1 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.
2 And their south border was from the shore of the salt sea, from the bay that looketh southward:
3 And 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:
4 From 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.
5 And 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:
6 And 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:
7 And 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:
8 And 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:
9 And 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:
10 And 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:
11 And 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.
12 And 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.
13 And 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.
14 And Caleb drove thence the three sons of Anak, Sheshai, and Ahiman, and Talmai, the children of Anak.
15 And he went up thence to the inhabitants of Debir: and the name of Debir before was Kirjathsepher.
16 And Caleb said, He that smiteth Kirjathsepher, and taketh it, to him will I give Achsah my daughter to wife.
17 And Othniel the son of Kenaz, the brother of Caleb, took it: and he gave him Achsah his daughter to wife.
18 And 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?
19 Who 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.
20 This is the inheritance of the tribe of the children of Judah according to their families.
21 And the uttermost cities of the tribe of the children of Judah toward the coast of Edom southward were 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, and Hezron, which is Hazor,
26 Amam, and Shema, and Moladah,
27 And Hazargaddah, and Heshmon, and Bethpalet,
28 And Hazarshual, and Beersheba, 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, with their villages:
33 And in the valley, Eshtaol, and Zoreah, and Ashnah,
34 And Zanoah, and Engannim, Tappuah, and Enam,
35 Jarmuth, and Adullam, Socoh, and Azekah,
36 And Sharaim, and Adithaim, and Gederah, and Gederothaim; fourteen cities with their villages:
37 Zenan, and Hadashah, and Migdalgad,
38 And Dilean, and Mizpeh, and Joktheel,
39 Lachish, and Bozkath, and Eglon,
40 And Cabbon, and Lahmam, and Kithlish,
41 And Gederoth, Bethdagon, and Naamah, and Makkedah; sixteen cities with their villages:
42 Libnah, and Ether, and Ashan,
43 And Jiphtah, and Ashnah, and Nezib,
44 And Keilah, and Achzib, and Mareshah; nine cities with their villages:
45 Ekron, with her towns and her villages:
46 From Ekron even unto the sea, all that lay near Ashdod, with their villages:
47 Ashdod 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:
48 And in the mountains, Shamir, and Jattir, and Socoh,
49 And Dannah, and Kirjathsannah, which is Debir,
50 And Anab, and Eshtemoh, and Anim,
51 And Goshen, and Holon, and Giloh; eleven cities with their villages:
52 Arab, and Dumah, and Eshean,
53 And Janum, and Bethtappuah, and Aphekah,
54 And Humtah, and Kirjatharba, which is Hebron, and Zior; nine cities with their villages:
55 Maon, Carmel, and Ziph, and Juttah,
56 And Jezreel, and Jokdeam, and Zanoah,
57 Cain, Gibeah, and Timnah; ten cities with their villages:
58 Halhul, Bethzur, and Gedor,
59 And Maarath, and Bethanoth, and Eltekon; six cities with their villages:
60 Kirjathbaal, which is Kirjathjearim, and Rabbah; two cities with their villages:
61 In the wilderness, Betharabah, Middin, and Secacah,
62 And Nibshan, and the city of Salt, and Engedi; six cities with their villages.
63 As 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.
The Book of Joshua is the sixth book of the Old Testament in the KJV Holy Bible. It is a historical narrative that tells the story of the Israelites' conquest of the Promised Land, Canaan, under the leadership of Joshua. Chapter 15 of the book is a detailed account of the land allocation for the tribe of Judah. It describes the boundaries and cities that were given to the tribe, as well as the cities that were allotted to Caleb, one of the spies who had brought a good report of the land. The chapter also mentions the cities of refuge and their purpose. The main themes of this chapter include the fulfillment of God's promise, the importance of obedience, and the significance of inheritance. In this essay, we will delve deeper into the summary and meaning of Chapter 15 of the Book of Joshua.
The chapter begins by listing the boundaries of the tribe of Judah, which was the largest tribe among the twelve tribes of Israel. The southern border of Judah extended from the southern tip of the Dead Sea to the Mediterranean Sea. The eastern border was the Dead Sea, while the western border was the Mediterranean Sea. The northern border was the southern border of the tribe of Benjamin. The tribe of Judah was allotted a significant portion of the land, including the cities of Hebron, Debir, and Gaza. This land was promised to the Israelites by God, and the fulfillment of this promise is evident in the precise boundaries and cities that were allotted to the tribe.
This section of the chapter highlights the faithfulness and sovereignty of God. He had promised the land of Canaan to Abraham and his descendants, and He fulfilled this promise by giving specific boundaries and cities to each tribe. It also emphasizes the importance of obedience to God's commands. The Israelites had to follow God's instructions to conquer the land, and as a result, they were rewarded with their inheritance.
After describing the boundaries of Judah, the chapter goes on to list the cities that were allotted to the tribe. The cities were divided into three categories: the cities of the Negev, the cities of the Shephelah, and the cities of the mountains. The cities of the Negev were located in the southern part of Judah and were mainly used for grazing animals. The cities of the Shephelah were situated in the lowlands and were used for farming. The cities of the mountains were located in the hilly regions and were used for agriculture and defense.
The list of cities may seem mundane and unimportant, but it holds great significance in the overall narrative of the Bible. These cities were not just physical locations but represented the fulfillment of God's promise and the inheritance of the Israelites. It also serves as a reminder of the importance of land in the Bible. The land of Canaan was not just a piece of land; it was the Promised Land, a symbol of God's faithfulness and provision for His people.
In the middle of the list of cities allotted to the tribe of Judah, there is a section dedicated to the cities that were given to Caleb, the son of Jephunneh. Caleb was one of the twelve spies sent by Moses to scout the land of Canaan. He, along with Joshua, brought back a good report of the land, but the Israelites refused to enter the land due to their fear of the giants living there. As a result, God punished them by making them wander in the wilderness for forty years.
However, Caleb remained faithful to God, and when the time came to divide the land, he reminded Joshua of God's promise to give him the land where his feet had walked. Joshua blessed Caleb and gave him Hebron as his inheritance. Hebron was a significant city as it was the burial place of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. Caleb also received the village of Debir, which he had captured with the help of his daughter, Achsah. This section of the chapter highlights the importance of faithfulness and perseverance. Caleb's trust in God's promise and his obedience to God's commands were rewarded with his own inheritance.
The last part of the chapter talks about the cities of refuge that were allotted to the Levites. These cities were designated as places of refuge for people who had accidentally killed someone. The person could flee to one of these cities and be protected from the avenger of blood until they were given a fair trial. The cities of refuge were a demonstration of God's mercy and justice. They provided a safe haven for those who had unintentionally committed a crime and needed protection from retaliation.
These cities also serve as a foreshadowing of Jesus Christ, who would become our ultimate refuge and protection from the consequences of our sins. The cities of refuge were a physical representation of God's grace and mercy, just as Jesus is the embodiment of God's love and forgiveness.
Chapter 15 of the Book of Joshua may seem like a simple list of boundaries and cities, but it holds a deeper meaning and significance in the overall narrative of the Bible. It is a testament to God's faithfulness and sovereignty. He fulfilled His promise to the Israelites by giving them the land of Canaan, and He did so with precision and detail. The chapter also emphasizes the importance of obedience to God's commands. The Israelites had to follow His instructions to conquer the land and receive their inheritance.
Furthermore, the chapter highlights the importance of inheritance. The land of Canaan was not just a physical possession; it represented the fulfillment of God's promise and the provision for His people. It also serves as a reminder of the importance of land in the Bible. The land was not just a piece of property; it had spiritual significance and was a symbol of God's faithfulness.
The cities of Caleb in the midst of the list of cities allotted to the tribe of Judah demonstrate the importance of faithfulness and perseverance. Caleb's trust in God's promise and his obedience were rewarded with his own inheritance. This serves as an encouragement for us to remain faithful to God, even in the face of challenges and obstacles.
Lastly, the cities of refuge represent God's mercy and justice. They provide a safe haven for those who have unintentionally committed a crime and need protection. This foreshadows Jesus Christ, who became our ultimate refuge and protection from the consequences of our sins. The cities of refuge also serve as a reminder of God's grace and forgiveness, which is available to us through Jesus Christ.
Chapter 15 of the Book of Joshua may seem like a simple list of boundaries and cities, but it holds great significance in the overall narrative of the Bible. It serves as a reminder of God's faithfulness, the importance of obedience, and the significance of inheritance. It also highlights the importance of land in the Bible and foreshadows Jesus Christ as our ultimate refuge and protector. This chapter reminds us of God's sovereignty and love for His people, and it serves as an encouragement for us to remain faithful to Him in all circumstances.
Share this page