Joshua 15
15
Judah’s Inheritance
1Here is the land allotted to the families of the tribe of Judah: Their territory extended southward to the Wilderness of Zin, which belonged to Edom. 2Their boundary started from the bay at the southern end of the Dead Sea, 3crossed south of Scorpion Pass, continued to Zin, and went on south of Kadesh Barnea. Then it went past Hezron up to Addar and curved around to Karka, 4continued to Azmon and followed the stream on the border of Egypt in a northwesterly direction to the Mediterranean Sea. That is the southern border of all the tribes of Israel.
5The Dead Sea formed the eastern border of Judah, and its territory lay to the west toward the Mediterranean Sea. Their northern border began there 6and went up to Beth Hoglah and continued north of the ridge overlooking the Jordan Valley. # 15:6 Or “north of Beth Arabah.” From there it went up to the Stone of Bohan, named after Bohan, Reuben’s son. 7The boundary then went up to Debir from the Valley of Achor # 15:7 Or “Valley of Trouble.” Achor (Achan) means “trouble.” See 7:25–26. and turned north to Gilgal, which faces Adummim Pass south of the gorge. It continued along to the waters of En Shemesh and ended at En Rogel. 8Then the boundary ran through the Hinnom Valley along the southern slope of Jebus (now known as Jerusalem). From there it went to the top of the hill west of the Hinnom Valley at the northern end of the Valley of Rephaites. # 15:8 Or “the Valley of the Giants.” 9It continued from the top of the mountain to the spring of the waters of Nephtoah, and from there to the town of Mount Ephron and on to Baalah, which today is called Kiriath Jearim. 10It then turned west from Baalah to Mount Seir and ran along the northern shoulder of Mount Jearim (that is, Kesalon), descended to the city of Beth Shemesh, and crossed to the city of Timnah. 11The border then went north to the ridge of the city of Ekron, turned toward the city of Shikkeron, crossed to Mount Baalah, and came out at the city of Jamnia. # 15:11 Or “Jabneel.” The border ended at the southern end of the Dead Sea.
12The western boundary was the Mediterranean coastline. This was the territory that belonged to the families of the tribe of Judah.
Caleb Conquers Hebron and Debir
13Yahweh had commanded Joshua, “Give a share of the territory from the tribe of Judah to Caleb son of Jephunneh.” So Joshua gave him the city of Hebron which was founded by Arba, the ancestor of Anak. 14Caleb drove out three Anakim from Hebron: Sheshai, Ahiman, and Talmai—descendants of Anak. # 15:14 The descendants of Anak were the giants in the land. Sheshai means “whitewashed”; he represents hypocrisy. Jesus called the religious scholars of his day and the Pharisees hypocrites and “tombs painted over with white paint” (Matt. 23:27). Ahiman means “brother of my right hand” or “my brother is a gift”; he represents an exaggerated spirituality. Talmai means “brave”; he represents arrogance and false confidence. If we find these giants in the “land” of our hearts, then we must cast them out. 15From Hebron, he marched out and fought against the people of Debir, which used to be called Kiriath Sepher.
16Caleb once promised, “Whoever succeeds in capturing Kiriath Sepher # 15:16 Kiriath Sepher means “the city of the book.” Debir (v. 15) means “oracle” or “the word of God.” The one who conquers “Book City” and changes it to the “word of God” will get the daughter of Caleb. Achsah means “anklet” (beautiful feet of the evangelist, see Isa. 52:7). may marry my daughter Achsah.” 17Caleb’s nephew Othniel, the son of his brother Kenaz, # 15:17 Kenaz was possibly Caleb’s half brother. Othniel means “lion of God”; this nephew of Caleb became the first “deliverer” or “judge.” See Judg. 3:9–11. took the city, so Caleb gave him the hand of his daughter Achsah in marriage.
18One day, Achsah came and charmed her father so that she could ask him for a gift. When she got down from her donkey, Caleb said to her, “What would you like for a wedding present?”
19“Father,” she replied, “give me a special gift. You have already given me land, but it’s in arid country. Please, also give me some springs of water.” So Caleb gave her the upper and lower springs near the city of Hebron.
The Cities of Judah
20These are the cities given as an inheritance to the families of the tribe of Judah. # 15:20 From here through ch. 19, Joshua gives us detailed geographical descriptions of the inheritances of the tribes of Israel. Many of the places mentioned are never referenced again in Scripture, thus making them difficult to identify. Judah is mentioned first, for it was the leader-tribe of Israel. See Num. 2:9; 1 Chron. 5:1–2. 21The cities of the first district in the extreme south near the border of Edom included
Kabzeel, Eder, Jagur,
22Kinah, Dimonah, Adadah,
23Kedesh, Hazor, Ithnan,
24Ziph, Telem, Bealoth,
25Hazor Hadattah, Kerioth Hezron (that is, Hazor),
26Amam, Shema, Moladah,
27Hazar Gaddah, Heshmon, Beth Pelet,
28Hazar Shual, Beersheba, Biziothiah,
29Baalah, Iyyim, Ezem,
30Eltolad, Kesil, Hormah,
31Ziklag, Madmannah, Sansannah,
32Lebaoth, Shilhim, Ain, and Rimmon—a total of twenty-nine towns and their villages.
33The cities of the second district in the western foothills included
Eshtaol, Zorah, Ashnah,
34Zanoah, En Gannim, Tappuah, Enam,
35Jarmuth, Adullam, Socoh, Azekah,
36Shaaraim, Adithaim, and Gederah (or Gederothaim) # 15:36 Or “and its sheepfolds,” which would make a total of fourteen cities. —fourteen towns and their villages.
37The cities of the third district included
Zenan, Hadashah, Migdal Gad,
38Dilean, Mizpah, Joktheel,
39Lachish, Bozkath, Eglon,
40Cabbon, Lahmas, Kitlish,
41Gederoth, Beth Dagon, Naamah, and Makkedah—sixteen towns and their villages.
42The cities of the fourth district included
Libnah, Ether, Ashan,
43Iphtah, Ashnah, Nezib,
44Keilah, Aczib, and Mareshah—nine towns and their villages.
45The cities of the fifth district included
Ekron, with its surrounding settlements and villages;
46from Ekron westward, all the towns in the vicinity of Ashdod, together with their villages;
47Ashdod, and its surrounding settlements and villages;
and Gaza, its settlements and villages, as far south as the Wadi of Egypt and as far west as the coastline of the Mediterranean Sea.
48The cities of the sixth district in the Judean hills included
Shamir, Jattir, Socoh,
49Dannah, Kiriath Sannah (that is, Debir),
50Anab, Eshtemoh, Anim, # 15:50 The Septuagint adds another district at the end of verse 50, as follows: “Tekoa, Ephrath (that is, Bethlehem), Peor, Etam, Culon, Tatam, Shoresh, Cerem, Gallim, Bether, and Manach: eleven cities, along with the towns around them.” Many scholars believe that the Septuagint preserves the original text here. Some modern translations include the addition.
51Goshen, Holon, and Giloh—eleven towns and their villages.
52The cities of the seventh district included
Arab, Dumah, Eshan,
53Janim, Beth Tappuah, Aphekah,
54Humtah, Kiriath Arba (that is, Hebron), and Zior—nine towns and their villages.
55The cities of the eighth district included
Maon, Carmel, Ziph, Juttah,
56Jezreel, Jokdeam, Zanoah,
57Kain, Gibeah, and Timnah—ten towns and their villages.
58The cities of the ninth district included
Halhul, Beth Zur, Gedor,
59Maarath, Beth Anoth, and Eltekon—six towns and their villages.
60The cities of the tenth district included
Kiriath Baal (that is, Kiriath Jearim) and Rabbah—two towns and their villages.
61The desert cities of the eleventh district included
Beth Arabah, Middin, Secacah,
62Nibshan, the City of Salt, # 15:62 The Hebrew is ‘Ir-hammelach, possibly in later times the site of the Qumran community of Essenes. and En Gedi—six towns and their villages. # 15:62 There are 110 cities mentioned in this chapter, one city for every year of Joshua’s life. See 24:29.
63The people of Judah could not dislodge the Jebusites from Jerusalem, and they live among the people of Judah to this day.
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Joshua 15: TPT
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