| New International Version | Berean Study Bible |
| 1After the death of Joshua, the Israelites asked the LORD, "Who of us is to go up first to fight against the Canaanites?" | 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?” |
| 2The LORD answered, "Judah shall go up; I have given the land into their hands." | 2“Judah shall go up,” answered the LORD. “Indeed, I have delivered the land into their hands.” |
| 3The 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 went with them. | 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. |
| 4When Judah attacked, the LORD gave the Canaanites and Perizzites into their hands, and they struck down ten thousand men at Bezek. | 4When Judah attacked, the LORD delivered the Canaanites and Perizzites into their hands, and they struck down ten thousand men at Bezek. |
| 5It was there that they found Adoni-Bezek and fought against him, putting to rout the Canaanites and Perizzites. | 5And there they found Adoni-bezek and fought against him, striking down the Canaanites and Perizzites. |
| 6Adoni-Bezek fled, but they chased him and caught him, and cut off his thumbs and big toes. | 6As 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 picked up scraps under my table. Now God has paid me back for what I did to them." They brought him to Jerusalem, and he died there. | 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. |
| 8The men of Judah attacked Jerusalem also and took it. They put the city to the sword and set it on fire. | 8Then the men of Judah fought against Jerusalem and captured it. They put the city to the sword and set it on fire. |
| 9After that, Judah went down to fight against the Canaanites living in the hill country, the Negev and the western foothills. | 9Afterward, the men of Judah marched down to fight against the Canaanites living in the hill country, in the Negev, and in the foothills. |
| 10They advanced against the Canaanites living in Hebron (formerly called Kiriath Arba) and defeated Sheshai, Ahiman and Talmai. | 10Judah also marched against the Canaanites who were living in Hebron (formerly known as Kiriath-arba), and they struck down Sheshai, Ahiman, and Talmai. |
| 11From there they advanced against the people living in Debir (formerly called Kiriath Sepher). | 11From there they marched against the inhabitants of Debir (formerly known as Kiriath-sepher). |
| 12And Caleb said, "I will give my daughter Aksah in marriage to the man who attacks and captures Kiriath Sepher." | 12And Caleb said, “To the man who strikes down Kiriath-sepher and captures it, I will give my daughter Acsah in marriage.” |
| 13Othniel son of Kenaz, Caleb's younger brother, took it; so Caleb gave his daughter Aksah to him in marriage. | 13So Othniel son of Caleb’s younger brother Kenaz captured the city, and Caleb gave his daughter Acsah to him in marriage. |
| 14One day when she came to Othniel, she urged him to ask her father for a field. When she got off her donkey, Caleb asked her, "What can I do for you?" | 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?” |
| 15She replied, "Do me a special favor. Since you have given me land in the Negev, give me also springs of water." So Caleb gave her the upper and lower springs. | 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. |
| 16The descendants of Moses' father-in-law, the Kenite, went up from the City of Palms with the people of Judah to live among the inhabitants of the Desert of Judah in the Negev near Arad. | 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. |
| 17Then the men of Judah went with the Simeonites their fellow Israelites and attacked the Canaanites living in Zephath, and they totally destroyed the city. Therefore it was called Hormah. | 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. |
| 18Judah also took Gaza, Ashkelon and Ekron--each city with its territory. | 18And Judah also captured Gaza, Ashkelon, and Ekron—each with its territory. |
| 19The LORD was with the men of Judah. They took possession of the hill country, but they were unable to drive the people from the plains, because they had chariots fitted with iron. | 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. |
| 20As Moses had promised, Hebron was given to Caleb, who drove from it the three sons of Anak. | 20Just as Moses had promised, Judah gave Hebron to Caleb, who drove out the descendants of the three sons of Anak. |
| 21The Benjamites, however, did not drive out the Jebusites, who were living in Jerusalem; to this day the Jebusites live there with the Benjamites. | 21The Benjamites, however, failed to drive out the Jebusites living in Jerusalem. So to this day the Jebusites live there among the Benjamites. |
| 22Now the tribes of Joseph attacked Bethel, and the LORD was with them. | 22The house of Joseph also attacked Bethel, and the LORD was with them. |
| 23When they sent men to spy out Bethel (formerly called Luz), | 23They sent spies to Bethel (formerly known as Luz), |
| 24the spies saw a man coming out of the city and they said to him, "Show us how to get into the city and we will see that you are treated well." | 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.” |
| 25So he showed them, and they put the city to the sword but spared the man and his whole family. | 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. |
| 26He then went to the land of the Hittites, where he built a city and called it Luz, which is its name to this day. | 26And the man went to the land of the Hittites, built a city, and called it Luz, which is its name to this day. |
| 27But Manasseh did not drive out the people of Beth Shan or Taanach or Dor or Ibleam or Megiddo and their surrounding settlements, for the Canaanites were determined to live in that land. | 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. |
| 28When Israel became strong, they pressed the Canaanites into forced labor but never drove them out completely. | 28When Israel became stronger, they pressed the Canaanites into forced labor, but they never drove them out completely. |
| 29Nor did Ephraim drive out the Canaanites living in Gezer, but the Canaanites continued to live there among them. | 29Ephraim also failed to drive out the Canaanites living in Gezer; so the Canaanites continued to dwell among them in Gezer. |
| 30Neither did Zebulun drive out the Canaanites living in Kitron or Nahalol, so these Canaanites lived among them, but Zebulun did subject them to forced labor. | 30Zebulun failed to drive out the inhabitants of Kitron and Nahalol; so the Canaanites lived among them and served as forced laborers. |
| 31Nor did Asher drive out those living in Akko or Sidon or Ahlab or Akzib or Helbah or Aphek or Rehob. | 31Asher failed to drive out the inhabitants of Acco, Sidon, Ahlab, Achzib, Helbah, Aphik, and Rehob. |
| 32The Asherites lived among the Canaanite inhabitants of the land because they did not drive them out. | 32So the Asherites lived among the Canaanite inhabitants of the land, because they did not drive them out. |
| 33Neither did Naphtali drive out those living in Beth Shemesh or Beth Anath; but the Naphtalites too lived among the Canaanite inhabitants of the land, and those living in Beth Shemesh and Beth Anath became forced laborers for them. | 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. |
| 34The Amorites confined the Danites to the hill country, not allowing them to come down into the plain. | 34The Amorites forced the Danites into the hill country and did not allow them to come down into the plain. |
| 35And the Amorites were determined also to hold out in Mount Heres, Aijalon and Shaalbim, but when the power of the tribes of Joseph increased, they too were pressed into forced labor. | 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. |
| 36The boundary of the Amorites was from Scorpion Pass to Sela and beyond. | 36And the border of the Amorites extended from the Ascent of Akrabbim to Sela and beyond. |
|
