Joshua 15
The Message
Judah
15 The lot for the people of Judah, their clans, extended south to the border of Edom, to the wilderness of Zin in the extreme south.
2-4 The southern border ran from the tip of the Salt Sea south of The Tongue; it ran southward from Scorpions Pass, went around Zin and just south of Kadesh Barnea; then it ran past Hezron, ascended to Addar, and curved around to Karka; from there it passed along to Azmon, came out at the Brook of Egypt, ending at the Sea. This is the southern boundary.
5-11 The eastern boundary: the Salt Sea up to the mouth of the Jordan.
The northern boundary started at the shallows of the Sea at the mouth of the Jordan, went up to Beth Hoglah and around to the north of Beth Arabah and to the Stone of Bohan son of Reuben. The border then ascended to Debir from Trouble Valley and turned north toward Gilgal, which lies opposite Red Pass, just south of the gorge. The border then followed the Waters of En Shemesh and ended at En Rogel. The border followed the Valley of Ben Hinnom along the southern slope of the Jebusite ridge (that is, Jerusalem). It ascended to the top of the mountain opposite Hinnom Valley on the west, at the northern end of Rephaim Valley; the border then took a turn at the top of the mountain to the spring, the Waters of Nephtoah, and followed the valley out to Mount Ephron, turned toward Baalah (that is, Kiriath Jearim), took another turn west of Baalah to Mount Seir, curved around to the northern shoulder of Mount Jearim (that is, Kesalon), descended to Beth Shemesh, and crossed to Timnah. The border then went north to the ridge of Ekron, turned toward Shikkeron, passed along to Mount Baalah, and came out at Jabneel. The border ended at the Sea.
12 The western border: the coastline of the Great Sea.
This is the boundary around the people of Judah for their clans.
13 Joshua gave Caleb son of Jephunneh a section among the people of Judah, according to God’s command. He gave him Kiriath Arba, that is, Hebron. Arba was the ancestor of Anak.
14-15 Caleb drove out three Anakim from Hebron: Sheshai, Ahiman, and Talmai, all descendants of Anak. He marched up from there against the people of Debir. Debir used to be called Kiriath Sepher.
16-17 Caleb said, “Whoever attacks Kiriath Sepher and takes it, I’ll give my daughter Acsah to him as his wife.” Othniel son of Kenaz, Caleb’s brother, took it; so Caleb gave him his daughter Acsah as his wife.
18-19 When she arrived she got him
to ask for farmland from her father.
As she dismounted from her donkey
Caleb asked her, “What would you like?”
She said, “Give me a marriage gift.
You’ve given me desert land;
Now give me pools of water!”
And he gave her the upper and the lower pools.
* * *
20-32 This is the inheritance of the tribe of the people of Judah, clan by clan.
The southern towns of the tribe of Judah in the Negev were near the boundary of Edom:
Kabzeel, Eder, Jagur,
Kinah, Dimonah, Adadah,
Kedesh, Hazor, Ithnan,
Ziph, Telem, Bealoth,
Hazor Hadattah, Kerioth Hezron (that is, Hazor),
Amam, Shema, Moladah,
Hazar Gaddah, Heshmon, Beth Pelet,
Hazar Shual, Beersheba, Biziothiah,
Baalah, Iim, Ezem,
Eltolad, Kesil, Hormah,
Ziklag, Madmannah, Sansannah,
Lebaoth, Shilhim, Ain, and Rimmon—
a total of twenty-nine towns and their villages.
33-47 In the Shephelah (the western foothills) there were:
Eshtaol, Zorah, Ashnah,
Zanoah, En Gannim, Tappuah, Enam,
Jarmuth, Adullam, Socoh, Azekah,
Shaaraim, Adithaim, and Gederah (or Gederothaim)—
fourteen towns and their villages.
Zenan, Hadashah, Migdal Gad,
Dilean, Mizpah, Joktheel,
Lachish, Bozkath, Eglon,
Cabbon, Lahmas, Kitlish,
Gederoth, Beth Dagon, Naamah, and Makkedah—
sixteen towns and their villages.
Libnah, Ether, Ashan,
Iphtah, Ashnah, Nezib,
Keilah, Aczib, and Mareshah—
nine towns and their villages.
Ekron with its towns and villages;
From Ekron, west to the sea, all that bordered Ashdod with its villages;
Ashdod with its towns and villages;
Gaza with its towns and villages all the way to the Brook of Egypt.
The Great Sea is the western border.
48-60 In the hill country:
Shamir, Jattir, Socoh,
Dannah, Kiriath Sannah (that is, Debir),
Anab, Eshtemoh, Anim,
Goshen, Holon, and Giloh—
eleven towns and their villages.
Arab, Dumah, Eshan,
Janim, Beth Tappuah, Aphekah,
Humtah, Kiriath Arba (that is, Hebron), and Zior—
nine towns and their villages.
Maon, Carmel, Ziph, Juttah,
Jezreel, Jokdeam, Zanoah,
Kain, Gibeah, and Timnah—
ten towns and their villages.
Halhul, Beth Zur, Gedor,
Maarath, Beth Anoth, and Eltekon—
six towns and their villages.
Kiriath Baal (that is, Kiriath Jearim) and Rabbah—
two towns and their villages.
61-62 In the wilderness:
Beth Arabah, Middin, Secacah,
Nibshan, the City of Salt, and En Gedi—
six towns and their villages.
63 The people of Judah couldn’t get rid of the Jebusites who lived in Jerusalem. The Jebusites stayed put, living alongside the people of Judah. They are still living there in Jerusalem.
Joshua 15
English Standard Version
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. 2 And their south boundary ran from the end of the (C)Salt Sea, from the bay that faces southward. 3 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, 4 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. 5 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. 6 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. 7 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. 8 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. 9 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, “He who attacks Kiriath-sepher and captures it, I will give him 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 dismounted from 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.
Copyright © 1993, 2002, 2018 by Eugene H. Peterson
The ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. ESV Text Edition: 2025.
