1 And the lot for the tribe of the sons of Judah, for their families, is unto the border of Edom; the wilderness of Zin southward, at the extremity of the south;
2 and to them the south border is at the extremity of the salt sea, from the bay which is looking southward;
3 and it hath gone out unto the south to Maaleh-Akrabbim, and passed over to Zin, and gone up on the south to Kadesh-Barnea, and passed over `to' Hezron, and gone up to Adar, and turned round to Karkaa,
4 and passed over `to' Azmon, and gone out `at' the brook of Egypt, and the outgoings of the border have been at the sea; this is to you the south border.
5 And the east border `is' the salt sea, unto the extremity of the Jordan, and the border at the north quarter `is' from the bay of the sea, at the extremity of the Jordan;
6 and the border hath gone up `to' Beth-Hoglah, and passed over on the north of Beth-Arabah, and the border hath gone up `to' the stone of Bohan son of Reuben:
7 and the border hath gone up towards Debir from the valley of Achor, and northward looking unto Gilgal, which `is' over-against the ascent of Adummim, which `is' on the south of the brook, and the border hath passed over unto the waters of En-Shemesh, and its outgoings have been unto En-Rogel;
8 and the border hath gone up the valley of the son of Hinnom, unto the side of the Jebusite on the south (it `is' Jerusalem), and the border hath gone up unto the top of the hill-country which `is' on the front of the valley of Hinnom westward, which `is' in the extremity of the valley of the Rephaim northward;
9 and the border hath been marked out, from the top of the hill-country unto the fountain of the waters of Nephtoah, and hath gone out unto the cities of mount Ephron, and the border hath been marked out `to' Baalah, (it `is' Kirjath-Jearim);
10 and the border hath gone round from Baalah westward, unto mount Seir, and passed over unto the side of mount Jearim (it `is' Chesalon), on the north, and gone down `to' Beth-Shemesh, and passed over to Timnah;
11 and the border hath gone out unto the side of Ekron northward, and the border hath been marked out `to' Shicron, and hath passed over to mount Baalah, and gone out `to' Jabneel; and the outgoings of the border have been at the sea.
12 And the west border `is' to the great sea, and `its' border; this `is' the border of the sons of Judah round about for their families.
13 And to Caleb son of Jephunneh hath he given a portion in the midst of the sons of Judah, according to the command of Jehovah to Joshua, `even' the city of Arba, father of Anak -- it `is' Hebron.
14 And Caleb is dispossessing thence the three sons of Anak, Sheshai, and Ahiman, and Talmai, children of Anak,
15 and he goeth up thence unto the inhabitants of Debir; and the name of Debir formerly is Kirjath-Sepher.
16 And Caleb saith, `He who smiteth Kirjath-Sephar, and hath captured it -- I have given to him Achsah my daughter for a wife.'
17 And Othniel son of Kenaz, brother of Caleb, doth capture it, and he giveth to him Achsah his daughter for a wife.
18 And it cometh to pass, in her coming in, that she persuadeth him to ask from her father a field, and she lighteth from off the ass, and Caleb saith to her, `What -- to thee?'
19 And she saith, `Give to me a blessing; when the land of the south thou hast given me, then thou hast given to me springs of waters;' and he giveth to her the upper springs and the lower springs.
20 This `is' the inheritance of the tribe of the sons of Judah, for their families.
21 And the cities at the extremity of the tribe of the sons of Judah are unto the border of Edom in the south, Kabzeel, and Eder, and Jagur,
22 and Kinah, and Dimonah, and Adadah,
23 and Kedesh, and Hazor, and Ithnan,
24 Ziph, and Telem, and Bealoth,
25 and Hazor, Hadattah, and Kerioth, Hezron, (it `is' Hazor,)
26 Amam, and Shema, and Moladah,
27 and Hazar-Gaddah, and Heshmon, and Beth-Palet,
28 and Hazar-Shual, and Beer-Sheba, and Bizjothjah,
29 Baalah, and Iim, and Azem,
30 And Eltolad, and Chesil, and Hormah,
31 and Ziklag, and Madmannah, and Sansannah,
32 and Lebaoth, and Shilhim, and Ain, and Rimmon; all the cities `are' twenty and nine, and their villages.
33 In the low country: Eshtaol, and Zoreah, and Ashnah,
34 and Zanoah, and En-Gannim, Tappuah, and Enam,
35 Jarmuth, and Adullam, Socoh, and Azekah,
36 and Sharaim, and Adithaim, and Gederah, and Gederothaim; fourteen cities and their villages.
37 Zenan, and Hadashah, and Migdal-Gad,
38 and Dilean, and Mizpeh, and Joktheel,
39 Lachish, and Bozkath, and Eglon,
40 and Cabbon, and Lahmam, and Kithlish,
41 and Gederoth, Beth-Dagon, and Naamah, and Makkedah; sixteen cities and their villages.
42 Libnah, and Ether, and Ashan,
43 and Jiphtah, and Ashnah, and Nezib,
44 and Keilah, and Achzib, and Mareshah; nine cities and their villages.
45 Ekron and its towns and its villages,
46 from Ekron and westward, all that `are' by the side of Ashdod, and their villages.
47 Ashdod, its towns and its villages, Gaza, its towns and its villages, unto the brook of Egypt, and the great sea, and `its' border.
48 And in the hill-country: Shamir, and Jattir, and Socoh,
49 and Dannah, and Kirjath-Sannah (it `is' Debir)
50 and Anab, and Eshtemoh, and Anim,
51 and Goshen, and Holon, and Giloh; eleven cities and their villages.
52 Arab, and Dumah, and Eshean,
53 and Janum, and Beth-Tappuah, and Aphekah,
54 and Humtah, and Kirjath-Arba (it `is' Hebron), and Zior; nine cities and their villages.
55 Maon, Carmel, and Ziph, and Juttah,
56 and Jezreel, and Jokdeam, and Zanoah,
57 Cain, Gibeah, and Timnah; ten cities and their villages.
58 Halhul, Beth-Zur, and Gedor,
59 and Maarath, and Beth-Anoth, and Eltekon; six cities and their villages.
60 Kirjath-Baal (it `is' Kirjath-Jearim), and Rabbah; two cities and their villages.
61 In the wilderness: Beth-Arabah, Middin, and Secacah,
62 and Nibshan, and the city of Salt, and En-Gedi; six cities and their villages.
63 As to the Jebusites, inhabitants of Jerusalem, the sons of Judah have not been able to dispossess them, and the Jebusite dwelleth with the sons of Judah in Jerusalem unto this day.
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible » Commentary on Joshua 15
Commentary on Joshua 15 Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
CHAPTER 15
Jos 15:1-12. Borders of the Lot of Judah.
1. This then was the lot of the tribe of the children of Judah—In what manner the lot was drawn on this occasion the sacred historian does not say; but it is probable that the method adopted was similar to that described in Jos 18:10. Though the general survey of the country had not been completed, some rough draft or delineation of the first conquered part must have been made, and satisfactory evidence obtained that it was large enough to furnish three cantons, before all the tribes cast lots for them; and they fell to Judah, Ephraim, and the half-tribe of Manasseh. The lot of Judah came first, in token of the pre-eminence of that tribe over all the others; and its destined superiority thus received the visible sanction of God. The territory, assigned to it as a possession, was large and extensive, being bounded on the south by the wilderness of Zin, and the southern extremity of the Salt Sea (Nu 34:3-5); on the east, by that sea, extending to the point where it receives the waters of the Jordan; on the north, by a line drawn nearly parallel to Jerusalem, across the country, from the northern extremity of the Salt Sea to the southern limits of the Philistine territory, and to the Mediterranean; and on the west this sea was its boundary, as far as Sihor (Wady El-Arish).
2. the bay—Hebrew, "tongue." It pushes its waters out in this form to a great distance [Robinson].
3. Maaleh-akrabbim—Hebrew, "the ascent of scorpions"; a pass in the "bald mountain" (see on Jos 11:17), probably much infested by these venomous reptiles.
5. the end—that is, the mouth of the Jordan.
6. Beth-hogla—now Ain Hajla, a fine spring of clear and sweet water, at the northern extremity of the Dead Sea, about two miles from the Jordan [Robinson].
Beth-arabah—"the house," or "place of solitude," in the desert of Judah (Jos 15:61).
stone of Bohan the son of Reuben—the sepulchral monument of a Reubenite leader, who had been distinguished for his bravery, and had fallen in the Canaanite war.
7. Achor—(see on Jos 7:26).
Adummim—a rising ground in the wilderness of Jericho, on the south of the little brook that flowed near Jericho (Jos 16:1).
En-shemesh—"the fountain of the sun"; "either the present well of the apostle, below Bethany, on the road to Jericho, or the fountain near to St. Saba" [Robinson].
En-rogel—"the fuller's fountain," on the southeast of Jerusalem, below the spot where the valleys of Jehoshaphat and Hinnom unite.
Jos 15:13-15. Caleb's Portion and Conquest.
13. unto Caleb he gave a part among the children of Judah—(See on Jos 14:6).
14. drove thence the three sons of Anak—rather three chiefs of the Anakim race. This exploit is recorded to the honor of Caleb, as the success of it was the reward of his trust in God.
15. Debir—"oracle." Its former name, Kirjath-sepher, signifies "city of the book," being probably a place where public registers were kept.
Jos 15:16-20. Othniel, for His Valor, Has Achsah to Wife.
16-20. He that smiteth Kirjath-sepher—This offer was made as an incentive to youthful bravery (see on 1Sa 17:25); and the prize was won by Othniel, Caleb's younger brother (Jud 1:13; 3:9). This was the occasion of drawing out the latent energies of him who was destined to be the first judge in Israel.
18, 19. as she came unto him—that is, when about to remove from her father's to her husband's house. She suddenly alighted from her travelling equipage—a mark of respect to her father, and a sign of making some request. She had urged Othniel to broach the matter, but he not wishing to do what appeared like evincing a grasping disposition, she resolved herself to speak out. Taking advantage of the parting scene when a parent's heart was likely to be tender, she begged (as her marriage portion consisted of a field which, having a southern exposure, was comparatively an arid and barren waste) he would add the adjoining one, which abounded in excellent springs. The request being reasonable, it was granted; and the story conveys this important lesson in religion, that if earthly parents are ready to bestow on their children that which is good, much more will our heavenly Father give every necessary blessing to them who ask Him.
Jos 15:21-63. Cities of Judah.
21-63. the uttermost cities of the tribe of the children of Judah—There is given a list of cities within the tribal territory of Judah, arranged in four divisions, corresponding to the districts of which it consisted—the cities in the southern part (Jos 15:21-32), those in the lowlands (Jos 15:33-47), those in the highlands (Jos 15:48-60), and those in the desert (Jos 15:61, 62). One gets the best idea of the relative situation of these cities by looking at the map.