Joshua 15

Judah's Inheritance

1 Now the allotment for the tribe of the descendants of Judah by their clans was in the southernmost region, south of the wilderness of Zin to the border of Edom.

2 Their southern border began at the tip of the Dead Sea on the south bay^[a]

3 and went south of the ascent of Akrabbim,^[b] proceeded to Zin, ascended to the south of Kadesh-barnea, passed Hezron, ascended to Addar, and turned to Karka.

4 It proceeded to Azmon and to the Brook of Egypt and so the border ended at the Mediterranean Sea. This is your^[c] southern border.

5 Now the eastern border was along the Dead Sea to the mouth of the Jordan.^[d] The border on the north side was from the bay of the sea at the mouth of the Jordan.

6 It ascended to Beth-hoglah, proceeded north of Beth-arabah, and ascended to the stone of Bohan son of Reuben.

7 Then the border ascended to Debir from the Valley of Achor, turning north to the Gilgal that is opposite the ascent of Adummim, which is south of the ravine. The border proceeded to the waters of En-shemesh and ended at En-rogel.

8 From there the border ascended the Valley of Hinnom to the southern Jebusite slope (that is, Jerusalem) and ascended to the top of the hill that faces the Valley of Hinnom on the west, at the northern end of the Valley of Rephaim.

9 From the top of the hill the border curved to the spring of the Waters of Nephtoah, went to the cities of Mount Ephron, and then curved to Baalah (that is, Kiriath-jearim).

10 The border turned westward from Baalah to Mount Seir, went to the northern slope of Mount Jearim (that is, Chesalon), descended to Beth-shemesh, and proceeded to Timnah.

11 Then the border reached to the slope north of Ekron, curved to Shikkeron, proceeded to Mount Baalah, went to Jabneel, and ended at the Mediterranean Sea.

12 Now the western border was the coastline of the Mediterranean Sea. This was the boundary of the descendants of Judah around their clans.

Caleb and Othniel

13 He gave Caleb son of Jephunneh [the following] portion among the descendants of Judah based on the Lord's instruction to Joshua: Kiriath-arba (that is, Hebron; Arba was the father of Anak).

14 Caleb drove out from there the three sons of Anak: Sheshai, Ahiman, and Talmai, descendants of Anak.

15 From there he marched against the inhabitants of Debir whose name used to be Kiriath-sepher,^[e]

16 and Caleb said, "I will give my daughter Achsah as a wife to the one who strikes down and captures Kiriath-sepher."

17 So Othniel son of Caleb's brother, Kenaz, captured it, and Caleb gave his daughter Achsah to him as a wife.

18 When she arrived, she persuaded Othniel to ask her father for a field. As she got off her donkey, Caleb asked her, "What do you want?"

19 She replied, "Give me a blessing. Since you have given me land in the Negev, give me the springs of water also." So he gave her the upper and lower springs.

Judah's Cities

20 This was the inheritance of the tribe of the descendants of Judah by their clans.

21 These were the outermost cities of the tribe of the descendants of Judah toward the border of Edom in the Negev: Kabzeel, Eder, Jagur,

22 Kinah, Dimonah, Adadah,

23 Kedesh, Hazor, Ithnan,

24 Ziph, Telem, Bealoth,

25 Hazor-hadattah, Kerioth-hezron (that is, Hazor),

26 Amam, Shema, Moladah,

27 Hazar-gaddah, Heshmon, Beth-pelet,

28 Hazar-shual, Beer-sheba, Biziothiah,

29 Baalah, Iim, Ezem,

30 Eltolad, Chesil, Hormah,

31 Ziklag, Madmannah, Sansannah,

32 Lebaoth, Shilhim, Ain, and Rimmon-29 cities in all, with their villages.

33 In the Judean foothills:^[f] Eshtaol, Zorah, Ashnah,

34 Zanoah, En-gannim, Tappuah,^[g] Enam,

35 Jarmuth, Adullam, Socoh,^[h] Azekah,

36 Shaaraim, Adithaim, Gederah, and Gederothaim-14 cities, with their villages;

37 Zenan, Hadashah, Migdal-gad,

38 Dilan, Mizpeh, Jokthe-el,

39 Lachish, Bozkath, Eglon,

40 Cabbon, Lahmam, Chitlish,

41 Gederoth, Beth-dagon, Naamah, and Makkedah-16 cities, with their villages;

42 Libnah, Ether, Ashan,

43 Iphtah, Ashnah, Nezib,

44 Keilah, Achzib, and Mareshah-nine cities, with their villages;

45 Ekron, with its towns and villages;

46 from Ekron to the sea, all [the cities] near Ashdod, with their villages;

47 Ashdod, with its towns and villages; Gaza, with its towns and villages, to the Brook of Egypt and the coastline of the Mediterranean Sea.

48 In the hill country: Shamir, Jattir, Socoh,

49 Dannah, Kiriath-sannah (that is, Debir),

50 Anab, Eshtemoh, Anim,

51 Goshen, Holon, and Giloh-11 cities, with their villages;

52 Arab, Dumah,^[i] Eshan,

53 Janim, Beth-tappuah, Aphekah,

54 Humtah, Kiriath-arba (that is, Hebron), and Zior-nine cities, with their villages;

55 Maon, Carmel, Ziph, Juttah,

56 Jezreel, Jokdeam, Zanoah,

57 Kain, Gibeah, and Timnah-10 cities, with their villages;

58 Halhul, Beth-zur, Gedor,

59 Maarath, Beth-anoth, and Eltekon-six cities, with their villages;^[j]

60 Kiriath-baal (that is, Kiriath-jearim), and Rabbah-two cities, with their villages.

61 In the wilderness: Beth-arabah, Middin, Secacah,

62 Nibshan, the City of Salt,^[k] and En-gedi-six cities, with their villages.

63 But the descendants of Judah could not drive out the Jebusites who lived in Jerusalem. So the Jebusites live in Jerusalem among the descendants of Judah to this day.

Joshua 15 Commentary

Chapter 15

The borders of the lot of Judah. (1-12) Caleb's portion, His daughter's blessing. (13-19) The cities of Judah. (20-63)

Verses 1-12 Joshua allotted to Judah, Ephraim, and the half of Manasseh, their inheritances before they left Gilgal. Afterwards removing to Shiloh, another survey was made, and the other tribes had their portion assigned. In due time all God's people are settled.

Verses 13-19 Achsah obtained some land by Caleb's free grant. He gave her a south land. Land indeed, but a south land, dry and apt to be parched. She obtained more, on her request, and he gave the upper and the nether springs. Those who understand it but of one field, watered both with the rain of heaven, and the springs that issued out of the earth, countenance the allusion commonly made to this, when we pray for spiritual and heavenly blessings which relate to our souls, as blessings of the upper springs, and those which relate to the body and the life that now is, as blessings of the nether springs. All the blessings, both of the upper and the nether springs, belong to the children of God. As related to Christ, they have them freely given of the Father, for the lot of their inheritance.

Verses 20-63 Here is a list of the cities of Judah. But we do not here find Bethlehem, afterwards the city of David, and ennobled by the birth of our Lord Jesus in it. That city, which, at the best, was but little among the thousands of Judah, ( Micah 5:2 ) , except that it was thus honoured, was now so little as not to be accounted one of the cities.

Footnotes

• [a]. Lit Sea at the tongue that turns southward
• [b]. Lit of scorpions
• [c]. LXX reads their
• [d]. The southern end of the Jordan River at the Dead Sea
• [e]. Jdg 1:11-15
• [f]. Or the Shephelah
• [g]. Or possibly 1 name: En-gannim-tappuah
• [h]. Or possibly 1 name: Adullam-socoh
• [i]. Other Hb mss read Rumah
• [j]. LXX adds Tekoa, Ephrathah (that is, Bethlehem), Peor, Etam, Culom, Tatam, Sores, Carem, Gallim, Baither, and Manach-11 cities, with their villages
• [k]. Or Ir-hamelach

Chapter Summary

INTRODUCTION TO JOSHUA 15

In this chapter are related the boundaries of the lot of the tribe of Judah, Jos 15:1-12; and the assignment of Hebron to Caleb, from whence he drove out the giants, and of Debir, which was taken by Othniel his brother, to whom, on that account, he gave his daughter in marriage, who made a further request to her father, which was granted, Jos 15:13-19; and then follows an account of the several cities by name, which fell to the tribe of Judah, Jos 15:20-63.