The Allotment for Judah

15 The allotment for the tribe of the people of Judah according to their clans reached southward (A)to the boundary of Edom, to (B)the wilderness of Zin at the farthest south. And their south boundary ran from the end of the (C)Salt Sea, from the bay that faces southward. It goes out southward of (D)the ascent of Akrabbim, passes along to Zin, and goes up south of Kadesh-barnea, along by Hezron, up to Addar, turns about to Karka, passes along to Azmon, goes out by (E)the Brook of Egypt, and comes to its end at the sea. This shall be your south boundary. And the east boundary is the (F)Salt Sea, to the mouth of the Jordan. And the boundary on the north side runs from the bay of the sea at the mouth of the Jordan. And the boundary goes up to (G)Beth-hoglah and passes along north of (H)Beth-arabah. And the boundary goes up to (I)the stone of Bohan the son of Reuben. And the boundary goes up to Debir from (J)the Valley of Achor, and so northward, turning toward Gilgal, which is opposite (K)the ascent of Adummim, which is on the south side of the valley. And the boundary passes along to the waters of (L)En-shemesh and ends at (M)En-rogel. Then the boundary goes up by (N)the Valley of the Son of Hinnom at the southern shoulder of the Jebusite ((O)that is, Jerusalem). And the boundary goes up to the top of the mountain that lies over against the Valley of Hinnom, on the west, at the northern end of the Valley (P)of Rephaim. Then the boundary extends from the top of the mountain (Q)to the spring of the waters of Nephtoah, and from there to the cities of Mount Ephron. Then the boundary bends around to Baalah ((R)that is, Kiriath-jearim). 10 And the boundary circles west of Baalah to Mount Seir, passes along to the northern shoulder of Mount Jearim (that is, Chesalon), and goes down to (S)Beth-shemesh and passes along by (T)Timnah. 11 The boundary goes out (U)to the shoulder of the hill north of Ekron, then the boundary bends around to Shikkeron and passes along to Mount (V)Baalah and goes out to Jabneel. Then the boundary comes to an end at the sea. 12 And the west boundary was (W)the Great Sea with its coastline. This is the boundary around the people of Judah according to their clans.

13 According to the commandment of the Lord to Joshua, he gave to Caleb the son of Jephunneh a portion among the people of Judah, (X)Kiriath-arba, that is, (Y)Hebron (Arba was the father of Anak). 14 And Caleb drove out from there the three sons of Anak, (Z)Sheshai and Ahiman and Talmai, the descendants of Anak. 15 And he went up from there against the inhabitants of Debir. (AA)Now the name of Debir formerly was Kiriath-sepher. 16 And Caleb said, “Whoever strikes Kiriath-sepher and captures it, to him will I give Achsah my daughter as wife.” 17 (AB)And Othniel the son of Kenaz, (AC)the brother of Caleb, captured it. And he gave him Achsah his daughter as wife. 18 When she came to him, she urged him to ask her father for a field. And she got off her donkey, and Caleb said to her, “What do you want?” 19 She said to him, “Give me a blessing. Since you have given me the land of the Negeb, give me also springs of water.” And he gave her the upper springs and the lower springs.

20 This is the inheritance of the tribe of the people of Judah according to their clans. 21 The cities belonging to the tribe of the people of Judah in the extreme south, toward the boundary of Edom, were Kabzeel, (AD)Eder, Jagur, 22 Kinah, Dimonah, Adadah, 23 Kedesh, Hazor, Ithnan, 24 (AE)Ziph, Telem, Bealoth, 25 Hazor-hadattah, Kerioth-hezron (that is, Hazor), 26 Amam, Shema, Moladah, 27 Hazar-gaddah, Heshmon, Beth-pelet, 28 Hazar-shual, (AF)Beersheba, Biziothiah, 29 Baalah, Iim, Ezem, 30 Eltolad, Chesil, Hormah, 31 (AG)Ziklag, Madmannah, Sansannah, 32 Lebaoth, Shilhim, Ain, and Rimmon: in all, twenty-nine cities with their villages.

33 And in the lowland, (AH)Eshtaol, Zorah, Ashnah, 34 Zanoah, En-gannim, Tappuah, Enam, 35 (AI)Jarmuth, (AJ)Adullam, (AK)Socoh, (AL)Azekah, 36 Shaaraim, Adithaim, Gederah, Gederothaim: fourteen cities with their villages.

37 Zenan, Hadashah, Migdal-gad, 38 Dilean, Mizpeh, Joktheel, 39 (AM)Lachish, Bozkath, (AN)Eglon, 40 Cabbon, Lahmam, Chitlish, 41 Gederoth, Beth-dagon, Naamah, and (AO)Makkedah: sixteen cities with their villages.

42 (AP)Libnah, Ether, Ashan, 43 Iphtah, Ashnah, Nezib, 44 (AQ)Keilah, Achzib, and Mareshah: nine cities with their villages.

45 (AR)Ekron, with its towns and its villages; 46 from Ekron to the sea, all that were by the side of Ashdod, with their villages.

47 (AS)Ashdod, its towns and its villages; (AT)Gaza, its towns and its villages; to (AU)the Brook of Egypt, and (AV)the Great Sea with its coastline.

48 And in the hill country, Shamir, Jattir, Socoh, 49 Dannah, Kiriath-sannah ((AW)that is, Debir), 50 Anab, Eshtemoh, Anim, 51 (AX)Goshen, Holon, and (AY)Giloh: eleven cities with their villages.

52 Arab, Dumah, Eshan, 53 Janim, Beth-tappuah, Aphekah, 54 Humtah, (AZ)Kiriath-arba (that is, (BA)Hebron), and Zior: nine cities with their villages.

55 (BB)Maon, (BC)Carmel, (BD)Ziph, Juttah, 56 Jezreel, Jokdeam, Zanoah, 57 Kain, Gibeah, and (BE)Timnah: ten cities with their villages.

58 Halhul, Beth-zur, Gedor, 59 Maarath, Beth-anoth, and Eltekon: six cities with their villages.

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

61 In the wilderness, (BG)Beth-arabah, Middin, Secacah, 62 Nibshan, the City of Salt, and (BH)Engedi: six cities with their villages.

63 But the (BI)Jebusites, the inhabitants of Jerusalem, (BJ)the people of Judah could not drive out, (BK)so the Jebusites dwell with the people of Judah at Jerusalem to this day.

Judah’s Inheritance

15 Now the allotment for the tribe of the descendants of Judah by their clans(A) was in the southernmost region, south to the Wilderness of Zin and over to the border of Edom.

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

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. It ascended to Beth-hoglah, proceeded north of Beth-arabah, and ascended to the Stone of Bohan son of Reuben. 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. 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. 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(B)). 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.(C) 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,(D) 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(E) son of Caleb’s brother, Kenaz, captured it, and Caleb gave his daughter Achsah to him as a wife.(F) 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,(G) 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,(H) 29 Baalah, Iim, Ezem, 30 Eltolad, Chesil, Hormah, 31 Ziklag, Madmannah, Sansannah,(I) 32 Lebaoth, Shilhim, Ain, and Rimmon—29 cities in all, with their villages.

33 In the Judean foothills:[e] Eshtaol, Zorah, Ashnah, 34 Zanoah, En-gannim, Tappuah,[f] Enam, 35 Jarmuth, Adullam,(J) Socoh,[g] 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,[h] 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;[i] 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,[j] and En-gedi—six cities, with their villages.

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

Footnotes

  1. Joshua 15:2 Lit Sea at the tongue that turns southward
  2. Joshua 15:3 Lit of scorpions
  3. Joshua 15:4 LXX reads their
  4. Joshua 15:5 = the southern end of the Jordan River at the Dead Sea
  5. Joshua 15:33 Or the Shephelah
  6. Joshua 15:34 Or En-gannim-tappuah
  7. Joshua 15:35 Or Adullam-socoh
  8. Joshua 15:52 Some Hb mss read Rumah
  9. Joshua 15:59 LXX adds Tekoa, Ephrathah (that is, Bethlehem), Peor, Etam, Culom, Tatam, Sores, Carem, Gallim, Baither, and Manach—11 cities, with their villages
  10. Joshua 15:62 Or Ir-hamelach