Joshua 15

1 The lot for the tribe of the children of Judah according to their families was to the border of Edom, even to the wilderness of Zin southward, at the uttermost part of the 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 Their south border was from the uttermost part of the Salt Sea, from the bay that looks 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 southward of the ascent of Akrabbim, and passed along to Zin, and went up by the south of Kadesh Barnea, and passed along by Hezron, went up to Addar, and turned toward 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 along to Azmon, went out at the brook of Egypt; and the border ended at the sea. This shall be your south border.

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 The east border was the Salt Sea, even to the end of the Jordan. The border of 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 The border went up to Beth Hoglah, and passed along by the 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 The border went up to Debir from the valley of Achor, and so northward, looking toward Gilgal, that faces the ascent of Adummim, which is on the south side of the river. The border passed along 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 The border went up by the valley of the son of Hinnom to the side of the Jebusite (also called Jerusalem) southward; and the border went up to the top of the mountain that lies before the valley of Hinnom westward, which is at the farthest part 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 The border extended from the top of the mountain to the spring of the waters of Nephtoah, and went out to the cities of Mount Ephron; and the border extended to Baalah (also called 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 and the border turned about from Baalah westward to Mount Seir, and passed along to the side of Mount Jearim (also called Chesalon) on the north, and went down to Beth Shemesh, and passed along by 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 northward; and the border extended to Shikkeron, and passed along to Mount Baalah, and went out at Jabneel; and the goings out of the border 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 The west border was to the shore of the great sea. This is the border of the children of Judah 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 He gave to Caleb the son of Jephunneh a portion among the children of Judah, according to the commandment of Yahweh to Joshua, even Kiriath Arba, named after the father of Anak (also called 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 Caleb drove out the three sons of Anak: Sheshai, and Ahiman, 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 He went up against the inhabitants of Debir: now the name of Debir before 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 Caleb said, “He who strikes Kiriath Sepher, and takes it, to him I will 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 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 When she came, she had him ask her father for a field. She got off her donkey, and Caleb said, “What do you want?”

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 She said, “Give me a blessing. Because you have set me in the land of the South, give me also springs of water.” So 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 farthest cities of the tribe of the children of Judah toward the border of Edom in the South were Kabzeel, Eder, 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 Kinah, Dimonah, Adadah,

Kinah, Dimonah, Adadah,

23 Kedesh, Hazor, Ithnan,

Kedesh, Hazor, Ithnan,

24 Ziph, Telem, Bealoth,

Ziph, Telem, Bealoth,

25 Hazor Hadattah, Kerioth Hezron (also called Hazor),

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

26 Amam, Shema, Moladah,

Amam, Shema, Molodah,

27 Hazar Gaddah, Heshmon, Beth Pelet,

Hazar-Gaddah, Heshmon, Beth-Pelet,

28 Hazar Shual, Beersheba, Biziothiah,

Hazar-Shual, Beersheba, Biziothiah,

29 Baalah, Iim, Ezem,

Baalah, Iim, Ezem,

30 Eltolad, Chesil, Hormah,

Eltolad, Kesil, Hormah,

31 Ziklag, Madmannah, Sansannah,

Ziklag, Madmannah, Sansannah,

32 Lebaoth, Shilhim, Ain, and 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, Zorah, Ashnah,

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

34 Zanoah, En Gannim, Tappuah, Enam,

Zanoah, En-Gannim, Tappuah, Enam,

35 Jarmuth, Adullam, Socoh, Azekah,

Jarmuth, Adullam, Socoh, Azekah,

36 Shaaraim, Adithaim and Gederah (or 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, Hadashah, Migdal Gad,

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

38 Dilean, Mizpah, Joktheel,

Dilean, Mizpah, Joktheel,

39 Lachish, Bozkath, Eglon,

Lachish, Bozkath, Eglon,

40 Cabbon, Lahmam, Chitlish,

Cabbon, Lahmas, Kitlish,

41 Gederoth, Beth Dagon, 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, Ether, Ashan,

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

43 Iphtah, Ashnah, Nezib,

Iphtah, Ashnah, Nezib,

44 Keilah, 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 to the sea, all that were by the side of Ashdod, with their villages.

47 Ashdod, its towns and its villages; Gaza, its towns and its villages; to the brook of Egypt, and the great sea with its coastline.

48 In the hill country, Shamir, Jattir, Socoh,

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

49 Dannah, Kiriath Sannah (which is Debir),

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

50 Anab, Eshtemoh, Anim,

Anab, Eshtemoh, Anim,

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

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

52 Arab, Dumah, Eshan,

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

53 Janim, Beth Tappuah, Aphekah,

Janim, Beth-Tappuah, Aphekah,

54 Humtah, Kiriath Arba (also called 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, Ziph, Jutah,

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

56 Jezreel, Jokdeam, 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, Gedor,

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

59 Maarath, 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 (also called 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 wilderness, Beth Arabah, Middin, Secacah,

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

62 Nibshan, 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 As for the Jebusites, the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the children of Judah couldn’t drive them out; but the Jebusites live 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.