Joshua 15

This 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.

1The land given to the families of Judah went all the way south. It reached the border of Edom and the dry land of Zin.

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

2Their southern border started at the Salt Sea. It began at the bay on the south end.

3And it went out to the south side to Maalehacrabbim, and passed along to Zin, and ascended up on the south side unto Kadeshbarnea, and passed along to Hezron, and went up to Adar, and fetched a compass to Karkaa:

3The line went south past the hill road called Maalehacrabbim. It went on to Zin, then up past Kadeshbarnea. It passed Hezron, went up to Adar, and curved around to Karkaa.

Note"Fetched a compass" in the old English means the border curved around. It does not mean anyone carried a tool.

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

4From there it went on to Azmon and reached the brook of Egypt. Then it ended at the sea. That was their southern border.

NoteThe "river of Egypt" is not the Nile. It is a small stream near the edge of the desert that only runs at certain times.

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

5Their eastern border was the Salt Sea, up to where the Jordan River flows in. Their northern border started at that same bay.

6And the border went up to Bethhogla, and passed along by the north of Betharabah; and the border went up to the stone of Bohan the son of Reuben:

6The line went up to Bethhogla. It passed north of Betharabah. Then it went up to the Stone of Bohan, son of Reuben.

7And the border went up toward Debir from the valley of Achor, and so northward, looking toward Gilgal, 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 Enshemesh, and the goings out thereof were at Enrogel:

7The line went up to Debir from the Valley of Achor. Then it turned north toward Gilgal, across from the hill road of Adummim. That road is south of the stream bed. The line went on past the waters of Enshemesh and stopped at Enrogel.

8And the border went up by the valley of the son of Hinnom unto the south side of the 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:

8Then the line went up the valley of the son of Hinnom. It passed the south side of the Jebusite city, which is Jerusalem. It went up to the hilltop west of that valley. That hilltop is at the north end of the Valley of the Giants.

NoteThe "valley of the giants" is also called the Valley of Rephaim. Rephaim was the name of a people known for being very tall.

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 Kirjathjearim:

9From the hilltop the line bent to the spring called the water of Nephtoah. It went out to the towns of Mount Ephron. Then it bent toward Baalah, which is also called Kirjathjearim.

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

10From Baalah the line curved west to Mount Seir. It ran along the north side of Mount Jearim, also called Chesalon. Then it went down to Bethshemesh and over to Timnah.

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 at the sea.

11The line went to the north side of Ekron. It bent toward Shicron, went past Mount Baalah, and reached Jabneel. It ended at the sea.

12And the 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.

12Their western border was the Great Sea and its shore. Those were the edges of Judah's land, family by family.

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

13The LORD had told Joshua to give Caleb son of Jephunneh a share among Judah's people. So Caleb got the city of Arba, which is Hebron. Arba was the father of Anak.

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

14Caleb drove out three families of very tall people from that city. They came from Sheshai, Ahiman, and Talmai, the sons of Anak.

15And he went up thence to the inhabitants of Debir: and the name of Debir before was Kirjathsepher.

15From there he went to fight the people of Debir. Debir used to be called Kirjathsepher.

16And Caleb said, He that smiteth Kirjathsepher, and taketh it, to him will I give Achsah my daughter to wife.

16Caleb said, "Whoever attacks Kirjathsepher and takes it will get a reward. I will give him my daughter Achsah to be his wife."

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

17Othniel son of Kenaz took the city. Kenaz was Caleb's brother. So Caleb gave him his daughter Achsah as his wife.

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

18One day Achsah came to Othniel. She urged him to ask her father for a field. When she got down off her donkey, Caleb asked, "What do you want?"

Note"She moved him" means she urged him, or asked him strongly, to do it.

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

19She said, "Please give me a gift. You gave me dry land in the south. Please give me springs of water too." So Caleb gave her the upper springs and the lower springs.

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

20This is the land given to the families of the tribe of Judah.

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

21These were Judah's farthest towns to the south, near the border of Edom: Kabzeel, Eder, Jagur,

22And Kinah, and Dimonah, and Adadah,

22Kinah, Dimonah, Adadah,

23And Kedesh, and Hazor, and Ithnan,

23Kedesh, Hazor, Ithnan,

24Ziph, and Telem, and Bealoth,

24Ziph, Telem, Bealoth,

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

25Hazor Hadattah, and Kerioth Hezron, which is also called Hazor,

26Amam, and Shema, and Moladah,

26Amam, Shema, Moladah,

27And Hazargaddah, and Heshmon, and Bethpalet,

27Hazargaddah, Heshmon, Bethpalet,

28And Hazarshual, and Beersheba, and Bizjothjah,

28Hazarshual, Beersheba, Bizjothjah,

29Baalah, and Iim, and Azem,

29Baalah, Iim, Azem,

30And Eltolad, and Chesil, and Hormah,

30Eltolad, Chesil, Hormah,

31And Ziklag, and Madmannah, and Sansannah,

31Ziklag, Madmannah, Sansannah,

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

32Lebaoth, Shilhim, Ain, and Rimmon. That is twenty-nine towns in all, plus their villages.

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

33In the low hills were Eshtaol, Zoreah, Ashnah,

34And Zanoah, and Engannim, Tappuah, and Enam,

34Zanoah, Engannim, Tappuah, Enam,

35Jarmuth, and Adullam, Socoh, and Azekah,

35Jarmuth, Adullam, Socoh, Azekah,

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

36Sharaim, Adithaim, Gederah, and Gederothaim. That is fourteen towns, plus their villages.

37Zenan, and Hadashah, and Migdalgad,

37Also Zenan, Hadashah, Migdalgad,

38And Dilean, and Mizpeh, and Joktheel,

38Dilean, Mizpeh, Joktheel,

39Lachish, and Bozkath, and Eglon,

39Lachish, Bozkath, Eglon,

40And Cabbon, and Lahmam, and Kithlish,

40Cabbon, Lahmam, Kithlish,

41And Gederoth, Bethdagon, and Naamah, and Makkedah; sixteen cities with their villages:

41Gederoth, Bethdagon, Naamah, and Makkedah. That is sixteen towns, plus their villages.

42Libnah, and Ether, and Ashan,

42Also Libnah, Ether, Ashan,

43And Jiphtah, and Ashnah, and Nezib,

43Jiphtah, Ashnah, Nezib,

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

44Keilah, Achzib, and Mareshah. That is nine towns, plus their villages.

45Ekron, with her towns and her villages:

45Judah also got Ekron, with its towns and villages.

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

46It got all the land from Ekron to the sea. That included every town near Ashdod, with their villages.

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

47It got Ashdod and Gaza, with their towns and villages. This land went as far as the brook of Egypt. It also reached the Great Sea and its shore.

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

48In the hill country were Shamir, Jattir, Socoh,

49And Dannah, and Kirjathsannah, which is Debir,

49Dannah, and Kirjathsannah, which is also called Debir,

50And Anab, and Eshtemoh, and Anim,

50Anab, Eshtemoh, Anim,

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

51Goshen, Holon, and Giloh. That is eleven towns, plus their villages.

52Arab, and Dumah, and Eshean,

52Also Arab, Dumah, Eshean,

53And Janum, and Bethtappuah, and Aphekah,

53Janum, Bethtappuah, Aphekah,

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

54Humtah, Kirjatharba, which is Hebron, and Zior. That is nine towns, plus their villages.

55Maon, Carmel, and Ziph, and Juttah,

55Also Maon, Carmel, Ziph, Juttah,

56And Jezreel, and Jokdeam, and Zanoah,

56Jezreel, Jokdeam, Zanoah,

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

57Cain, Gibeah, and Timnah. That is ten towns, plus their villages.

58Halhul, Bethzur, and Gedor,

58Also Halhul, Bethzur, Gedor,

59And Maarath, and Bethanoth, and Eltekon; six cities with their villages:

59Maarath, Bethanoth, and Eltekon. That is six towns, plus their villages.

60Kirjathbaal, which is Kirjathjearim, and Rabbah; two cities with their villages:

60Also Kirjathbaal, which is Kirjathjearim, and Rabbah. That is two towns, plus their villages.

61In the wilderness, Betharabah, Middin, and Secacah,

61In the dry, empty land were Betharabah, Middin, Secacah,

62And Nibshan, and the city of Salt, and Engedi; six cities with their villages.

62Nibshan, the City of Salt, and Engedi. That is six towns, plus their villages.

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

63The Jebusites lived in Jerusalem. The people of Judah could not drive them out. So the Jebusites still live in Jerusalem with Judah's people today.