Judges 1:19-36

Common English Bible

¹⁹ Thus the Lord was with the tribe of Judah, and they took possession of the highlands. However, they didn’t drive out those who lived in the plain because they had iron chariots. ²⁰ They gave Hebron to Caleb, just as Moses had commanded, and they drove out from there the three sons of Anak. ²¹ But the people of Benjamin didn’t drive out the Jebusites who lived in Jerusalem. So the Jebusites still live with the people of Benjamin in Jerusalem today.

²² In the same way, Joseph’s household went up against Bethel, and the Lord was with them. ²³ When they sent men to spy on Bethel, previously named Luz, ²⁴ the spies saw a man coming out of the city, and they said to him, “Show us the way into the city, and we’ll be loyal to you in return.” ²⁵ So he showed them the way into the city. They killed the city’s people with their swords, but they let that man and all his relatives go. ²⁶ The man went to the land of the Hittites and built a city. He named it Luz, which is still its name today.

²⁷ The tribe of Manasseh didn’t drive out the people in Beth-shean, Taanach, Dor, Ibleam, Megiddo, or any of their villages. The Canaanites were determined to live in that land. ²⁸ When Israel became stronger they forced the Canaanites to work for them, but they didn’t completely drive them out. ²⁹ The tribe of Ephraim didn’t drive out the Canaanites living in Gezer, so the Canaanites kept on living there with them.

³⁰ The tribe of Zebulun didn’t drive out the people living in Kitron or Nahalol. These Canaanites lived with them but were forced to work for them. ³¹ The tribe of Asher didn’t drive out the people living in Acco, Sidon, Ahlab, Achzib, Helbah, Aphik, or Rehob. ³² The people of Asher settled among the Canaanites in the land because they couldn’t drive them out. ³³ The tribe of Naphtali didn’t drive out the people living in Beth-shemesh or Beth-anath but settled among the Canaanites in the land. The people living in Beth-shemesh and Beth-anath were forced to work for them.

³⁴ The Amorites pushed the people of Dan back into the highlands because they wouldn’t allow them to come down to the plain. ³⁵ The Amorites were determined to live in Har-heres, Aijalon, and Shaalbim, but Joseph’s household became strong, and the Amorites were forced to work for them. ³⁶ The border of the Amorites ran from the Akrabbim pass, from Sela, and upward.