1 N ow it came about after the death of Joshua that the sons of Israel inquired of the Lord, saying, “Who shall go up first for us against the Canaanites, to fight against them?”

After the death of Joshua, the children of Israel asked of Yahweh, saying, “Who should go up for us first against the Canaanites, to fight against them?”

2 T he Lord said, “ Judah shall go up; behold, I have given the land into his hand.”

Yahweh said, “Judah shall go up. Behold, I have delivered the land into his hand.”

3 T hen Judah said to Simeon his brother, “Come up with me into the territory allotted me, that we may fight against the Canaanites; and I in turn will go with you into the territory allotted you.” So Simeon went with him.

Judah said to Simeon his brother, “Come up with me into my lot, that we may fight against the Canaanites; and I likewise will go with you into your lot.” So Simeon went with him.

4 J udah went up, and the Lord gave the Canaanites and the Perizzites into their hands, and they defeated ten thousand men at Bezek.

Judah went up, and Yahweh delivered the Canaanites and the Perizzites into their hand. They struck ten thousand men in Bezek.

5 T hey found Adoni-bezek in Bezek and fought against him, and they defeated the Canaanites and the Perizzites.

They found Adoni-Bezek in Bezek, and they fought against him. They struck the Canaanites and the Perizzites.

6 B ut Adoni-bezek fled; and they pursued him and caught him and cut off his thumbs and big toes.

But Adoni-Bezek fled. They pursued him, caught him, and cut off his thumbs and his big toes.

7 A doni-bezek said, “Seventy kings with their thumbs and their big toes cut off used to gather up scraps under my table; as I have done, so God has repaid me.” So they brought him to Jerusalem and he died there.

Adoni-Bezek said, “Seventy kings, having their thumbs and their big toes cut off, scavenged under my table. As I have done, so God has done to me.” They brought him to Jerusalem, and he died there.

8 T hen the sons of Judah fought against Jerusalem and captured it and struck it with the edge of the sword and set the city on fire.

The children of Judah fought against Jerusalem, took it, struck it with the edge of the sword, and set the city on fire.

9 A fterward the sons of Judah went down to fight against the Canaanites living in the hill country and in the Negev and in the lowland.

After that, the children of Judah went down to fight against the Canaanites who lived in the hill country, and in the South, and in the lowland.

10 S o Judah went against the Canaanites who lived in Hebron (now the name of Hebron formerly was Kiriath-arba); and they struck Sheshai and Ahiman and Talmai. Capture of Other Cities

Judah went against the Canaanites who lived in Hebron. (The name of Hebron before that was Kiriath Arba.) They struck Sheshai, Ahiman, and Talmai.

11 T hen from there he went against the inhabitants of Debir (now the name of Debir formerly was Kiriath-sepher).

From there he went against the inhabitants of Debir. (The name of Debir before that was Kiriath Sepher.)

12 A nd Caleb said, “The one who attacks Kiriath-sepher and captures it, I will even give him my daughter Achsah for a wife.”

Caleb said, “I will give Achsah my daughter as wife to the man who strikes Kiriath Sepher, and takes it.”

13 O thniel the son of Kenaz, Caleb’s younger brother, captured it; so he gave him his daughter Achsah for a wife.

Othniel the son of Kenaz, Caleb’s younger brother, took it, so he gave him Achsah his daughter as his wife.

14 T hen it came about when she came to him, that she persuaded him to ask her father for a field. Then she alighted from her donkey, and Caleb said to her, “What do you want?”

When she came, she got him to ask her father for a field. She dismounted from off of her donkey; and Caleb said to her, “What would you like?”

15 S he said to him, “Give me a blessing, since you have given me the land of the Negev, give me also springs of water.” So Caleb gave her the upper springs and the lower springs.

She said to him, “Give me a blessing; because you have set me in the land of the South, give me also springs of water.” Then Caleb gave her the upper springs and the lower springs.

16 T he descendants of the Kenite, Moses’ father-in-law, went up from the city of palms with the sons of Judah, to the wilderness of Judah which is in the south of Arad; and they went and lived with the people.

The children of the Kenite, Moses’ brother-in-law, went up out of the city of palm trees with the children of Judah into the wilderness of Judah, which is in the south of Arad; and they went and lived with the people.

17 T hen Judah went with Simeon his brother, and they struck the Canaanites living in Zephath, and utterly destroyed it. So the name of the city was called Hormah.

Judah went with Simeon his brother, and they struck the Canaanites who inhabited Zephath, and utterly destroyed it. The name of the city was called Hormah.

18 A nd Judah took Gaza with its territory and Ashkelon with its territory and Ekron with its territory.

Also Judah took Gaza with its border, and Ashkelon with its border, and Ekron with its border.

19 N ow the Lord was with Judah, and they took possession of the hill country; but they could not drive out the inhabitants of the valley because they had iron chariots.

Yahweh was with Judah; and drove out the inhabitants of the hill country; for he could not drive out the inhabitants of the valley, because they had chariots of iron.

20 T hen they gave Hebron to Caleb, as Moses had promised; and he drove out from there the three sons of Anak.

They gave Hebron to Caleb, as Moses had said, and he drove the three sons of Anak out of there.

21 B ut the sons of Benjamin did not drive out the Jebusites who lived in Jerusalem; so the Jebusites have lived with the sons of Benjamin in Jerusalem to this day.

The children of Benjamin did not drive out the Jebusites who inhabited Jerusalem, but the Jebusites dwell with the children of Benjamin in Jerusalem to this day.

22 L ikewise the house of Joseph went up against Bethel, and the Lord was with them.

The house of Joseph also went up against Bethel, and Yahweh was with them.

23 T he house of Joseph spied out Bethel ( now the name of the city was formerly Luz).

The house of Joseph sent to spy out Bethel. (The name of the city before that was Luz.)

24 T he spies saw a man coming out of the city and they said to him, “Please show us the entrance to the city and we will treat you kindly.”

The watchers saw a man come out of the city, and they said to him, “Please show us the entrance into the city, and we will deal kindly with you.”

25 S o he showed them the entrance to the city, and they struck the city with the edge of the sword, but they let the man and all his family go free.

He showed them the entrance into the city, and they struck the city with the edge of the sword; but they let the man and all his family go.

26 T he man went into the land of the Hittites and built a city and named it Luz which is its name to this day. Places Not Conquered

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

27 B ut Manasseh did not take possession of Beth-shean and its villages, or Taanach and its villages, or the inhabitants of Dor and its villages, or the inhabitants of Ibleam and its villages, or the inhabitants of Megiddo and its villages; so the Canaanites persisted in living in that land.

Manasseh did not drive out the inhabitants of Beth Shean and its towns, nor Taanach and its towns, nor the inhabitants of Dor and its towns, nor the inhabitants of Ibleam and its towns, nor the inhabitants of Megiddo and its towns; but the Canaanites would dwell in that land.

28 I t came about when Israel became strong, that they put the Canaanites to forced labor, but they did not drive them out completely.

When Israel had grown strong, they put the Canaanites to forced labor, and did not utterly drive them out.

29 E phraim did not drive out the Canaanites who were living in Gezer; so the Canaanites lived in Gezer among them.

Ephraim didn’t drive out the Canaanites who lived in Gezer, but the Canaanites lived in Gezer among them.

30 Z ebulun did not drive out the inhabitants of Kitron, or the inhabitants of Nahalol; so the Canaanites lived among them and became subject to forced labor.

Zebulun didn’t drive out the inhabitants of Kitron, nor the inhabitants of Nahalol; but the Canaanites lived among them, and became subject to forced labor.

31 A sher did not drive out the inhabitants of Acco, or the inhabitants of Sidon, or of Ahlab, or of Achzib, or of Helbah, or of Aphik, or of Rehob.

Asher didn’t drive out the inhabitants of Acco, nor the inhabitants of Sidon, nor of Ahlab, nor of Achzib, nor of Helbah, nor of Aphik, nor of Rehob;

32 S o the Asherites lived among the Canaanites, the inhabitants of the land; for they did not drive them out.

but the Asherites lived among the Canaanites, the inhabitants of the land; for they did not drive them out.

33 N aphtali did not drive out the inhabitants of Beth-shemesh, or the inhabitants of Beth-anath, but lived among the Canaanites, the inhabitants of the land; and the inhabitants of Beth-shemesh and Beth-anath became forced labor for them.

Naphtali didn’t drive out the inhabitants of Beth Shemesh, nor the inhabitants of Beth Anath; but he lived among the Canaanites, the inhabitants of the land. Nevertheless the inhabitants of Beth Shemesh and of Beth Anath became subject to forced labor.

34 T hen the Amorites forced the sons of Dan into the hill country, for they did not allow them to come down to the valley;

The Amorites forced the children of Dan into the hill country, for they would not allow them to come down to the valley;

35 y et the Amorites persisted in living in Mount Heres, in Aijalon and in Shaalbim; but when the power of the house of Joseph grew strong, they became forced labor.

but the Amorites would dwell in Mount Heres, in Aijalon, and in Shaalbim. Yet the hand of the house of Joseph prevailed, so that they became subject to forced labor.

36 T he border of the Amorites ran from the ascent of Akrabbim, from Sela and upward.

The border of the Amorites was from the ascent of Akrabbim, from the rock, and upward.