THE BOOK OF
JOSHUA.

Joshua 15

1The borders of the lot of Judah. 13Caleb's portion and conquest. 16Othniel for his valour hath Achsah Caleb's daughter to wife, who obtaineth a blessing from her father. 21The cities of Judah. 63The Jebusites remain unconquered.


1THIS then was the lot of the tribe of the children of Judah by their families; even to the border of Edom the wilderness of Zin southward was the uttermost part of the south coast.

2And their 1south bordera was from 2the shore of the salt sea, from the bay that looketh southward:

1 Or, the border toward the south, namely, the south border.

a Num. 34:4.

2 It is thought, it was some arm or creek, which from the land did extend into the salt sea, in the form and shape of a tongue; as also Isa. 11:15, or some nook of the sea, like a tongue entering into the land.

3And it went out to the south side to Maaleh-acrabbim,3 and passed along to 4Zin, and ascended up on the south side unto Kadesh-barnea, and passed along to Hezron, and went up to Adar, and fetched a compass to Karkaa:

3 See Judges 1:36. It seems that this place was so called, because there were many serpents and scorpions, for, the Hebrew word signifies scorpions. See Deut. 8:15.

4 It seems to be the name of a place of note in those times, whereof the wilderness of Zin had its name.

4From thence it passed toward Azmon, and went out unto the 5river of Egypt; and the goings out of that coast were at the sea: this shall be your south coast.

5 Other, brook, called Sihor: See Joshua 13:3. Other, valley, as also verse 7 and elsewhere.

5And the east border was the salt sea, even 6unto the end of Jordan. And their border in the north quarter was from the bay of the sea at the uttermost part of Jordan:

6 Namely, where it falls into the salt sea.

6And the border went up to Beth-hogla, and passed along by the north of Beth-arabah; and the border went up to the stone of 7Bohan the son of Reuben:

7 The tribe of Reuben had no land on that side of Jordan. It seems that that place had the name from Bohan a Reubenite, in regard of some memorable act there done by him, or concerning him.

7And the border went up toward Debir from the valley of Achor, and so northward, looking toward 8Gilgal, that is before the going up to Adummim, which is on the south side of the river: and the border passed toward the waters of En-shemesh, and the goings out thereof were 9at En-rogel:

8 Joshua 18:17 it is called Geliloth.

9 Other, at the fountain of Rogel, that is, the fountain of the fuller. See 1 Kings 1:9.

8And the border went up by the valley of the son of Hinnom unto the south side of 10the Jebusite; the same is Jerusalem: and the border went up to the top of the mountain that lieth before the valley of Hinnom westward, which is at the end of the valley of the giants northward:

10 Jerusalem is called Jebus, or the city of the Jebusites, because it was the capital city of the Jebusites, and was yet inhabited by them, Joshua 18:28; Judges 19:10.

9And the border was drawn from the top of the hill unto the fountain of the water of Nephtoah, and went out to the cities of mount Ephron; and the border was drawn to Baalah, which is Kirjath-jearim:

10And the border compassed from Baalah westward unto 11mount Seir, and passed along unto the side of mount Jearim, which is Chesalon, on the north side, and went down to 12Beth-shemesh, and passed on to Timnah:

11 This mount was situated in the land of Judah. There was another Seir in Edom, from whence this land had its name.

12 That is, the house of the sun. It was a city situated in the tribe of Judah, 2 Kings 14:11; but given to the Levites for their habitation, Joshua 21:16. It must be distinguished from that Beth-shemesh which is situated in the tribe of Issachar, Joshua 19:22. Into this city was the ark of the covenant first brought, after it had been seven months in the Philistines’ country, 1 Sam. 6:12.

11And the border went out unto the side of Ekron northward: and the border was drawn to Shicron, and passed along to mount Baalah, and went out unto Jabneel; and the goings out of the border were 13at the sea.

13 Namely, at the Mediterranean Sea, which in verse 12 is called the great sea.

12And theb west border was to the great sea, and the coast thereof. This is the coast of the children of Judah round about according to their families.

b Num. 34:6.

13¶And unto Caleb the son of Jephunneh 14he gave a part among the children of Judah, according to 15the commandment of the LORD to Joshua, even the 16city of Arba the fatherc of Anak, which city is Hebron.

14 Namely, Joshua.

15 That is, according to the commandment and express injunction of the Lord.

16 Generally called Kirjath-arba.

c Joshua 14:15; Judges 1:20.

14And Calebd drove thence the three sons of Anak, Sheshai, and Ahiman, and Talmai, the children of Anak.

d Judges 1:10.

15And 17he went up thence to the inhabitants of Debir: and the name of Debir before was Kirjath-sepher.

17 Namely, Caleb, unto whom this expedition is ascribed, the same being done in his behalf. Wherefore he also promises to give his daughter unto him who would smite Kirjath-sepher, verse 16. Yet Joshua and all Israel marched up with him, Joshua 10:36.

16¶And 18Caleb said, He that smiteth Kirjath-sepher, and taketh it, to him will I give Achsah my daughter to wife.

18 See a larger account hereof, Judges 1:11.

17And Othniel the son of Kenaz, the 19brother of Caleb, took it: and he gave him Achsah his daughter to wife.

19 Other, cousin, that is, one of the posterity of Kenaz. See 1 Chron. 4:13.

18And it came to pass, as she came unto 20him, that she moved 21him to ask of her father a field: and 22she lighted off her ass; and Caleb said unto her, What wouldest thou?

20 Namely, to Othniel, her husband.

21 Namely, Othniel.

22 Namely, for to speak with reverence unto her father. See the annotation at Gen. 24 on verse 64; 1 Sam. 25:23.

19Who answered, Give me a 23blessing; for thou hast given me 24a south land; give me also 25springs of water. And he gave her the upper springs, and the nether springs.

23 That is, a gift, or present. See Gen. 33:11.

24 Or, a dry land. Hebr. properly, a south land.

25 Other, water fountains, or water springs.

20This is the inheritance of the tribe of the children of Judah according to their families.

21And the uttermost cities of the tribe of the children of Judah toward the coast of Edom southward were 26Kabzeel, and Eder, and Jagur,

26 Neh. 11:15 it is called Jekabzeel.

22And Kinah, and 27Dimonah, and Adadah,

27 Other, called Dibon, Neh. 11:25.

23And Kedesh, and Hazor, and Ithnan,

24Ziph, and Telem, and Bealoth,

25And Hazor, Hadattah, and Kerioth, and Hezron, which is 28Hazor,

28 This is the city Hazor, named in the beginning of this verse, and is called Hezron, to distinguish it from that Hazor which is situated by Kedesh, whereof mention is made in verse 23.

26Amam, and 29Shema, and Moladah,

29 Joshua 19:2 this city is called Sheba.

27And Hazar-gaddah, and Heshmon, and Beth-palet,

28And Hazar-shual, and Beer-sheba, and Bizjothjah,

29Baalah, and Iim, and Azem,

30And Eltolad, and Chesil, and 30Hormah,

30 See the annotation on Judges 1:17.

31And Ziklag, and Madmannah, and Sansannah,

32And Lebaoth, and Shilhim, and Ain, and Rimmon: all the cities are 31twenty and nine, with their villages:

31 There are thirty six named, but because some of them fell to the tribe of Simeon, as appears Joshua 19:2, therefore he reckons here but twenty nine, which remained unto the tribe of Judah. Also some of them remained common to both the tribes, Judah and Simeon.

33And in the valley, Eshtaol, and Zoreah, and Ashnah,

34And Zanoah, and En-gannim, Tappuah, and Enam,

35Jarmuth, and Adullam, Socoh, and Azekah,

36And Sharaim, and Adithaim, and Gederah, and Gederothaim; 32fourteen cities with their villages:

32 There are fifteen named, verses 33, 34, 35, 36. Some are of the opinion, that Gederah and Gederothaim is one and the same city; and so should the particle with be as much as that is.

37Zenan, and Hadashah, and Migdal-gad,

38And Dilean, and Mizpeh, and 33Joktheel,

33 See 2 Kings 14:7.

3934Lachish, and Bozkath, and Eglon,

34 See Joshua 10 on verse 31; 2 Kings 14:19.

40And Cabbon, and Lahmam, and Kithlish,

41And Gederoth, Beth-dagon, and Naamah, and Makkedah; sixteen cities with their villages:

4235Libnah, and Ether, and Ashan,

35 See Joshua 10:29.

43And Jiphtah, and Ashnah, and Nezib,

44And Keilah, and Achzib, and Mareshah; nine cities with their villages:

45Ekron, with her 36towns and her villages:

36 Hebr. daughters, that is, the small towns resorting under it, so verse 47, and elsewhere.

46From Ekron even unto the sea, all that lay 37near Ashdod, with their villages:

37 Or, at the side of. Hebr. at the hand of.

47Ashdod with her towns and her villages, Gaza with her towns and her villages, unto the river of Egypt, and 38the great sea, and the border thereof:

38 See Num. 34:6.

48¶And in the mountains, Shamir, and Jattir, and Socoh,

49And Dannah, and Kirjath-sannah, which is Debir,

50And Anab, and Eshtemoh, and Anim,

51And 39Goshen, and Holon, and Giloh; eleven cities with their villages:

39 See Joshua 10 on verse 41.

52Arab, and Dumah, and Eshean,

53And Janum, and Beth-tappuah, and Aphekah,

54And Humtah, and Kirjath-arba, which is Hebron, and Zior; nine cities with their villages:

5540Maon, Carmel, and Ziph, and Juttah,

40 Of this city the adjacent wilderness had its name. And David hid himself in it, when he fled from Saul, 1 Sam. 23:25. It was a woody place, wherein were many caves. This was the birth place of Nabal the husband of Abigail, 1 Sam. 25:2.

56And Jezreel, and Jokdeam, and Zanoah,

57Cain, Gibeah, and Timnah; ten cities with their villages:

58Halhul, Beth-zur, and Gedor,

59And Maarath, and Beth-anoth, and Eltekon; six cities with their villages:

6041Kirjath-baal, which is Kirjath-jearim, and Rabbah; two cities with their villages:

41 That is, Kirjath-baal was otherwise called Kirjath-jearim.

61In the wilderness, Beth-arabah, Middin, and Secacah,

62And Nibshan, and the 42city of Salt, and En-gedi; six cities with their villages.

42 Some put the Hebrew words Ir-Hammelach in the text, as the proper name of a city.

63¶As for the Jebusites the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the children of Judah 43could not drive them out: but the Jebusites dwell with the children of Judah at Jerusalem 44unto this day.

43 The cause hereof, see Judges 2:20.

44 Understand here the day or time in which this book was written, for afterwards the Jebusites were subdued and expelled from it by David, 2 Sam. 5:6. Also a part of this city was taken before by Judah, Judges 1:8.