Joshua 15

1 And the lot of the tribe of the children of Judah according to their families was: to the border of Edom, the wilderness of Zin, southward, in the extreme south.

The land that was allotted to the tribe of Judah was divided among its clans. That land extended south along the border of the Edom region, as far as the Zin Desert.

2 And their southern border was from the end of the salt sea, from the tongue that turns southward;

The southern border of the land that was allotted to the tribe of Judah started at the south end of the Dead Sea [and extended west].

3 and it went out south of the ascent of Akrabbim, and passed on to Zin, and went up on the south of Kadesh-barnea, and passed to Hezron, and went up toward Addar, and turned toward Karkaah,

It extended south of Scorpion Pass to Zin [Desert], and from there west to a place south of Kadesh-Barnea, past Hezron [town], to Addar [town], and from there it turned [northwest] to Karka [town].

4 and passed on to Azmon, and went out by the torrent of Egypt; and the border ended at the sea. That shall be your border southward.

From there it continued to Azmon, and from there to the dry riverbed on the border of Egypt, and from there [west] to the [Mediterranean] Sea. That was the southern border.

5 — And the eastern border was the salt sea as far as the end of the Jordan. — And the border on the north side was from the tongue of the salt sea, at the end of the Jordan;

The eastern border of the land of the tribe of Judah was the Dead Sea, and it extended [north] to [where the Jordan River ends at] the Dead Sea.

6 and the border went up toward Beth-hoglah, and passed north of Beth-Arabah; and the border went up to the stone of Bohan, the son of Reuben;

The northern border started where the Jordan River ends at the Dead Sea. It extended [north] to Beth-Hoglah [town], and from there it extended north of Beth-Arabah [town] to the [big] stone [set up by] Reuben’s son Bohan.

7 and the border went up toward Debir from the valley of Achor, and turned northward to Gilgal, which is opposite to the ascent of Adummim, which is on the south side of the torrent; and the border passed to the waters of En-shemesh, and ended at En-rogel;

From there the border continued west through Achor Valley to Debir [city]. From there it turned north to Gilgal [city]. Gilgal is north of the road that goes through Adummim Pass, on the south side of the valley. From Gilgal the border extended west to the springs at En-Shemesh, and from there to En-Rogel.

8 and the border went up to the valley of the son of Hinnom, toward the south side of the Jebusite, that is, Jerusalem; and the border went up to the top of the mountain that is before the valley of Hinnom westward, which is at the end of the valley of Rephaim northward;

From there it extended through Ben-Hinnom Valley, south of the city where the Jebus people-group lived. (That city is now named Jerusalem.) From there the border extended to the top of the hill on the west side of Hinnom Valley, at the northern end of the valley where the Repha [giants] lived.

9 and the border reached along from the top of the mountain toward the spring of the waters of Nephtoah, and went out toward the cities of mount Ephron; and the border reached along to Baalah, that is, Kirjath-jearim;

From there the border extended [northwest] to Nephtoah Spring, and from there to the cities near Ephron Mountain. From there the border extended [west] toward Baalah, which is now named Kiriath-Jearim.

10 and the border turned from Baalah westwards toward mount Seir, and passed toward the side of Har-jearim, that is, Chesalon, northwards, and went down to Beth-shemesh, and passed Timnah.

Then the border extended further west to Seir Mountain. Then it continued [southwest] along the north side of Jearim Mountain, which is also named Kesalon, to Beth-Shemesh [city]. From there it extended [northwest] past Timnah [city],

11 And the border went out to the side of Ekron northwards, and the border reached along toward Shicron, and passed mount Baalah, and went toward Jabneel; and the border ended at the sea.

to the hill north of Ekron [city]. From there it extended [west] to Shikkeron [town] and past Baalah Mountain to Jabneel [town], then [northwest] to the [Mediterranean] Sea.

12 — And the west border is the great sea and [its] coast. This is the border of the children of Judah round about, according to their families.

The western border of the land that was allotted to the tribe of Judah was the Mediterranean Sea. All the clans of Judah lived inside those borders.

13 And to Caleb the son of Jephunneh he gave a portion among the children of Judah according to the commandment of Jehovah to Joshua, the city of Arba, the father of Anak, that is, Hebron.

Yahweh commanded Joshua to give part of the land for the tribe of Judah to Caleb. So he gave to Caleb Kiriath-Arba [city], which is now named Hebron. (Arba was the ancestor of the Anak people-group.)

14 And thence Caleb dispossessed the three sons of Anak, Sheshai and Ahiman and Talmai, who were born of Anak.

Caleb forced the three clans of the Anak people-group to leave Hebron. Those were the Sheshai, Ahiman, and Talmai clans.

15 And from there he went up against the inhabitants of Debir; now the name of Debir before was Kirjath-sepher.

Then Caleb left there and went to fight against the people living in Debir [city], which was previously named Kiriath-Sepher.

16 And Caleb said, He that smites Kirjath-sepher and takes it, to him will I give Achsah my daughter as wife.

Caleb said, “If someone attacks [the people in] Kiriath-Sepher and captures their city, I will give my daughter Acsah to him to be his wife.”

17 And Othniel the son of Kenaz, the brother of Caleb, took it; and he gave him Achsah his daughter as wife.

Othniel, the son of Caleb’s brother Kenaz, captured the city. So Caleb gave his daughter to him.

18 And it came to pass as she came, that she urged him to ask of her father a field; and she sprang down from the ass. And Caleb said to her, What wouldest thou?

When Caleb’s daughter married Othniel, she told him to ask her father to give her a field. Then Acsah went to talk with her father Caleb. As she got down from her donkey, Caleb asked her, “Do you want something?”

19 And she said, Give me a blessing; for thou hast given me a southern land; give me also springs of water. Then he gave her the upper springs and the lower springs.

Acsah replied, “Yes, I want you to do something for me. You have given me some land in the southern part of Canaan, [but there is no water there]. So please give me some [land that has] springs.” So Caleb gave her the upper and lower springs [near Hebron].

20 This is the inheritance of the tribe of the children of Judah according to their families.

[Here is a list of the towns in] the land [that God had promised to] give to the tribe of Judah. Each clan was allotted some of the land.

21 The cities at the extremity of the tribe of the children of Judah, toward the border of Edom in the south, were: Kabzeel, and Eder, and Jagur,

The tribe of Judah was allotted all these towns in the southern [desert area of Canaan], near the border of the Edom [region]: Kabzeel, Eder, Jagur,

22 and Kinah, and Dimonah, and Adadah,

Kinah, Dimonah, Adadah,

23 and Kedesh, and Hazor, and Jithnan,

Kedesh, Hazor, Ithnan,

24 Ziph, and Telem, and Bealoth,

Ziph, Telem, Bealoth,

25 and Hazor-hadattah, and Kerioth-Hezron, that is Hazor,

Hazor-Hadattah, Kerioth-Hezron (which is also named Hazor),

26 Amam, and Shema, and Molada,

Amam, Shema, Molodah,

27 and Hazar-gaddah, and Heshmon, and Beth-Pelet,

Hazar-Gaddah, Heshmon, Beth-Pelet,

28 and Hazar-Shual, and Beer-sheba, and Biziothiah;

Hazar-Shual, Beersheba, Biziothiah,

29 Baalah, and Ijim, and Ezem,

Baalah, Iim, Ezem,

30 and Eltolad, and Chesil, and Hormah,

Eltolad, Kesil, Hormah,

31 and Ziklag, and Madmannah, and Sansanna,

Ziklag, Madmannah, Sansannah,

32 and Lebaoth, and Shilhim, and Ain, and Rimmon: all the cities twenty-nine, and their hamlets.

Lebaoth, Shilhim, Ain, and Rimmon. There were 29 towns altogether and their surrounding villages.

33 — In the lowland: Eshtaol, and Zoreah, and Ashnah,

The tribe of Judah was allotted these towns in the [northern part of the western] foothills: Eshtaol, Zorah, Ashnah,

34 and Zanoah, and En-gannim, Tappuah and Enam,

Zanoah, En-Gannim, Tappuah, Enam,

35 Jarmuth and Adullam, Sochoh and Azekah,

Jarmuth, Adullam, Socoh, Azekah,

36 and Shaaraim, and Adithaim, and Gederah, and Gederothaim: fourteen cities and their hamlets.

Shaaraim, Adithaim, and Gederah (which is also named Gederothaim). Altogether there were 14 towns and their surrounding villages.

37 Zenan, and Hadashah, and Migdal-Gad,

[The tribe of Judah was also allotted these towns in the southern part of the western foothills]: Zenan, Hadashah, Migdal-Gad,

38 and Dilean, and Mizpeh, and Joktheel,

Dilean, Mizpah, Joktheel,

39 Lachish, and Bozkath, and Eglon,

Lachish, Bozkath, Eglon,

40 and Cabbon, and Lahmas, and Chithlish,

Cabbon, Lahmas, Kitlish,

41 and Gederoth, Beth-Dagon, and Naamah, and Makkedah: sixteen cities and their hamlets.

Gederoth, Beth-Dagon, Naamah, and Makkedah. There were 16 towns altogether and their surrounding villages.

42 Libna, and Ether, and Ashan,

The tribe of Judah was also allotted these towns in [the central part of] the western foothills: Libnah, Ether, Ashan,

43 and Jiphthah, and Ashnah, and Nezib,

Iphtah, Ashnah, Nezib,

44 and Keilah, and Achzib, and Mareshah: nine cities and their hamlets.

Keilah, Aczib, and Mareshah. There were nine towns altogether, with their surrounding villages.

45 Ekron and its dependent villages and its hamlets.

The tribe of Judah was also allotted these towns [close to the Mediterranean Sea] with their surrounding villages: Ekron and the towns between Ekron and the coast, Ashdod, and Gaza. The area extended south to the dry riverbed on the border of Egypt.

46 From Ekron and westward all that are by the side of Ashdod, and their hamlets.

47 Ashdod, its dependent villages and its hamlets; Gazah, its dependent villages and its hamlets, as far as the torrent of Egypt, and the great sea and [its] coast.

48 — And in the hill-country: Shamir, and Jattir, and Sochoh,

The tribe of Judah was also allotted these towns in [the southwest part of] the hilly region: Shamir, Jattir, Socoh,

49 and Dannah, and Kirjath-sannah, that is, Debir,

Dannah, Kiriath-Sannah (which is now named Debir),

50 and Anab, and Eshtemoh, and Anim,

Anab, Eshtemoh, Anim,

51 and Goshen, and Holon, and Giloh: eleven cities and their hamlets.

Goshen, Holon, and Giloh. There were eleven towns with their surrounding villages.

52 Arab, and Dumah, and Eshan,

The tribe of Judah was also allotted these towns in [the south-central part of] the hilly region: Arab, Dumah, Eshan,

53 and Janum, and Beth-Tappuah, and Aphekah,

Janim, Beth-Tappuah, Aphekah,

54 and Humtah, and Kirjath-Arba, that is, Hebron, and Zior: nine cities and their hamlets.

Humtah, Kiriath-Arba (which is now named Hebron), and Zior. There were nine towns altogether with their surrounding villages.

55 Maon, Carmel, and Ziph, and Jutah,

The tribe of Judah was also allotted these towns [in the southeastern part of the hilly region]: Maon, Carmel, Ziph, Juttah,

56 and Jizreel, and Jokdeam, and Zanoah,

Jezreel, Jokdeam, Zanoah,

57 Kain, Gibeah and Timnah: ten cities and their hamlets.

Kain, Gibeah, and Timnah. There were ten towns altogether with their surrounding villages.

58 Halhul, Beth-Zur, and Gedor,

The tribe of Judah was also allotted these towns [in the central part of the hilly region]: Halhul, Beth-Zur, Gedor,

59 and Maarath, and Beth-anoth, and Eltekon: six cities and their hamlets.

Maarath, Beth-Anoth, and Eltekon. There were six towns altogether with their surrounding villages.

60 Kirjath-Baal, that is, Kirjath-jearim, and Rabbah: two cities and their hamlets.

The tribe of Judah was also allotted two towns [in the northern part of the hilly region], Rabbah and Kiriath-Baal (which is also named Kiriath-Jearim).

61 — In the wilderness: Beth-Arabah, Middin, and Secacah,

The tribe of Judah was also [allotted these towns] in the desert [near the Dead Sea]: Beth-Arabah, Middin, Secacah,

62 and Nibshan, and Ir-Hammelah, and En-gedi: six cities and their hamlets.

Nibshan, Salt city, and En-Gedi. There were six towns altogether with their surrounding villages.

63 But as for the Jebusites, the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the children of Judah could not dispossess them; and the Jebusites dwell with the children of Judah at Jerusalem to this day.

[The army of the tribe of] Judah was not able to force the people of the Jebus people-group to leave Jerusalem. So the people of that group are still living among the tribe of Judah.