Israel Fights the Remaining Canaanites^(A)

1 After the death^(B) of Joshua, the Israelites asked the Lord, “Who of us is to go up first^(C) to fight against the Canaanites?^(D)”

² The Lord answered, “Judah^(E) shall go up; I have given the land into their hands.^(F)”

³ The men of Judah then said to the Simeonites their fellow Israelites, “Come up with us into the territory allotted to us, to fight against the Canaanites. We in turn will go with you into yours.” So the Simeonites^(G) went with them.

⁴ When Judah attacked, the Lord gave the Canaanites and Perizzites^(H) into their hands, and they struck down ten thousand men at Bezek.^{(I) 5} It was there that they found Adoni-Bezek^(J) and fought against him, putting to rout the Canaanites and Perizzites.

⁸ The men of Judah attacked Jerusalem^(A) also and took it. They put the city to the sword and set it on fire.

¹⁸ Judah also took^[a] Gaza,^(A) Ashkelon^(B) and Ekron—each city with its territory.

¹⁹ The Lord was with^(C) the men of Judah. They took possession of the hill country,^(D) but they were unable to drive the people from the plains, because they had chariots fitted with iron.^(E)