What does Judges 1:18 mean?

Judah's campaign to drive the Canaanites from their allotted region in southern Israel continues (Judges 1:4–11, 16–17). This verse describes areas of the region known as the "lowland." Judah captures Gaza, Ashkelon, Ekron, and their associated territories.

No details or significant events are added to this simple description. Bible scholars suggest that because nothing is mentioned, Judah must have thoroughly destroyed the people and their towns. Special mentions seem to be made when any of the Canaanite peoples are left alive and unconquered or as co-inhabitants of the land. God's instructions were for Israel to kill them all or drive them completely from the land (Deuteronomy 20:16–18). The reason for these unusually harsh instructions was the depraved evil of Canaanite culture and God's desire to keep Israel separate from it (Deuteronomy 7:1–5; 9:4–5).