Judges 1:4-36 ▼

4 When Judah (praised) attacked, the LORD {YHWH} delivered the Canaanites (merchants) and Perizzites (villagers) into their hands, and they struck down ten thousand men at Bezek (lightning).

5 And there (lightning) they found Adoni-bezek (my lord is Besek) and fought against him, striking down the Canaanites (merchants) and Perizzites (villagers).

6 As Adoni-bezek (my lord is Besek) fled, they pursued him, seized him, and cut off his thumbs and big toes.

7 Then Adoni-bezek (my lord is Besek) said, “Seventy kings with their thumbs and big toes cut off have gathered the scraps under my table. As I have done to them, so God {Elohim} has repaid me.” And they brought him to Jerusalem (city of peace), where he died.

8 Then the men of Judah (praised) fought against Jerusalem (city of peace) and captured it. They put the city to the sword and set it on fire.

9 Afterward, the men of Judah (praised) marched down to fight against the Canaanites (merchants) living in the hill country, in the Negev (southland), and in the foothills {Shephelah}.

10 Judah (praised) also marched against the Canaanites (merchants) who were living in Hebron (association) (formerly known as Kiriath-arba (city of Arba)), and they struck down Sheshai (noble), Ahiman (my brother is a gift), and Talmai (furrowed).

11 From there they marched against the inhabitants of Debir (sanctuary) (formerly known as Kiriath-sepher (city of the book)).

12 And Caleb (dog) said, “To the man who strikes down Kiriath-sepher (city of the book) and captures it, I will give my daughter Acsah (anklet) in marriage.”

13 So Othniel (lion of God) son of Caleb’s (dog) younger brother Kenaz (hunter) captured the city, and Caleb gave his daughter Acsah (anklet) to him in marriage.

14 One day Acsah came to Othniel and urged him [and he urged her] to ask her father for a field. When she got off her donkey, Caleb (dog) asked her, “What do you desire?”

15 “Give me a blessing,” she answered. “Since you have given me land in the Negev (southland), give me springs of water as well.” So Caleb (dog) gave her both the upper and lower springs.

16 Now the descendants of Moses’ (drawn out) father-in-law, the Kenite (smiths), went up with the men of Judah (praised) from the City of Palms (Jericho) to the Wilderness of Judah in the Negev (southland) near Arad (a wild donkey). They went to live among the people.

17 Then the men of Judah (praised) went with their brothers the Simeonites (heard), attacked the Canaanites (merchants) living in Zephath (watch-tower), and devoted the city to destruction {cherem}. So it was called Hormah (destruction).

18 And Judah (praised) also captured [But Judah did not capture] Gaza (the strong), Ashkelon (the fire of infamy), and Ekron (torn up by the roots)—each with its territory.

19 The LORD {YHWH} was with Judah (praised), and they took possession of the hill country; but they could not drive out the inhabitants of the plains because they had chariots of iron.

20 Just as Moses (drawn out) had promised, Judah gave Hebron (association) to Caleb (dog), who drove out the descendants of the three sons of Anak (neck).

21 The Benjamites, (son of the right hand) however, failed to drive out the Jebusites (Jerusalemites) living in Jerusalem (city of peace). So to this day the Jebusites live there among the Benjamites.

22 The house of Joseph (YHWH has added) also attacked Bethel (house of God), and the LORD {YHWH} was with them.

23 They (YHWH has added) (house of God) sent spies to Bethel (formerly known as Luz (almond tree)),

24 and when the spies saw a man coming out of the city, they said to him, “Please show us how to get into the city, and we will treat you kindly.”

25 So the man showed them the entrance to the city, and they put the city to the sword but released that man and all his family.

26 And the man went to the land of the Hittites, built a city, and called it Luz (almond tree), which is its name to this day.

27 At that time Manasseh (causing to forget) failed to drive out the inhabitants of Beth-shean (house of ease), Taanach (sandy), Dor (generation), Ibleam (devouring the people), Megiddo (place of crowds), and their villages; for the Canaanites (merchants) were determined to dwell in that land.

28 When Israel (he wrestles with God) became stronger, they pressed the Canaanites (merchants) into forced labor, but they never drove them out completely.

29 Ephraim (doubly fruitful) also failed to drive out the Canaanites (merchants) living in Gezer (portion); so the Canaanites continued to dwell among them in Gezer.

30 Zebulun (exalted) failed to drive out the inhabitants of Kitron (incense) and Nahalol (pasture); so the Canaanites (merchants) lived among them and served as forced laborers.

31 Asher (happy) failed to drive out the inhabitants of Acco (his straitness), Sidon (hunting), Ahlab (fertile place), Achzib (deception), Helbah (fertile), Aphik (enclosure), and Rehob (broad place).

32 So the Asherites (happy) lived among the Canaanite (merchant) inhabitants of the land, because they did not drive them out.

33 Naphtali (wrestling) failed to drive out the inhabitants of Beth-shemesh (house of the sun) and Beth-anath (house of affliction). So the Naphtalites also lived among the Canaanite (merchant) inhabitants of the land, but the inhabitants of Beth-shemesh and Beth-anath served them as forced laborers.

34 The Amorites (sayers) forced the Danites (He has judged) into the hill country and did not allow them to come down into the plain.

35 And the Amorites (sayers) were determined to dwell in Mount Heres (the sun), Aijalon (field of deer), and Shaalbim (place of foxes). But when the house of Joseph (YHWH has added) grew in strength, they pressed the Amorites into forced labor.

36 And the border of the Amorites (sayers) extended from the Ascent (ascent of scorpions) of Akrabbim (the Ascent of Scorpions) to Sela (the rock) and beyond.