Judges Chapter 1
Partial Conquest of Remaining Territory
1 After Joshua died, the people asked the LORD, “Who will go up first to fight the Canaanites?”
2 He said, “Judah. I’ll deliver the land to him.”
3 Judah said to his brother Simeon, “Go with me to my territory to fight the Canaanites, and I’ll go with you to yours.”
So he went with him.
4 Judah went up and the LORD delivered 10,000 Canaanites and Perizzites to him at Bezek. 5-6 They attacked Adoni-bezek 6 and he fled, but they caught him and cut off his thumbs and big toes. 7 He said, “Seventy kings with their thumbs and big toes cut off used to pick up scraps under my table. God has done to me what I’ve done.” They took him to Jerusalem, where he died.
8 Judah fought Jerusalem and took it. They struck it with the sword and set it on fire. 9 Then they went down to fight the Canaanites in the hill country, the Negev, and the western foothills. 10 Judah attacked the Canaanites in Hebron (called Kiriath-arba before) and defeated Sheshai, Ahiman, and Talmai. Jud 1:1-10
11 From there they attacked Debir (called Kiriath-sepher before). 12 Caleb said, “Whoever takes Keriath-sepher, I’ll give my daughter Achsah as a wife.” 13 Othniel son of Kenaz, Caleb’s younger brother, took it, and Caleb gave her to him. 14 When she came to him, she urged him to ask her father for a field. She got down from her donkey, and Caleb asked, “What do you want for yourself?”
15 “A present. Since you’ve put me in the Negev, give me springs.”
Caleb gave her the upper and lower springs.
16 The descendants of Moses’ father-in-law, the Kenite, moved from the City of Palms to the Wilderness of Judah in the Negev near Arad, and settled with the people. 17 Judah went with Simeon and defeated the Canaanites in Zephath and “destroyed” it; so the city was called Hormah. 18 Judah also took Gaza, Ashkelon, and Ekron, and their territories. 19 The LORD was with Judah, and he gained possession of the hill country, but he couldn’t drive out the people in the plain; they had iron chariots. 20 They gave Hebron to Caleb, like Moses had said. He drove out Anak’s three sons. Jud 1:11-20
21 But Benjamin didn’t drive out the Jebusites in Jerusalem; they still live there among them.
22 Joseph went up against Bethel and the LORD was with them. 23 Joseph’s house spied out Bethel (called Luz before). 24 The spies saw a man coming out of the city, and said, “Show us how to get into the city, and we’ll have mercy on you.” 25 He showed them. They struck it with the sword, but they let him and his family go. 26 He went to the Hittites and built a city he called Luz. That’s still its name.
27 Manasseh didn’t drive out the people in Beth-shean, Taanach, Dor, Ibleam, or Megiddo and their villages. The Canaanites kept living there. 28 When Israel grew stronger, they put them to forced labor; but they didn’t completely drive them out. Jud 1:21-28
29 Ephraim didn’t drive out the Canaanites in Gezer, who kept living among them.
30 Zebulun didn’t drive out the people in Kitron or Nahalol, who kept living among them, subject to forced labor.
31 Asher didn’t drive out the people in Acco, Sidon, Ahlab, Achzib, Helbah, Aphik, or Rehob. 32 They lived among the Canaanites.
33 Naphtali didn’t drive out the people in Beth-shemesh or Beth-anath. They lived among those Canaanites, who became forced labor.
34 The Amorites pressed the Danites back into the hill country. They wouldn’t let them come down to the plain. 35 They went on living in Mount Heres. Aijalon, and Shaalbim. But Joseph’s house pressed heavily on them and subjected them to forced labor. 36 The border of the Amorites ran from the ascent of Akrabbim, from Sela and up. Jud 1:29-36