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Joshua 15
Easy-to-Read Version
Joshua 15
Easy-to-Read Version
Land for Judah
15 The land that was given to Judah was divided among the families of that tribe. That land went to the border of Edom and south all the way to the desert of Zin at the edge of Teman. 2 The southern border of Judah’s land started at the south end of the Dead Sea. 3 The border went south to Scorpion Pass and continued on to Zin. Then the border continued south to Kadesh Barnea. It continued past Hezron to Addar. From Addar the border turned and continued to Karka. 4 The border continued to Azmon, the brook of Egypt, and then to the Mediterranean Sea. All that land was on their southern border.
5 Their eastern border was the shore of the Dead Sea to the area where the Jordan River flowed into the sea.
Their northern border started at the area where the Jordan River flowed into the Dead Sea. 6 Then the northern border went to Beth Hoglah and continued north of Beth Arabah. The border continued to the stone of Bohan. (Bohan was the son of Reuben.) 7 Then the northern border went through the Valley of Achor to Debir. There the border turned to the north and went to Gilgal. Gilgal is across from the road that goes through the mountain of Adummim. It is on the south side of the brook. The border continued along the waters of En Shemesh. The border stopped at En Rogel. 8 Then the border went through the Valley of Ben Hinnom beside the southern side of the Jebusite city (that is, Jerusalem). There the border went to the top of the hill on the west side of Hinnom Valley. This was at the northern end of Rephaim Valley. 9 From there the border went to the spring of water of Nephtoah. Then the border went to the cities near Mount Ephron. There the border turned and went to Baalah. (Baalah is also called Kiriath Jearim.) 10 At Baalah the border turned west and went to the hill country of Seir. The border continued along the north side of Mount Jearim (Kesalon) and continued down to Beth Shemesh. From there the border went past Timnah. 11 Then the border went to the hill north of Ekron. From there the border turned to Shikkeron and went past Mount Baalah. The border continued on to Jabneel and ended at the Mediterranean Sea. 12 The Mediterranean Sea was the western border. So the land of Judah was inside these four borders. The families of Judah lived in this area.
13 The Lord had commanded Joshua to give Caleb son of Jephunneh part of the land in Judah. So Joshua gave Caleb the land God had commanded. Joshua gave him the town of Kiriath Arba, that is, Hebron. (Arba was the father of Anak.) 14 Caleb forced the three Anakite families living in Hebron to leave there. Those families were Sheshai, Ahiman, and Talmai. They were from the family of Anak. 15 Then Caleb fought against the people living in Debir. (In the past, Debir was also called Kiriath Sepher.) 16 Caleb said, “I will give my daughter in marriage to the man who attacks and conquers Kiriath Sepher.”
17 Othniel was the son of Caleb’s brother Kenaz. Othniel defeated that city, so Caleb gave his daughter Acsah to Othniel to be his wife. 18 Acsah went to live with Othniel. Othniel told Acsah[a] to ask her father Caleb for some more land. Acsah went to her father. When she got off her donkey, Caleb asked her, “What do you want?”
19 Acsah answered, “Give me a blessing.[b] You gave me dry desert land in the Negev. Please give me some land with water on it.” So Caleb gave her what she wanted. He gave her the upper and lower pools of water in that land.
20 The tribe of Judah got the land that God promised them. Each family group got part of the land.
21 The tribe of Judah got all the towns in the southern part of the Negev. These towns were near the border of Edom. Here is a list of the towns:
Kabzeel, Eder, Jagur, 22 Kinah, Dimonah, Adadah, 23 Kedesh, Hazor, Ithnan, 24 Ziph, Telem, Bealoth, 25 Hazor Hadattah, Kerioth Hezron (Hazor), 26 Amam, Shema, Moladah, 27 Hazar Gaddah, Heshmon, Beth Pelet, 28 Hazar Shual, Beersheba, Biziothiah, 29 Baalah, Iim, Ezem, 30 Eltolad, Kesil, Hormah, 31 Ziklag, Madmannah, Sansannah, 32 Lebaoth, Shilhim, Ain, and Rimmon. In all, there were 29 towns and all their fields.
33 The tribe of Judah also got these towns in the western foothills:
Eshtaol, Zorah, Ashnah, 34 Zanoah, En Gannim, Tappuah, Enam, 35 Jarmuth, Adullam, Socoh, Azekah, 36 Shaaraim, Adithaim, and Gederah (Gederothaim). In all, there were 14 towns and all their fields.
37 The tribe of Judah was also given these towns:
Zenan, Hadashah, Migdal Gad, 38 Dilean, Mizpah, Joktheel, 39 Lachish, Bozkath, Eglon, 40 Cabbon, Lahmas, Kitlish, 41 Gederoth, Beth Dagon, Naamah, and Makkedah. In all, there were 16 towns and all the fields around them.
42 The people of Judah also got these towns:
Libnah, Ether, Ashan, 43 Iphtah, Ashnah, Nezib, 44 Keilah, Aczib, and Mareshah. In all, there were nine towns and all the fields around them. 45 The people of Judah also got the town of Ekron and all the small towns and fields near it. 46 They also got the area west of Ekron and all the fields and towns near Ashdod. 47 All the area around Ashdod and the small towns there were part of the land of Judah. The people of Judah also got the area around Gaza and the fields and towns that were near it. Their land continued to the River of Egypt. And their land continued along the coast of the Mediterranean Sea.
48 The people of Judah were also given these towns in the hill country:
Shamir, Jattir, Socoh, 49 Dannah, Kiriath Sannah (Debir), 50 Anab, Eshtemoh, Anim, 51 Goshen, Holon, and Giloh. In all, there were eleven towns and all the fields around them.
52 The people of Judah were also given these towns:
Arab, Dumah, Eshan, 53 Janim, Beth Tappuah, Aphekah, 54 Humtah, Kiriath Arba (Hebron), and Zior. There were nine towns and all the fields around them.
55 The people of Judah were also given these towns:
Maon, Carmel, Ziph, Juttah, 56 Jezreel, Jokdeam, Zanoah, 57 Kain, Gibeah, and Timnah. In all, there were ten towns and all the fields around them.
58 The people of Judah were also given these towns:
Halhul, Beth Zur, Gedor, 59 Maarath, Beth Anoth, and Eltekon. In all, there were six towns and all the fields around them.
60 The people of Judah were also given the two towns of Rabbah and Kiriath Baal (Kiriath Jearim).
61 The people of Judah were also given these towns in the desert:
Beth Arabah, Middin, Secacah, 62 Nibshan, Salt City, and En Gedi. In all, there were six towns and all the fields around them.
63 The army of Judah was not able to force out the Jebusites living in Jerusalem. So today there are still Jebusites living among the people of Judah in Jerusalem.
Footnotes
- Joshua 15:18 Othniel told Acsah Or “Acsah told Othniel.”
- Joshua 15:19 Give me a blessing Or “Please welcome me” or “Give me a stream of water.”
Joshua 15
New International Version
Joshua 15
New International Version
Allotment for Judah(A)
15 The allotment for the tribe of Judah, according to its clans, extended down to the territory of Edom,(B) to the Desert of Zin(C) in the extreme south.(D)
2 Their southern boundary started from the bay at the southern end of the Dead Sea,(E) 3 crossed south of Scorpion Pass,(F) continued on to Zin and went over to the south of Kadesh Barnea.(G) Then it ran past Hezron up to Addar and curved around to Karka. 4 It then passed along to Azmon(H) and joined the Wadi of Egypt,(I) ending at the Mediterranean Sea. This is their[a] southern boundary.
5 The eastern boundary(J) is the Dead Sea(K) as far as the mouth of the Jordan.
The northern boundary(L) started from the bay of the sea at the mouth of the Jordan, 6 went up to Beth Hoglah(M) and continued north of Beth Arabah(N) to the Stone of Bohan(O) son of Reuben. 7 The boundary then went up to Debir(P) from the Valley of Achor(Q) and turned north to Gilgal,(R) which faces the Pass of Adummim south of the gorge. It continued along to the waters of En Shemesh(S) and came out at En Rogel.(T) 8 Then it ran up the Valley of Ben Hinnom(U) along the southern slope of the Jebusite(V) city (that is, Jerusalem(W)). From there it climbed to the top of the hill west of the Hinnom Valley(X) at the northern end of the Valley of Rephaim.(Y) 9 From the hilltop the boundary headed toward the spring of the waters of Nephtoah,(Z) came out at the towns of Mount Ephron and went down toward Baalah(AA) (that is, Kiriath Jearim).(AB) 10 Then it curved westward from Baalah(AC) to Mount Seir,(AD) ran along the northern slope of Mount Jearim (that is, Kesalon), continued down to Beth Shemesh(AE) and crossed to Timnah.(AF) 11 It went to the northern slope of Ekron,(AG) turned toward Shikkeron, passed along to Mount Baalah(AH) and reached Jabneel.(AI) The boundary ended at the sea.
12 The western boundary is the coastline of the Mediterranean Sea.(AJ)
These are the boundaries around the people of Judah by their clans.
13 In accordance with the Lord’s command to him, Joshua gave to Caleb(AK) son of Jephunneh a portion in Judah—Kiriath Arba(AL), that is, Hebron.(AM) (Arba was the forefather of Anak.)(AN) 14 From Hebron Caleb drove out the three Anakites(AO)—Sheshai, Ahiman and Talmai,(AP) the sons of Anak.(AQ) 15 From there he marched against the people living in Debir (formerly called Kiriath Sepher). 16 And Caleb said, “I will give my daughter Aksah(AR) in marriage to the man who attacks and captures Kiriath Sepher.” 17 Othniel(AS) son of Kenaz, Caleb’s brother, took it; so Caleb gave his daughter Aksah to him in marriage.
18 One day when she came to Othniel, she urged him[b] to ask her father for a field. When she got off her donkey, Caleb asked her, “What can I do for you?”
19 She replied, “Do me a special favor. Since you have given me land in the Negev,(AT) give me also springs of water.” So Caleb gave her the upper and lower springs.(AU)
20 This is the inheritance of the tribe of Judah, according to its clans:
21 The southernmost towns of the tribe of Judah in the Negev(AV) toward the boundary of Edom were:
Kabzeel,(AW) Eder,(AX) Jagur, 22 Kinah, Dimonah, Adadah, 23 Kedesh,(AY) Hazor,(AZ) Ithnan, 24 Ziph,(BA) Telem, Bealoth, 25 Hazor Hadattah, Kerioth Hezron (that is, Hazor),(BB) 26 Amam, Shema, Moladah,(BC) 27 Hazar Gaddah, Heshmon, Beth Pelet, 28 Hazar Shual,(BD) Beersheba,(BE) Biziothiah, 29 Baalah,(BF) Iyim, Ezem,(BG) 30 Eltolad,(BH) Kesil, Hormah,(BI) 31 Ziklag,(BJ) Madmannah,(BK) Sansannah, 32 Lebaoth, Shilhim, Ain(BL) and Rimmon(BM)—a total of twenty-nine towns and their villages.
33 In the western foothills:
Eshtaol,(BN) Zorah,(BO) Ashnah,(BP) 34 Zanoah,(BQ) En Gannim,(BR) Tappuah,(BS) Enam, 35 Jarmuth,(BT) Adullam,(BU) Sokoh,(BV) Azekah,(BW) 36 Shaaraim,(BX) Adithaim and Gederah(BY) (or Gederothaim)[c]—fourteen towns and their villages.
37 Zenan, Hadashah, Migdal Gad, 38 Dilean, Mizpah,(BZ) Joktheel,(CA) 39 Lachish,(CB) Bozkath,(CC) Eglon,(CD) 40 Kabbon, Lahmas, Kitlish, 41 Gederoth,(CE) Beth Dagon,(CF) Naamah and Makkedah(CG)—sixteen towns and their villages.
42 Libnah,(CH) Ether, Ashan,(CI) 43 Iphtah, Ashnah,(CJ) Nezib, 44 Keilah,(CK) Akzib(CL) and Mareshah(CM)—nine towns and their villages.
45 Ekron,(CN) with its surrounding settlements and villages; 46 west of Ekron, all that were in the vicinity of Ashdod,(CO) together with their villages; 47 Ashdod,(CP) its surrounding settlements and villages; and Gaza, its settlements and villages, as far as the Wadi of Egypt(CQ) and the coastline of the Mediterranean Sea.(CR)
48 In the hill country:
Shamir,(CS) Jattir,(CT) Sokoh,(CU) 49 Dannah, Kiriath Sannah (that is, Debir(CV)), 50 Anab,(CW) Eshtemoh,(CX) Anim, 51 Goshen,(CY) Holon(CZ) and Giloh(DA)—eleven towns and their villages.
52 Arab, Dumah,(DB) Eshan, 53 Janim, Beth Tappuah, Aphekah, 54 Humtah, Kiriath Arba(DC) (that is, Hebron) and Zior—nine towns and their villages.
55 Maon,(DD) Carmel,(DE) Ziph,(DF) Juttah,(DG) 56 Jezreel,(DH) Jokdeam, Zanoah,(DI) 57 Kain, Gibeah(DJ) and Timnah(DK)—ten towns and their villages.
58 Halhul, Beth Zur,(DL) Gedor,(DM) 59 Maarath, Beth Anoth and Eltekon—six towns and their villages.[d]
60 Kiriath Baal(DN) (that is, Kiriath Jearim(DO)) and Rabbah(DP)—two towns and their villages.
61 In the wilderness:(DQ)
Beth Arabah,(DR) Middin, Sekakah, 62 Nibshan, the City of Salt and En Gedi(DS)—six towns and their villages.
63 Judah could not(DT) dislodge the Jebusites(DU), who were living in Jerusalem;(DV) to this day the Jebusites live there with the people of Judah.(DW)
Footnotes
- Joshua 15:4 Septuagint; Hebrew your
- Joshua 15:18 Hebrew and some Septuagint manuscripts; other Septuagint manuscripts (see also note at Judges 1:14) Othniel, he urged her
- Joshua 15:36 Or Gederah and Gederothaim
- Joshua 15:59 The Septuagint adds another district of eleven towns, including Tekoa and Ephrathah (Bethlehem).
Easy-to-Read Version (ERV)
Copyright © 2006 by Bible League International
New International Version (NIV) 
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