Judges

1 After Joshua die, Israel people* ask Jehovah say: “Na who among us go first go up to fight Ca′naan people?” 2 Jehovah answer say: “Na Judah go go up. See! I de put* the land for im hand.” 3 Then Judah tell im brother Sim′e·on say: “Come follow me go the area wey them give me* make we fight Ca′naan people. Then I go follow you go the area wey them give you.” So Sim′e·on follow-am.

4 When Judah go up, Jehovah put Ca′naan people and Per′iz·zite people for their hand, and them win 10,000 men for Be′zek. 5 Them see A·do′ni-be′zek for Be′zek, and them fight-am for there and win Ca′naan people and Per′iz·zite people. 6 When A·do′ni-be′zek run, them pursue-am and catch-am and cut im big fingers* and im big toes comot. 7 Then A·do′ni-be′zek talk say: “I don cut the big fingers and big toes of 70 kings comot and them de pick food for under my table. Just as I do them, na so God don do me back.” After that one, them bring-am come Jerusalem, and e die for there.

8 Another thing be say, the men of Judah fight against Jerusalem and win-am; them use sword kill people for the city and burn-am with fire. 9 After, the men of Judah go down to fight Ca′naan people wey de live for the area wey mountains dey and for the Neg′eb and the She·phe′lah. 10 So Judah march go attack Ca′naan people wey de live for Heb′ron (the name wey them be de call Heb′ron na Kir′i·ath-ar′ba), and them win She′shai, A·hi′man, and Tal′mai.

11 Them march from there go attack the people wey de live for De′bir. (The name wey them be de call De′bir na Kir′i·ath-se′pher.) 12 Then Ca′leb talk say: “Any man wey attack Kir′i·ath-se′pher and win-am, I go give-am my daughter Ach′sah as wife.” 13 And Oth′ni·el the son of Ke′naz, wey be Ca′leb younger brother, win-am. So Ca′leb give-am im daughter Ach′sah as wife. 14 When Ach′sah de go house, e tell im husband say make e ask Ca′leb im papa to give them land. Then Ach′sah come down from im donkey.* Caʹleb ask-am say: “Wetin you want?” 15 E tell-am say: “Abeg, make you bless me, because you don give me land for the south side;* still give me Gul′loth-ma′im.”* So Ca′leb give-am Upper Gul′loth and Lower Gul′loth.

16 And the children-children of Moses father-in-law wey be Ken′ite person, comot* from the city of palm trees with the people of Judah and go the wilderness of Judah for the south side of A′rad. Them go there and start to live among the people. 17 But Judah go with im brother Sim′e·on, and them attack Ca′naan people wey de live for Ze′phath and destroy-am. So them name the city Hor′mah.* 18 Then Judah take over Gaz′a and the area for there, Ash′ke·lon and the area for there, and Ek′ron and the area for there. 19 Jehovah dey with Judah, and them take the area wey mountains dey as their own, but them no fit drive the people wey de live for the level land* comot because them get war chariots wey get long iron knives for the wheels.* 20 Them give Heb′ron to Ca′leb, just as Moses be don promise, and e drive the three sons of A′nak comot from there.

21 But the tribe of Benjamin no drive Je′bus people wey de live for Jerusalem comot, so Je′bus people continue to live with the tribe of Benjamin for Jerusalem come reach today.

22 That time, the children-children of Joseph go up to attack Beth′el, and Jehovah dey with them. 23 The children-children of Joseph be hide go check* Beth′el (e come be say, the name of the city before na Luz), 24 and the people wey go check the place see one man de come out from the city. So them tell-am say: “Abeg, show us how we go fit enter the city, and we go do you well.”* 25 So the man show them how to enter the city, and them use sword kill people for the city, but them leave the man and all im family make them go. 26 The man go the land of Hit′tite people and build one city and call-am Luz, wey be the name of the city till today.

27 Ma·nas′seh no take Beth-she′an and the towns wey surround-am as im own, Ta′a·nach and the towns wey surround-am, the people wey de live for Dor and the towns wey surround-am, the people wey de live for Ib′le·am and the towns wey surround-am, and the people wey de live for Me·gid′do and the towns wey surround-am. Ca′naan people for there hold their ground say them go continue to stay for this land. 28 When Israel don strong more-more, them force Ca′naan people to work for them, but them no drive them comot finish.

29 And E′phra·im no drive Ca′naan people wey be de live for Ge′zer comot. Ca′naan people continue to live among them for Ge′zer.

30 Zeb′u·lun no drive people wey de live for Kit′ron comot and the people wey de live for Na′ha·lol. Ca′naan people continue to live among them and them force them to work for them.

31 Ash′er no drive the people wey de live for Ac′co comot and the people wey de live for Si′don, Ah′lab, Ach′zib, Hel′bah, A′phik, and Re′hob. 32 So Ash′er people continue to live among Ca′naan people wey de live for the land, because them no drive them comot.

33 Naph′ta·li no drive the people wey de live for Beth-she′mesh comot and the people wey de live for Beth-a′nath, but them continue to live among Ca′naan people wey de live for the land. Them come force the people wey de live for Beth-she′mesh and Beth-a′nath to work for them.

34 Am′or·ite people force the tribe of Dan to remain for the area wey mountains dey, because them no allow them come down to the level land.* 35 So Am′or·ite people for there hold their ground say them go continue to stay for Mount He′res, Ai′ja·lon, and Sha·al′bim. But when the children-children of Joseph don get power* more-more,* them force them to do hard work. 36 The area of Am′or·ite people start from the hill of A·krab′bim, from Se′la go up.