Joshua 15 Footnotes

15:1-62 Judah was the first tribe to receive an inheritance west of the Jordan because of its prominence among the tribes of Israel (see Gn 49:8-12). The description of Judah’s allotment (Jos 15:1-12) is more detailed than are those for the other tribes. Verses 13-19 contain an account of Caleb’s success in expelling the Canaanites from the region of Hebron, his inheritance. Verses 20-62 detail the allotments to the various clans of Judah.

15:63 The tribe of Judah could not completely remove the Jebusites from Jerusalem. This is the first mention of a tribe’s inability to expel the Canaanite inhabitants. Jerusalem remained in Jebusite hands until the time of David (2Sm 5:6-7).