Judges 1

All 36 verses in the Clear Bible Translation. Tap a verse to compare the KJV and read what it means.

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1. 1After Joshua died, the people of Israel asked the LORD, "Who should go up for us first to fight against the Canaanites?"
2. 2The LORD answered, "Judah will go first. I've already handed the land over to them."
3. 3The tribe of Judah said to their brother tribe Simeon, "Come fight with us in the territory we've been assigned, and we'll return the favor and fight alongside you in yours." So Simeon joined them.
4. 4Judah went up, and the LORD delivered the Canaanites and the Perizzites into their hands. They killed 10,000 men at Bezek.
5. 5They found Adoni-Bezek there in Bezek and fought against him, defeating the Canaanites and the Perizzites.
6. 6Adoni-Bezek tried to escape, but they chased him down, captured him, and cut off his thumbs and big toes.
7. 7Adoni-Bezek said, "Seventy kings with their thumbs and big toes cut off used to gather their food under my table. Now God has paid me back for what I did." They brought him to Jerusalem, and he died there.
8. 8The men of Judah attacked Jerusalem, captured it, put its people to the sword, and set the city on fire.
9. 9Afterward, the children of Judah went down to fight against the Canaanites who lived in the mountain, in the south, and in the valley.
10. 10Judah attacked the Canaanites living in Hebron (which used to be called Kirjath-arba) and killed Sheshai, Ahiman, and Talmai.
11. 11From there they marched against the people of Debir, which used to be called Kirjath-sepher.
12. 12Caleb announced, "Whoever attacks Kirjath-sepher and captures it — I'll give him my daughter Achsah as his wife."
13. 13Othniel son of Kenaz, Caleb's younger brother, captured the city. So Caleb gave him his daughter Achsah in marriage.
14. 14When Achsah came to Othniel, she urged him to ask her father for a piece of land. She got down from her donkey, and Caleb asked her, "What do you want?"
15. 15She replied, "Give me a blessing. You've already given me land in the Negev; now give me springs of water too." So Caleb gave her both the upper and lower springs.
16. 16The descendants of Moses' father-in-law, the Kenite, left the City of Palms and traveled with the people of Judah into the wilderness of Judah, south of Arad. They settled there among the local people.
17. 17Then Judah joined forces with his brother Simeon, and together they attacked the Canaanites living in Zephath, completely destroying the city. So it was renamed Hormah.
18. 18Judah also captured Gaza, Ashkelon, and Ekron, along with the territory surrounding each city.
19. 19The LORD was with Judah, and Judah drove out the inhabitants of the mountain. But Judah could not drive out the inhabitants of the valley, because they had iron chariots.
20. 20As Moses had said, they gave Hebron to Caleb, and he expelled the three sons of Anak from there.
21. 21The tribe of Benjamin, however, failed to drive out the Jebusites living in Jerusalem. To this day, the Jebusites still live alongside the people of Benjamin in Jerusalem.
22. 22The tribes descended from Joseph also went on the attack against Bethel, and the LORD was with them.
23. 23They sent scouts to spy out Bethel, which used to be called Luz.
24. 24The scouts spotted a man coming out of the city and said to him, 'Show us how to get into the city, and we will show you mercy.'
25. 25He showed them the way in, and they put the city to the sword — but they let the man and his entire family go free.
26. 26The man traveled to the land of the Hittites, built a city there, and named it Luz — and that's still its name today.
27. 27Manasseh failed to drive out the people of Beth-shean, Taanach, Dor, Ibleam, and Megiddo, along with their surrounding towns. The Canaanites were determined to stay in that land.
28. 28When Israel became strong, they imposed tribute on the Canaanites but did not completely drive them out.
29. 29Ephraim didn't drive out the Canaanites living in Gezer either, so the Canaanites continued living among them.
30. 30Zebulun didn't drive out the people of Kitron or Nahalol. The Canaanites lived among them and became tributaries.
31. 31Asher didn't drive out the people of Accho, Zidon, Ahlab, Achzib, Helbah, Aphik, or Rehob.
32. 32So the people of Asher ended up living among the Canaanites who already occupied the land, because they never drove them out.
33. 33Naphtali didn't drive out the people of Beth-shemesh or Beth-anath. Instead, they lived among the Canaanites already in the land. However, the people of Beth-shemesh and Beth-anath became subject to them.
34. 34The Amorites pushed the tribe of Dan back into the hill country and refused to let them come down into the valley.
35. 35The Amorites insisted on staying in Mount Heres, Aijalon, and Shaalbim. However, the house of Joseph grew stronger and made them pay tribute.
36. 36The territory of the Amorites stretched from the Ascent of Akrabbim and from Sela and beyond.