The tribes of Judah and Simeon defeated the Canaanites

1 After Joshua died, the Israeli people asked Yahweh, “Which of our tribes should attack the Canaan people-group first?”

2 Yahweh replied, “I will enable the tribe of Judah to defeat [IDM] the Canaan people-group.”

3 The men of Judah went to their fellow Israelis, the men from the tribe of Simeon, and said to them, “Come and help us to fight the Canaan people-group in order that we can take from them the land that Yahweh allotted to us. If you do that, we will go with you and help you conquer the people in the land that Yahweh promised to give to you.” So the men from the tribe of Simeon went with the men of the tribe of Judah.

4 When the men of those two tribes attacked, Yahweh enabled them to defeat 10,000 men of the Canaan people-group and the Periz people-group [DOU] at Bezek city. 5 During the battle they found Adoni-Bezek, the leader of the city, 6 but he tried to run away. The Israelis pursued him and caught him. Then they cut off his thumbs and his big toes.

7 Adoni-Bezek said, “My army captured 70 kings. We cut off their thumbs and big toes. After that, we forced those kings to eat scraps that fell from our table. Now God has ◄paid me back for/done to me like► what we did to them.” Then the men of Judah took Adoni-Bezek to Jerusalem, and he died there.

8 The army of Judah fought against the men of Jerusalem, and they captured the city. With their swords they killed the people who lived there and they burned the houses in the city.

9 Later, the men of Judah went down to fight the Canaan people-group who lived in the hilly area, in the desert to the south, and in the foothills to the west. 10 The men of Judah also went to fight against the Canaan people-group who lived in Hebron city, which at that time was named Kiriath-Arba. They defeated the armies of kings Sheshai, Ahiman, and Talmai.