Joshua 15

1 So then the boundary of the tribe of the sons of Judah, by their families, —reached unto the boundary of Edom, the desert of Zin southward, on 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 so their south boundary beginneth at the end of the Salt Sea, —from the bay that turneth to the south;

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 goeth forth on the south of the cliffs of Akrabbim, and crosseth over to Zin, and goeth up on the south of Kadesh-barnea, —and passeth over by Hezron, and goeth up to Addar, and turneth round 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 passeth over to Azmon, and goeth forth at the ravine of Egypt, and so the extensions of the boundary are to the sea. This, shall be your south 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, a boundary eastward, is the Salt Sea, as far as the end of the Jordan. And, the boundary on the north side, is from the bay of the sea, from 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 goeth up Beth-hoglah, and passeth over, on the north, by Beth-arabah, —and the boundary goeth up by the Stone of Bohan, 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 goeth up towards Debir, out of the vale of Achor, then northward, turning unto Gilgal, which is over against the ascent of Adummim, which is on the south side of the ravine, —then the boundary passeth over unto the waters of En-shemesh, and so the extensions thereof are unto 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 then ascendeth the boundary by the valley of the son of Hinnom, to the side of the Jebusite, on the south, the same, is Jerusalem, —and the boundary goeth up unto the top of the mountain which faceth the valley of Hinnom, to the west, which is at the end of the Vale of Giants, northwards;

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 turneth round, from the top of the mountain, unto the fountain of the waters of Nephtoah, and goeth out unto the cities of Mount Ephron, —then the boundary turneth round to Baalah, the same, is Kiriath-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 then the boundary goeth round from Baalah westward, unto Mount Seir, and passeth over unto the slope of Mount Yearim, on the north, the same, is Chesalon, —and descendeth Bethshemesh, and passeth over 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 then the boundary goeth forth unto the side of Ekron, northward, then the boundary turneth round towards Shikkeron, and crosseth over Mount Baalah, and goeth out at Jabneel, —and the extensions of the boundary are to 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, as a west boundary, are the great sea and coast. This, is the boundary of the sons of Judah, round about, by 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, son of Jephunneh, gave he a portion, in the midst of the sons of Judah, at the bidding of Yahweh, by Joshua, —even the City of Arba, father of Anak, the same, 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 dispossessed from thence, the three sons of Anak, —Sheshai, and Ahiman, and Talmai, the descendants 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 thence, against the inhabitants of Debir, —now, the name of Debir, formerly, was Kiriath-sepher.

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

16 Then said Caleb, He that smiteth Kiriath-sepher, and captureth it, I will give unto him Achsah, my daughter, to 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 son of Kenaz, brother of Caleb, captured it, —so he gave unto him Achsah, his daughter, to 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, when she came, that she moved him to ask of her father a field, and, when she alighted from off the ass, 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 present, for, dry land, hast thou given me, therefore must thou give me, pools of water. So he gave her upper pools and lower pools.

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 sons of Judah, by 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 uttermost cities of the tribe of the sons of Judah, towards the boundary 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 Ithnan,

Kedesh, Hazor, Ithnan,

24 Ziph and Talem, and Bealoth,

Ziph, Telem, Bealoth,

25 and Hazor-hadattah and Kerioth-hezron, the same, is Hazor;

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

26 Amam and Shema, and Moladah,

Amam, Shema, Molodah,

27 and Hazar-gaddah and Heshmon, and Beth-pelet.

Hazar-Gaddah, Heshmon, Beth-Pelet,

28 and Hazarshual and Beer-sheba, with the hamlets thereof,

Hazar-Shual, Beersheba, Biziothiah,

29 Baalah and Iyyim, and Ezem,

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 En-rimmon, —all the cities are twenty-nine, with their villages.

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

33 In the lowland, —Eshtaol and Zorah, 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, Socoh, and Azekah;

Jarmuth, Adullam, Socoh, Azekah,

36 and Shaaraim, and Adithaim, and Gederah, and Gederothaim, —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 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 Dilan 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, 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 Iphtah and Ashnah, and Nezib,

Iphtah, Ashnah, Nezib,

44 and Keilah 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 her towns, and her 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 were by the side of Ashdod with their villages.

47 Ashdod, her towns and her villages. Gaza, her towns and her villages, as far as the ravine of Egypt, —and the great sea and coast.

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

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

49 and Dannah and Kiriath-sannah, the same, 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, with their villages.

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

52 Arab and Rumah 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 Janim and Beth-tappuah and Aphekah,

Janim, Beth-Tappuah, Aphekah,

54 and Humtah, and Kiriath-arba, the same, is Hebron, and Zior, —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 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 Jezreel and Jokdeam, and Zanoah,

Jezreel, Jokdeam, Zanoah,

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

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, with their villages.

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

60 Kiriath-baal, the same, is Kiriath-jearim, 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 desert, —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 the City of Salt, and En-gedi, —six cities, with their villages.

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 sons of Judah could not dispossess them, —so the Jebusites have dwelt with the sons of Judah, in Jerusalem, until 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.