Joshua 15
Complete Jewish Bible
15 The territory chosen by lot for the tribe of the descendants of Y’hudah according to their families extended to the border of Edom in the Tzin Desert, toward the Negev in the far south.
2 Their southern border began at the far shore of the Dead Sea, from the bay facing southward, 3 and went out south of the Scorpion Ascent, passed toward Tzin, went up south of Kadesh-Barnea, passed Hetzron, went up toward Adar, turned toward Karka, 4 passed toward ‘Atzmon, and went out at the Vadi of Egypt, with the border ending at the sea; this will be your southern border.
5 The eastern border was the Dead Sea to where the Yarden entered it.
The northern border began at the bay of the sea at the end of the Yarden; 6 then the border went up to Beit-Hoglah and passed north of Beit-‘Aravah; next the border went up to the Stone of Bohan the son of Re’uven; 7 then the border went up to D’vir from the Akhor Valley, then northward facing Gilgal (that is, across from Ma‘alei-Adumim, which is on the south side of the vadi); next the border passed to the ‘Ein-Shemesh Spring and went out at ‘Ein-Rogel. 8 Then the border went up the Ben-Hinnom Valley to the south side of the Y’vusi (that is, Yerushalayim), and the border continued up to the top of the hill in front of the Hinnom Valley on the west (which is also at the northernmost end of the Refa’im Valley) 9 From this hilltop the border was drawn to the source of the Neftoach Spring and continued out to the cities of Mount ‘Efron; next the border was drawn to Ba‘alah (that is, Kiryat-Ye‘arim). 10 Then the border turned from Ba‘al westward to Mount Se‘ir, passed the spur of Mount Ye‘arim (also called K’salon) on the north, went down to Beit-Shemesh and passed Timnah. 11 Next the border went out toward the side of ‘Ekron northward; and finally, the border was drawn to Shikron, passed Mount Ba‘alah, and went out at Yavne’el, with the border ending at the sea.
12 As for the west border, the Great Sea was its border. These were the borders of the territory of the descendants of Y’hudah, by clans.
13 To Kalev the son of Y’funeh he gave a portion with the descendants of Y’hudah, as Adonai had ordered Y’hoshua, namely, Kiryat-Arba (Arba was the father of the ‘Anak), also called Hevron. 14 Kalev expelled from there three descendants of ‘Anak — Sheshai, Achiman and Talmai, children of ‘Anak. 15 From there he went up to fight the inhabitants of D’vir (D’vir was formerly called Kiryat-Sefer). 16 Kalev said, “To whoever overpowers Kiryat-Sefer and captures it I will give my daughter Akhsah as his wife.” 17 ‘Otni’el the son of K’naz, Kalev’s brother, captured it; so he gave him ‘Akhsah his daughter as his wife. 18 After becoming his wife, she persuaded him to ask her father to give them a field; when she got off her donkey, Kalev asked her, “What do you want?” 19 She said to him: “Give me a blessing: since you gave me land in the Negev, also give me sources of water.” So Kalev gave her the Upper Springs and the Lower Springs.
20 This is the inheritance of the tribe of the descendants of Y’hudah, by clans.
21 The cities at the outer part of the tribe of Y’hudah toward the border with Edom in the south were: Kavtze’el, ‘Eder, Yagur, 22 Kinah, Dimonah, ‘Ad‘adah, 23 Kedesh, Hatzor, Yitnan, 24 Zif, Telem, Be‘alot, 25 Hatzor, Hadatah, K’riot, Hetzron (which is Hatzor), 26 Amam, Sh’ma, Moladah, 27 Hatzar-Gadah, Heshmon, Beit-Pelet, 28 Hatzar-Shu‘al, Be’er-Sheva, Bizyot-Yah, 29 Ba‘alah, ‘Iyim, ‘Etzem, 30 El-Tolad, K’sil, Hormah, 31 Ziklag, Madmanah, Sansanah, 32 L’va’ot, Shilchim, ‘Ayin and Rimmon — twenty-nine cities in all, together with their villages.
33 In the Sh’felah: Eshta’ol, Tzor‘ah, Ashnah, 34 Zanoach, ‘Ein-Ganim, Tapuach, ‘Enam, 35 Yarmut, ‘Adulam, Sokhoh, ‘Azekah, 36 Sh’arim, ‘Aditayim, G’derah and G’derotayim — fourteen cities, together with their villages. 37 Tz’nan, Hadashah, Migdal-Gad, 38 Dil‘an, Mitzpeh, Yokte’el, 39 Lakhish, Bozkat, ‘Eglon, 40 Kabon, Lachmas, Kitlish, 41 G’derot, Beit-Dagon, Na‘amah and Makkedah — sixteen cities, together with their villages. 42 Livnah, ‘Eter, ‘Ashan, 43 Yiftach, Ashnah, N’tziv, 44 Ke‘ilah, Akhziv and Mareshah — nine cities, together with their villages. 45 ‘Ekron, with its towns and villages — 46 from ‘Ekron to the sea; all those near Ashdod, with their villages; 47 Ashdod, with its towns and villages; ‘Azah, with its towns and villages, to the Vadi of Egypt, with the Great Sea as its border.
48 In the hills: Shamir, Yatir, Sokhoh, 49 Danah, Kiryat-Sanna (that is, D’vir), 50 ‘Anav, Esht’moh, ‘Anim, 51 Goshen, Holon and Giloh — eleven cities, together with their villages. 52 Arav, Dumah, Esh’an, 53 Yanum, Beit-Tapuach, Afekah, 54 Humtah, Kiryat-Arba (that is, Hevron) and Tzi‘or — nine cities, together with their villages. 55 Ma‘on, Karmel, Zif, Yutah, 56 Yizre‘el, Yokde‘am, Zanoach, 57 Kayin, Giv‘ah and Timnah — ten cities, together with their villages. 58 Halchul, Beit-Tzur, G’dor, 59 Ma‘arat, Beit-‘Anot, Elt’kon — six cities, together with their villages. 60 Kiryat-Ba‘al (that is, Kiryat-Ye‘arim) and Rabbah — two cities, together with their villages.
61 In the desert: Beit-‘Aravah, Middin, S’khakhah, 62 Nivshan, ‘Ir-Hamelach and ‘Ein-Gedi — six cities, together with their villages.
63 As for the Y’vusi, who lived in Yerushalayim, the descendants of Y’hudah could not drive them out; so the Y’vusi live with the descendants of Y’hudah in Yerushalayim to this day.
Joshua 15
American Standard Version
15 And the lot for the tribe of the children of Judah according to their families was unto the border of Edom, even to the wilderness of Zin southward, at the uttermost part of the south. 2 And their south border was from the uttermost part of the Salt Sea, from the [a]bay that looketh southward; 3 and it went out southward of the ascent of Akrabbim, and passed along to Zin, and went up by the south of Kadesh-barnea, and passed along by Hezron, and went up to Addar, and turned about to Karka; 4 and it passed along to Azmon, and went out at the brook of Egypt; and the goings out of the border were at the sea: this shall be your south border. 5 And the east border was the Salt Sea, even unto the end of the Jordan. And the border of the north quarter was from the [b]bay of the sea at the end of the Jordan; 6 and the border went up to Beth-hoglah, and passed along by the north of Beth-arabah; and the border went up to the stone of Bohan the son of Reuben; 7 and the border went up to Debir from the valley of Achor, and so northward, looking toward Gilgal, that is over against the ascent of Adummim, which is on the south side of the river; and the border passed along to the waters of En-shemesh, and the goings out thereof were at En-rogel; 8 and the border went up by the valley of the son of Hinnom unto the [c]side of the Jebusite southward (the same is Jerusalem); and the border went up to the top of the mountain that lieth before the valley of Hinnom westward, which is at the uttermost part of the vale of Rephaim northward; 9 and the border extended from the top of the mountain unto the fountain of the waters of Nephtoah, and went out to the cities of mount Ephron; and the border extended to Baalah (the same is Kiriath-jearim); 10 and the border turned about from Baalah westward unto mount Seir, and passed along unto the side of mount Jearim on the north (the same is Chesalon), and went down to Beth-shemesh, and passed along by Timnah; 11 and the border went out unto the side of Ekron northward; and the border extended to Shikkeron, and passed along to mount Baalah, and went out at Jabneel; and the goings out of the border were at the sea. 12 And the west border was to the great sea, and the border thereof. This is the border of the children of Judah round about according to their families.
13 And unto Caleb the son of Jephunneh he gave a portion among the children of Judah, according to the commandment of Jehovah to Joshua, even [d]Kiriath-arba, which Arba was the father of Anak (the same is Hebron). 14 And Caleb drove out thence the three sons of Anak: Sheshai, and Ahiman, and Talmai, the children of Anak. 15 And he went up thence against the inhabitants of Debir: now the name of Debir beforetime was Kiriath-sepher. 16 And Caleb said, He that smiteth Kiriath-sepher, and taketh it, to him will I give Achsah my daughter to wife. 17 And Othniel the son of Kenaz, the brother of Caleb, took it: and he gave him Achsah his daughter to wife. 18 And it came to pass, when she came unto him, that she moved him to ask of her father a field: and she alighted from off her ass; and Caleb said, What wouldest thou? 19 And she said, Give me a [e]blessing; for that thou hast [f]set me in the land of the South, give me also springs of water. And he gave her the upper springs and the nether springs.
20 This is the inheritance of the tribe of the children of Judah according to their families.
21 And the uttermost cities of the tribe of the children of Judah toward the border of Edom in the South were Kabzeel, and Eder, and Jagur, 22 and Kinah, and Dimonah, and Adadah, 23 and Kedesh, and Hazor, and Ithnan, 24 Ziph, and Telem, and Bealoth, 25 and Hazor-hadattah, and Kerioth-hezron (the same is Hazor), 26 Amam, and Shema, and Moladah, 27 and Hazar-gaddah, and Heshmon, and Beth-pelet, 28 and Hazar-shual, and Beer-sheba, and Biziothiah, 29 Baalah, and Iim, and Ezem, 30 and Eltolad, and Chesil, and Hormah, 31 and Ziklag, and Madmannah, and Sansannah, 32 and Lebaoth, and Shilhim, and Ain, and Rimmon: all the cities are twenty and nine, with their villages.
33 In the lowland, Eshtaol, and Zorah, and Ashnah, 34 and Zanoah, and En-gannim, Tappuah, and Enam, 35 Jarmuth, and Adullam, Socoh, and Azekah, 36 and Shaaraim, and Adithaim, and Gederah, and Gederothaim; fourteen cities with their villages.
37 Zenan, and Hadashah, and Migdal-gad, 38 and Dilean, and Mizpeh, and Joktheel, 39 Lachish, and Bozkath, and Eglon, 40 and Cabbon, and [g]Lahmam, and Chitlish, 41 and Gederoth, Beth-dagon, and Naamah, and Makkedah; sixteen cities with their villages.
42 Libnah, and Ether, and Ashan, 43 and Iphtah, and Ashnah, and Nezib, 44 and Keilah, and Achzib, and Mareshah; nine cities with their villages.
45 Ekron, with its [h]towns and its villages; 46 from Ekron even unto the sea, all that were by the side of Ashdod, with their villages.
47 Ashdod, its towns and its villages; Gaza, its towns and its villages; unto the brook of Egypt, and the great sea, and the border thereof.
48 And in the hill-country, Shamir, and Jattir, and Socoh, 49 and Dannah, and Kiriath-sannah (the same is Debir), 50 and Anab, and Eshtemoh, and Anim, 51 and Goshen, and Holon, and Giloh; eleven cities with their villages.
52 Arab, and Dumah, and Eshan, 53 and Janim, and Beth-tappuah, and Aphekah, 54 and Humtah, and Kiriath-arba (the same is Hebron), and Zior; nine cities with their villages.
55 Maon, Carmel, and Ziph, and Jutah, 56 and Jezreel, and Jokdeam, and Zanoah, 57 Kain, Gibeah, and Timnah; ten cities with their villages.
58 Halhul, Beth-zur, and Gedor, 59 and Maarath, and Beth-anoth, and Eltekon; six cities with their villages.
60 Kiriath-baal (the same is Kiriath-jearim), and Rabbah; two cities with their villages.
61 In the wilderness, Beth-arabah, Middin, and Secacah, 62 and Nibshan, and the City of Salt, and En-gedi; six cities with their villages.
63 And as for the Jebusites, the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the children of Judah could not drive them out: but the Jebusites dwell with the children of Judah at Jerusalem unto this day.
Footnotes
- Joshua 15:2 Hebrew tongue.
- Joshua 15:5 Hebrew tongue.
- Joshua 15:8 Hebrew shoulder.
- Joshua 15:13 That is, The city of Arba.
- Joshua 15:19 Or, present
- Joshua 15:19 Or, given me the land of the South
- Joshua 15:40 Or, Lahmas
- Joshua 15:45 Hebrew daughters.
Joshua 15
Easy-to-Read Version
Land for Judah
15 The land that was given to Judah was divided among the families of that tribe. That land went to the border of Edom and south all the way to the desert of Zin at the edge of Teman. 2 The southern border of Judah’s land started at the south end of the Dead Sea. 3 The border went south to Scorpion Pass and continued on to Zin. Then the border continued south to Kadesh Barnea. It continued past Hezron to Addar. From Addar the border turned and continued to Karka. 4 The border continued to Azmon, the brook of Egypt, and then to the Mediterranean Sea. All that land was on their southern border.
5 Their eastern border was the shore of the Dead Sea to the area where the Jordan River flowed into the sea.
Their northern border started at the area where the Jordan River flowed into the Dead Sea. 6 Then the northern border went to Beth Hoglah and continued north of Beth Arabah. The border continued to the stone of Bohan. (Bohan was the son of Reuben.) 7 Then the northern border went through the Valley of Achor to Debir. There the border turned to the north and went to Gilgal. Gilgal is across from the road that goes through the mountain of Adummim. It is on the south side of the brook. The border continued along the waters of En Shemesh. The border stopped at En Rogel. 8 Then the border went through the Valley of Ben Hinnom beside the southern side of the Jebusite city (that is, Jerusalem). There the border went to the top of the hill on the west side of Hinnom Valley. This was at the northern end of Rephaim Valley. 9 From there the border went to the spring of water of Nephtoah. Then the border went to the cities near Mount Ephron. There the border turned and went to Baalah. (Baalah is also called Kiriath Jearim.) 10 At Baalah the border turned west and went to the hill country of Seir. The border continued along the north side of Mount Jearim (Kesalon) and continued down to Beth Shemesh. From there the border went past Timnah. 11 Then the border went to the hill north of Ekron. From there the border turned to Shikkeron and went past Mount Baalah. The border continued on to Jabneel and ended at the Mediterranean Sea. 12 The Mediterranean Sea was the western border. So the land of Judah was inside these four borders. The families of Judah lived in this area.
13 The Lord had commanded Joshua to give Caleb son of Jephunneh part of the land in Judah. So Joshua gave Caleb the land God had commanded. Joshua gave him the town of Kiriath Arba, that is, Hebron. (Arba was the father of Anak.) 14 Caleb forced the three Anakite families living in Hebron to leave there. Those families were Sheshai, Ahiman, and Talmai. They were from the family of Anak. 15 Then Caleb fought against the people living in Debir. (In the past, Debir was also called Kiriath Sepher.) 16 Caleb said, “I will give my daughter in marriage to the man who attacks and conquers Kiriath Sepher.”
17 Othniel was the son of Caleb’s brother Kenaz. Othniel defeated that city, so Caleb gave his daughter Acsah to Othniel to be his wife. 18 Acsah went to live with Othniel. Othniel told Acsah[a] to ask her father Caleb for some more land. Acsah went to her father. When she got off her donkey, Caleb asked her, “What do you want?”
19 Acsah answered, “Give me a blessing.[b] You gave me dry desert land in the Negev. Please give me some land with water on it.” So Caleb gave her what she wanted. He gave her the upper and lower pools of water in that land.
20 The tribe of Judah got the land that God promised them. Each family group got part of the land.
21 The tribe of Judah got all the towns in the southern part of the Negev. These towns were near the border of Edom. Here is a list of the towns:
Kabzeel, Eder, Jagur, 22 Kinah, Dimonah, Adadah, 23 Kedesh, Hazor, Ithnan, 24 Ziph, Telem, Bealoth, 25 Hazor Hadattah, Kerioth Hezron (Hazor), 26 Amam, Shema, Moladah, 27 Hazar Gaddah, Heshmon, Beth Pelet, 28 Hazar Shual, Beersheba, Biziothiah, 29 Baalah, Iim, Ezem, 30 Eltolad, Kesil, Hormah, 31 Ziklag, Madmannah, Sansannah, 32 Lebaoth, Shilhim, Ain, and Rimmon. In all, there were 29 towns and all their fields.
33 The tribe of Judah also got these towns in the western foothills:
Eshtaol, Zorah, Ashnah, 34 Zanoah, En Gannim, Tappuah, Enam, 35 Jarmuth, Adullam, Socoh, Azekah, 36 Shaaraim, Adithaim, and Gederah (Gederothaim). In all, there were 14 towns and all their fields.
37 The tribe of Judah was also given these towns:
Zenan, Hadashah, Migdal Gad, 38 Dilean, Mizpah, Joktheel, 39 Lachish, Bozkath, Eglon, 40 Cabbon, Lahmas, Kitlish, 41 Gederoth, Beth Dagon, Naamah, and Makkedah. In all, there were 16 towns and all the fields around them.
42 The people of Judah also got these towns:
Libnah, Ether, Ashan, 43 Iphtah, Ashnah, Nezib, 44 Keilah, Aczib, and Mareshah. In all, there were nine towns and all the fields around them. 45 The people of Judah also got the town of Ekron and all the small towns and fields near it. 46 They also got the area west of Ekron and all the fields and towns near Ashdod. 47 All the area around Ashdod and the small towns there were part of the land of Judah. The people of Judah also got the area around Gaza and the fields and towns that were near it. Their land continued to the River of Egypt. And their land continued along the coast of the Mediterranean Sea.
48 The people of Judah were also given these towns in the hill country:
Shamir, Jattir, Socoh, 49 Dannah, Kiriath Sannah (Debir), 50 Anab, Eshtemoh, Anim, 51 Goshen, Holon, and Giloh. In all, there were eleven towns and all the fields around them.
52 The people of Judah were also given these towns:
Arab, Dumah, Eshan, 53 Janim, Beth Tappuah, Aphekah, 54 Humtah, Kiriath Arba (Hebron), and Zior. There were nine towns and all the fields around them.
55 The people of Judah were also given these towns:
Maon, Carmel, Ziph, Juttah, 56 Jezreel, Jokdeam, Zanoah, 57 Kain, Gibeah, and Timnah. In all, there were ten towns and all the fields around them.
58 The people of Judah were also given these towns:
Halhul, Beth Zur, Gedor, 59 Maarath, Beth Anoth, and Eltekon. In all, there were six towns and all the fields around them.
60 The people of Judah were also given the two towns of Rabbah and Kiriath Baal (Kiriath Jearim).
61 The people of Judah were also given these towns in the desert:
Beth Arabah, Middin, Secacah, 62 Nibshan, Salt City, and En Gedi. In all, there were six towns and all the fields around them.
63 The army of Judah was not able to force out the Jebusites living in Jerusalem. So today there are still Jebusites living among the people of Judah in Jerusalem.
Footnotes
- Joshua 15:18 Othniel told Acsah Or “Acsah told Othniel.”
- Joshua 15:19 Give me a blessing Or “Please welcome me” or “Give me a stream of water.”
Copyright © 1998 by David H. Stern. All rights reserved.
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