¹³ In accordance with the Lord’s command to him, Joshua gave to Caleb^(A) son of Jephunneh a portion in Judah—Kiriath Arba^(B), that is, Hebron.^(C) (Arba was the forefather of Anak.)^{(D) 14} From Hebron Caleb drove out the three Anakites^(E)—Sheshai, Ahiman and Talmai,^(F) the sons of Anak.^{(G) 15} From there he marched against the people living in Debir (formerly called Kiriath Sepher). ¹⁶ And Caleb said, “I will give my daughter Aksah^(H) in marriage to the man who attacks and captures Kiriath Sepher.” ¹⁷ Othniel^(I) son of Kenaz, Caleb’s brother, took it; so Caleb gave his daughter Aksah to him in marriage.

⁹ After that, Judah went down to fight against the Canaanites living in the hill country,^(A) the Negev^(B) and the western foothills. ¹⁰ They advanced against the Canaanites living in Hebron^(C) (formerly called Kiriath Arba^(D)) and defeated Sheshai, Ahiman and Talmai.^{(E) 11} From there they advanced against the people living in Debir^(F) (formerly called Kiriath Sepher).

¹² And Caleb said, “I will give my daughter Aksah in marriage to the man who attacks and captures Kiriath Sepher.” ¹³ Othniel son of Kenaz, Caleb’s younger brother, took it; so Caleb gave his daughter Aksah to him in marriage.

¹⁴ One day when she came to Othniel, she urged him^[a] to ask her father for a field. When she got off her donkey, Caleb asked her, “What can I do for you?”

¹⁵ She replied, “Do me a special favor. Since you have given me land in the Negev, give me also springs of water.” So Caleb gave her the upper and lower springs.^(G)

¹⁶ The descendants of Moses’ father-in-law,^(H) the Kenite,^(I) went up from the City of Palms^[b](J) with the people of Judah to live among the inhabitants of the Desert of Judah in the Negev near Arad.^(K)

¹⁷ Then the men of Judah went with the Simeonites^(L) their fellow Israelites and attacked the Canaanites living in Zephath, and they totally destroyed^[c] the city. Therefore it was called Hormah.^{[d](M) 18} Judah also took^[e] Gaza,^(N) Ashkelon^(O) and Ekron—each city with its territory.

¹⁹ The Lord was with^(P) the men of Judah. They took possession of the hill country,^(Q) but they were unable to drive the people from the plains, because they had chariots fitted with iron.^{(R) 20} As Moses had promised, Hebron^(S) was given to Caleb, who drove from it the three sons of Anak.^{(T) 21} The Benjamites, however, did not drive out^(U) the Jebusites, who were living in Jerusalem;^(V) to this day the Jebusites live there with the Benjamites.

3 These are the nations the Lord left to test^(A) all those Israelites who had not experienced any of the wars in Canaan ² (he did this only to teach warfare to the descendants of the Israelites who had not had previous battle experience): ³ the five^(B) rulers of the Philistines,^(C) all the Canaanites, the Sidonians, and the Hivites^(D) living in the Lebanon mountains from Mount Baal Hermon^(E) to Lebo Hamath.^{(F) 4} They were left to test^(G) the Israelites to see whether they would obey the Lord’s commands, which he had given their ancestors through Moses.

⁵ The Israelites lived^(H) among the Canaanites, Hittites, Amorites, Perizzites,^(I) Hivites and Jebusites.^{(J) 6} They took their daughters^(K) in marriage and gave their own daughters to their sons, and served their gods.^(L)

Othniel

⁷ The Israelites did evil in the eyes of the Lord; they forgot the Lord^(M) their God and served the Baals and the Asherahs.^{(N) 8} The anger of the Lord burned against Israel so that he sold^(O) them into the hands of Cushan-Rishathaim^(P) king of Aram Naharaim,^[a](Q) to whom the Israelites were subject for eight years. ⁹ But when they cried out^(R) to the Lord, he raised up for them a deliverer,^(S) Othniel^(T) son of Kenaz, Caleb’s younger brother, who saved them. ¹⁰ The Spirit of the Lord came on him,^(U) so that he became Israel’s judge^[b] and went to war. The Lord gave Cushan-Rishathaim^(V) king of Aram^(W) into the hands of Othniel, who overpowered him. ¹¹ So the land had peace^(X) for forty years,^(Y) until Othniel son of Kenaz^(Z) died.