Immerse: Kingdoms Full Volume - Flipbook - Page 55
JUDGES
After the death of Joshua, the Israelites asked the Lord, “Which tribe
should go first to attack the Canaanites?”
The Lord answered, “Judah, for I have given them victory over the
land.”
The men of Judah said to their relatives from the tribe of Simeon, “Join
with us to fight against the Canaanites living in the territory allotted to
us. Then we will help you conquer your territory.” So the men of Simeon
went with Judah.
When the men of Judah attacked, the Lord gave them victory over
the Canaanites and Perizzites, and they killed 10,000 enemy warriors at
the town of Bezek. While at Bezek they encountered King Adoni-bezek
and fought against him, and the Canaanites and Perizzites were defeated.
Adoni-bezek escaped, but the Israelites soon captured him and cut off his
thumbs and big toes.
Adoni-bezek said, “I once had seventy kings with their thumbs and big
toes cut off, eating scraps from under my table. Now God has paid me back
for what I did to them.” They took him to Jerusalem, and he died there.
The men of Judah attacked Jerusalem and captured it, killing all its
people and setting the city on fire. Then they went down to fight the
Canaanites living in the hill country, the Negev, and the western foothills.
Judah marched against the Canaanites in Hebron (formerly called Kiriath-
arba), defeating the forces of Sheshai, Ahiman, and Talmai.
From there they went to fight against the people living in the town of
Debir (formerly called Kiriath-sepher). Caleb said, “I will give my daughter Acsah in marriage to the one who attacks and captures Kiriath-sepher.”
Othniel, the son of Caleb’s younger brother, Kenaz, was the one who conquered it, so Acsah became Othniel’s wife.
When Acsah married Othniel, she urged him to ask her father for a field.
As she got down off her donkey, Caleb asked her, “What’s the matter?”
She said, “Let me have another gift. You have already given me land in
the Negev; now please give me springs of water, too.” So Caleb gave her
the upper and lower springs.
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