Joshua 15:1-12

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.

Joshua 15:1-12 Meaning and Commentary

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.

Footnotes 4

  • [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
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