שֹׁפְטִים 1

1 וַיְהִ֗י אַחֲרֵי֙ מֹ֣ות יְהֹושֻׁ֔עַ וַֽיִּשְׁאֲלוּ֙ בְּנֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל בַּיהוָ֖ה לֵאמֹ֑ר מִ֣י יַעֲלֶה־לָּ֧נוּ אֶל־הַֽכְּנַעֲנִ֛י בַּתְּחִלָּ֖ה לְהִלָּ֥חֶם בֹּֽו׃

After the death of Joshua, the people of Israel asked Yahweh, saying, “Who first will attack the Canaanites for us, to fight against them?”

2 וַיֹּ֣אמֶר יְהוָ֖ה יְהוּדָ֣ה יַעֲלֶ֑ה הִנֵּ֛ה נָתַ֥תִּי אֶת־הָאָ֖רֶץ בְּיָדֹֽו׃

Yahweh said, “Judah will attack. See, I have given them control of this land.”

3 וַיֹּ֣אמֶר יְהוּדָה֩ לְשִׁמְעֹ֨ון אָחִ֜יו עֲלֵ֧ה אִתִּ֣י בְגֹורָלִ֗י וְנִֽלָּחֲמָה֙ בַּֽכְּנַעֲנִ֔י וְהָלַכְתִּ֧י גַם־אֲנִ֛י אִתְּךָ֖ בְּגֹורָלֶ֑ךָ וַיֵּ֥לֶךְ אִתֹּ֖ו שִׁמְעֹֽון׃

The men of Judah said to men of Simeon, their brothers, “Come up with us into our territory that was assigned to us that together we may fight against the Canaanites. We will likewise go with you to the territory that was assigned to you.” So the tribe of Simeon went with them.

4 וַיַּ֣עַל יְהוּדָ֔ה וַיִּתֵּ֧ן יְהוָ֛ה אֶת־הַכְּנַעֲנִ֥י וְהַפְּרִזִּ֖י בְּיָדָ֑ם וַיַּכּ֣וּם בְּבֶ֔זֶק עֲשֶׂ֥רֶת אֲלָפִ֖ים אִֽישׁ׃

The men of Judah attacked, and Yahweh gave them victory over the Canaanites and the Perizzites. They killed ten thousand of them at Bezek.

5 וַֽ֠יִּמְצְאוּ אֶת־אֲדֹנִ֥י בֶ֙זֶק֙ בְּבֶ֔זֶק וַיִּֽלָּחֲמ֖וּ בֹּ֑ו וַיַּכּ֕וּ אֶת־הַֽכְּנַעֲנִ֖י וְאֶת־הַפְּרִזִּֽי׃

They found Adoni-Bezek at Bezek, and they fought against him and defeated the Canaanites and the Perizzites.

6 וַיָּ֙נָס֙ אֲדֹ֣נִי בֶ֔זֶק וַֽיִּרְדְּפ֖וּ אַחֲרָ֑יו וַיֹּאחֲז֣וּ אֹתֹ֔ו וַֽיְקַצְּצ֔וּ אֶת־בְּהֹנֹ֥ות יָדָ֖יו וְרַגְלָֽיו׃

But Adoni-Bezek fled, and they pursued him and caught him, and they cut off his thumbs and his big toes.

7 וַיֹּ֣אמֶר אֲדֹֽנִי־בֶ֗זֶק שִׁבְעִ֣ים ׀ מְלָכִ֡ים בְּֽהֹנֹות֩ יְדֵיהֶ֨ם וְרַגְלֵיהֶ֜ם מְקֻצָּצִ֗ים הָי֤וּ מְלַקְּטִים֙ תַּ֣חַת שֻׁלְחָנִ֔י כַּאֲשֶׁ֣ר עָשִׂ֔יתִי כֵּ֥ן שִׁלַּם־לִ֖י אֱלֹהִ֑ים וַיְבִיאֻ֥הוּ יְרוּשָׁלַ֖͏ִם וַיָּ֥מָת שָֽׁם׃ פ

Adoni-Bezek said, “Seventy kings, who had their thumbs and their big toes cut off, gathered their food from under my table. As I have done, even so God has done to me.” They brought him to Jerusalem, and he died there.

8 וַיִּלָּחֲמ֤וּ בְנֵֽי־יְהוּדָה֙ בִּיר֣וּשָׁלַ֔͏ִם וַיִּלְכְּד֣וּ אֹותָ֔הּ וַיַּכּ֖וּהָ לְפִי־חָ֑רֶב וְאֶת־הָעִ֖יר שִׁלְּח֥וּ בָאֵֽשׁ׃

The men of Judah fought against the city of Jerusalem and took it. They attacked it with the edge of the sword and they set the city on fire.

9 וְאַחַ֗ר יָֽרְדוּ֙ בְּנֵ֣י יְהוּדָ֔ה לְהִלָּחֵ֖ם בַּֽכְּנַעֲנִ֑י יֹושֵׁ֣ב הָהָ֔ר וְהַנֶּ֖גֶב וְהַשְּׁפֵלָֽה׃

After that, the men of Judah went down to fight against the Canaanites who lived in the hill country, in the Negev, and the western foothills.

10 וַיֵּ֣לֶךְ יְהוּדָ֗ה אֶל־הַֽכְּנַעֲנִי֙ הַיֹּושֵׁ֣ב בְּחֶבְרֹ֔ון וְשֵׁם־חֶבְרֹ֥ון לְפָנִ֖ים קִרְיַ֣ת אַרְבַּ֑ע וַיַּכּ֛וּ אֶת־שֵׁשַׁ֥י וְאֶת־אֲחִימַ֖ן וְאֶת־תַּלְמָֽי׃

Judah advanced against the Canaanites who lived in Hebron (the name of Hebron was previously Kiriath Arba), and they defeated Sheshai, Ahiman, and Talmai.

11 וַיֵּ֣לֶךְ מִשָּׁ֔ם אֶל־יֹושְׁבֵ֖י דְּבִ֑יר וְשֵׁם־דְּבִ֥יר לְפָנִ֖ים קִרְיַת־סֵֽפֶר׃

From there the men of Judah advanced against the inhabitants of Debir (the name of Debir was previously Kiriath Sepher).

12 וַיֹּ֣אמֶר כָּלֵ֔ב אֲשֶׁר־יַכֶּ֥ה אֶת־קִרְיַת־סֵ֖פֶר וּלְכָדָ֑הּ וְנָתַ֥תִּי לֹ֛ו אֶת־עַכְסָ֥ה בִתִּ֖י לְאִשָּֽׁה׃

Caleb said, “Whoever attacks Kiriath Sepher and takes it, I will give him Aksah, my daughter, to be his wife.”

13 וַֽיִּלְכְּדָהּ֙ עָתְנִיאֵ֣ל בֶּן־קְנַ֔ז אֲחִ֥י כָלֵ֖ב הַקָּטֹ֣ן מִמֶּ֑נּוּ וַיִּתֶּן־לֹ֛ו אֶת־עַכְסָ֥ה בִתֹּ֖ו לְאִשָּֽׁה׃

Othniel, son of Kenaz (Caleb's younger brother) captured Debir, so Caleb gave him Aksah, his daughter, to be his wife.

14 וַיְהִ֣י בְּבֹואָ֗הּ וַתְּסִיתֵ֙הוּ֙ לִשְׁאֹ֤ול מֵֽאֵת־אָבִ֙יהָ֙ הַשָּׂדֶ֔ה וַתִּצְנַ֖ח מֵעַ֣ל הַחֲמֹ֑ור וַיֹּֽאמֶר־לָ֥הּ כָּלֵ֖ב מַה־לָּֽךְ׃

Soon Aksah came to Othniel, and she urged him to ask her father to give her a field. As she was getting off her donkey, Caleb asked her, “What can I do for you?”

15 וַתֹּ֨אמֶר לֹ֜ו הָֽבָה־לִּ֣י בְרָכָ֗ה כִּ֣י אֶ֤רֶץ הַנֶּ֙גֶב֙ נְתַתָּ֔נִי וְנָתַתָּ֥ה לִ֖י גֻּלֹּ֣ת מָ֑יִם וַיִּתֶּן־לָ֣הּ כָּלֵ֗ב אֵ֚ת גֻּלֹּ֣ת עִלִּ֔ית וְאֵ֖ת גֻּלֹּ֥ת תַּחְתִּֽית׃ פ

She said to him, “Give me a blessing. Since you have given me the land of the Negev, also give me springs of water.” So Caleb gave her the upper springs and the lower springs.

16 וּבְנֵ֣י קֵינִי֩ חֹתֵ֨ן מֹשֶׁ֜ה עָל֨וּ מֵעִ֤יר הַתְּמָרִים֙ אֶת־בְּנֵ֣י יְהוּדָ֔ה מִדְבַּ֣ר יְהוּדָ֔ה אֲשֶׁ֖ר בְּנֶ֣גֶב עֲרָ֑ד וַיֵּ֖לֶךְ וַיֵּ֥שֶׁב אֶת־הָעָֽם׃

The descendants of Moses' father-in-law the Kenite went up from the City of Palms with the people of Judah, into the wilderness of Judah, which is in the Negev, to live with the people of Judah near Arad.

17 וַיֵּ֤לֶךְ יְהוּדָה֙ אֶת־שִׁמְעֹ֣ון אָחִ֔יו וַיַּכּ֕וּ אֶת־הַֽכְּנַעֲנִ֖י יֹושֵׁ֣ב צְפַ֑ת וַיַּחֲרִ֣ימוּ אֹותָ֔הּ וַיִּקְרָ֥א אֶת־שֵׁם־הָעִ֖יר חָרְמָֽה׃

The men of Judah went with the men of Simeon their brothers and they attacked the Canaanites who inhabited Zephath and they completely destroyed it. The name of the city was called Hormah.

18 וַיִּלְכֹּ֤ד יְהוּדָה֙ אֶת־עַזָּ֣ה וְאֶת־גְּבוּלָ֔הּ וְאֶֽת־אַשְׁקְלֹ֖ון וְאֶת־גְּבוּלָ֑הּ וְאֶת־עֶקְרֹ֖ון וְאֶת־גְּבוּלָֽהּ׃

The people of Judah also captured Gaza and the land around it, Ashkelon and the land around it, and Ekron and the land around it.

19 וַיְהִ֤י יְהוָה֙ אֶת־יְהוּדָ֔ה וַיֹּ֖רֶשׁ אֶת־הָהָ֑ר כִּ֣י לֹ֤א לְהֹורִישׁ֙ אֶת־יֹשְׁבֵ֣י הָעֵ֔מֶק כִּי־רֶ֥כֶב בַּרְזֶ֖ל לָהֶֽם׃

Yahweh was with the people of Judah and they took possession of the hill country, but they could not drive out the inhabitants of the plains because they had iron chariots.

20 וַיִּתְּנ֤וּ לְכָלֵב֙ אֶת־חֶבְרֹ֔ון כּֽ͏ַאֲשֶׁ֖ר דִּבֶּ֣ר מֹשֶׁ֑ה וַיֹּ֣ורֶשׁ מִשָּׁ֔ם אֶת־שְׁלֹשָׁ֖ה בְּנֵ֥י הָעֲנָֽק׃

Hebron was given to Caleb (like Moses had said), and he drove out from there the three sons of Anak.

21 וְאֶת־הַיְבוּסִי֙ יֹשֵׁ֣ב יְרֽוּשָׁלַ֔͏ִם לֹ֥א הֹורִ֖ישׁוּ בְּנֵ֣י בִנְיָמִ֑ן וַיֵּ֨שֶׁב הַיְבוּסִ֜י אֶת־בְּנֵ֤י בִנְיָמִן֙ בִּיר֣וּשָׁלַ֔͏ִם עַ֖ד הַיֹּ֥ום הַזֶּֽה׃ ס

But the people of Benjamin did not drive out the Jebusites who inhabited Jerusalem. So the Jebusites have lived with the people of Benjamin in Jerusalem to this day.

22 וַיַּעֲל֧וּ בֵית־יֹוסֵ֛ף גַּם־הֵ֖ם בֵּֽית־אֵ֑ל וַֽיהוָ֖ה עִמָּֽם׃

The house of Joseph prepared to attack Bethel, and Yahweh was with them.

23 וַיָּתִ֥ירוּ בֵית־יֹוסֵ֖ף בְּבֵֽית־אֵ֑ל וְשֵׁם־הָעִ֥יר לְפָנִ֖ים לֽוּז׃

They sent out men to spy on Bethel (the city that was formerly called Luz).

24 וַיִּרְאוּ֙ הַשֹּׁ֣מְרִ֔ים אִ֖ישׁ יֹוצֵ֣א מִן־הָעִ֑יר וַיֹּ֣אמְרוּ לֹ֗ו הַרְאֵ֤נוּ נָא֙ אֶת־מְבֹ֣וא הָעִ֔יר וְעָשִׂ֥ינוּ עִמְּךָ֖ חָֽסֶד׃

The spies saw a man coming out of the city, and they said to him, “Show us, please, how to get into the city, and we will be kind to you.”

25 וַיַּרְאֵם֙ אֶת־מְבֹ֣וא הָעִ֔יר וַיַּכּ֥וּ אֶת־הָעִ֖יר לְפִי־חָ֑רֶב וְאֶת־הָאִ֥ישׁ וְאֶת־כָּל־מִשְׁפַּחְתֹּ֖ו שִׁלֵּֽחוּ׃

He showed them a way into the city, and so they attacked the city with the edge of the sword, but they let the man and all his family get away.

26 וַיֵּ֣לֶךְ הָאִ֔ישׁ אֶ֖רֶץ הַחִתִּ֑ים וַיִּ֣בֶן עִ֗יר וַיִּקְרָ֤א שְׁמָהּ֙ ל֔וּז ה֣וּא שְׁמָ֔הּ עַ֖ד הַיֹּ֥ום הַזֶּֽה׃ פ

Then the man went to the land of the Hittites and built a city and called it Luz, which is its name to this day.

27 וְלֹא־הֹורִ֣ישׁ מְנַשֶּׁ֗ה אֶת־בֵּית־שְׁאָ֣ן וְאֶת־בְּנֹותֶיהָ֮ וְאֶת־תַּעְנַ֣ךְ וְאֶת־בְּנֹתֶיהָ֒ וְאֶת־יֹשֵׁב (יֹשְׁבֵ֨י) דֹ֜ור וְאֶת־בְּנֹותֶ֗יהָ וְאֶת־יֹושְׁבֵ֤י יִבְלְעָם֙ וְאֶת־בְּנֹתֶ֔יהָ וְאֶת־יֹושְׁבֵ֥י מְגִדֹּ֖ו וְאֶת־בְּנֹותֶ֑יהָ וַיֹּ֙ואֶל֙ הַֽכְּנַעֲנִ֔י לָשֶׁ֖בֶת בָּאָ֥רֶץ הַזֹּֽאת׃

The people of Manasseh did not drive out the people living in the cities of Beth Shan and its villages, or Taanach and its villages, or those who lived in Dor and its villages, or those who lived in Ibleam and its villages, or those who lived in Megiddo and its villages, because the Canaanites were determined to live in that land.

28 וֽ͏ַיְהִי֙ כִּֽי־חָזַ֣ק יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל וַיָּ֥שֶׂם אֶת־הַֽכְּנַעֲנִ֖י לָמַ֑ס וְהֹורֵ֖ישׁ לֹ֥א הֹורִישֹֽׁו׃ ס

When Israel became strong, they forced the Canaanites to serve them with hard labor, but they never drove them out completely.

29 וְאֶפְרַ֙יִם֙ לֹ֣א הֹורִ֔ישׁ אֶת־הַֽכְּנַעֲנִ֖י הַיֹּושֵׁ֣ב בְּגָ֑זֶר וַיֵּ֧שֶׁב הַֽכְּנַעֲנִ֛י בְּקִרְבֹּ֖ו בְּגָֽזֶר׃ פ

Ephraim did not drive out the Canaanites who lived in Gezer, so the Canaanites continued to live in Gezer among them.

30 זְבוּלֻ֗ן לֹ֤א הֹורִישׁ֙ אֶת־יֹושְׁבֵ֣י קִטְרֹ֔ון וְאֶת־יֹושְׁבֵ֖י נַהֲלֹ֑ל וַיֵּ֤שֶׁב הַֽכְּנַעֲנִי֙ בְּקִרְבֹּ֔ו וַיִּֽהְי֖וּ לָמַֽס׃ ס

Zebulun did not drive out the people living in Kitron, or the people living in Nahalol, and so the Canaanites continued to live among them, but Zebulun forced the Canaanites to serve them with hard labor.

31 אָשֵׁ֗ר לֹ֤א הֹורִישׁ֙ אֶת־יֹשְׁבֵ֣י עַכֹּ֔ו וְאֶת־יֹושְׁבֵ֖י צִידֹ֑ון וְאֶת־אַחְלָ֤ב וְאֶת־אַכְזִיב֙ וְאֶת־חֶלְבָּ֔ה וְאֶת־אֲפִ֖יק וְאֶת־רְחֹֽב׃

Asher did not drive out the people living in Akko, or the people living in Sidon, or those living in Ahlab, Akzib, Helbah, Aphek, or Rehob.

32 וַיֵּ֙שֶׁב֙ הָאָ֣שֵׁרִ֔י בְּקֶ֥רֶב הַֽכְּנַעֲנִ֖י יֹשְׁבֵ֣י הָאָ֑רֶץ כִּ֖י לֹ֥א הֹורִישֹֽׁו׃ ס

So the tribe of Asher lived among the Canaanites (those who lived in the land), because they did not drive them out.

33 נַפְתָּלִ֗י לֹֽא־הֹורִ֞ישׁ אֶת־יֹשְׁבֵ֤י בֵֽית־שֶׁ֙מֶשׁ֙ וְאֶת־יֹשְׁבֵ֣י בֵית־עֲנָ֔ת וַיֵּ֕שֶׁב בְּקֶ֥רֶב הַֽכְּנַעֲנִ֖י יֹשְׁבֵ֣י הָאָ֑רֶץ וְיֹשְׁבֵ֤י בֵֽית־שֶׁ֙מֶשׁ֙ וּבֵ֣ית עֲנָ֔ת הָי֥וּ לָהֶ֖ם לָמַֽס׃ ס

The tribe of Naphtali did not drive out those who were living in Beth Shemesh, or those living in Beth Anath. So the tribe of Naphtali lived among the Canaanites (the people who were living in that land). However, the inhabitants of Beth Shemesh and Beth Anath were forced into hard labor for Naphthali.

34 וַיִּלְחֲצ֧וּ הָאֱמֹרִ֛י אֶת־בְּנֵי־דָ֖ן הָהָ֑רָה כִּי־לֹ֥א נְתָנֹ֖ו לָרֶ֥דֶת לָעֵֽמֶק׃

The Amorites forced the tribe of Dan to live in the hill country, not allowing them to come down to the plain.

35 וַיֹּ֤ואֶל הָֽאֱמֹרִי֙ לָשֶׁ֣בֶת בְּהַר־חֶ֔רֶס בְּאַיָּלֹ֖ון וּבְשַֽׁעַלְבִ֑ים וַתִּכְבַּד֙ יַ֣ד בֵּית־יֹוסֵ֔ף וַיִּהְי֖וּ לָמַֽס׃

So the Amorites lived at Mount Heres, in Aijalon, and in Shaalbim, but the military might of the house of Joseph conquered them, and they were forced to serve them with hard labor.

36 וּגְבוּל֙ הָאֱמֹרִ֔י מִֽמַּעֲלֵ֖ה עַקְרַבִּ֑ים מֵהַסֶּ֖לַע וָמָֽעְלָה׃ פ

The border of the Amorites ran from the hill of Akrabbim at Sela up into the hill country.