Joshua 15:1-19

Allotment for Judah

1 The allotment for the tribe of Judah, according to its clans, extended down to the territory of Edom, to the Desert of Zin in the extreme south.
2 Their southern boundary started from the bay at the southern end of the Dead Sea,
3 crossed south of Scorpion Pass, continued on to Zin and went over to the south of Kadesh Barnea. Then it ran past Hezron up to Addar and curved around to Karka.
4 It then passed along to Azmon and joined the Wadi of Egypt, ending at the Mediterranean Sea. This is their[a] southern boundary.
5 The eastern boundary is the Dead Sea as far as the mouth of the Jordan. The northern boundary started from the bay of the sea at the mouth of the Jordan,
6 went up to Beth Hoglah and continued north of Beth Arabah to the Stone of Bohan son of Reuben.
7 The boundary then went up to Debir from the Valley of Achor and turned north to Gilgal, which faces the Pass of Adummim south of the gorge. It continued along to the waters of En Shemesh and came out at En Rogel.
8 Then it ran up the Valley of Ben Hinnom along the southern slope of the Jebusite city (that is, Jerusalem). From there it climbed to the top of the hill west of the Hinnom Valley at the northern end of the Valley of Rephaim.
9 From the hilltop the boundary headed toward the spring of the waters of Nephtoah, came out at the towns of Mount Ephron and went down toward Baalah (that is, Kiriath Jearim).
10 Then it curved westward from Baalah to Mount Seir, ran along the northern slope of Mount Jearim (that is, Kesalon), continued down to Beth Shemesh and crossed to Timnah.
11 It went to the northern slope of Ekron, turned toward Shikkeron, passed along to Mount Baalah and reached Jabneel. The boundary ended at the sea.
12 The western boundary is the coastline of the Mediterranean Sea. These are the boundaries around the people of Judah by their clans.
13 In accordance with the LORD’s command to him, Joshua gave to Caleb son of Jephunneh a portion in Judah—Kiriath Arba, that is, Hebron. (Arba was the forefather of Anak.)
14 From Hebron Caleb drove out the three Anakites—Sheshai, Ahiman and Talmai, the sons of Anak.
15 From there he marched against the people living in Debir (formerly called Kiriath Sepher).
16 And Caleb said, “I will give my daughter Aksah in marriage to the man who attacks and captures Kiriath Sepher.”
17 Othniel son of Kenaz, Caleb’s brother, took it; so Caleb gave his daughter Aksah to him in marriage.
18 One day when she came to Othniel, she urged him[b] to ask her father for a field. When she got off her donkey, Caleb asked her, “What can I do for you?”
19 She replied, “Do me a special favor. Since you have given me land in the Negev, give me also springs of water.” So Caleb gave her the upper and lower springs.

Joshua 15:1-19 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.

Cross References 46

  • 1. Numbers 34:3
  • 2. S Numbers 13:21; Numbers 33:36
  • 3. Joshua 18:5
  • 4. S Genesis 14:3
  • 5. S Numbers 34:4
  • 6. S Deuteronomy 1:2
  • 7. Numbers 34:4; Numbers 34:5
  • 8. S Genesis 15:18
  • 9. Numbers 34:10
  • 10. S Genesis 14:3
  • 11. Joshua 18:15-19
  • 12. Joshua 18:19,21
  • 13. ver 61; Joshua 18:18
  • 14. Joshua 18:17
  • 15. S Joshua 10:3
  • 16. S Joshua 7:24
  • 17. S Deuteronomy 11:30
  • 18. Joshua 18:17
  • 19. Joshua 18:16; 2 Samuel 17:17; 1 Kings 1:9
  • 20. 2 Chronicles 28:3; Jeremiah 19:6
  • 21. ver 63; Joshua 18:16,28; Judges 1:21; Judges 19:10; 2 Samuel 5:6; 1 Chronicles 11:4; Ezra 9:1
  • 22. S Joshua 10:1
  • 23. 2 Kings 23:10; Jeremiah 7:31; Jeremiah 19:2
  • 24. 2 Samuel 5:18,22; 1 Chronicles 14:9; Isaiah 17:5
  • 25. Joshua 18:15
  • 26. ver 10,11,29; 2 Samuel 6:2; 1 Chronicles 13:6
  • 27. S Joshua 9:17
  • 28. S ver 9
  • 29. S Numbers 24:18
  • 30. Joshua 19:22,38; Joshua 21:16; Judges 1:33; 1 Samuel 6:9; 1 Kings 4:9; 2 Kings 14:11
  • 31. S Genesis 38:12; Judges 14:1
  • 32. S Joshua 13:3
  • 33. S ver 9
  • 34. Joshua 19:33
  • 35. S Numbers 34:6
  • 36. 1 Samuel 25:3; 1 Samuel 30:14
  • 37. S Genesis 23:2
  • 38. S Joshua 10:36; Joshua 21:12; 1 Chronicles 6:56
  • 39. S Numbers 13:22; Joshua 14:13-15
  • 40. S Numbers 13:33
  • 41. S Numbers 13:22
  • 42. Judges 1:10,20
  • 43. 1 Chronicles 2:49; Judges 1:12
  • 44. Judges 3:9,11; 1 Chronicles 4:13; 1 Chronicles 27:15
  • 45. S Joshua 10:40
  • 46. Genesis 36:24

Footnotes 2

  • [a]. Septuagint; Hebrew "your"
  • [b]. Hebrew and some Septuagint manuscripts; other Septuagint manuscripts (see also note at Judges 1:14) "Othniel, he urged her"
Scripture quoted by permission.  Quotations designated (NIV) are from THE HOLY BIBLE: NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®.  NIV®.  Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica.  All rights reserved worldwide.