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Texts -- Joshua 15:1-56 (NET)

Context
15:1 The land allotted to the tribe of Judah by its clans reached to the border of Edom , to the Wilderness of Zin in the Negev far to the south . 15:2 Their southern border started at the southern tip of the Salt Sea , 15:3 extended south of the Scorpion Ascent , crossed to Zin , went up from the south to Kadesh Barnea , crossed to Hezron , went up to Addar , and turned toward Karka . 15:4 It then crossed to Azmon , extended to the Stream of Egypt , and ended at the sea . This was their southern border . 15:5 The eastern border was the Salt Sea to the mouth of the Jordan River . The northern border started north of the Salt Sea at the mouth of the Jordan , 15:6 went up to Beth Hoglah , crossed north of Beth Arabah , and went up to the Stone of Bohan son of Reuben . 15:7 It then went up to Debir from the Valley of Achor , turning northward to Gilgal (which is opposite the Pass of Adummim south of the valley ), crossed to the waters of En Shemesh and extended to En Rogel . 15:8 It then went up the Valley of Ben Hinnom to the slope of the Jebusites on the south (that is, Jerusalem ), going up to the top of the hill opposite the Valley of Ben Hinnom to the west , which is at the end of the Valley of the Rephaites to the north . 15:9 It then went from the top of the hill to the spring of the waters of Nephtoah , extended to the cities of Mount Ephron , and went to Baalah (that is, Kiriath Jearim ). 15:10 It then turned from Baalah westward to Mount Seir , crossed to the slope of Mount Jearim on the north (that is Kesalon ), descended to Beth Shemesh , and crossed to Timnah . 15:11 It then extended to the slope of Ekron to the north , went toward Shikkeron , crossed to Mount Baalah , extended to Jabneel , and ended at the sea . 15:12 The western border was the Mediterranean Sea . These were the borders of the tribe of Judah and its clans . 15:13 Caleb son of Jephunneh was assigned Kiriath Arba (that is Hebron ) within the tribe of Judah , according to the Lord’s instructions to Joshua . (Arba was the father of Anak .) 15:14 Caleb drove out from there three Anakites – Sheshai , Ahiman , and Talmai , descendants of Anak . 15:15 From there he attacked the people of Debir . (Debir used to be called Kiriath Sepher .) 15:16 Caleb said , “To the man who attacks and captures Kiriath Sepher I will give my daughter Acsah as a wife .” 15:17 When Othniel son of Kenaz , Caleb’s brother , captured it, Caleb gave Acsah his daughter to him as a wife . 15:18 One time Acsah came and charmed her father so that she could ask him for some land . When she got down from her donkey , Caleb said to her, “What would you like?” 15:19 She answered , “Please give me a special present . Since you have given me land in the Negev , now give me springs of water . So he gave her both upper and lower springs . 15:20 This is the land assigned to the tribe of Judah by its clans : 15:21 These cities were located at the southern extremity of Judah’s tribal land near the border of Edom : Kabzeel , Eder , Jagur , 15:22 Kinah , Dimonah , Adadah , 15:23 Kedesh , Hazor , Ithnan , 15:24 Ziph , Telem , Bealoth , 15:25 Hazor Hadattah , Kerioth Hezron (that is, Hazor ), 15:26 Amam , Shema , Moladah , 15:27 Hazar Gaddah , Heshbon , Beth Pelet , 15:28 Hazar Shual , Beer Sheba , Biziothiah , 15:29 Baalah , Iim , Ezem , 15:30 Eltolad , Kesil , Hormah , 15:31 Ziklag , Madmannah , Sansannah , 15:32 Lebaoth , Shilhim , Ain , and Rimmon – a total of twenty-nine cities and their towns . 15:33 These cities were in the lowlands : Eshtaol , Zorah , Ashnah , 15:34 Zanoah , En Gannim , Tappuah , Enam , 15:35 Jarmuth , Adullam , Socoh , Azekah , 15:36 Shaaraim , Adithaim , and Gederah (or Gederothaim )– a total of fourteen cities and their towns . 15:37 Zenan , Hadashah , Migdal Gad , 15:38 Dilean , Mizpah , Joktheel , 15:39 Lachish , Bozkath , Eglon , 15:40 Cabbon , Lahmas , Kitlish , 15:41 Gederoth , Beth Dagon , Naamah , and Makkedah – a total of sixteen cities and their towns . 15:42 Libnah , Ether , Ashan , 15:43 Iphtah , Ashnah , Nezib , 15:44 Keilah , Aczib , and Mareshah – a total of nine cities and their towns . 15:45 Ekron and its surrounding towns and settlements ; 15:46 from Ekron westward , all those in the vicinity of Ashdod and their towns ; 15:47 Ashdod with its surrounding towns and settlements , and Gaza with its surrounding towns and settlements , as far as the Stream of Egypt and the border at the Mediterranean Sea . 15:48 These cities were in the hill country : Shamir , Jattir , Socoh , 15:49 Dannah , Kiriath Sannah (that is, Debir ), 15:50 Anab , Eshtemoh , Anim , 15:51 Goshen , Holon , and Giloh – a total of eleven cities and their towns . 15:52 Arab , Dumah , Eshan , 15:53 Janim , Beth Tappuah , Aphekah , 15:54 Humtah , Kiriath Arba (that is, Hebron ), and Zior – a total of nine cities and their towns . 15:55 Maon , Carmel , Ziph , Juttah , 15:56 Jezreel , Jokdeam , Zanoah ,

Pericope

NET

Bible Dictionary

  • Judah

    [smith] (praised, celebrated), the fourth son of Jacob and the fourth of Leah. (B.C. after 1753.) Of Judah?s personal character more traits are preserved than of any other of the patriarchs, with the exception of Joseph, whose life h...
    [nave] JUDAH 1. Son of Jacob, Gen. 35:23. Intercedes for Joseph's life when his brethren were about to slay him, and proposes that they sell him to the Ishmaelites, Gen. 37:26, 27. Takes two wives, Gen. 38:1-6. Dwells at Chezib,...

  • Joktheel

    [ebd] subdued by God. (1.) A city of Judah near Lachish (Josh. 15, 38). Perhaps the ruin Kutlaneh, south of Gezer. (2.) Amaziah, king of Judah, undertook a great expedition against Edom (2 Chr. 25:5-10), which was completely succe...
    [isbe] JOKTHEEL - jok'-the-el, jok'-thel (yoqethe'el) : (1) A city in the Shephelah of Judah named between Mizpeh and Lachish (Josh 15:38); unidentified. (2) A city in Edom formerly called Sela, taken by Amaziah after the battle in...
    [smith] (subdued by God). A city in the low country of Judah, (Joshua 15:38) named next to Lachish. "God-subdued," the title given by Amaziah to the cliff (Authorized Version Selah) --the stronghold of the Edomites-- after he had ca...
    [nave] JOKTHEEL 1. A city of Judah, Josh. 15:38. 2. A name given by Amaziah to Selah, a stronghold of Edom, 2 Kin. 14:7; 2 Chr. 25:11, 12. Called rock in Judg. 1:36.

  • Lot

    [ebd] (Heb. goral, a "pebble"), a small stone used in casting lots (Num. 33:54; Jonah 1:7). The lot was always resorted to by the Hebrews with strictest reference to the interposition of God, and as a method of ascertaining the di...
    [nave] LOT, The Prov. 16:33; 18:18; Isa. 34:17; Joel 3:3. The scapegoat chosen by, Lev. 16:8-10. The land of Canaan divided among the tribes by, Num. 26:55; Josh. 15; 18:10; 19:51; 21; 1 Chr. 6:61, 65; Ezek. 45:1; 47:22; 48:29;...

  • Judah, Tribe of

    [ebd] Judah and his three surviving sons went down with Jacob into Egypt (Gen. 46:12; Ex. 1:2). At the time of the Exodus, when we meet with the family of Judah again, they have increased to the number of 74,000 males (Num. 1:26, ...

  • Joshua

    [nave] JOSHUA 1. Called also Jehoshua, and Jehoshuah, and Oshea. Son of Nun, Num. 13:8; 1 Chr. 7:27. Intimately associated with Moses, Ex. 24:13; 32:17; 33:11. A religious zealot, Num. 11:28. Sent with others to view the promise...

  • Israel

    [nave] ISRAEL 1. A name given to Jacob, Gen. 32:24-32; 2 Kin. 17:34; Hos. 12:3, 4. 2. A name of the Christ in prophecy, Isa. 49:3. 3. A name given to the descendants of Jacob, a nation. Called also Israelites, and Hebrews, Gen. 4...

  • CRITICISM

    [isbe] CRITICISM - (The Graf-Wellhausen Hypothesis) I. PRELIMINARY 1. Thesis 2. Historical Perspective 3. Inspiration and Criticism II. THE LEGISLATION 1. Groups 2. Covenant Code 3. The Sanctuary 4. Kinds of Sacrifice 5. Sacrifice ...

  • SHEPHELAH

    [isbe] SHEPHELAH - shef-e'-la (ha-shephelah; sephela, saphela): 1. Name and References: The word denotes "lowland," and is variously rendered in the King James Version. It is "vale" in Dt 1:7; Josh 10:40; 1 Ki 10:27; 2 Ch 1:15; Jer...

  • Topography

    [nave] TOPOGRAPHY, of Canaan, Josh. 13:15-33; 15; 18:9.

  • JUDAH, TERRITORY OF

    [isbe] JUDAH, TERRITORY OF - (yehudhah): I. GEOGRAPHICAL DATA 1. The Natural Boundaries 2. The Natural Divisions of Judah (1) The Maritime Plain (2) The Shephelah (3) The Hill Country of Judah II. THE TRIBE OF JUDAH AND ITS TERRITO...

  • Achsah

    [ebd] anklet, Caleb's only daughter (1 Chr. 2:49). She was offered in marriage to the man who would lead an attack on the city of Debir, or Kirjath-sepher. This was done by Othniel (q.v.), who accordingly obtained her as his wife ...
    [isbe] ACHSAH - ak'-sa (`akhchah; in some copies `akhca' in 1 Ch 2:49), "anklet"): The daughter of Caleb whom he gave in marriage to his younger kinsman Othniel the son of Kenaz, as a reward for smiting Kiriath-sepher (Josh 15:16 f...
    [smith] (ankle-chain, anklet), daughter of Caleb. Her father promised her in marriage to whoever should take Debir. Othniel, her father?s younger brother, took that city, and accordingly received the hand of Achsah as his reward. Cal...
    [nave] ACHSAH, Caleb's daughter, Josh. 15:16-19; Judg. 1:9-13. Called Achsa, 1 Chr. 2:49.

  • Caleb

    [ebd] a dog. (1.) One of the three sons of Hezron of the tribe of Judah. He is also called Chelubai (1 Chr. 2:9). His descendants are enumerated (18-20, 42-49). (2.) A "son of Hur, the firstborn of Ephratah" (1 Chr. 2:50). Some wo...
    [isbe] CALEB - ka'-leb (kalebh; in the light of the cognate Syriac and Arabic words, the meaning is not "dog," which is kelebh, in Hebrew, but "raging with canine madness"; Chaleb): As a person, Caleb, the son of Jephunneh, occurs ...
    [nave] CALEB One of the two survivors of the Israelites permitted to enter the land of promise, Num. 14:30, 38; 26:63-65; 32:11-13; Deut. 1:34-36; Josh. 14:6-15. Sent to Canaan as a spy, Num. 13:6. Brings favorable report, Num. 1...

  • PALESTINE, 2

    [isbe] PALESTINE, 2 - III. Palestine in the Historic Books of the Old Testament. 1. Book of Joshua: Joshua is the great geographical book of the Old Testament; and the large majority of the 600 names of places, rivers and mountains...

  • SIMEON (1)

    [isbe] SIMEON (1) - sim'-e-on (shim`on; Sumeon; the Hebrew root is from shama`, "to hear" (Gen 29:33); some modern scholars (Hitzig, W. R. Smith, Stade, etc.) derive it from Arabic sima`, "the offspring of the hyena and female wolf...

  • Baalah

    [ebd] mistress; city. (1.) A city in the south of Judah (Josh. 15:29), elsewhere called Balah (Josh. 19:3) and Bilhah (1 Chr. 4:29). Now Khurbet Zebalah. (2.) A city on the northern border of the tribe of Judah (Josh. 15:10), call...
    [isbe] BAALAH - ba'-a-la ba`alah; "possessor," "mistress "): Three occurrences of this name: (1) = KIRIATH-JEARIM (which see) (Josh 15:9,10; 1 Ch 13:6). (2) A city in the Negeb of Judah (Josh 15:29). In Josh 19:3 Balah and in 1 Ch ...
    [nave] BAALAH 1. A city in the S. of Judah, Josh. 15:29. Apparently identical with Balah, Josh. 19:3; and Bilhah, 1 Chr. 4:29. 2. A city in the N. of Judah called also Kirjath-Jearim, which see. 3. A mountain in Judah, Josh. 15:...

  • Debir

    [ebd] oracle town; sanctuary. (1.) One of the eleven cities to the west of Hebron, in the highlands of Judah (Josh. 15:49; Judg. 1:11-15). It was originally one of the towns of the Anakim (Josh. 15:15), and was also called Kirjath...
    [smith] (a sanctuary), the name of three places of Palestine. A town in the mountains of Judah, (Joshua 15:49) one of a group of eleven cities to the west of Hebron. The earlier name of Debir was Kirjath-sepher, "city of book," (Jos...
    [nave] DEBIR 1. King of Eglon, Josh. 10:3-27. 2. A town in the mountains of Judah. Called also Kirjath-saah, and Kirjathsepher, which signifies a city of books, Josh. 15:15, 16. Anakim expelled from, by Joshua, Josh. 11:21. Take...

  • NEGEB

    [isbe] NEGEB - neg'-eb (ha-neghebh, "the negeb" or simply, neghebh, from a root meaning "to be dry," and therefore in the first instance implying the "dry" or "parched regions," hence, in the Septuagint it is usually translated ere...

  • Othniel

    [ebd] lion of God, the first of the judges. His wife Achsah was the daughter of Caleb (Josh. 15:16, 17; Judg. 1:13). He gained her hand as a reward for his bravery in leading a successful expedition against Debir (q.v.). Some thir...
    [isbe] OTHNIEL - oth'-ni-el (`othni'el): A hero in Israel, son of Kenaz, Caleb's younger brother. He conquered Kiriath-sepher, later known as Debir, in the territory of Judah in the days of Joshua, and was given the daughter of Cal...
    [smith] (lion of God), son of Kenaz and younger brother of Caleb. (Joshua 15:17; Judges 1:13; 3:9; 1 Chronicles 4:13) (B.C. 1460.) The first mention of Othniel is on occasion of the taking of Kirjath-sepher, or Debir as it was aft...
    [nave] OTHNIEL, son of Kenaz and nephew of Caleb. Conquers Kirjath-sepher, and as reward secures Caleb's daughter to wife, Josh. 15:16-20; Judg. 1:12, 13. Becomes deliverer and judge of Israel, Judg. 3:8-11. Death of, Judg. 3:11. ...

  • Moladah

    [ebd] birth, a city in the south of Judah which fell to Simeon (Josh. 15:21-26; 19:2). It has been identified with the modern el-Milh, 10 miles east of Beersheba.
    [isbe] MOLADAH - mol'-a-da, mo-la'-da (moladhah; Molada): A place in the far south (Negebh) of Judah, toward Edom (Josh 15:26), reckoned to Simeon (Josh 19:2; 1 Ch 4:28). It was repopulated after the captivity (Neh 11:26). It is me...
    [smith] (birth, race), a city of Judah, one of those which lay in the district of "the south." (Joshua 15:26; 19:2) In the latter tribe it remained at any rate till the reign of David, (1 Chronicles 4:28) but by the time of the ca...
    [nave] MOLADAH Josh. 15:26; 19:2; 1 Chr. 4:28; Neh. 11:26

  • Hazor

    [ebd] enclosed; fortified. (1.) A stronghold of the Canaanites in the mountains north of Lake Merom (Josh. 11:1-5). Jabin the king with his allied tribes here encountered Joshua in a great battle. Joshua gained a signal victory, w...
    [isbe] HAZOR - ha'-zor (chatsor; Nasor; Codex Sinaiticus, Asor, 1 Macc 11:67): (1) The royal city of Jabin (Josh 11:1), which, before the Israelite conquest, seems to have been the seat of a wide authority (Josh 11:11). It was take...
    [smith] (castle). A fortified city, which on the occupation of the country was allotted to Naphtali. (Joshua 19:36) Its position was apparently between Ramah and Kedesh, ibid. (Joshua 12:19) on the high ground overlooking the Lake o...
    [nave] HAZOR 1. A fortified city of Naphtali, Josh. 11:1, 10, 11, 13; 12:19; 19:36; Judg. 4:2, 17; 1 Sam. 12:9; 2 Kin. 15:29; Neh. 11:33. 2. A city in the S. of Judah, Josh. 15:23; 1 Kin. 9:15. 3. A place N. of Jerusalem, Neh. 11...
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  • I've heard and read the same statement a number of times, but have never troubled myself to look up each passage. I'm not surprised that looking up "heaven" and "hell" in a concordance would give you contradictory results. T...

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Expository Notes on the Bible (Constable)

  • This chapter records how Abram, though threatened with major conflict with Lot because of their herdsmen's strife, magnanimously gave his nephew his choice of what land he wanted. Lot took an area that was very fertile, thoug...
  • Abram asked God to strengthen his faith. In response Yahweh promised to give the patriarch innumerable descendants. This led Abram to request some further assurance that God would indeed do what He promised. God graciously ob...
  • I. The conquest of the land chs. 1-12A. Preparations for entering Canaan chs. 1-21. God's charge to Joshua 1:1-92. Joshua's charge to Israel 1:10-183. The spying out of Jericho ch. 2B. Entrance into the land 3:1-5:121. Passag...
  • In one sense verses 1-9 are a preamble to the whole book. They contain the basic principles that were to guide Joshua and Israel so they could obtain all that God had promised their forefathers.1:1 The first word of the book ...
  • To this point Israel's victories had taken place in central Canaan. God's strategy was to give His people a base of operation in the middle part of the land first. From there they could then advance to the South and then to t...
  • The writer identified 31 kings in the order in which Joshua defeated them."Many of the same names appear in the Amarna letters, thus confirming the historicity of our text."158"The description was not complete. Shechem is not...
  • Chapters 13-24 describe how Joshua divided the land and the results of that division. Many if not all the Israelite tribes did not conquer or control all the land allotted to them (15:63; 16:10; 17:12-13). The record of the a...
  • 15:1-12 The writer recorded the boundaries of the whole tribal territory first. The description proceeds counterclockwise from south (vv. 2-4) to east (v. 5) to north (vv. 5-11) to west (v. 12).15:13-19 The writer probably in...
  • The writer grouped the towns in Judah according to that tribe's four districts. This part of Canaan contained four distinct regions: the southern Negev, the lowland plain (Shephelah), the mountains (hill country), and the des...
  • After the process of assigning land to the three tribes mentioned above, Israel's attention turned to relocating the tabernacle in a more central location (v. 1). God undoubtedly made the choice of Shiloh (lit. rest; cf. Deut...
  • First the two and one-half tribes east of the Jordan received their land. Then Judah, the primary recipient of Jacob's patriarchal blessing, and Joseph, the recipient of Jacob's patriarchal birthright, received their allotmen...
  • Simeon's lot fell within the southern portion of the inheritance of Judah because Judah's portion proved too large for that tribe (v. 9). Simeon received certain towns within Judah's territory. In this way God fulfilled Jacob...
  • Israel's leaders completed this division of the land at Shiloh, the new location of the tabernacle."The gift of the land brought blessings not only to the nation as a whole and to the individual tribes. It also brought blessi...
  • These verses conclude the account of the division of the land proper (chs. 13-21; cf. 1:2-6; 11:23). They bind the two parts of the second half of the book together. They form a theological conclusion to the entire book up to...
  • The main part of the second half of the Book of Joshua dealing with the division of the land ends with the appointment of the Levitical cities (chs. 13-21). The rest of the book deals with settlement in the land (chs. 22-24)....
  • Aharoni, Yohanan. "The Province-List of Judah."Vetus Testamentum9 (1959):225-46.Aharoni, Yohanan, and Michael Avi-Yonah. The Macmillan Bible Atlas. Revised ed. New York: Macmillan Publishing Co., 1977.Albright, William Foxwel...
  • 1:1 The Book of Judges begins with a conjunction translated "now"or "and."God intended Judges to continue the narrative of Israel's history where the Book of Joshua ended (cf. Josh. 1:1). This verse provides a heading for the...
  • The first of six periods of oppression by Israel's enemies began while Othniel, Caleb's younger brother, was still alive and strong (cf. Josh. 15:17; Judg. 1:13). The writer identified each of these periods with the phrase "t...
  • Aharoni, Yohanan. Land of the Bible. Phildelphia: Westminster Press, 1962.Aharoni, Yohanan, and Michael Avi-Yonah. The Macmillan Bible Atlas. Revised ed. New York: Macmillan Publishing Co., 1977.Albright, William Foxwell. The...
  • The Book of Samuel covers the period of Israel's history bracketed by Samuel's conception and the end of David's reign. David turned the kingdom over to Solomon in 971 B.C.3David reigned for 40 and one-half years (2 Sam. 2:11...
  • At this time in his life David was assisting Saul as his armorbearer when he was not tending his father's sheep (v. 15). Moses too had been tending sheep before God called him to shepherd His people Israel (Exod. 3:1). The si...
  • Both Maon and Carmel (meaning "Garden Spot") stood about 14 miles west of Engedi and about 7 miles south-southeast of Hebron. The reference to Nabal's 3,000 sheep may be an allusion to Saul's 3,000 soldiers (24:2). As the sto...
  • Baale-judah (v. 2) may have been the later name of Kiriath-jearim (cf. Josh. 15:9-10).76This was where the ark had evidently rested since the Israelites had moved it from Bethshemesh in Samuel's days (1 Sam. 6; cf. Ps. 132:6-...
  • Two sub-sections each begin with a reference to time (vv. 1, 7) and form a literary "diptych"(i.e., two complementary panals).233The first six verses explain how Absalom undermined popular confidence in the Lord's anointed fo...
  • Josiah began to seek Yahweh when he was 16 years old and began initiating religious reforms when he was 20 (2 Chron. 34:3-7). His reforms were more extensive than those of any of his predecessors. One of them was the repair o...
  • Really four men came to visit Job, though the writer did not mention Elihu's presence until chapter 32. Eliphaz seems to have been the eldest for several reasons. His name occurs first (2:11; 42:9), he spoke before the others...
  • The Lord proceeded to explain that even though He would destroy the ungodly, He would also spare the truly godly among His people (cf. Gen. 18:23-25).65:8 Yahweh promised not to destroy the whole nation (cluster of grapes) bu...
  • This is the sixth and last message that Ezekiel received from the Lord the night before the refugees reached the exiles with the message that Jerusalem had fallen (cf. 33:21-22). It too deals with God's plans for Israel in th...
  • The tribe of Dan was to receive the northernmost section of the Promised Land. The order of tribes from north to south, north of the sacred district, was Dan, Asher, Naphtali, Manasseh, Ephraim, Reuben and Judah--seven tribal...
  • The sailors interrogated Jonah about his reasons for travelling on their ship, but it was his failure to live consistently with his convictions that amazed them.1:7 It appears to have been common among the heathen to cast lot...
  • The focus now changes from physical to spiritual deliverance (cf. Deut. 30:1-10).12:10 The Lord also promised to pour out on the Davidic rulers and the inhabitants of Jerusalem, representing all the Israelites, a spirit of re...
  • 14:9 In that day Yahweh would rule over the whole earth. He would be the only king; there would be no others. His name would be number one in the earth; there will be no other so-called gods (cf. Deut. 6:4-5). This verse refe...
  • 6:66 Jesus lost many of His followers because of the Bread of Life discourse (cf. v. 60). His explanation to them following the discourse did not change their minds. He had made no concessions. They had understood Him correct...
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