Judg 1:0-5 | NET2full | STEP | After Joshua died , the Israelites asked the Lord , “ Who should lead the invasion against the Canaanites and launch the attack ?”

Judges 1:1-5

Judah Takes the Lead

1 After Joshua died, the Israelites asked ^{▼▼tn The Hebrew verb translated “asked” (שָׁאַל, shaʾal) refers here to consulting the Lord through a prophetic oracle; cf. NAB “consulted.”} the Lord, “Who should lead the invasion against the Canaanites and launch the attack?” ^{▼▼tn Heb “Who should first go up for us against the Canaanites to attack them?”} 2 The Lord said, “The men of Judah should take the lead. ^{▼▼tn Heb “Judah should go up.”} Be sure of this! I am handing the land over to them.” ^{▼▼tn The Hebrew exclamation הִנֵּה (hinneh, traditionally, “Behold”), translated “Be sure of this,” draws attention to the following statement. The verb form in the following statement (a Hebrew perfect, indicating completed action from the standpoint of the speaker) emphasizes the certainty of the event. Though it had not yet taken place, the Lord speaks of it as a “done deal.”} 3 The men of Judah said to their relatives, the men of Simeon, ^{▼▼tn Heb “Judah said to Simeon, his brother.”} “Invade our allotted land with us and help us attack the Canaanites. ^{▼▼tn Heb “Come up with me into our allotted land and let us attack the Canaanites.”} Then we ^{▼▼tn Heb “I.” The Hebrew pronoun is singular, agreeing with the collective singular “Judah” earlier in the verse. English style requires a plural pronoun here, however.} will go with you into your allotted land.” So the men of Simeon went with them.

4 The men of Judah attacked, ^{▼▼tn Heb “Judah went up.”} and the Lord handed the Canaanites and Perizzites over to them. They killed 10,000 men at Bezek. 5 They met ^{▼▼tn Or “found.”} Adoni-Bezek at Bezek and fought him. They defeated the Canaanites and Perizzites.