| Berean Study Bible | Holman Christian Standard Bible |
| 1After the death of Joshua, the Israelites inquired of the LORD, “Who will be the first to go up and fight for us against the Canaanites?” | 1After the death of Joshua, the Israelites inquired of the LORD, "Who will be the first to fight for us against the Canaanites?" |
| 2“Judah shall go up,” answered the LORD. “Indeed, I have delivered the land into their hands.” | 2The LORD answered, "Judah is to go. I have handed the land over to him." |
| 3Then the men of Judah said to their brothers the Simeonites, “Come up with us to our allotted territory, and let us fight against the Canaanites. And we likewise will go with you to your territory.” So the Simeonites went with them. | 3Judah 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. |
| 4When Judah attacked, the LORD delivered the Canaanites and Perizzites into their hands, and they struck down ten thousand men at Bezek. | 4When Judah attacked, the LORD handed the Canaanites and Perizzites over to them. They struck down 10,000 men in Bezek. |
| 5And there they found Adoni-bezek and fought against him, striking down the Canaanites and Perizzites. | 5They found Adoni-bezek in Bezek, fought against him, and struck down the Canaanites and Perizzites. |
| 6As Adoni-bezek fled, they pursued him, seized him, and cut off his thumbs and big toes. | 6When Adoni-bezek fled, they pursued him, seized him, and cut off his thumbs and big toes. |
| 7Then Adoni-bezek said, “Seventy kings with their thumbs and big toes cut off have gathered the scraps under my table. As I have done to them, so God has repaid me.” And they brought him to Jerusalem, where he died. | 7Adoni-bezek said, "Seventy kings with their thumbs and big toes cut off used to pick up scraps under my table. God has repaid me for what I have done." They brought him to Jerusalem, and he died there. |
| 8Then the men of Judah fought against Jerusalem and captured it. They put the city to the sword and set it on fire. | 8The men of Judah fought against Jerusalem and captured it. They put the city to the sword and set it on fire. |
| 9Afterward, the men of Judah marched down to fight against the Canaanites living in the hill country, in the Negev, and in the foothills. | 9Afterward, the men of Judah marched down to fight against the Canaanites who were living in the hill country, the Negev, and the Judean foothills. |
| 10Judah also marched against the Canaanites who were living in Hebron (formerly known as Kiriath-arba), and they struck down Sheshai, Ahiman, and Talmai. | 10Judah also marched against the Canaanites who were living in Hebron (Hebron was formerly named Kiriath-arba). They struck down Sheshai, Ahiman, and Talmai. |
| 11From there they marched against the inhabitants of Debir (formerly known as Kiriath-sepher). | 11From there they marched against the residents of Debir (Debir was formerly named Kiriath-sepher). |
| 12And Caleb said, “To the man who strikes down Kiriath-sepher and captures it, I will give my daughter Acsah in marriage.” | 12Caleb said, "Whoever strikes down and captures Kiriath-sepher, I will give my daughter Achsah to him as a wife." |
| 13So Othniel son of Caleb’s younger brother Kenaz captured the city, and Caleb gave his daughter Acsah to him in marriage. | 13So Othniel son of Kenaz, Caleb's youngest brother, captured it, and Caleb gave his daughter Achsah to him as his wife. |
| 14One day Acsah came to Othniel and urged him to ask her father for a field. When she got off her donkey, Caleb asked her, “What do you desire?” | 14When she arrived, she persuaded Othniel to ask her father for a field. As she got off her donkey, Caleb asked her, "What do you want?" |
| 15“Give me a blessing,” she answered. “Since you have given me land in the Negev, give me springs of water as well.” So Caleb gave her both the upper and lower springs. | 15She answered him, "Give me a blessing. Since you have given me land in the Negev, give me springs of water also." So Caleb gave her both the upper and lower springs. |
| 16Now the descendants of Moses’ father-in-law, the Kenite, went up with the men of Judah from the City of Palms to the Wilderness of Judah in the Negev near Arad. They went to live among the people. | 16The descendants of the Kenite, Moses' father-in-law, had gone up with the men of Judah from the City of Palms to the Wilderness of Judah, which was in the Negev of Arad. They went to live among the people. |
| 17Then the men of Judah went with their brothers the Simeonites, attacked the Canaanites living in Zephath, and devoted the city to destruction. So it was called Hormah. | 17Judah went with his brother Simeon, struck the Canaanites who were living in Zephath, and completely destroyed the town. So they named the town Hormah. |
| 18And Judah also captured Gaza, Ashkelon, and Ekron—each with its territory. | 18Judah captured Gaza and its territory, Ashkelon and its territory, and Ekron and its territory. |
| 19The LORD was with Judah, and they took possession of the hill country; but they could not drive out the inhabitants of the plains because they had chariots of iron. | 19The LORD was with Judah and enabled them to take possession of the hill country, but they could not drive out the people who were living in the valley because those people had iron chariots. |
| 20Just as Moses had promised, Judah gave Hebron to Caleb, who drove out the descendants of the three sons of Anak. | 20Judah gave Hebron to Caleb, just as Moses had promised. Then Caleb drove out the three sons of Anak who lived there. |
| 21The Benjamites, however, failed to drive out the Jebusites living in Jerusalem. So to this day the Jebusites live there among the Benjamites. | 21At the same time the Benjaminites did not drive out the Jebusites who were living in Jerusalem. The Jebusites have lived among the Benjaminites in Jerusalem to this day. |
| 22The house of Joseph also attacked Bethel, and the LORD was with them. | 22The house of Joseph also attacked Bethel, and the LORD was with them. |
| 23They sent spies to Bethel (formerly known as Luz), | 23They sent spies to Bethel (the town was formerly named Luz). |
| 24and when the spies saw a man coming out of the city, they said to him, “Please show us how to get into the city, and we will treat you kindly.” | 24The spies saw a man coming out of the town and said to him, "Please show us how to get into town, and we will treat you well." |
| 25So the man showed them the entrance to the city, and they put the city to the sword but released that man and all his family. | 25When he showed them the way into the town, they put the town to the sword but released the man and his entire family. |
| 26And the man went to the land of the Hittites, built a city, and called it Luz, which is its name to this day. | 26Then the man went to the land of the Hittites, built a town, and named it Luz. That is its name to this day. |
| 27At that time Manasseh failed to drive out the inhabitants of Beth-shean, Taanach, Dor, Ibleam, Megiddo, and their villages; for the Canaanites were determined to dwell in that land. | 27At that time Manasseh failed to take possession of Beth-shean and its villages, or Taanach and its villages, or the residents of Dor and its villages, or the residents of Ibleam and its villages, or the residents of Megiddo and its villages; the Canaanites refused to leave this land. |
| 28When Israel became stronger, they pressed the Canaanites into forced labor, but they never drove them out completely. | 28When Israel became stronger, they made the Canaanites serve as forced labor but never drove them out completely. |
| 29Ephraim also failed to drive out the Canaanites living in Gezer; so the Canaanites continued to dwell among them in Gezer. | 29At that time Ephraim failed to drive out the Canaanites who were living in Gezer, so the Canaanites have lived among them in Gezer. |
| 30Zebulun failed to drive out the inhabitants of Kitron and Nahalol; so the Canaanites lived among them and served as forced laborers. | 30Zebulun failed to drive out the residents of Kitron or the residents of Nahalol, so the Canaanites lived among them and served as forced labor. |
| 31Asher failed to drive out the inhabitants of Acco, Sidon, Ahlab, Achzib, Helbah, Aphik, and Rehob. | 31Asher failed to drive out the residents of Acco or of Sidon, or Ahlab, Achzib, Helbah, Aphik, or Rehob. |
| 32So the Asherites lived among the Canaanite inhabitants of the land, because they did not drive them out. | 32The Asherites lived among the Canaanites who were living in the land, because they failed to drive them out. |
| 33Naphtali failed to drive out the inhabitants of Beth-shemesh and Beth-anath. So the Naphtalites also lived among the Canaanite inhabitants of the land, but the inhabitants of Beth-shemesh and Beth-anath served them as forced laborers. | 33Naphtali did not drive out the residents of Beth-shemesh or the residents of Beth-anath. They lived among the Canaanites who were living in the land, but the residents of Beth-shemesh and Beth-anath served as their forced labor. |
| 34The Amorites forced the Danites into the hill country and did not allow them to come down into the plain. | 34The Amorites forced the Danites into the hill country and did not allow them to go down into the valley. |
| 35And the Amorites were determined to dwell in Mount Heres, Aijalon, and Shaalbim. But when the house of Joseph grew in strength, they pressed the Amorites into forced labor. | 35The Amorites refused to leave Har-heres, Aijalon, and Shaalbim. When the house of Joseph got the upper hand, the Amorites were made to serve as forced labor. |
| 36And the border of the Amorites extended from the Ascent of Akrabbim to Sela and beyond. | 36The territory of the Amorites extended from the Ascent of Akrabbim, that is from Sela upward. |
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