Joshua 15
New Revised Standard Version Updated Edition
The Territory of Judah
15 The lot for the tribe of the people of Judah according to their families reached southward to the boundary of Edom, to the wilderness of Zin at the farthest south.(A) 2 And their south boundary ran from the end of the Dead Sea,[a] from the bay that faces southward; 3 it goes out southward of the ascent of Akrabbim, passes along to Zin, and goes up south of Kadesh-barnea, along by Hezron, up to Addar, makes a turn to Karka,(B) 4 passes along to Azmon, goes out by the Wadi of Egypt, and comes to its end at the sea. This shall be your south boundary.(C) 5 And the east boundary is the Dead Sea,[b] 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; 6 and the boundary goes up to Beth-hoglah and passes along north of Beth-arabah; and the boundary goes up to the Stone of Bohan, Reuben’s son;(D) 7 and the boundary goes up to Debir from the Valley of Achor, and so northward, turning toward Gilgal, which is opposite the ascent of Adummim, which is on the south side of the valley; and the boundary passes along to the waters of En-shemesh, and ends at En-rogel;(E) 8 then the boundary goes up by the valley of the son of Hinnom at the southern slope of the Jebusites (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 of Rephaim;(F) 9 then the boundary extends from the top of the mountain to the spring of the Waters of Nephtoah, and from there to the towns of Mount Ephron; then the boundary bends around to Baalah (that is, Kiriath-jearim);(G) 10 and the boundary circles west of Baalah to Mount Seir, passes along to the northern slope of Mount Jearim (that is, Chesalon), and goes down to Beth-shemesh, and passes along by Timnah;(H) 11 the boundary goes out to the slope of the hill north of Ekron, then the boundary bends around to Shikkeron, and passes along to Mount Baalah, and goes out to Jabneel; then the boundary comes to an end at the sea. 12 And the west boundary is the Mediterranean with its coast. This is the boundary surrounding the people of Judah according to their families.(I)
Caleb Occupies His Portion
13 But to Caleb son of Jephunneh, Joshua[c] gave a portion among the people of Judah according to the commandment of the Lord to Joshua, Kiriath-arba, that is, Hebron (Arba was the father of Anak).(J) 14 And Caleb drove out from there the three sons of Anak: Sheshai, Ahiman, and Talmai, the descendants of Anak.(K) 15 From there he went up against the inhabitants of Debir; now the name of Debir formerly was Kiriath-sepher.(L) 16 And Caleb said, “Whoever attacks Kiriath-sepher and takes it, to him I will give my daughter Achsah as wife.”(M) 17 Othniel son of Kenaz, the brother of Caleb, took it, and he gave him his daughter Achsah as wife. 18 When she came to him, she urged him to ask her father for a field. As she dismounted from her donkey, Caleb said to her, “What do you wish?”(N) 19 She said to him, “Give me a present; since you have set me in the land of the Negeb, give me springs of water as well.” So Caleb gave her the upper springs and the lower springs.
The Towns of Judah
20 This is the inheritance of the tribe of the people of Judah according to their families. 21 The towns belonging to the tribe of the people of Judah in the extreme south, toward the boundary of Edom, were 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,(O) 29 Baalah, Iim, Ezem, 30 Eltolad, Chesil, Hormah, 31 Ziklag, Madmannah, Sansannah,(P) 32 Lebaoth, Shilhim, Ain, and Rimmon: in all, twenty-nine towns, with their villages.
33 And in the lowland, Eshtaol, Zorah, Ashnah,(Q) 34 Zanoah, En-gannim, Tappuah, Enam, 35 Jarmuth, Adullam, Socoh, Azekah,(R) 36 Shaaraim, Adithaim, Gederah, Gederothaim: fourteen towns with their villages.
37 Zenan, Hadashah, Migdal-gad, 38 Dilan, Mizpeh, Jokthe-el,(S) 39 Lachish, Bozkath, Eglon,(T) 40 Cabbon, Lahmam, Chitlish, 41 Gederoth, Beth-dagon, Naamah, and Makkedah: sixteen towns with their villages.
42 Libnah, Ether, Ashan, 43 Iphtah, Ashnah, Nezib, 44 Keilah, Achzib, and Mareshah: nine towns with their villages.
45 Ekron, with its towns and its villages; 46 from Ekron to the sea, all that were near Ashdod, with their villages.
47 Ashdod, its towns and its villages; Gaza, its towns and its villages; to the Wadi of Egypt, and the Great Sea with its coast.(U)
48 And in the hill country, Shamir, Jattir, Socoh, 49 Dannah, Kiriath-sannah (that is, Debir), 50 Anab, Eshtemoh, Anim, 51 Goshen, Holon, and Giloh: eleven towns with their villages.(V)
52 Arab, Dumah, Eshan, 53 Janim, Beth-tappuah, Aphekah, 54 Humtah, Kiriath-arba (that is, Hebron), and Zior: nine towns with their villages.
55 Maon, Carmel, Ziph, Juttah, 56 Jezreel, Jokdeam, Zanoah, 57 Kain, Gibeah, and Timnah: ten towns with their villages.
58 Halhul, Beth-zur, Gedor, 59 Maarath, Beth-anoth, and Eltekon: six towns with their villages.
60 Kiriath-baal (that is, Kiriath-jearim) and Rabbah: two towns with their villages.(W)
61 In the wilderness, Beth-arabah, Middin, Secacah, 62 Nibshan, the City of Salt, and En-gedi: six towns with their villages.
63 But the people of Judah could not drive out the Jebusites, the inhabitants of Jerusalem, so the Jebusites live with the people of Judah in Jerusalem to this day.(X)
Joshua 15
Christian Standard Bible
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.
2 Their southern border began at the tip of the Dead Sea on the south bay[a] 3 and went south of the Scorpions’ Ascent, 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(B) and so the border ended at the Mediterranean Sea. This is your[b] southern border.
5 Now the eastern border was along the Dead Sea to the mouth of the Jordan.
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 Ben Hinnom Valley to the southern Jebusite slope (that is, Jerusalem) and ascended to the top of the hill that faces Hinnom Valley on the west, at the northern end of Rephaim Valley. 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(C)). 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.(D) 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.(E) 15 From there he marched against the inhabitants of Debir, which used to be called Kiriath-sepher,(F) 16 and Caleb said, “Whoever attacks and captures Kiriath-sepher, I will give my daughter Achsah to him as a wife.” 17 So Othniel(G) son of Caleb’s brother, Kenaz, captured it, and Caleb gave his daughter Achsah to him as a wife.(H) 18 When she arrived, she persuaded Othniel to ask her father for a field. As she got off her donkey, Caleb asked her, “What can I do for you?” 19 She replied, “Give me a blessing. Since you have given me land in the Negev, give me the springs 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,(I) 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,(J) 29 Baalah, Iim, Ezem, 30 Eltolad, Chesil, Hormah, 31 Ziklag, Madmannah, Sansannah,(K) 32 Lebaoth, Shilhim, Ain, and Rimmon—twenty-nine cities in all, with their settlements.
33 In the Judean foothills:[c] Eshtaol, Zorah, Ashnah, 34 Zanoah, En-gannim, Tappuah,[d] Enam, 35 Jarmuth, Adullam,(L) Socoh,[e] Azekah, 36 Shaaraim, Adithaim, Gederah, and Gederothaim—fourteen cities, with their settlements; 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—sixteen cities, with their settlements; 42 Libnah, Ether, Ashan, 43 Iphtah, Ashnah, Nezib, 44 Keilah, Achzib, and Mareshah—nine cities, with their settlements; 45 Ekron, with its surrounding villages and settlements; 46 from Ekron to the sea, all the cities near Ashdod, with their settlements; 47 Ashdod, with its surrounding villages and settlements; Gaza, with its surrounding villages and settlements, 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—eleven cities, with their settlements; 52 Arab, Dumah,[f] Eshan, 53 Janim, Beth-tappuah, Aphekah, 54 Humtah, Kiriath-arba (that is, Hebron), and Zior—nine cities, with their settlements; 55 Maon, Carmel, Ziph, Juttah, 56 Jezreel, Jokdeam, Zanoah, 57 Kain, Gibeah, and Timnah—ten cities, with their settlements; 58 Halhul, Beth-zur, Gedor, 59 Maarath, Beth-anoth, and Eltekon—six cities, with their settlements;[g] 60 Kiriath-baal (that is, Kiriath-jearim), and Rabbah—two cities, with their settlements.
61 In the wilderness: Beth-arabah, Middin, Secacah, 62 Nibshan, the City of Salt,[h] and En-gedi—six cities, with their settlements.
63 But the descendants of Judah could not drive out the Jebusites who lived in Jerusalem.(M) So the Jebusites still live in Jerusalem among the descendants of Judah today.(N)
Footnotes
- 15:2 Lit Sea at the tongue that turns southward
- 15:4 LXX reads their
- 15:33 Or the Shephelah
- 15:34 Or En-gannim-tappuah
- 15:35 Or Adullam-socoh
- 15:52 Some Hb mss read Rumah
- 15:59 LXX adds Tekoa, Ephrathah (that is, Bethlehem), Peor, Etam, Culom, Tatam, Sores, Carem, Gallim, Baither, and Manach—eleven cities, with their settlements
- 15:62 Or Ir-hamelach
New Revised Standard Version, Updated Edition. Copyright © 2021 National Council of Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
The Christian Standard Bible. Copyright © 2017 by Holman Bible Publishers. Used by permission. Christian Standard Bible®, and CSB® are federally registered trademarks of Holman Bible Publishers, all rights reserved.