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15
1 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 Their boundary began*Many of the directions given in the text are in the present tense. However, since we now look back historically, the past tense is used here. at the end of the Salt Sea—the bay that faces south— 3 and then went south of Scorpion Pass†Also mentioned by name in Judges 1:36 and Numbers 34:4. 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 passing through Azmon and out to the Wadi of Egypt, ending at the sea.‡The Mediterranean. This was their southern border.
5 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 up to the border of Beth-hoglath, and then north of Beth-arabah to the Stone of Bohan (Reuben's son). 7 From there it went to the border of Debir through the valley of Achor, and turned north towards Gilgal,§Not the Gilgal near Jericho. 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 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 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 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 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 The western boundary was the coastline of the Great Sea.
These were the boundaries around the tribe of Judah, by families.
13 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 Caleb drove out three family groups—Sheshai, Ahiman, and Talmai, descendants of Anak.*See Numbers 13:22. Since these names are mentioned more than forty years previously, it seems these are names for the larger family groups. 15 From there he went to attack the inhabitants of Debir (previously known as Kiriath-sepher). 16 Caleb announced, “Whoever attacks Kiriath-sepher and captures it, I will give him my daughter Acsah to marry.” 17 Othniel, son of Kenaz, brother of Caleb, captured the town so Caleb gave him his daughter Acsah to marry.
18 When she came to him,†Some believe this refers to the wedding day. she encouraged him‡Some Greek manuscripts have “he encouraged her.” to ask her father for a field. When she got off her donkey, Caleb asked her, “What do you want?” 19 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 was the land allotted to the tribe of Judah, by families.
21 The towns for the tribe of Judah in the far south on the border with Edom: Kabzeel, Eder, Jagur, 22 Kinah, Dimonah, Adadah, 23 Kedesh, Hazor, Ithnan, 24 Ziph, Telem, Bealoth, 25 Hazor-hadattah, Kerioth-hezron (or Hazor), 26 Amam, Shema, Moladah, 27 Hazar-gaddah, Heshmon, Beth-pelet, 28 Hazar-shual, Beersheba, Biziothiah, 29 Baalah, Iim, Ezem, 30 Eltolad, Kesil, Hormah, 31 Ziklag, Madmannah, Sansannah, 32 Lebaoth, Shilhim, Ain, and Rimmon—twenty-nine towns with their associated villages.
33 The towns in the western foothills: Eshtaol, Zorah, Ashnah, 34 Zanoah, En-gannim, Tappuah, Enam, 35 Jarmuth, Adullam, Socoh, Azekah, 36 Shaaraim, Adithaim, Gederah, and Gederothaim—fourteen towns with their associated villages.
37 Also: Zenan, Hadashah, Migdal-gad, 38 Dilean, Mizpeh, Joktheel, 39 Lachish, Bozkath, Eglon, 40 Cabbon, Lahmam, Kitlish, 41 Gederoth, Beth-dagon, Naamah, and Makkedah—sixteen towns with their associated villages.
42 In addition: Libnah, Ether, Ashan, 43 Iphtah, Ashnah, Nezib, 44 Keilah, Aczib, and Mareshah—nine towns with their associated villages.
45 Ekron and its towns and villages, 46 from Ekron to the sea those towns near Ashdod and their associated villages, 47 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 In the hill country: Shamir, Jattir, Socoh, 49 Dannah, Kiriath-sannah (or Debir), 50 Anab, Eshtemoh, Anim, 51 Goshen, Holon, and Giloh—eleven towns with their associated villages.
52 Also: Arab, Dumah, Eshan, 53 Janim, Beth-tappuah, Aphekah, 54 Humtah, Kiriath-arba (or Hebron), and Zior—nine towns with their associated villages.
55 In addition: Maon, Carmel, Ziph, Juttah, 56 Jezreel, Jokdeam, Zanoah, 57 Kain, Gibeah, and Timnah—ten towns with their ssociated villages.
58 Also: Halhul, Beth-zur, Gedor, 59 Maarath, Beth-anoth, and Eltekon—six towns with their associated villages.
60 In addition: Kiriath-baal (or Kiriath-jearim) and Rabbah—two towns with their associated villages.
61 In the wilderness: Beth-arabah, Middin, Secacah, 62 Nibshan, the City of Salt, and En-gedi—six towns with their associated villages.
63 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.

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*15:2 Many of the directions given in the text are in the present tense. However, since we now look back historically, the past tense is used here.

†15:3 Also mentioned by name in Judges 1:36 and Numbers 34:4.

‡15:4 The Mediterranean.

§15:7 Not the Gilgal near Jericho.

*15:14 See Numbers 13:22. Since these names are mentioned more than forty years previously, it seems these are names for the larger family groups.

†15:18 Some believe this refers to the wedding day.

‡15:18 Some Greek manuscripts have “he encouraged her.”

© 2018 Dr. Jonathan Gallagher