Joshua 15

1 And the lot for the tribe of the sons of Judah, for their families, is to the border of Edom; the wilderness of Zin southward, at the extremity of the south;

This was the land allotted to the tribe of Judah, by families: it stretched south to the border of Edom, to the wilderness of Zin in the far south.

2 and to them the south border is at the extremity of the Salt Sea, from the bay which is looking southward;

Their boundary began at the end of the Salt Sea—the bay that faces south—

3 and it has gone out to the south to Maaleh-Akrabbim, and passed over to Zin, and gone up on the south to Kadesh-Barnea, and passed over [to] Hezron, and gone up to Adar, and turned around to Karkaa,

and then went south of Scorpion Pass through the wilderness of Zin, then heading south from Kadesh-barnea to Hezron. From there it went up to Addar and then turned towards Karka,

4 and passed over [to] Azmon, and gone out [at] the Brook of Egypt, and the outgoings of the border have been at the sea; this is the south border to you.

passing through Azmon and out to the Wadi of Egypt, ending at the sea. This was their southern border.

5 And the east border [is] the Salt Sea, to the extremity of the Jordan, and the border at the north quarter [is] from the bay of the sea, at the extremity of the Jordan;

The eastern border of Judah was the Salt Sea, up to where the Jordan River ends. The northern boundary ran from the northern bay of the sea where the Jordan ends

6 and the border has gone up [to] Beth-Hoglah, and passed over on the north of Beth-Arabah, and the border has gone up [to] the stone of Bohan son of Reuben:

up to the border of Beth-hoglath, and then north of Beth-arabah to the Stone of Bohan (Reuben's son).

7 and the border has gone up toward Debir from the Valley of Achor, and northward looking to Gilgal, which [is] opposite the ascent of Adummim, which [is] on the south of the brook, and the border has passed over to the waters of En-Shemesh, and its outgoings have been to En-Rogel;

From there it went to the border of Debir through the valley of Achor, and turned north towards Gilgal, opposite the heights of Adummim to the south of the valley. Then the boundary continued to the waters of En-shemesh and out to En-rogel.

8 and the border has gone up the Valley of the Son of Hinnom, to the side of the Jebusite on the south (it [is] Jerusalem), and the border has gone up to the top of the hill-country which [is] on the front of the Valley of Hinnom westward, which [is] in the extremity of the Valley of the Rephaim northward;

The boundary then went through the valley of Ben-hinnom, along the southern slopes of the Jebusites, (that is Jerusalem), then on up to the top of the mountain overlooking the valley of Hinnom right up to the northern end of the valley of Rephaim.

9 and the border has been marked out, from the top of the hill-country to the fountain of the waters of Nephtoah, and has gone out to the cities of Mount Ephron, and the border has been marked out [to] Ba‘alah (it [is] Kirjath-Jearim);

From there the boundary ran from the top of the mountain to the water spring at Nephtoah and on to the towns on Mount Ephron. Then it bent towards Ballah (Kiriath-jearim).

10 and the border has gone around from Ba‘alah westward, to Mount Seir, and passed over to the side of Mount Jearim (it [is] Chesalon), on the north, and gone down [to] Beth-Shemesh, and passed over to Timnah;

Then the boundary moved around to the west of Baalah to Mount Seir and passed along the northern slope of Mount Jearim to the town of Kesalon, down to Beth Shemesh and on to Timnah.

11 and the border has gone out to the side of Ekron northward, and the border has been marked out [to] Shicron, and has passed over to Mount Ba‘alah, and gone out [to] Jabneel; and the outgoings of the border have been at the sea.

The boundary then ran to the north slope of Ekron, and bent towards Shikkeron, passing Mount Baalah, out to Jabneel, and ending at the sea.

12 And the west border [is] to the Great Sea, and [its] border; this [is] the border of the sons of Judah all around for their families.

The western boundary was the coastline of the Great Sea. These were the boundaries around the tribe of Judah, by families.

13 And to Caleb son of Jephunneh he has given a portion in the midst of the sons of Judah, according to the command of YHWH to Joshua, [even] the city of Arba, father of Anak—it [is] Hebron.

The Lord had instructed Joshua to allocate some land in Judah's territory to Caleb, son of Jephunneh, and so he was given the town of Kiriath-arba, or Hebron. (Arba was the father of Anak.)

14 And Caleb is dispossessing there the three sons of Anak: Sheshai, and Ahiman, and Talmai, children of Anak,

Caleb drove out three family groups—Sheshai, Ahiman, and Talmai, descendants of Anak.

15 and he goes up there to the inhabitants of Debir; and the name of Debir [was] formerly Kirjath-Sepher.

From there he went to attack the inhabitants of Debir (previously known as Kiriath-sepher).

16 And Caleb says, “He who strikes Kirjath-Sephar, and has captured it—I have given my daughter Achsah to him for a wife.”

Caleb announced, “Whoever attacks Kiriath-sepher and captures it, I will give him my daughter Acsah to marry.”

17 And Othniel son of Kenaz, brother of Caleb, captures it, and he gives his daughter Achsah to him for a wife.

Othniel, son of Kenaz, brother of Caleb, captured the town so Caleb gave him his daughter Acsah to marry.

18 And it comes to pass, in her coming in, that she persuades him to ask [for] a field from her father, and she comes down off the donkey, and Caleb says to her, “What do you [want]?”

When she came to him, she encouraged him to ask her father for a field. When she got off her donkey, Caleb asked her, “What do you want?”

19 And she says, “Give a blessing to me; when you have given me the land of the south, then you have given springs of waters to me”; and he gives the upper springs and the lower springs to her.

She replied, “Please give me a blessing. Since you have already given me land that's like the desert, please give me springs of water as well.” So he gave her both the upper and the lower springs.

20 This [is] the inheritance of the tribe of the sons of Judah, for their families.

This was the land allotted to the tribe of Judah, by families.

21 And the cities at the extremity of the tribe of the sons of Judah are to the border of Edom in the south, Kabzeel, and Eder, and Jagur,

The towns for the tribe of Judah in the far south on the border with Edom: Kabzeel, Eder, Jagur,

22 and Kinah, and Dimonah, and Adadah,

Kinah, Dimonah, Adadah,

23 and Kedesh, and Hazor, and Ithnan,

Kedesh, Hazor, Ithnan,

24 Ziph, and Telem, and Bealoth,

Ziph, Telem, Bealoth,

25 and Hazor, Hadattah, and Kerioth, Hezron (it [is] Hazor),

Hazor-hadattah, Kerioth-hezron (or Hazor),

26 Amam, and Shema, and Moladah,

Amam, Shema, Moladah,

27 and Hazar-Gaddah, and Heshmon, and Beth-Palet,

Hazar-gaddah, Heshmon, Beth-pelet,

28 and Hazar-Shual, and Beer-Sheba, and Bizjothjah,

Hazar-shual, Beersheba, Biziothiah,

29 Ba‘alah, and Iim, and Azem,

Baalah, Iim, Ezem,

30 and Eltolad, and Chesil, and Hormah,

Eltolad, Kesil, Hormah,

31 and Ziklag, and Madmannah, and Sansannah,

Ziklag, Madmannah, Sansannah,

32 and Lebaoth, and Shilhim, and Ain, and Rimmon; all the cities [are] twenty-nine, and their villages.

Lebaoth, Shilhim, Ain, and Rimmon—twenty-nine towns with their associated villages.

33 In the low country: Eshtaol, and Zoreah, and Ashnah,

The towns in the western foothills: Eshtaol, Zorah, Ashnah,

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

Zanoah, En-gannim, Tappuah, Enam,

35 Jarmuth, and Adullam, Socoh, and Azekah,

Jarmuth, Adullam, Socoh, Azekah,

36 and Sharaim, and Adithaim, and Gederah, and Gederothaim; fourteen cities and their villages.

Shaaraim, Adithaim, Gederah, and Gederothaim—fourteen towns with their associated villages.

37 Zenan, and Hadashah, and Migdal-Gad,

Also: Zenan, Hadashah, Migdal-gad,

38 and Dilean, and Mizpeh, and Joktheel,

Dilean, Mizpeh, Joktheel,

39 Lachish, and Bozkath, and Eglon,

Lachish, Bozkath, Eglon,

40 and Cabbon, and Lahmam, and Kithlish,

Cabbon, Lahmam, Kitlish,

41 and Gederoth, Beth-Dagon, and Naamah, and Makkedah; sixteen cities and their villages.

Gederoth, Beth-dagon, Naamah, and Makkedah—sixteen towns with their associated villages.

42 Libnah, and Ether, and Ashan,

In addition: Libnah, Ether, Ashan,

43 and Jiphtah, and Ashnah, and Nezib,

Iphtah, Ashnah, Nezib,

44 and Keilah, and Achzib, and Mareshah; nine cities and their villages.

Keilah, Aczib, and Mareshah—nine towns with their associated villages.

45 Ekron and its towns and its villages,

Ekron and its towns and villages,

46 from Ekron and westward, all that [are] by the side of Ashdod, and their villages.

from Ekron to the sea those towns near Ashdod and their associated villages,

47 Ashdod, its towns and its villages, Gaza, its towns and its villages, to the Brook of Egypt, and the Great Sea, and [its] border.

Ashdod and its towns with its associated villages, and Gaza with its towns and associated villages, as far as the Wadi of Egypt, and along the coastline of the sea.

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

In the hill country: Shamir, Jattir, Socoh,

49 and Dannah, and Kirjath-Sannah (it [is] Debir),

Dannah, Kiriath-sannah (or Debir),

50 and Anab, and Eshtemoh, and Anim,

Anab, Eshtemoh, Anim,

51 and Goshen, and Holon, and Giloh; eleven cities and their villages.

Goshen, Holon, and Giloh—eleven towns with their associated villages.

52 Arab, and Dumah, and Eshean,

Also: Arab, Dumah, Eshan,

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

Janim, Beth-tappuah, Aphekah,

54 and Humtah, and Kirjath-Arba (it [is] Hebron), and Zior; nine cities and their villages.

Humtah, Kiriath-arba (or Hebron), and Zior—nine towns with their associated villages.

55 Maon, Carmel, and Ziph, and Juttah,

In addition: Maon, Carmel, Ziph, Juttah,

56 and Jezreel, and Jokdeam, and Zanoah,

Jezreel, Jokdeam, Zanoah,

57 Cain, Gibeah, and Timnah; ten cities and their villages.

Kain, Gibeah, and Timnah—ten towns with their ssociated villages.

58 Halhul, Beth-Zur, and Gedor,

Also: Halhul, Beth-zur, Gedor,

59 and Maarath, and Beth-Anoth, and Eltekon; six cities and their villages.

Maarath, Beth-anoth, and Eltekon—six towns with their associated villages.

60 Kirjath-Ba‘al (it [is] Kirjath-Jearim), and Rabbah; two cities and their villages.

In addition: Kiriath-baal (or Kiriath-jearim) and Rabbah—two towns with their associated villages.

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

In the wilderness: Beth-arabah, Middin, Secacah,

62 and Nibshan, and the City of Salt, and En-Gedi; six cities and their villages.

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

63 As for the Jebusites, inhabitants of Jerusalem, the sons of Judah have not been able to dispossess them, and the Jebusite dwells with the sons of Judah in Jerusalem to this day.

However, the tribe of Judah could not drive out the Jebusites, the inhabitants of Jerusalem, so the Jebusites live among the tribe of Judah in Jerusalem to this very day.