Joshua 15

1 Now the lot of the children of Juda by their kindreds was this: From the frontier of Edom, to the desert of Sin southward, and to the uttermost part of the south coast.

Now the allotment for the clans of the tribe of Judah extended to the border of Edom, to the Wilderness of Zin at the extreme southern boundary:

2 Its beginning was from the top of the most salt sea, and from the bay thereof, that looketh to the south.

Their southern border started at the bay on the southern tip of the Salt Sea,

3 And it goeth out towards the ascent of the Scorpion, and passeth on to Sina: and ascendeth into Cadesbarne, and reacheth into Esron, going up to Addar, and compassing Carcaa.

proceeded south of the Ascent of Akrabbim, continued on to Zin, went over to the south of Kadesh-barnea, ran past Hezron up to Addar, and curved toward Karka.

4 And from thence passing along into Asemona, and reaching the torrent of Egypt: and the bounds thereof shall be the great sea, this shall be the limit of the south coast.

It proceeded to Azmon, joined the Brook of Egypt, and ended at the Sea. This was their southern border.

5 But on the east side the beginning shall be the most salt sea even to the end of the Jordan: and towards the north, from the bay of the sea unto the same river Jordan.

The eastern border was the Salt Sea as far as the mouth of the Jordan. The northern border started from the bay of the sea at the mouth of the Jordan,

6 And the border goeth up into Beth-Hagla, and passeth by the north into Beth-Araba: going up to the stone of Boen the son of Ruben.

went up to Beth-hoglah, proceeded north of Beth-arabah, and went up to the Stone of Bohan son of Reuben.

7 And reaching as far as the borders of Debara from the valley of Achor, and so northward looking towards Galgal, which is opposite to the ascent of Adommin, on the south side of the torrent: and the border passeth the waters that are called the fountain of the sun: and the goings out thereof shall be at the fountain Rogel.

Then the border went up to Debir from the Valley of Achor, turning north to Gilgal, which faces the Ascent of Adummim south of the ravine. It continued along the waters of En-shemesh and came out at En-rogel.

8 And it goeth up by the valley of the son of Ennom on the side of the Jebusite towards the south, the same is Jerusalem: and thence ascending to the top of the mountain, which is over against Geennom to the west in the end of the valley of Raphaim, northward.

From there the border went up the Valley of Hinnom along the southern slope of the Jebusites (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.

9 And it passeth on from the top of the mountain to the fountain of the water of Nephtoa: and reacheth to the towns of mount Ephron: and it bendeth towards Baala, which is Cariathiarim, that is to say, the city of the woods.

From the hilltop the border curved to the spring of the Waters of Nephtoah, proceeded to the cities of Mount Ephron, and then bent around toward Baalah (that is, Kiriath-jearim).

10 And it compasseth from Baala westward unto mount Seir: and passeth by the side of mount Jarim to the north into Cheslon: and goeth down into Bethsames, and passeth into Thamna.

The border curled westward from Baalah to Mount Seir, ran along the northern slope of Mount Jearim (that is, Chesalon), went down to Beth-shemesh, and crossed to Timnah.

11 And it reacheth northward to a part of Accaron at the side: and bendeth to Sechrona, and passeth mount Baala: and cometh into Jebneel, and is bounded westward with the great sea.

Then it went out to the northern slope of Ekron, curved toward Shikkeron, proceeded to Mount Baalah, went on to Jabneel, and ended at the Sea.

12 These are the borders round about of the children of Juda in their kindreds.

And the western border was the coastline of the Great Sea. These are the boundaries around the clans of the descendants of Judah.

13 But to Caleb the son of Jephone he gave a portion in the midst of the children of Juda, as the Lord had commanded him: Cariath-Arbe the father of Enac. which is Hebron.

According to the LORD’s command to him, Joshua gave Caleb son of Jephunneh a portion among the sons of Judah—Kiriath-arba, that is, Hebron. (Arba was the forefather of Anak.)

14 And Caleb destroyed out of it the three sons of Ehac, Sesai and Ahiman. and Tholmai of the race of Enac.

And Caleb drove out from there the three sons of Anak—the descendants of Sheshai, Ahiman, and Talmai, the children of Anak.

15 And going up from thence he came to the inhabitants of Dabir, which before was called Cariath-Sepher, that is to say, the city of letters.

From there he marched against the inhabitants of Debir (formerly known as Kiriath-sepher).

16 And Caleb said: He that shall smite Cariath-Sepher, and take it, I will give him Axa my daughter to wife.

And Caleb said, “To the man who strikes down Kiriath-sepher and captures it, I will give my daughter Acsah in marriage.”

17 And Othoniel the son of Cenez, the younger brother of Caleb, took it: and he gave him Axa his daughter to wife.

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

18 And as they were going together, she was moved by her husband to ask a field of her father, and she sighed as she sat on her ass. And Caleb said to her: What aileth thee?

One day Acsah came to Othniel and urged him to ask her father for a field. When she got off her donkey, Caleb asked her, “What do you desire?”

19 But she answered: Give me a blessing: thou hast given me a southern and dry land, give me also a land that is watered. And Caleb gave her the upper and the nether watery ground.

“Give me a blessing,” she answered. “Since you have given me land in the Negev, give me springs of water as well.” So Caleb gave her both the upper and lower springs.

20 This is the possession of the tribe of the children of Juda by their kindreds.

This is the inheritance of the clans of the tribe of Judah.

21 And the cities from the uttermost parts of the children of Juda by the borders of Edom to the south, were Cabseel and Eder and Jagur,

These were the southernmost cities of the tribe of Judah in the Negev toward the border of Edom: Kabzeel, Eder, Jagur,

22 And Cina and Dimona and Adada,

Kinah, Dimonah, Adadah,

23 And Cades and Asor and Jethnam,

Kedesh, Hazor, Ithnan,

24 Ziph and Telem and Baloth,

Ziph, Telem, Bealoth,

25 New Asor and Carioth, Hesron, which is Asor.

Hazor-hadattah, Kerioth-hezron (that is, Hazor),

26 Amam, Sama and Molada,

Amam, Shema, Moladah,

27 And Asergadda and Hassemon and Bethphelet,

Hazar-gaddah, Heshmon, Beth-pelet,

28 And Hasersual and Bersabee and Baziothia,

Hazar-shual, Beersheba, Biziothiah,

29 And Baala and Jim and Esem,

Baalah, Iim, Ezem,

30 And Eltholad and Cesil and Harma,

Eltolad, Chesil, Hormah,

31 And Siceleg and Medemena and Sensenna,

Ziklag, Madmannah, Sansannah,

32 Lebaoth and Selim and Aen and Remmon: all the cities twenty-nine, and their villages.

Lebaoth, Shilhim, Ain, and Rimmon—twenty-nine cities in all, along with their villages.

33 But in the plains: Estaol and Sarea and Asena,

These were in the foothills: Eshtaol, Zorah, Ashnah,

34 And Zanoe and Engannim and Taphua and Enaim,

Zanoah, En-gannim, Tappuah, Enam,

35 And Jerimoth and Adullam, Socho and Azeca,

Jarmuth, Adullam, Socoh, Azekah,

36 And Saraim and Adithaim and Gedera and Gederothaim: fourteen cities, and their villages.

Shaaraim, Adithaim, and Gederah (or Gederothaim)—fourteen cities, along with their villages.

37 Sanan and Hadassa and Magdalgad,

Zenan, Hadashah, Migdal-gad,

38 Delean and Masepha and Jecthel,

Dilan, Mizpeh, Joktheel,

39 Lachis and Bascath and Eglon,

Lachish, Bozkath, Eglon,

40 Chebbon and Leheman and Cethlis,

Cabbon, Lahmas, Chitlish,

41 And Gideroth and Bethdagon and Naama and Maceda: sixteen cities, and their villages.

Gederoth, Beth-dagon, Naamah, and Makkedah—sixteen cities, along with their villages.

42 Labana and Ether and Asan,

Libnah, Ether, Ashan,

43 Jephtha and Esna and Nesib,

Iphtah, Ashnah, Nezib,

44 And Ceila and Achzib and Maresa: nine cities, and their villages.

Keilah, Achzib, and Mareshah—nine cities, along with their villages.

45 Accaron with the towns and villages thereof.

Ekron, with its towns and villages;

46 From Accaron even to the sea: all places that lie towards Azotus and the villages thereof.

from Ekron to the sea, all the cities near Ashdod, along with their villages;

47 Azotus with its towns and villages. Gaza with its towns and villages, even to the torrent of Egypt, and the great sea that is the border thereof.

Ashdod, with its towns and villages; Gaza, with its towns and villages, as far as the Brook of Egypt and the coastline of the Great Sea.

48 And in the mountain Samir and Jether and Socoth,

These were in the hill country: Shamir, Jattir, Socoh,

49 And Danna and Cariath-senna, this is Dabir:

Dannah, Kiriath-sannah (that is, Debir),

50 Anab and Istemo and Anim,

Anab, Eshtemoh, Anim,

51 Gosen and Olon and Gilo: eleven cities and their villages.

Goshen, Holon, and Giloh—eleven cities, along with their villages.

52 Arab and Ruma and Esaan,

Arab, Dumah, Eshan,

53 And Janum and Beththaphua and Apheca,

Janim, Beth-tappuah, Aphekah,

54 Athmatha and Cariath-Arbe, this is Hebron and Sior: nine cities and their villages.

Humtah, Kiriath-arba (that is, Hebron), and Zior—nine cities, along with their villages.

55 Maon and Carmel and Ziph and Jota,

Maon, Carmel, Ziph, Juttah,

56 Jezrael and Jucadam and Zanoe,

Jezreel, Jokdeam, Zanoah,

57 Accain, Gabaa and Thamna: ten cities and their villages.

Kain, Gibeah, and Timnah—ten cities, along with their villages.

58 Halhul, and Bessur, and Gedor,

Halhul, Beth-zur, Gedor,

59 Mareth, and Bethanoth, and Eltecon: six cities and their villages.

Maarath, Beth-anoth, and Eltekon—six cities, along with their villages.

60 Cariathbaal, the same is Cariathiarim, the city of woods, and Arebba: two cities and their villages.

Kiriath-baal (that is, Kiriath-jearim), and Rabbah—two cities, along with their villages.

61 In the desert Betharaba, Meddin and Sachacha,

These were in the wilderness: Beth-arabah, Middin, Secacah,

62 And Nebsan, and the city of salt, and Engaddi: six cities and their villages.

Nibshan, the City of Salt, and En-gedi—six cities, along with their villages.

63 But the children of Juda could not destroy the Jebusite that dwelt in Jerusalem: and the Jebusite dwelt with the children of Juda in Jerusalem until this present day.

But the descendants of Judah could not drive out the Jebusites living in Jerusalem. So to this day the Jebusites live there among the descendants of Judah.