Joshua 15 :: New Living Translation (NLT)

The Land Given to the Tribe of Judah

Jos 15:1The allotment for the clans of the tribe of Judah reached southward to the border of Edom, as far south as the wilderness of Zin.

Jos 15:2

Jos 15:2The southern boundary began at the south bay of the Dead Sea,[fn]

Jos 15:3

Jos 15:3ran south of Scorpion Pass[fn] into the wilderness of Zin, and then went south of Kadesh-barnea to Hezron. Then it went up to Addar, where it turned toward Karka.

Jos 15:4

Jos 15:4From there it passed to Azmon until it finally reached the Brook of Egypt, which it followed to the Mediterranean Sea.[fn] This was their[fn] southern boundary.

Jos 15:5

Jos 15:5The eastern boundary extended along the Dead Sea to the mouth of the Jordan River. The northern boundary began at the bay where the Jordan River empties into the Dead Sea,

Jos 15:6

Jos 15:6went up from there to Beth-hoglah, then proceeded north of Beth-arabah to the Stone of Bohan. (Bohan was Reuben’s son.)

Jos 15:7

Jos 15:7From that point it went through the valley of Achor to Debir, turning north toward Gilgal, which is across from the slopes of Adummim on the south side of the valley. From there the boundary extended to the springs at En-shemesh and on to En-rogel.

Jos 15:8

Jos 15:8The boundary then passed through the valley of Ben-Hinnom, along the southern slopes of the Jebusites, where the city of Jerusalem is located. Then it went west to the top of the mountain above the valley of Hinnom, and on up to the northern end of the valley of Rephaim.

Jos 15:9

Jos 15:9From there the boundary extended from the top of the mountain to the spring at the waters of Nephtoah,[fn] and from there to the towns on Mount Ephron. Then it turned toward Baalah (that is, Kiriath-jearim).

Jos 15:10

Jos 15:10The boundary circled west of Baalah to Mount Seir, passed along to the town of Kesalon on the northern slope of Mount Jearim, and went down to Beth-shemesh and on to Timnah.

Jos 15:11

Jos 15:11The boundary then proceeded to the slope of the hill north of Ekron, where it turned toward Shikkeron and Mount Baalah. It passed Jabneel and ended at the Mediterranean Sea.

Jos 15:12

Jos 15:12The western boundary was the shoreline of the Mediterranean Sea.[fn] These are the boundaries for the clans of the tribe of Judah.

The Land Given to Caleb

(Jdg 1:11–15)

Jos 15:13

Jos 15:13The LORD commanded Joshua to assign some of Judah’s territory to Caleb son of Jephunneh. So Caleb was given the town of Kiriath-arba (that is, Hebron), which had been named after Anak’s ancestor.

Jos 15:14

Jos 15:14Caleb drove out the three groups of Anakites—the descendants of Sheshai, Ahiman, and Talmai, the sons of Anak.

Jos 15:15

Jos 15:15From there he went to fight against the people living in the town of Debir (formerly called Kiriath-sepher).

Jos 15:16

Jos 15:16Caleb said, “I will give my daughter Acsah in marriage to the one who attacks and captures Kiriath-sepher.”

Jos 15:17

Jos 15:17Othniel, the son of Caleb’s brother Kenaz, was the one who conquered it, so Acsah became Othniel’s wife.

Jos 15:18

Jos 15:18When Acsah married Othniel, she urged him[fn] to ask her father for a field. As she got down off her donkey, Caleb asked her, “What’s the matter?”

Jos 15:19

Jos 15:19She said, “Give me another gift. You have already given me land in the Negev; now please give me springs of water, too.” So Caleb gave her the upper and lower springs.

The Towns Allotted to Judah

Jos 15:20

Jos 15:20This was the homeland allocated to the clans of the tribe of Judah.

Jos 15:21

Jos 15:21The towns of Judah situated along the borders of Edom in the extreme south were Kabzeel, Eder, Jagur,

Jos 15:22

Jos 15:22Kinah, Dimonah, Adadah,

Jos 15:23

Jos 15:23Kedesh, Hazor, Ithnan,

Jos 15:24

Jos 15:24Ziph, Telem, Bealoth,

Jos 15:25

Jos 15:25Hazor-hadattah, Kerioth-hezron (that is, Hazor),

Jos 15:26

Jos 15:26Amam, Shema, Moladah,

Jos 15:27

Jos 15:27Hazar-gaddah, Heshmon, Beth-pelet,

Jos 15:28

Jos 15:28Hazar-shual, Beersheba, Biziothiah,

Jos 15:29

Jos 15:29Baalah, Iim, Ezem,

Jos 15:30

Jos 15:30Eltolad, Kesil, Hormah,

Jos 15:31

Jos 15:31Ziklag, Madmannah, Sansannah,

Jos 15:32

Jos 15:32Lebaoth, Shilhim, Ain, and Rimmon—twenty-nine towns with their surrounding villages.

Jos 15:33

Jos 15:33The following towns situated in the western foothills[fn] were also given to Judah: Eshtaol, Zorah, Ashnah,

Jos 15:34

Jos 15:34Zanoah, En-gannim, Tappuah, Enam,

Jos 15:35

Jos 15:35Jarmuth, Adullam, Socoh, Azekah,

Jos 15:36

Jos 15:36Shaaraim, Adithaim, Gederah, and Gederothaim—fourteen towns with their surrounding villages.

Jos 15:37

Jos 15:37Also included were Zenan, Hadashah, Migdal-gad,

Jos 15:38

Jos 15:38Dilean, Mizpeh, Joktheel,

Jos 15:39

Jos 15:39Lachish, Bozkath, Eglon,

Jos 15:40

Jos 15:40Cabbon, Lahmam, Kitlish,

Jos 15:41

Jos 15:41Gederoth, Beth-dagon, Naamah, and Makkedah—sixteen towns with their surrounding villages.

Jos 15:42

Jos 15:42Besides these, there were Libnah, Ether, Ashan,

Jos 15:43

Jos 15:43Iphtah, Ashnah, Nezib,

Jos 15:44

Jos 15:44Keilah, Aczib, and Mareshah—nine towns with their surrounding villages.

Jos 15:45

Jos 15:45The territory of the tribe of Judah also included Ekron and its surrounding settlements and villages.

Jos 15:46

Jos 15:46From Ekron the boundary extended west and included the towns near Ashdod with their surrounding villages.

Jos 15:47

Jos 15:47It also included Ashdod with its surrounding settlements and villages and Gaza with its settlements and villages, as far as the Brook of Egypt and along the coast of the Mediterranean Sea.

Jos 15:48

Jos 15:48Judah also received the following towns in the hill country: Shamir, Jattir, Socoh,

Jos 15:49

Jos 15:49Dannah, Kiriath-sannah (that is, Debir),

Jos 15:50

Jos 15:50Anab, Eshtemoh, Anim,

Jos 15:51

Jos 15:51Goshen, Holon, and Giloh—eleven towns with their surrounding villages.

Jos 15:52

Jos 15:52Also included were the towns of Arab, Dumah, Eshan,

Jos 15:53

Jos 15:53Janim, Beth-tappuah, Aphekah,

Jos 15:54

Jos 15:54Humtah, Kiriath-arba (that is, Hebron), and Zior—nine towns with their surrounding villages.

Jos 15:55

Jos 15:55Besides these, there were Maon, Carmel, Ziph, Juttah,

Jos 15:56

Jos 15:56Jezreel, Jokdeam, Zanoah,

Jos 15:57

Jos 15:57Kain, Gibeah, and Timnah—ten towns with their surrounding villages.

Jos 15:58

Jos 15:58In addition, there were Halhul, Beth-zur, Gedor,

Jos 15:59

Jos 15:59Maarath, Beth-anoth, and Eltekon—six towns with their surrounding villages.

Jos 15:60

Jos 15:60There were also Kiriath-baal (that is, Kiriath-jearim) and Rabbah—two towns with their surrounding villages.

Jos 15:61

Jos 15:61In the wilderness there were the towns of Beth-arabah, Middin, Secacah,

Jos 15:62

Jos 15:62Nibshan, the City of Salt, and En-gedi—six towns with their surrounding villages.

Jos 15:63

Jos 15:63But the tribe of Judah could not drive out the Jebusites, who lived in the city of Jerusalem, so the Jebusites live there among the people of Judah to this day.