Judah’s Leadership against the Canaanites

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

² The Lord answered, “Judah^(C) is to go.^(D) I have handed the land over to him.”^(E)

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

⁴ When Judah attacked, the Lord handed the Canaanites and Perizzites^(F) over to them. They struck down 10,000 men in Bezek.^{(G) 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, seized him, and cut off his thumbs and big toes.^{(H) 7} Adoni-bezek said, “Seventy kings with their thumbs and big toes cut off used to pick up scraps^[a] 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 and captured it. They put the city to the sword and set it 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.^{[b] 10} Judah also marched against the Canaanites who were living in Hebron^(I) (Hebron was formerly named Kiriath-arba^(J)). They struck down Sheshai, Ahiman, and Talmai.^{(K) 11} From there they marched against the residents of Debir^(L) (Debir was formerly named Kiriath-sepher).

¹² Caleb^(M) said, “Whoever strikes down and captures Kiriath-sepher, I will give my daughter Achsah^(N) to him as a wife.” ¹³ So Othniel^(O) 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^[c] to ask her father for a field. As she got off her donkey, Caleb asked her,^[d] “What do you want?” ¹⁵ She answered him, “Give me a blessing. Since you have given me land in the Negev,^(P) give me springs of water also.” So Caleb gave her both the upper and lower springs.^[e](Q)

¹⁶ The descendants of the Kenite, Moses’ father-in-law,^(R) had gone up with the men of Judah from the City of Palms^[f](S) to the Wilderness of Judah, which was in the Negev of Arad.^(T) 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.^{(U) 18} Judah captured Gaza and its territory, Ashkelon and its territory, and Ekron and its territory.^{[g] 19} The Lord was with^(V) Judah and enabled them to take possession of the hill country, but they could not drive out^(W) the people who were living in the valley because those people had iron chariots.^[h](X)

²⁰ Judah gave Hebron to Caleb, just as Moses had promised.^(Y) Then Caleb drove out the three sons of Anak^(Z) who lived there.^[i]

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.^(AA)

Success of the House of Joseph

²² The house of Joseph also attacked Bethel, and the Lord was with^(AB) them. ²³ They sent spies to Bethel (the town was formerly named Luz^(AC)). 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 treat you well.”^{(AD) 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 to this day.

Failure of the Other Tribes

²⁷ At that time Manasseh failed to take possession of Beth-shean^[j](AE) and its villages,^[k] or Taanach^(AF) and its villages, or the residents of Dor^(AG) and its villages, or the residents of Ibleam^[l](AH) and its villages, or the residents of Megiddo^(AI) and its villages; the Canaanites refused to leave^[m] this land.^{(AJ) 28} When Israel became stronger, they made the Canaanites serve as forced labor but never drove them out completely.^(AK)

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.^[n](AL)

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

³¹ Asher failed to drive out the residents of Acco^[o] 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^(AN) forced the Danites into the hill country and did not allow them to go down into the valley. ³⁵ The Amorites refused to leave^[p] Har-heres, Aijalon,^(AO) and Shaalbim. When the house of Joseph got the upper hand,^[q] the Amorites^[r] were made to serve as forced labor. ³⁶ The territory of the Amorites extended from the Ascent of Akrabbim,^(AP) that is from Sela^(AQ) upward.