Judges 1
Judah Takes the Lead
1:1 After Joshua died, the Israelites asked1 the
1:4 The men of Judah attacked,8 and the
1:9 Later the men of Judah went down to attack the Canaanites living in the hill country, the Negev, and the lowlands.14 1:10 The men of Judah attacked the Canaanites living in Hebron. (Hebron used to be called Kiriath Arba.) They killed Sheshai, Ahiman, and Talmai. 1:11 From there they attacked the people of Debir.15 (Debir used to be called Kiriath Sepher.) 1:12 Caleb said, “To the man who attacks and captures Kiriath Sepher I will give my daughter Acsah as a wife.” 1:13 When Othniel son of Kenaz, Caleb’s younger brother,16 captured it, Caleb17 gave him his daughter Acsah as a wife.
1:14 One time Acsah18 came and charmed her father19 so she could ask him for some land. When she got down from her donkey, Caleb said to her, “What would you like?” 1:15 She answered, “Please give me a special present.20 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.21
1:16 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,22 located in the Negev.23 They went and lived with the people of Judah.24
1:17 The men of Judah went with their brothers the men of Simeon25 and defeated the Canaanites living in Zephath. They wiped out Zephath.26 So people now call the city Hormah.27 1:18 The men of Judah captured Gaza, Ashkelon, Ekron, and the territory surrounding each of these cities.28
1:19 The
Partial Success
1:22 When the men35 of Joseph attacked36 Bethel,37 the
1:27 The men of Manasseh did not conquer Beth Shan, Taanach, or their surrounding towns. Nor did they conquer the people living in Dor, Ibleam, Megiddo40 or their surrounding towns.41 The Canaanites managed42 to remain in those areas.43 1:28 Whenever Israel was strong militarily, they forced the Canaanites to do hard labor, but they never totally conquered them.
1:29 The men of Ephraim did not conquer the Canaanites living in Gezer. The Canaanites lived among them in Gezer.
1:30 The men of Zebulun did not conquer the people living in Kitron and Nahalol.44 The Canaanites lived among them and were forced to do hard labor.
1:31 The men of Asher did not conquer the people living in Acco or Sidon,45 nor did they conquer Ahlab, Aczib, Helbah, Aphek, or Rehob.46 1:32 The people of Asher live among the Canaanites residing in the land because they did not conquer them.
1:33 The men of Naphtali did not conquer the people living in Beth Shemesh or Beth Anath.47 They live among the Canaanites residing in the land. The Canaanites48 living in Beth Shemesh and Beth Anath were forced to do hard labor for them.
1:34 The Amorites forced the people of Dan to live in the hill country. They did not allow them to live in49 the coastal plain. 1:35 The Amorites managed50 to remain in Har Heres,51 Aijalon, and Shaalbim. Whenever the tribe of Joseph was strong militarily,52 the Amorites were forced to do hard labor. 1:36 The border of Amorite territory ran from the Scorpion Ascent53 to Sela and on up.54