| International Standard Version | Holman Christian Standard Bible |
| 1Sometime after Joshua had died, the Israelis asked the LORD, "Who is to lead us against the Canaanites in our opening attack against them?" | 1After the death of Joshua, the Israelites inquired of the LORD, "Who will be the first to fight for us against the Canaanites?" |
| 2The LORD replied, "The tribe of Judah is to lead you. Look! I've given the land into their control." | 2The LORD answered, "Judah is to go. I have handed the land over to him." |
| 3But the tribe of Judah told the tribe of Simeon, the descendants of Judah's brother, "Come with us into our territory, and we'll both fight the Canaanites. In return, we'll go with you when you fight in your territory." So the army of the tribe of Simeon accompanied the army of the tribe of Judah. | 3Judah 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. |
| 4When the army of the tribe of Judah went into battle, the LORD gave the Canaanites and the Perizzites into their control, and they defeated 10,000 men at Bezek. | 4When Judah attacked, the LORD handed the Canaanites and Perizzites over to them. They struck down 10,000 men in Bezek. |
| 5They located Adoni-bezek in Bezek, fought him, and defeated the Canaanites and the Perizzites. | 5They found Adoni-bezek in Bezek, fought against him, and struck down the Canaanites and Perizzites. |
| 6Adoni-bezek ran off, but they pursued him, caught him, and amputated his thumbs and big toes. | 6When Adoni-bezek fled, they pursued him, seized him, and cut off his thumbs and big toes. |
| 7Adoni-bezek used to brag, "Seventy kings without thumbs and big toes used to eat what was left under my table. God has repaid me for what I've done." They brought him to Jerusalem, and he later died there. | 7Adoni-bezek said, "Seventy kings with their thumbs and big toes cut off used to pick up scraps under my table. God has repaid me for what I have done." They brought him to Jerusalem, and he died there. |
| 8Then the army of Judah attacked Jerusalem, captured it, executed its inhabitants, and set fire to the city. | 8The men of Judah fought against Jerusalem and captured it. They put the city to the sword and set it on fire. |
| 9Later, the army of Judah left Jerusalem to attack the Canaanites who lived in the hill country, the Negev, and the Shephelah. | 9Afterward, the men of Judah marched down to fight against the Canaanites who were living in the hill country, the Negev, and the Judean foothills. |
| 10They attacked the Canaanites who inhabited Hebron (formerly known as Kiriath-arba) and fought Sheshai, Ahiman, and Talmai. | 10Judah also marched against the Canaanites who were living in Hebron (Hebron was formerly named Kiriath-arba). They struck down Sheshai, Ahiman, and Talmai. |
| 11The army of Judah then proceeded to attack the inhabitants of Debir, which used to be known as Kiriath-sepher. | 11From there they marched against the residents of Debir (Debir was formerly named Kiriath-sepher). |
| 12Caleb announced, "I'll give my daughter Achsah in marriage to whomever leads the attack against Kiriath-sepher and captures it." | 12Caleb said, "Whoever strikes down and captures Kiriath-sepher, I will give my daughter Achsah to him as a wife." |
| 13Othniel, Caleb's nephew through his younger brother Kenaz, captured the city, so Caleb awarded him his daughter Achsah in marriage. | 13So Othniel son of Kenaz, Caleb's youngest brother, captured it, and Caleb gave his daughter Achsah to him as his wife. |
| 14Later on, after she had arrived, she urged Othniel to ask her father for a field. As she got off her donkey, Caleb asked her, "What do you want for yourself?" | 14When 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"I want this blessing from you," she replied. "Since you've given me land in the Negev, give me water springs, too." So Caleb gave her both the upper and lower springs. | 15She answered him, "Give me a blessing. Since you have given me land in the Negev, give me springs of water also." So Caleb gave her both the upper and lower springs. |
| 16The descendants of the Kenites, the tribe from which Moses' father-in-law came, accompanied the descendants of Judah from the city of the palms to the Judean wilderness, which is in the desert area south of Arad, and lived with the people there. | 16The descendants of the Kenite, Moses' father-in-law, had gone up with the men of Judah from the City of Palms to the Wilderness of Judah, which was in the Negev of Arad. They went to live among the people. |
| 17The army of Judah accompanied the army of Simeon, Judah's brother, as they attacked the Canaanites who were living in Zephath, and they completely destroyed it. Then they renamed the city Hormah. | 17Judah went with his brother Simeon, struck the Canaanites who were living in Zephath, and completely destroyed the town. So they named the town Hormah. |
| 18The army of Judah captured Gaza and its territory, Ashkelon and its territory, and Ekron and its territory. | 18Judah captured Gaza and its territory, Ashkelon and its territory, and Ekron and its territory. |
| 19The LORD was with the army of Judah, and they captured the hill country, but did not expel the inhabitants of the valley because they were equipped with iron chariots. | 19The LORD was with Judah and enabled them to take possession of the hill country, but they could not drive out the people who were living in the valley because those people had iron chariots. |
| 20They gave Hebron to Caleb, just as Moses had promised, and he drove out the three sons of Anak from there. | 20Judah gave Hebron to Caleb, just as Moses had promised. Then Caleb drove out the three sons of Anak who lived there. |
| 21However, the descendants of Benjamin did not expel the Jebusites who lived in Jerusalem, so the Jebusites have lived with the descendants of Benjamin in Jerusalem to this day. | 21At 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. |
| 22Then the army of the tribe of Joseph attacked Bethel, and the LORD was with them. | 22The house of Joseph also attacked Bethel, and the LORD was with them. |
| 23The army of the tribe of Joseph scouted out Bethel, which had been formerly named Luz. | 23They sent spies to Bethel (the town was formerly named Luz). |
| 24The scouts observed a man coming out of the city and they promised him, "Please show us the entrance to the city and we'll deal kindly with you." | 24The 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." |
| 25So he showed them the entrance to the city, and they attacked the city with swords, but they let the man and his entire family escape. | 25When he showed them the way into the town, they put the town to the sword but released the man and his entire family. |
| 26So the man traveled to the land of the Hittites and built a city that he named "Luz," and it is called by that name to this day. | 26Then the man went to the land of the Hittites, built a town, and named it Luz. That is its name to this day. |
| 27The army of the tribe of Manasseh did not conquer Beth-shean and its villages, Taanach and its villages, the inhabitants of Dor and its villages, the inhabitants of Ibleam and its villages, and the inhabitants of Megiddo and its villages. Instead, the Canaanites continued to live in that land. | 27At that time Manasseh failed to take possession of Beth-shean and its villages, or Taanach and its villages, or the residents of Dor and its villages, or the residents of Ibleam and its villages, or the residents of Megiddo and its villages; the Canaanites refused to leave this land. |
| 28When Israel had grown strong, they subjected the Canaanites to conscripted labor and never did expel them completely. | 28When Israel became stronger, they made the Canaanites serve as forced labor but never drove them out completely. |
| 29The army of the tribe of Ephraim did not expel the Canaanites who were living in Gezer, so the Canaanites lived in Gezer among them. | 29At that time Ephraim failed to drive out the Canaanites who were living in Gezer, so the Canaanites have lived among them in Gezer. |
| 30The army of the tribe of Zebulun did not expel the inhabitants of Kitron or the inhabitants of Nahalol, so the Canaanites lived among them, but were subjected to conscripted labor. | 30Zebulun failed to drive out the residents of Kitron or the residents of Nahalol, so the Canaanites lived among them and served as forced labor. |
| 31The army of the tribe of Asher did not expel the inhabitants of Acco nor the inhabitants of Sidon, Ahlab, Achzib, Helbah, Aphik, or Rehob. | 31Asher failed to drive out the residents of Acco or of Sidon, or Ahlab, Achzib, Helbah, Aphik, or Rehob. |
| 32So the descendants of Asher lived among the Canaanites who continued to inhabit the land, because they did not expel them. | 32The Asherites lived among the Canaanites who were living in the land, because they failed to drive them out. |
| 33The army of the tribe of Naphtali did not expel the inhabitants of Beth-shemesh and the inhabitants of Beth-anath. Instead, they lived among the Canaanites who inhabited the land. However, the inhabitants of Beth-shemesh and Beth-anath were subjected to conscripted labor. | 33Naphtali 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. |
| 34Later on, the Amorites forced the descendants of Dan into the hill country and did not permit them to come into the valleys of the hills. | 34The Amorites forced the Danites into the hill country and did not allow them to go down into the valley. |
| 35Furthermore, the Amorites continued to inhabit Mount Heres in Aijalon and Shaalbim. Eventually, however, after the tribe of Joseph had become strong, the Amorites were subjected to conscripted labor. | 35The Amorites refused to leave Har-heres, Aijalon, and Shaalbim. When the house of Joseph got the upper hand, the Amorites were made to serve as forced labor. |
| 36The Amorite border extended upward from the Akrabbim Ascent, that is, from Sela. | 36The territory of the Amorites extended from the Ascent of Akrabbim, that is from Sela upward. |
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