Judges Chapter 1
Showing all 36 verses for Judges Chapter 1.
The People's Bible is written by people, for the people. Each verse below shows:
"Now after the death of Joshua it came to pass, that the children of Israel asked the LORD, saying, Who shall go up for us against the Canaanites first, to fight against them? "
"After Joshua died, the Israelites asked God which tribe should go first to fight the Canaanites for the land."
Notice that Israel's first move without Joshua was to ask God for direction rather than charge ahead alone. I want you to do the same whenever you face a new season without your old supports - come to me first, honestly, and ask 'what next?' rather than assuming you already know. Dependence on me isn't weakness; it's the beginning of wisdom.
"And the LORD said, Judah shall go up: behold, I have delivered the land into his hand. "
"God answered that the tribe of Judah should go first, promising the land was already as good as theirs."
I go ahead of you and hand you what you need before you've even taken the first step - that's what 'I have delivered the land into his hand' means. Whatever battle you're facing today, know that my provision isn't dependent on your strength but on my promise. Step forward in confidence, not because you're powerful, but because I am faithful.
"And Judah said unto Simeon his brother, Come up with me into my lot, that we may fight against the Canaanites; and I likewise will go with thee into thy lot. So Simeon went with him. "
"Judah asked the related tribe of Simeon to team up - Judah would help fight for Simeon's territory afterwards if Simeon helped first. Simeon agreed."
Judah didn't insist on going it alone - he reached out to his brother Simeon and offered mutual help. I love it when my people set aside pride and competition to serve one another; that's how my kingdom grows, through partnership rather than rivalry. Look for who you can link arms with today, and be willing to give as much help as you ask for.
"And Judah went up; and the LORD delivered the Canaanites and the Perizzites into their hand: and they slew of them in Bezek ten thousand men. "
"Judah attacked, and with God's help defeated the Canaanites and Perizzites, killing ten thousand men at a place called Bezek."
The victory is credited to me, not to Judah's swords - 'the LORD delivered them into their hand.' When good things happen in your life through hard work, remember to trace the outcome back to my hand at work behind the scenes. Gratitude keeps your heart soft even in seasons of success.
"And they found Adonibezek in Bezek: and they fought against him, and they slew the Canaanites and the Perizzites. "
"They found Adonibezek there, fought against him and his forces, and defeated the Canaanite and Perizzite fighters."
This verse simply reports a battle, but even here I want you to see people as more than statistics - Adonibezek was a real man with a real story about to unfold. Before you judge anyone by their worst moment, remember that I see the whole story, including how they got there and what comes next. Hold judgement loosely; I hold the full picture.
"But Adonibezek fled; and they pursued after him, and caught him, and cut off his thumbs and his great toes. "
"Adonibezek ran away, but they chased him down, caught him, and cut off his thumbs and big toes."
This is a hard verse, and I won't pretend otherwise - cruelty was met with cruelty. I didn't design humanity for this cycle of retaliation; I came later to break it by teaching you to turn the other cheek and to overcome evil with good, not to repay it in kind. Let this verse remind you how much the world needed a different way, and how much I long for you to walk in it.
"And Adonibezek said, Threescore and ten kings, having their thumbs and their great toes cut off, gathered their meat under my table: as I have done, so God hath requited me. And they brought him to Jerusalem, and there he died. "
"Adonibezek said that seventy kings, missing their thumbs and big toes just like him, used to scavenge scraps under his own dining table - and now the same thing had been done to him. They took him to Jerusalem, where he died."
Adonibezek himself recognised that he was reaping what he had sown - 'as I have done, so God hath requited me.' I want you to hear the mercy hidden in that confession: even a cruel man can have a moment of clarity and humility before he dies. Never assume anyone is beyond seeing the truth about themselves; hold space for that possibility in everyone you meet.
"Now the children of Judah had fought against Jerusalem, and had taken it, and smitten it with the edge of the sword, and set the city on fire. "
"The men of Judah had already attacked Jerusalem, captured it, killed its people, and burned the city."
Even the timeline of this story gets tangled, jumping backwards to fill in details. Life often feels that way too - out of order, confusing, pieces you can't quite place. Trust that I am not confused by the mess even when you are; I hold every thread of your story together, even the parts that don't make sense yet.
"And afterward the children of Judah went down to fight against the Canaanites, that in the mountain, and in the south, and in the valley. "
💡 Highlighted words feature Jacobean 1611 tooltips to clarify shifted 17th-century English terms.
"After that, Judah's forces went on to fight the Canaanites living in the hill country, the southern desert region, and the lowland valleys."
Judah kept going after one victory instead of settling for a partial job - mountain, south, and valley all needed attention. Growth in following me is rarely a single triumphant moment; it's persistence across different kinds of terrain, different seasons of difficulty. Don't stop at the first win - keep pressing into the fuller freedom I have for you.
"And Judah went against the Canaanites that in Hebron: (now the name of Hebron before was Kirjatharba:) and they slew Sheshai, and Ahiman, and Talmai. "
💡 Highlighted words feature Jacobean 1611 tooltips to clarify shifted 17th-century English terms.
"Judah attacked the Canaanites living in Hebron (a city previously called Kirjath-arba), and killed three men named Sheshai, Ahiman, and Talmai."
Facing giants like Sheshai, Ahiman and Talmai could have terrified Judah into paralysis, yet they moved forward anyway. Whatever towers over your life right now - a fear, a habit, a relationship - I am not intimidated by its size, and I don't want you to be either. Courage isn't the absence of giants; it's trusting me enough to face them.
"And from thence he went against the inhabitants of Debir: and the name of Debir before was Kirjathsepher: "
"From Hebron, Judah's forces went on to attack the people of Debir, a city previously called Kirjath-sepher."
The conquest continues quietly here, one small step after another - Debir doesn't get the drama of Hebron, but it still mattered. Not every part of your life with me will feel significant or exciting; some days are just the next faithful step. I notice and value the ordinary, unglamorous obedience just as much as the dramatic victories.
"And Caleb said, He that smiteth Kirjathsepher, and taketh it, to him will I give Achsah my daughter to wife. "
"Caleb announced that whoever attacked and captured Kirjath-sepher would get his daughter Achsah as a wife."
Caleb offers a bold, generous reward to inspire courage in others - he wanted someone else to succeed, not just to watch from safety himself. I want you to be a person who lifts others up and celebrates their victories rather than hoarding opportunity for yourself. Generosity of spirit, cheering others towards their own courage, reflects my own heart towards you.
"And Othniel the son of Kenaz, Caleb’s younger brother, took it: and he gave him Achsah his daughter to wife. "
"Othniel, Caleb's younger relative, captured the city and was given Achsah as his wife."
Othniel steps up and answers the call, and this same man will later become Israel's first judge and deliverer. I often plant the seeds of someone's future calling in a moment that looks like just another task. Don't despise small acts of courage today - they may be training for something much bigger I have planned for you.
"And it came to pass, when she came to him, that she moved him to ask of her father a field: and she lighted from off her ass; and Caleb said unto her, What wilt thou? "
"When Achsah came to Othniel, she urged him to ask her father for a field. Then she got down off her donkey, and Caleb asked her, "What do you want?""
Achsah doesn't stay silent about what she needs - she speaks up and asks her father directly for more. I welcome your honest requests; you don't have to pretend you have everything figured out or that you need nothing from me. Come to me boldly, the way Achsah approached Caleb, and ask for what will help you thrive.
"And she said unto him, Give me a blessing: for thou hast given me a south land; give me also springs of water. And Caleb gave her the upper springs and the nether springs. "
"She said, "Do me a favour - you've given me land in the dry southern region, so give me water springs too." And Caleb gave her both the upper and lower springs."
Achsah asked not for luxury but for water - something essential for life in a dry land - and her father gave generously, both upper and lower springs. When you come to me with real needs rather than empty wants, I delight in providing abundantly, more than you even asked for. Don't be afraid that your needs are too much; my generosity runs deeper than your asking.
"And the children of the Kenite, Moses’ father in law, went up out of the city of palm trees with the children of Judah into the wilderness of Judah, which lieth in the south of Arad; and they went and among the people. "
💡 Highlighted words feature Jacobean 1611 tooltips to clarify shifted 17th-century English terms.
"The descendants of the Kenites - relatives of Moses' father-in-law - travelled with the people of Judah from the City of Palms into the Judean wilderness near Arad, and settled there among the people."
The Kenites, who weren't ethnically Israelite, were welcomed to settle and live among God's people rather than being treated as permanent outsiders. This is a picture of the wideness of my family - I have always intended to draw in those the world calls 'other,' and I ask you to welcome the stranger the same way. Nobody who comes seeking belonging should be turned away by my people.
"And Judah went with Simeon his brother, and they slew the Canaanites that inhabited Zephath, and utterly destroyed it. And the name of the city was called Hormah. "
"Judah and Simeon together attacked the Canaanites living in Zephath and completely destroyed the city, renaming it Hormah, meaning "destruction"."
Judah and Simeon worked together again here, this time completing a total victory and renaming the city Hormah to mark it. There is real strength in showing up consistently for the people you've committed to, finishing what you started together rather than drifting apart after the first success. Faithful partnership, sustained over time, is something I honour.
"Also Judah took Gaza with the coast thereof, and Askelon with the coast thereof, and Ekron with the coast thereof. "
"Judah also captured Gaza, Ashkelon, and Ekron, along with the territory surrounding each."
Judah's expanding victories over Gaza, Ashkelon and Ekron show real momentum - but momentum in life isn't the finish line, as the rest of the chapter will reveal. Don't mistake early success for the whole story; stay humble and keep depending on me even when things are going well. Pride after a win is often where the next stumble begins.
"And the LORD was with Judah; and he drave out the inhabitants of the mountain; but could not drive out the inhabitants of the valley, because they had chariots of iron. "
"God was with Judah, and Judah's forces drove out the people living in the hill country - but couldn't drive out the people in the valley, because they had iron chariots."
Here is the turning point of the chapter: Judah triumphed in the mountains but shrank back from the valley because of iron chariots. I want you to notice how fear of visible strength - what you can see and measure - can quietly override trust in what I've promised. Whatever iron chariots intimidate you today, bring them to me before you decide they're bigger than my power.
"And they gave Hebron unto Caleb, as Moses said: and he expelled thence the three sons of Anak. "
"Hebron was given to Caleb, just as Moses had promised him long before, and Caleb drove out the three sons of Anak living there."
Caleb, by contrast, fully drove out the giants because he trusted the specific promise Moses had given him decades earlier. His story right next to Judah's partial failure shows that individual faithfulness is possible even when the group around you is compromising. You don't have to follow the crowd into half-hearted obedience; you can be a Caleb.
"And the children of Benjamin did not drive out the Jebusites that inhabited Jerusalem; but the Jebusites dwell with the children of Benjamin in Jerusalem unto this day. "
"The tribe of Benjamin failed to drive out the Jebusites living in Jerusalem, and the Jebusites have lived there among the Benjamites ever since."
Benjamin's failure to remove the Jebusites became a fixture - 'unto this day' - showing how unfinished obedience doesn't just disappear, it lingers and shapes the future. I'd rather you deal honestly with a hard task now than let it become a permanent compromise you learn to live with. What have you been letting settle in rather than facing?
"And the house of Joseph, they also went up against Bethel: and the LORD was with them. "
"The tribes descended from Joseph, Ephraim and Manasseh, attacked Bethel, and God was with them."
The house of Joseph moved out with the same divine backing Judah had - 'the LORD was with them' - proving that my presence isn't reserved for one favoured tribe. Whatever background or family you come from, I am just as willing to be with you and work through you. No one is second-tier in my eyes.
"And the house of Joseph sent to descry Bethel. (Now the name of the city before was Luz.) "
"The house of Joseph sent men to scout out Bethel, a city previously called Luz."
Sending scouts to Bethel was wise, careful preparation rather than reckless charging ahead. Faith in me doesn't mean abandoning good judgement - it means using the wisdom I've given you while trusting me for the outcome. Plan carefully, then move forward in confidence.
"And the spies saw a man come forth out of the city, and they said unto him, Shew us, we pray thee, the entrance into the city, and we will shew thee mercy. "
"The spies saw a man coming out of the city and said to him, "Show us how to get into the city, and we'll spare you.""
The scouts offered mercy to a stranger in exchange for information - a small act of grace inside a violent story. Even in hard circumstances, look for the chance to extend mercy rather than assuming the worst is the only option. A promise of mercy, kept, can change the whole outcome for someone.
"And when he shewed them the entrance into the city, they smote the city with the edge of the sword; but they let go the man and all his family. "
"The man showed them the way in, they attacked the city, but they let him and his whole family go free, exactly as promised."
The Israelites kept their word and let the man and his family go free, even in the middle of battle. Integrity means keeping your promises especially when it would be easier or more convenient to break them. Let your yes be yes, even under pressure.
"And the man went into the land of the Hittites, and built a city, and called the name thereof Luz: which is the name thereof unto this day. "
"The man then travelled to the land of the Hittites, built a new city there, and named it Luz - the name it still carries."
The man went on to build a whole new life and a new city elsewhere - his story didn't end with the fall of Bethel. When a chapter of your life closes, even painfully, I am able to give you a fresh start somewhere new. Don't assume loss is the final word; I specialise in new beginnings.
"Neither did Manasseh drive out the inhabitants of Bethshean and her towns, nor Taanach and her towns, nor the inhabitants of Dor and her towns, nor the inhabitants of Ibleam and her towns, nor the inhabitants of Megiddo and her towns: but the Canaanites would dwell in that land. "
"Manasseh failed to drive out the people living in Beth-shean, Taanach, Dor, Ibleam, and Megiddo and their surrounding towns - the Canaanites were determined to stay in that land."
Manasseh's list of failures to drive out the Canaanites is long and specific - real, named compromises, not vague shortcomings. I'm not interested in vague confessions from you either; naming the actual specific area where you've settled for less than my best is where honest change begins. Be specific with me about what you haven't yet let go of.
"And it came to pass, when Israel was strong, that they put the Canaanites to tribute, and did not utterly drive them out. "
"Later, once Israel had grown strong enough, they forced the Canaanites to pay tribute instead of driving them out completely."
Israel chose the profitable middle path - taxing the Canaanites instead of fully obeying - and it looked practical, even wise. But convenient compromise with what should have been removed from your life rarely stays contained; it grows roots. I'd rather you have less and be fully free than have more while still entangled.
"Neither did Ephraim drive out the Canaanites that in Gezer; but the Canaanites in Gezer among them. "
💡 Highlighted words feature Jacobean 1611 tooltips to clarify shifted 17th-century English terms.
"Ephraim failed to drive out the Canaanites living in Gezer, so the Canaanites simply carried on living there among them."
Ephraim's failure reads almost as a footnote, but every 'neither did' in this chapter represents real people who quietly settled for less than freedom. I notice the compromises that seem small and unremarkable just as much as the dramatic ones. Don't dismiss a quiet, ongoing area of disobedience just because it isn't loud.
"Neither did Zebulun drive out the inhabitants of Kitron, nor the inhabitants of Nahalol; but the Canaanites among them, and became tributaries. "
💡 Highlighted words feature Jacobean 1611 tooltips to clarify shifted 17th-century English terms.
"Zebulun failed to drive out the people of Kitron and Nahalol, so the Canaanites lived among them and became forced labourers instead."
Zebulun made the Canaanites pay tribute rather than removing them - profit without full obedience, a pattern repeating across this whole chapter. I want you to ask yourself honestly whether you've been settling for a manageable, profitable version of obedience rather than the whole thing I've asked for. Partial obedience is still disobedience, even when it pays.
"Neither did Asher drive out the inhabitants of Accho, nor the inhabitants of Zidon, nor of Ahlab, nor of Achzib, nor of Helbah, nor of Aphik, nor of Rehob: "
"Asher failed to drive out the inhabitants of Accho, Sidon, Ahlab, Achzib, Helbah, Aphek, and Rehob."
This long list of cities Asher failed to conquer can feel tedious to read, but every name represents a real place where compromise took root instead of full freedom. Don't skim past the parts of your own life that feel tedious or unfinished either - I'm present in the boring, unresolved details too, not just the dramatic ones. Bring the whole list to me, not just the highlights.
"But the Asherites among the Canaanites, the inhabitants of the land: for they did not drive them out. "
💡 Highlighted words feature Jacobean 1611 tooltips to clarify shifted 17th-century English terms.
"So the people of Asher ended up living among the Canaanites who were native to the land, because they never drove them out."
Asher ended up living among the Canaanites instead of the other way around - the very influence they were meant to remove instead surrounded them. Be honest about what surrounds you and shapes your daily habits and beliefs; environment matters more than we like to admit. Choose your surroundings wisely, because over time they tend to choose you.
"Neither did Naphtali drive out the inhabitants of Bethshemesh, nor the inhabitants of Bethanath; but he among the Canaanites, the inhabitants of the land: nevertheless the inhabitants of Bethshemesh and of Bethanath became tributaries unto them. "
💡 Highlighted words feature Jacobean 1611 tooltips to clarify shifted 17th-century English terms.
"Naphtali failed to drive out the people of Beth-shemesh and Beth-anath, so they lived among the Canaanites, though those inhabitants did end up as forced labourers."
Naphtali also settled among the Canaanites, gaining tribute but losing the full freedom God intended. Financial or practical gain is never worth trading away the deeper freedom I want to give you. Weigh the true cost of your compromises, not just their apparent benefit.
"And the Amorites forced the children of Dan into the mountain: for they would not them to come down to the valley: "
💡 Highlighted words feature Jacobean 1611 tooltips to clarify shifted 17th-century English terms.
"The Amorites pushed the tribe of Dan back into the hill country and wouldn't let them come down into the valley."
This time it's not Israel choosing compromise but actually being pushed back by the Amorites - a picture of losing ground rather than merely settling. When you feel like you're being forced backwards in your walk with me, know that I still see you and haven't given up on your story. Setbacks are not the end of what I can do.
"But the Amorites would dwell in mount Heres in Aijalon, and in Shaalbim: yet the hand of the house of Joseph prevailed, so that they became tributaries. "
"The Amorites continued living in the hill of Heres, in Aijalon, and in Shaalbim, until the house of Joseph grew strong enough to force them into forced labour."
Even in this messy chapter of compromise, the house of Joseph still prevailed enough to make the Amorites pay tribute - a partial but real victory won even through imperfect obedience. I can still work good through you even when your obedience isn't perfect or complete. Don't let past compromise convince you that I can no longer use you.
"And the coast of the Amorites was from the going up to Akrabbim, from the rock, and upward. "
"The Amorite territory extended from the Scorpion Pass, from Sela, and northward from there."
The chapter closes with a simple geographic note, the Amorites' border still standing - a quiet, unresolved ending to a whole chapter of missed opportunities. Not every story wraps up neatly, and that's alright; I am patient with unfinished business and I keep working in the chapters that follow. Trust me with the parts of your story that don't have a tidy conclusion yet.