Judges 1:1-18

Holman Christian Standard Bible

Judah’s Leadership against the Canaanites

1 After the death of Joshua,^(A) the Israelites inquired of the Lord,^(B) “Who will be the first to fight for us against the Canaanites?”

² The Lord answered, “Judah^(C) is to go.^(D) I have handed the land over to him.”^(E)

³ Judah said to his brother Simeon, “Come with me to my territory, and let us fight against the Canaanites. I will also go with you to your territory.” So Simeon went with him.

⁴ When Judah attacked, the Lord handed the Canaanites and Perizzites^(F) over to them. They struck down 10,000 men in Bezek.^{(G) 5} They found Adoni-bezek in Bezek, fought against him, and struck down the Canaanites and Perizzites.

⁶ When Adoni-bezek fled, they pursued him, seized him, and cut off his thumbs and big toes.^{(H) 7} Adoni-bezek said, “Seventy kings with their thumbs and big toes cut off used to pick up scraps^[a] under my table. God has repaid me for what I have done.” They brought him to Jerusalem, and he died there.

⁸ The men of Judah fought against Jerusalem and captured it. They put the city to the sword and set it on fire. ⁹ Afterward, the men of Judah marched down to fight against the Canaanites who were living in the hill country, the Negev, and the Judean foothills.^{[b] 10} Judah also marched against the Canaanites who were living in Hebron^(I) (Hebron was formerly named Kiriath-arba^(J)). They struck down Sheshai, Ahiman, and Talmai.^{(K) 11} From there they marched against the residents of Debir^(L) (Debir was formerly named Kiriath-sepher).

¹² Caleb^(M) said, “Whoever strikes down and captures Kiriath-sepher, I will give my daughter Achsah^(N) to him as a wife.” ¹³ So Othniel^(O) son of Kenaz, Caleb’s youngest brother, captured it, and Caleb gave his daughter Achsah to him as his wife.

¹⁴ When she arrived, she persuaded Othniel^[c] to ask her father for a field. As she got off her donkey, Caleb asked her,^[d] “What do you want?” ¹⁵ She answered him, “Give me a blessing. Since you have given me land in the Negev,^(P) give me springs of water also.” So Caleb gave her both the upper and lower springs.^[e](Q)

¹⁶ The descendants of the Kenite, Moses’ father-in-law,^(R) had gone up with the men of Judah from the City of Palms^[f](S) to the Wilderness of Judah, which was in the Negev of Arad.^(T) They went to live among the people.

¹⁷ Judah went with his brother Simeon, struck the Canaanites who were living in Zephath, and completely destroyed the town. So they named the town Hormah.^{(U) 18} Judah captured Gaza and its territory, Ashkelon and its territory, and Ekron and its territory.^[g]