Judges 1:19-36

New International Reader's Version

¹⁹ The Lord was with the men of Judah. They took over the central hill country. But they weren’t able to drive the people out of the plains. That’s because those people used chariots that had some iron parts. ²⁰ Moses had promised to give Hebron to Caleb. So Hebron was given to Caleb. He drove the three sons of Anak out of it. ²¹ But the people of Benjamin did not drive out the Jebusites living in Jerusalem. So to this day they live there with the people of Benjamin.

²² The tribes of Joseph attacked Bethel. The Lord was with them. ²³ They sent men to Bethel to check it out. It used to be called Luz. ²⁴ Those who were sent saw a man coming out of the city. They said to him, “Show us how to get into the city. If you do, we’ll see that you are treated well.” ²⁵ So he showed them how to get in. The men of Joseph killed the people in the city with their swords. But they spared the man from Bethel. They also spared his whole family. ²⁶ Then he went to the land of the Hittites. He built a city there. He called it Luz. That’s still its name to this day.

²⁷ But the tribe of Manasseh didn’t drive out the people of Beth Shan. They didn’t drive out the people of Taanach, Dor, Ibleam and Megiddo. And they didn’t drive out the people of the settlements that are around those cities either. That’s because the Canaanites had made up their minds to continue living in that land. ²⁸ Later, Israel became stronger. Then they forced the Canaanites to work hard for them. But Israel never drove them out completely. ²⁹ The tribe of Ephraim didn’t drive out the Canaanites living in Gezer. So the Canaanites continued to live there among them. ³⁰ The tribe of Zebulun didn’t drive out the Canaanites living in Kitron and Nahalol. So these Canaanites lived among them. But the people of Zebulun forced the Canaanites to work hard for them. ³¹ The tribe of Asher didn’t drive out the people living in Akko and Sidon. They didn’t drive out the people of Ahlab, Akzib, Helbah, Aphek and Rehob. ³² So the people of Asher lived among the Canaanites who were in the land. ³³ The tribe of Naphtali didn’t drive out the people living in Beth Shemesh and Beth Anath. So the people of Naphtali lived among the Canaanites who were in the land. The people of Beth Shemesh and Beth Anath were forced to work hard for them. ³⁴ The Amorites made the people of Dan stay in the central hill country. They didn’t let them come down into the plain. ³⁵ The Amorites made up their minds to stay in Mount Heres. They also stayed in Aijalon and Shaalbim. But the power of the tribes of Joseph grew. Then the Amorites were forced to work hard for them. ³⁶ The border of the Amorites started at Scorpion Pass. It went to Sela and even past it.