Joshua 15

1 And the lot for the tribe of the children of Judah after their families came by the border of Edom, with the wilderness of Zin, southward, as the uttermost southern boundary.

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 boundary was from the end of the salt sea, from the bay that bendeth 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 to the south of the heights of 'Akrabbim, and passed along to Zin, and ascended up on the south side unto Kadesh-barnea, and passed along to Chezron, and went up to Adar, and fetched a compass to Karka';

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 it passed on toward 'Azmon, and went out unto the river of Egypt; and the terminations of the boundary were at the sea: this shall be your southern boundary.

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 east boundary was the salt sea, unto the end of the Jordan. And the boundary in the north quarter was from the bay of the 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 boundary went up to Beth-choglah, and passed along by the north of Beth'arabah; and the boundary went up to Ebenbohan 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 boundary went up toward Debir from the Valley of 'Achor, and at the north it bent toward Gilgal, that is opposite the heights of Adummim, which is on the south side of the valley; and the boundary passed toward the waters of 'En-shemesh, and its terminations were 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 boundary went up to the valley of the son of Hinnom unto the south side of the Jebusite, the same is Jerusalem; and the boundary went up to the top of the mount that lieth 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 boundary extended from the top of the mount unto the spring of the waters of Nephtoach, and went out to the cities of mount 'Ephron; and the boundary extended to Ba'alah, which is Kiryath-ye'arim;

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 boundary compassed from Ba'alah westward unto mount Seir, and passed along unto the side of mount Ye'arim, which is Kessalon, on the north side, and went down to Beth-shemesh, and passed on to 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 boundary went out unto the side of 'Ekron northward; and the boundary extended to Shikron, and passed along to the mount of Ba'alah, and went out unto Yabneel; and the terminations of the boundary were 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 boundary was by the great sea, and the coast thereof. This is the boundary 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 unto Caleb the son of Yephunneh he gave as a portion among the children of Judah, according to the order of the Lord to Joshua, Kiryath-arba' the father of 'Anak, which 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 Caleb drove out from there the three sons of 'Anak, Sheshai, and Achiman, and Talmai, the children 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 he went up from there to the inhabitants of Debir; and the name of Debir before was Kiryath-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 will smite Kiryath-sepher, and capture it, to him will I give 'Achsah my daughter for 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, captured it; and he gave him 'Achsah his daughter for 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 thither, that she persuaded him to ask of her father a field: and she alighted from her ass; and Caleb said unto her, What aileth thee?

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 a dry land hast thou given me: give me then also springs of water. And 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 And the cities of the boundary line of the tribe of the children of Judah toward the border of Edom, on the south, were Kabzeel, and 'Eder, and Yagur,

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 'Ad'adah,

Kinah, Dimonah, Adadah,

23 And Kedesh, and Chazor, and Yithnan,

Kedesh, Hazor, Ithnan,

24 Ziph, and Telem, and Be'aloth,

Ziph, Telem, Bealoth,

25 And Chazor-chadattah, and Keriyoth-chezron, which is Chazor,

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

26 Amam, and Shema', and Moladah,

Amam, Shema, Molodah,

27 And Chazar-gaddah, and Cheshmon, and Beth-palet,

Hazar-Gaddah, Heshmon, Beth-Pelet,

28 And Chazar-shual, and Beer-sheba, and Bizyotheyah,

Hazar-Shual, Beersheba, Biziothiah,

29 Ba'alah, and 'Iyim, and 'Azem,

Baalah, Iim, Ezem,

30 And Eltolad, and Kessil, and Chormah,

Eltolad, Kesil, Hormah,

31 And Ziklag, and Madmannah, and Sansannah,

Ziklag, Madmannah, Sansannah,

32 And Lebaoth, and Shilchim, and 'Ayin, and Rimmon: in all twenty and nine cities, with their villages.

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

33 And in the lowlands, Eshtaol, and Zor'ah, and Ashnah.

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

34 And Zanoach, and 'En-gannim, Tappuach, and 'Enam,

Zanoah, En-Gannim, Tappuah, Enam,

35 Yarmuth, and 'Adullam, Sochoh, and 'Azekah,

Jarmuth, Adullam, Socoh, Azekah,

36 And Sha'arayim, and 'Adithayim, and Gederah, and Gede-rothayim: fourteen cities with their villages.

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

37 Zenan, and Chadashah, and Migdalgad,

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

38 And Dil'an, and Mizpeh, and Yoktheel,

Dilean, Mizpah, Joktheel,

39 Lachish, and Bozkath, and 'Eglon,

Lachish, Bozkath, Eglon,

40 And Cabbon, and Lachmass, and Kithlish,

Cabbon, Lahmas, Kitlish,

41 And Gederoth, Beth-dagon, and Na'amah, and Makkedah: sixteen cities with their villages.

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

42 Libnah, 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 Yiphtach, and Ashnah, and Nezib,

Iphtah, Ashnah, Nezib,

44 And Ke'ilah, and Achzib, and Mareshah: nine cities with their villages.

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

45 'Ekron, with its towns and its villages:

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 even unto the sea, all that lay alongside of Ashdod, with their villages.

47 Ashdod with its towns and its villages, Gazzah, with its towns and its villages, up to the brook of Egypt, and the great sea, and its territory.

48 And in the mountains, Shamir, and Yattir, 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 Kiryath-sannah, which is Debir,

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

50 And 'Anab, and Eshtemoh, and 'Anim.

Anab, Eshtemoh, Anim,

51 And Goshen, and Cholon, and Giloh: eleven cities with their villages.

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

52 Arab, and Dumah, and Esh'an,

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

53 And Vanum, and Beth-tappuach, and Aphekah,

Janim, Beth-Tappuah, Aphekah,

54 And Chumtah, and Kiryath-arba', which is Hebron, and Zi'or: nine cities with their villages.

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

55 Ma'on, Carmel, and Ziph, and Yutah,

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

56 And Yizre'el, and Yokde'am, and Zanoach,

Jezreel, Jokdeam, Zanoah,

57 Kayin, Gib'ah, and Timnah: ten cities with their villages.

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

58 Chatchul, 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 Ma'arath, and Beth-'anoth, and Eltekon: six cities with their village.

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

60 Kiryath-baal, which is Kiryath-ye'arim, and Rabbah; two cities with their villages.

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-ha'arabah, Middin, and Sechachah,

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-hammelach, and 'En-gedi: six cities with their villages.

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

63 As for the Jebusites the inhabitants of Jerusalem, these the children of Judah could not drive out; but the Jebusites dwelt with the children of Judah at Jerusalem, even unto 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.