and captures Kiriath-sepher, I will give my daughter Achsah^(C2) to him as a wife.” ¹³ So Othniel^(C1) son of Kenaz, Caleb’s youngest brother, captured it, and Caleb gave his daughter Achsah to him as his wife.

¹⁴ When she arrived, she persuaded Othniel to ask her father for a field. As she got off her donkey, Caleb asked her, “What do you want?” ¹⁵ She answered him, “Give me a blessing. Since you have given me land in the Negev,^(C1) give me springs also.” So Caleb gave her both the upper and lower springs.^(C2)

¹⁶ The descendants of the Kenite, Moses’s father-in-law,^(C1) had gone up with the men of Judah from the City of Palms^(F1)(C2) to the Wilderness of Judah, which was in the Negev of Arad.^(C3) They went to live among the people.

¹⁷ Judah went with his brother Simeon, struck the Canaanites who were living in Zephath, and completely destroyed the town. So they named the town Hormah.^{(C1) 18} Judah captured Gaza and its territory, Ashkelon and its territory, and Ekron and its territory. ¹⁹ The Lord was with^(C1) Judah and enabled them to take possession of the hill country, but they could not drive out^(C2) the people who were living in the valley because those people had iron chariots.^(C3)

²⁰ Judah gave Hebron to Caleb, just as Moses had promised.^(C1) Then Caleb drove out the three sons of Anak^(C2) who lived there.

Benjamin’s Failure

²¹ At the same time the Benjaminites did not drive out the Jebusites who were living in Jerusalem. The Jebusites have lived among the Benjaminites in Jerusalem to this day.^(C1)

Success of the House of Joseph

²² The house of Joseph also attacked Bethel, and the Lord was with^(C1) them. ²³ They sent spies to Bethel (the town was formerly named Luz^(C1)). ²⁴ The spies saw a man coming out of the town and said to him, “Please show us how to get into town, and we will show you kindness.”^{(C1) 25} When he showed them the way into the town, they put the town to the sword but released the man and his entire family. ²⁶ Then the man went to the land of the Hittites, built a town, and named it Luz. That is its name still today.

Failure of the Other Tribes

²⁷ At that time Manasseh failed to take possession of Beth-shean^(C1) and Taanach^(C2) and their surrounding villages, or the residents of Dor,^(C3) Ibleam,^(C4) and Megiddo^(C5) and their surrounding villages; the Canaanites were determined to stay in this land.^{(C6) 28} When Israel became stronger, they made the Canaanites serve as forced labor but never drove them out completely.^(C1)

²⁹ At that time Ephraim failed to drive out the Canaanites who were living in Gezer, so the Canaanites have lived among them in Gezer.^(C1)

³⁰ Zebulun failed to drive out the residents of Kitron or the residents of Nahalol,^(C1) so the Canaanites lived among them and served as forced labor.

³¹ Asher failed to drive out the residents of Acco or of Sidon, or Ahlab, Achzib, Helbah, Aphik, or Rehob. ³² The Asherites lived among the Canaanites who were living in the land, because they failed to drive them out.

³³ Naphtali did not drive out the residents of Beth-shemesh or the residents of Beth-anath. They lived among the Canaanites who were living in the land, but the residents of Beth-shemesh and Beth-anath served as their forced labor.

³⁴ The Amorites^(C1) forced the Danites into the hill country and did not allow them to go down into the valley. ³⁵ The Amorites were determined to stay in^(F1) Har-heres, Aijalon,^(C1) and Shaalbim. When the house of Joseph got the upper hand,^(F2) the Amorites^(F3) were made to serve as forced labor. ³⁶ The territory of the Amorites extended from the Scorpions’ Ascent,^(C1) that is from Sela^(C2) upward.