Judges

Judges 1:1–7

¹After the death of Joshua, the Israelites inquired of the LORD, “Who will be the first to go up and fight for us against the Canaanites?”

²“Judah shall go up,” answered the LORD. “Indeed, I have delivered the land into their hands.”

³Then the men of Judah said to their brothers the Simeonites, “Come up with us to our allotted territory, and let us fight against the Canaanites. And we likewise will go with you to your territory.” So the Simeonites went with them.

⁴When Judah attacked, the LORD delivered the Canaanites and Perizzites into their hands, and they struck down ten thousand men at Bezek. ⁵And there they found Adoni-bezek and fought against him, striking down the Canaanites and Perizzites. ⁶As Adoni-bezek

fled, they pursued him, seized him, and cut off his thumbs and big toes. ⁷Then Adoni-bezek said, “Seventy kings with their thumbs and big toes cut off have gathered the scraps under my table. As I have done to them, so God has repaid me.” And they brought him to Jerusalem, where he died.

Read all of Judges 1

Word by word

Each English word or phrase beside the Hebrew it translates, in the order of the English. Choose a number to open that word’s study.

Judges 1:1

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
After	אַחֲרֵי֙	’a·ḥă·rê	Preposition	H310 behind
the death	מ֣וֹת	mō·wṯ	Noun - masculine singular construct	H4194 death
of Joshua	יְהוֹשֻׁ֔עַ	yə·hō·wō·šu·a‘	Noun - proper - masculine singular	H3091 Jehoshua
the Israelites	בְּנֵ֣י	bə·nê	Noun - masculine plural construct	H1121 son
inquired	וַֽיִּשְׁאֲלוּ֙	way·yiš·’ă·lū	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine plural	H7592 ask, inquire
of the LORD	בַּיהוָ֖ה	Yah·weh	Preposition-b; Noun - proper - masculine singular	H3068 Yahweh
Who	מִ֣י	mî	Interrogative	H4310 who?
will be the first	בַּתְּחִלָּ֖ה	bat·tə·ḥil·lāh	Preposition-b, Article; Noun - feminine singular	H8462 beginning
to go up	יַעֲלֶה־	ya·‘ă·leh-	Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular	H5927 go up, ascend, climb
and fight	לְהִלָּ֥חֶם	lə·hil·lā·ḥem	Preposition-l; Verb - Nifal - Infinitive construct	H3898 fight, do battle
for us	לָּ֧נוּ	lā·nū	Preposition; first person common plural
against	אֶל־	’el-	Preposition	H413 motion to
the Canaanites	הַֽכְּנַעֲנִ֛י	hak·kə·na·‘ă·nî	Article; Noun - proper - masculine singular	H3669 trader, merchant

Judges 1:2

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
Judah	יְהוּדָ֣ה	yə·hū·ḏāh	Noun - proper - masculine singular	H3063 Judah
shall go up	יַעֲלֶ֑ה	ya·‘ă·leh	Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular	H5927 go up, ascend, climb
answered	וַיֹּ֣אמֶר	way·yō·mer	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular	H559 utter, say
the LORD	יְהוָ֖ה	Yah·weh	Noun - proper - masculine singular	H3068 Yahweh
Indeed	הִנֵּ֛ה	hin·nêh	Interjection	H2009 lo! behold!
I have delivered	נָתַ֥תִּי	nā·ṯat·tî	Verb - Qal - Perfect - first person common singular	H5414 give, put, set
the land	הָאָ֖רֶץ	hā·’ā·reṣ	Article; Noun - feminine singular	H776 earth, land
into their hands	בְּיָדֽוֹ׃	bə·yā·ḏōw	Preposition-b; Noun - feminine singular construct; third person masculine singular	H3027 hand

Judges 1:3

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
Then the men of Judah	יְהוּדָה֩	yə·hū·ḏāh	Noun - proper - masculine singular	H3063 Judah
said	וַיֹּ֣אמֶר	way·yō·mer	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular	H559 utter, say
to their brothers	אָחִ֜יו	’ā·ḥîw	Noun - masculine singular construct; third person masculine singular	H251 brother
the Simeonites	לְשִׁמְע֨וֹן	lə·šim·‘ō·wn	Preposition-l; Noun - proper - masculine singular	H8095 Shimon
Come up	עֲלֵ֧ה	‘ă·lêh	Verb - Qal - Imperative - masculine singular	H5927 go up, ascend, climb
with us	אִתִּ֣י	’it·tî	Preposition; first person common singular	H854 with
to our allotted territory	בְגוֹרָלִ֗י	ḇə·ḡō·w·rā·lî	Preposition-b; Noun - masculine singular construct; first person common singular	H1486 lot
and let us fight	וְנִֽלָּחֲמָה֙	wə·nil·lā·ḥă·māh	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Nifal - Conjunctive imperfect Cohortative - first person common plural	H3898 fight, do battle
against the Canaanites	בַּֽכְּנַעֲנִ֔י	bak·kə·na·‘ă·nî	Preposition-b, Article; Noun - proper - masculine singular	H3669 trader, merchant
And we	אֲנִ֛י	’ă·nî	Pronoun - first person common singular	H589 I
likewise	גַם־	ḡam-	Conjunction	H1571 also, moreover, yea
will go	וְהָלַכְתִּ֧י	wə·hā·laḵ·tî	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - first person common singular	H1980 go, come, walk
with you	אִתְּךָ֖	’it·tə·ḵā	Preposition; second person masculine singular	H854 with
to your territory	בְּגוֹרָלֶ֑ךָ	bə·ḡō·w·rā·le·ḵā	Preposition-b; Noun - masculine singular construct; second person masculine singular	H1486 lot
So the Simeonites	שִׁמְעֽוֹן׃	šim·‘ō·wn	Noun - proper - masculine singular	H8095 Shimon
went	וַיֵּ֥לֶךְ	way·yê·leḵ	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular	H1980 go, come, walk
with them	אִתּ֖וֹ	’it·tōw	Preposition; third person masculine singular	H854 with

Judges 1:4

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
When Judah	יְהוּדָ֔ה	yə·hū·ḏāh	Noun - proper - masculine singular	H3063 Judah
attacked	וַיַּ֣עַל	way·ya·‘al	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular	H5927 go up, ascend, climb
the LORD	יְהוָ֛ה	Yah·weh	Noun - proper - masculine singular	H3068 Yahweh
delivered	וַיִּתֵּ֧ן	way·yit·tên	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular	H5414 give, put, set
the Canaanites	הַכְּנַעֲנִ֥י	hak·kə·na·‘ă·nî	Article; Noun - proper - masculine singular	H3669 trader, merchant
and Perizzites	וְהַפְּרִזִּ֖י	wə·hap·pə·riz·zî	Conjunctive waw, Article; Noun - proper - masculine singular	H6522 Perizzite
into their hands	בְּיָדָ֑ם	bə·yā·ḏām	Preposition-b; Noun - feminine singular construct; third person masculine plural	H3027 hand
and they struck down	וַיַּכּ֣וּם	way·yak·kūm	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Hifil - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine plural; third person masculine plural	H5221 smite
ten	עֲשֶׂ֥רֶת	‘ă·śe·reṯ	Number - masculine singular construct	H6235 ten
thousand	אֲלָפִ֖ים	’ă·lā·p̄îm	Number - masculine plural	H505 thousand
men	אִֽישׁ׃	’îš	Noun - masculine singular	H376 man
at Bezek	בְּבֶ֔זֶק	bə·ḇe·zeq	Preposition-b; Noun - proper - feminine singular	H966 Bezek

Judges 1:5

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
And	בְּבֶ֔זֶק	bə·ḇe·zeq	Preposition-b; Noun - proper - feminine singular	H966 Bezek
they found	וַֽ֠יִּמְצְאוּ	way·yim·ṣə·’ū	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine plural	H4672 attain to, find
Adoni-bezek	בֶ֙זֶק֙	ḇe·zeq	Noun - proper - masculine singular	H137 Adoni-Bezek
and fought	וַיִּֽלָּחֲמ֖וּ	way·yil·lā·ḥă·mū	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Nifal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine plural	H3898 fight, do battle
against him	בּ֑וֹ	bōw	Preposition; third person masculine singular
striking down	וַיַּכּ֕וּ	way·yak·kū	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Hifil - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine plural	H5221 smite
the Canaanites	הַֽכְּנַעֲנִ֖י	hak·kə·na·‘ă·nî	Article; Noun - proper - masculine singular	H3669 trader, merchant
and Perizzites	הַפְּרִזִּֽי׃	hap·pə·riz·zî	Article; Noun - proper - masculine singular	H6522 Perizzite

Judges 1:6

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
As Adoni-bezek	אֲדֹ֣נִי	’ă·ḏō·nî	Noun - proper - masculine singular	H137 Adoni-Bezek
fled	וַיָּ֙נָס֙	way·yā·nās	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular	H5127 flee, escape
they pursued him	וַֽיִּרְדְּפ֖וּ	way·yir·də·p̄ū	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine plural	H7291 pursue, chase, persecute
seized him	וַיֹּאחֲז֣וּ	way·yō·ḥă·zū	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine plural	H270 grasp, take hold, take possession
and cut off	וַֽיְקַצְּצ֔וּ	way·qaṣ·ṣə·ṣū	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Piel - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine plural	H7112 cut off
his thumbs	בְּהֹנ֥וֹת	bə·hō·nō·wṯ	Noun - feminine dual construct; third person masculine singular	H931 thumb
and big toes	וְרַגְלָֽיו׃	wə·raḡ·lāw	Conjunctive waw; Noun - feminine dual construct; third person masculine singular	H7272 foot

Judges 1:7

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
Then Adoni-bezek	בֶ֗זֶק	ḇe·zeq	Noun - proper - masculine singular	H137 Adoni-Bezek
said	וַיֹּ֣אמֶר	way·yō·mer	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular	H559 utter, say
Seventy	שִׁבְעִ֣ים׀	šiḇ·‘îm	Number - common plural	H7657 seventy
kings	מְלָכִ֡ים	mə·lā·ḵîm	Noun - masculine plural	H4428 king
with their thumbs	בְּֽהֹנוֹת֩	bə·hō·nō·wṯ	Noun - masculine plural construct	H931 thumb
and big toes	וְרַגְלֵיהֶ֜ם	wə·raḡ·lê·hem	Conjunctive waw; Noun - feminine dual construct; third person masculine plural	H7272 foot
cut off	מְקֻצָּצִ֗ים	mə·quṣ·ṣā·ṣîm	Verb - Pual - Participle - masculine plural	H7112 cut off
have gathered	מְלַקְּטִים֙	mə·laq·qə·ṭîm	Verb - Piel - Participle - masculine plural	H3950 pick or gather up
under	תַּ֣חַת	ta·ḥaṯ	Preposition	H8478 the under part
my table	שֻׁלְחָנִ֔י	šul·ḥā·nî	Noun - masculine singular construct; first person common singular	H7979 table
As	כַּאֲשֶׁ֣ר	ka·’ă·šer	Preposition-k; Pronoun - relative	H834 particle of relation
I have done	עָשִׂ֔יתִי	‘ā·śî·ṯî	Verb - Qal - Perfect - first person common singular	H6213 do, make
so	כֵּ֥ן	kên	Adverb	H3651 right, veritable, honest
God	אֱלֹהִ֑ים	’ĕ·lō·hîm	Noun - masculine plural	H430 God
has repaid	שִׁלַּם־	šil·lam-	Verb - Piel - Perfect - third person masculine singular	H7999 be complete, sound
me	לִ֖י	lî	Preposition; first person common singular
And they brought him	וַיְבִיאֻ֥הוּ	way·ḇî·’u·hū	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Hifil - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine plural; third person masculine singular	H935 come in, come, go in, go
to Jerusalem	יְרוּשָׁלִַ֖ם	yə·rū·šā·lim	Noun - proper - feminine singular	H3389 Jerusalem
where he died	וַיָּ֥מָת	way·yā·māṯ	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular	H4191 die