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Joshua Chapter Fifteen                            

 

Joshua 15 Outlines

The Land of Judah (v.1~12)

Caleb Occupies Hebron and Debir (v.13~19)

The Cities of Judah (v.20~63)

New King James Version (NKJV)

 

INTRODUCTION TO JOSHUA 15

In this chapter are related the boundaries of the lot of the tribe of Judah Joshua 15:1; and the assignment of Hebron to Caleb from whence he drove out the giants and of Debir which was taken by Othniel his brother to whom on that account he gave his daughter in marriage who made a further request to her father which was granted Joshua 15:13; and then follows an account of the several cities by name which fell to the tribe of Judah Joshua 15:20.

 

Joshua 15:1  So this was the lot of the tribe of the children of Judah according to their families: The border of Edom at the Wilderness of Zin southward was the extreme southern boundary.

   YLT  1And the lot for the tribe of the sons of Judah for their families is unto the border of Edom; the wilderness of Zin southward at the extremity of the south;

This then was the lot of the tribe of the children of Judah by their families .... The land of Canaan was divided by lot to the several tribes and the tribe of Judah had its lot first; of the manner of casting lots; see Gill on Numbers 26:55; It seems as if the lot was first cast for the tribes of Judah and Joseph when the former had the southern and the latter the northern part of the land for their portion which was done in Gilgal; after this lots were cast in Shiloh for the other seven tribes who had the land divided among them which lay between Judah and Joseph or between the southern and northern parts of the land see Joshua 18:1 &c. and it seems that not only the land was divided to the tribes by lot but that the portion of land which belonged to each tribe was divided in the same way to the several families and households belonging thereunto; as is here suggested with respect to the tribe of Judah whose lot reached

even to the border of Edom; or Idumea which lay to the south of the land of Canaan:

the wilderness of Zin southward was the uttermost part of the south coast; the same with Kadesh and lay upon the borders of Edom; see Numbers 33:36.

 

Joshua 15:2  2 And their southern border began at the shore of the Salt Sea from the bay that faces southward.

   YLT  2and to them the south border is at the extremity of the salt sea from the bay which is looking southward;

And their south border was from the shore of the salt sea .... Sometimes called the dead sea the sea of Sodom and the lake Asphaltites which as Jarchi observes was southeast of the land of Israel:

from the bay that looketh southward; or the "tongue" as the Hebrew which the Targum and Kimchi interpret of a rock or promontory the point that ran out into the sea looking to the southeast.

 

Joshua 15:3  3 Then it went out to the southern side of the Ascent of Akrabbim passed along to Zin ascended on the south side of Kadesh Barnea passed along to Hezron went up to Adar and went around to Karkaa.

   YLT  3and it hath gone out unto the south to Maaleh-Akrabbim and passed over to Zin and gone up on the south to Kadesh-Barnea and passed over [to] Hezron and gone up to Adar and turned round to Karkaa

And it went out to the south side of Maalehacrabbim .... Or the ascent of Akrabbim as it is called; see Gill on Numbers 34:4

and passed along to Zin and ascended upon the south side unto Kadeshbarnea; which perfectly agrees with the southern border of the land as described in Numbers 34:4

and passed along to Hezron and went up to Adar; which two places being near to one another as is very likely are put together as if one place and called Hazaraddar Numbers 34:4; and mention is made of Hezron which is Hazor Joshua 15:25; but not of Adar:

and fetched a compass to Karkaa; which JeromF23De loc. Heb. fol. 88. E. 90. C. calls Acchara a village in the wilderness; and if the same with Carcaria it was according to him a day's journey from Petra in Idumea; but that is not likely; see Judges 8:10.

 

Joshua 15:4  4 From there it passed toward Azmon and went out to the Brook of Egypt; and the border ended at the sea. This shall be your southern border.

   YLT  4and passed over [to] Azmon and gone out [at] the brook of Egypt and the outgoings of the border have been at the sea; this is to you the south border.

From thence it passed towards Azmon and went out unto the river of Egypt .... In like manner is this coast described Numbers 34:5; it is called by JeromF24De loc. Heb. fol. 87. K. Asemona and said to be a city in the desert to the south of Judah dividing Egypt and the lot of the tribe of Judah leading to the sea:

and the outgoings of that coast were at the sea; the Mediterranean sea; or to the west as the Targum; this was the utmost border of the tribe of Judah this way:

this shall be your south coast; of the lot that fell to the tribe of Judah.

 

Joshua 15:5  5 The east border was the Salt Sea as far as the mouth of the Jordan. And the border on the northern quarter began at the bay of the sea at the mouth of the Jordan.

   YLT  5And the east border [is] the salt sea unto the extremity of the Jordan and the border at the north quarter [is] from the bay of the sea at the extremity of the Jordan;

And the east border was the salt sea even unto the end of Jordan .... To the place where Jordan fell into it; so that this border was the whole length of the salt sea which Josephus saysF25De Bello Jud. l. 4. c. 8. sect. 4. was five hundred eighty furlongs; and according to PlinyF26Nat. Hist. l. 5. c. 16. an hundred miles:

and their border in the north quarter was from the bay of the sea

at the uttermost part of Jordan; this northern border began where the eastern ended at the bay or creek of the sea where Jordan fell into it.

 

Joshua 15:6  6 The border went up to Beth Hoglah and passed north of Beth Arabah; and the border went up to the stone of Bohan the son of Reuben.

   YLT  6and the border hath gone up [to] Beth-Hoglah and passed over on the north of Beth-Arabah and the border hath gone up [to] the stone of Bohan son of Reuben:

And the border went up to Bethhoglah .... A place in the tribe of Benjamin mentioned along with Jericho and probably near it Joshua 18:21; JeromF1De loc. Heb. fol. 87. G. speaks of a place called Betagla in his time which was three miles from Jericho and two from Jordan and perhaps is this same place:

and passed along by the north of Betharabah; another city belonged to Benjamin Joshua 18:22; and lay in a as its name shows; or in a plain as the Targum:

and the border went up to the stone of Bohan the son of Reuben; by whom or on whose account it was placed either as a sepulchral stone he being buried there or in memory of some famous exploit done by him there he being one of those of the tribe of Reuben that came with Joshua to assist in the war against the Canaanites; or it was set for a sign of the border as Kimchi thinks it being the boundary between Judah and Benjamin Joshua 18:17. Bunting saysF2Travels &c. p. 144. it is near Bahurim in the valley just in the king's way and is of an extraordinary greatness shining like marble.

 

Joshua 15:7  7 Then the border went up toward Debir from the Valley of Achor and it turned northward toward Gilgal which is before the Ascent of Adummim which is on the south side of the valley. The border continued toward the waters of En Shemesh and ended at En Rogel.

   YLT  7and the border hath gone up towards Debir from the valley of Achor and northward looking unto Gilgal which [is] over-against the ascent of Adummim which [is] on the south of the brook and the border hath passed over unto the waters of En-Shemesh and its outgoings have been unto En-Rogel;

And the border went up towards Debir .... This was neither the Debir in the tribe of Gad on the other side Jordan Joshua 13:26; nor that in the tribe of Judah near Hebron Joshua 15:15; but a third city of that name and was not far from Jericho:

from the valley of Achor; where Achan was put to death and had its name from thence; which according to Jarchi lay between the stone of Bohan and Debir:

and so northward looking towards Gilgal; not the place where Israel were encamped when this lot was made but it seems to be the same that is called Geliloth Joshua 18:17

that is the going up to Adummim; which Jerom saysF3De loc. Heb. fol. 88. E. F. was formerly a little village now in ruins in the lot of the tribe of Judah which place is called to this day Maledomim; and by the Greeks "the ascent of the red ones" because of the blood which was there frequently shed by thieves: it lies on the borders of Judah and Benjamin as you go from Jerusalem to Jericho where there is a garrison of soldiers for the help of travellers and is supposed to be the place where the man fell among thieves in his way from the one to the other Luke 10:30. It was four miles distant from Jericho to the west according to AdrichomiusF4Theatrum Terrae Sanct. p. 14. and was a mountain and part of the mountains of Engaddi:

which is on the south side of the river; which some take to be the brook Kidron; but that is not very likely being too near Jerusalem for this place: it may be rendered "the valley" so Jarchi either the valley of Achor before mentioned or however a valley that ran along by the mount or ascent of Adummim which lay to the south of it:

and the border passed to the waters of Enshemesh: or the "fountain of the sun"; but of it we have no account what and where it was. It might be so called because dedicated to the sun by the idolatrous Canaanites or because of the sun's influence on the waters of it. Our city Bath is by AntoninusF5Vid. Cambden's Britannia p. 141. called "aquae solis" the waters of the sun; though there is a fountain in Cyrene so called for a reason just the reverse it being as MelaF6De Situ Orbis l. 1. c. 8. and PlinyF7Nat. Hist. l. 2. c. 103. affirm hottest the middle of the night and then grows cooler by little and little; and when it is light is cold and when the sun is risen is colder still and at noon exceeding cold; and according to VossiusF8Observat. in Pompon. Mel. ut supra. (De Situ Orbis l. 1. c. 8.) it is the same with the fountain of Jupiter Ammon; and so it appears to be from HerodotusF9Melpomene sive l. 4. c. 181. by whom it is also called the "fountain of the sun" and which he places in Thebes though Pliny distinguishes them:

and the goings out thereof were at Enrogel; which signifies "the fountain of the fuller"; so the Targum renders it and probably was a fountain where fullers cleansed their clothes; and was called Rogel as Jarchi and Kimchi say because they used to tread them with their feet when they washed them. This was a place near Jerusalem as appears from 1 Kings 1:9; near to which perhaps was the fuller's monument at the corner tower of Jerusalem JosephusF11De Bello Jud. l. 5. c. 4. sect. 2. speaks of as there was also a place not far from it called the fuller's field Isaiah 7:3; according to BuntingF12Travels p. 148. it had its name from travellers washing their feet here.

 

Joshua 15:8  8 And the border went up by the Valley of the Son of Hinnom to the southern slope of the Jebusite city (which is Jerusalem). The border went up to the top of the mountain that lies before the Valley of Hinnom westward which is at the end of the Valley of Rephaim[a] northward.

   YLT  8and the border hath gone up the valley of the son of Hinnom unto the side of the Jebusite on the south (it [is] Jerusalem) and the border hath gone up unto the top of the hill-country which [is] on the front of the valley of Hinnom westward which [is] in the extremity of the valley of the Rephaim northward;

And the border went up by the valley of the son of Hinnom .... Which belonged to a man of that name formerly; and was near Jerusalem placed by JeromF12De loc. Heb. fol. 91. B. to the east of it; but RelandF13Palest. lllustrat. tom. 1. p. 253. rather thinks it is to the south. It was infamous for the sacrifices of children to Moloch in it by burning them or causing them to pass through fire: hence in allusion to it hell fire is often in the New Testament called "Geenna" Matthew 5:22 Luke 12:5; this border from the salt sea and from Jordan is all along said to "go up" because from hence to Jerusalem was an ascent that lying on higher ground:

unto the south side of the Jebusite; of the place the Jebusite inhabited:

the same is Jerusalem; which was formerly called Jebus from the inhabitants of it; yea Jebusi as here and so may intend not the inhabitants but the place see Joshua 18:28; and here the Jebusites lived at least in some part of it until the time of David 2 Samuel 5:6

and the border went up to the top of the mountain that lieth before the valley of Hinnom westward: which is generally supposed to be the mount Moriah:

which is at the end of the valley of the giants northward: the valley of Rephaim as it is called 2 Samuel 5:18 and here Mount Moriah as it was to the west of the valley of Hinnom it was to the north of the valley of Rephaim; which valley as JosephusF14Antiqu. l. 7. c. 4. sect. 1. & 12. 4. says was not far from Jerusalem twenty furlongs from it. Some late travellersF15Egmont and Heyman's Travels vol. 1. p. 370. tell us it lies in the way from Jerusalem to Bethlehem and is not above two hours' ride from the former. From this account it appears as Jarchi remarks that Jerusalem was not within the line and was not in the border of Judah but of Benjamin which tribe lay to the north of Judah: it seems indeed to have been one part of it in the tribe of Judah and the other in the tribe of Benjamin; though the Jews frequently say it did not belong to either tribe.

 

Joshua 15:9  9 Then the border went around from the top of the hill to the fountain of the water of Nephtoah and extended to the cities of Mount Ephron. And the border went around to Baalah (which is Kirjath Jearim).

   YLT  9and the border hath been marked out from the top of the hill-country unto the fountain of the waters of Nephtoah and hath gone out unto the cities of mount Ephron and the border hath been marked out [to] Baalah (it [is] Kirjath-Jearim);

And the border was drawn from the top of the hill .... Mount Moriah and went round in a circuit so Jarchi and Kimchi:

unto the fountain of the water of Nephtoah; which lay at the bottom of it; which according to the Jewish writers is the same with the fountain of Etam from whence a stream flowed to the dipping room in the water gate of the temple where the high priest for the first time dipped himself on the day of atonementF16T. Bab. Yoma fol. 31. 1. & Gloss. in ib. & T. Bab. Zebachim fol. 54. 2. Kimchi in loc. :

and went out to the cities of Mount Ephron; JeromF17De loc. Heb. fol. 91. A. speaks of an Ephron in the tribe of Judah which was a very large village in his time and went by the name of Ephraea and was twenty miles from Aelia or Jerusalem to the north; and which Eusebius better places eight miles from it; and Jarchi observes that the line went to the north side and the border enlarged to this place; near to this mountain were cities and it is not improbable that one of them might have its name from it; but whether this or what mountain is here meant is uncertain: some have thought of Ephraim with its towns mentioned in 2 Chronicles 13:19; which seems to have been in the tribe of Ephraim; though RelandF18Palestin. Illustrat. tom. 2. p. 765. places it in the tribe of Benjamin:

and the border was drawn to Baalah which is Kirjathjearim; called Kirjathbaal or the city of Baal Joshua 15:60; where it is probable there was a temple of Baal; and when it came into the hands of the Israelites they changed its name to Kirjathjearim or the city of the woods because of the great number of trees which grew about it; for which reason it might have been pitched upon by the Heathens for their idolatrous service; it was one of the cities of the Gibeonites Joshua 9:17; and according to Eusebius and JeromF19Apud ib. tom. 1. p. 488. it was nine or ten miles from Jerusalem as you go to Lydda; it is also called Baalah in 1 Chronicles 13:6; and Baale of Judah 2 Samuel 6:2.

 

Joshua 15:10  10 Then the border turned westward from Baalah to Mount Seir passed along to the side of Mount Jearim on the north (which is Chesalon) went down to Beth Shemesh and passed on to Timnah.

   YLT  10and the border hath gone round from Baalah westward unto mount Seir and passed over unto the side of mount Jearim (it [is] Chesalon) on the north and gone down [to] Beth-Shemesh and passed over to Timnah;

And the border compassed from Baalah westward unto Mount Seir .... Not that in Idumea so famous for its being the seat of Esau which lay remote from hence but a third of that name near Kirjathjearim; and which AdrichomiusF20Theatrum Terrae Sanct. p. 24. places on the borders of Azotus and Ashkelon: this compass is fetched from the north to the west:

and passed along unto the side of the mount Jearim which is Chesalon on the north side; that is on the north side of the mount which went by both those names; and which JeromF21De loc. Heb. fol. 90. F. places on the borders of Aelia or Jerusalem; but it seems to be at a distance from thence and near to Kirjathjearim and had its name as that from the multitude of trees that grow on it:

and went down to Bethshemesh; there were several cities of this name; but this according to JeromF23Ib. fol. 89. H. was a Levite's city in the tribe of Benjamin and in his day was shown as you go from Eleutherepolis to Nicopolis or Emmaus ten miles to the east; according to BurchardF24Apud Masium in loc. it was five miles from Kirjathjearim to the south; and BuntingF25Travels p. 124. places it four miles from Jerusalem westward taking it for a city in the tribe of Judah Joshua 21:16

and passed on to Timnah; which in Jerom's time was a large village on the borders of Lydda as you go to Jerusalem in the tribe of Judah or DanF26De loc. Heb. fol. 95. C. ; his placed in the tribe of Judah Joshua 15:57; though thought to be afterwards given to Dan; here Judah sheared his sheep; see Gill on Genesis 38:12.

 

Joshua 15:11  11 And the border went out to the side of Ekron northward. Then the border went around to Shicron passed along to Mount Baalah and extended to Jabneel; and the border ended at the sea.

   YLT  11and the border hath gone out unto the side of Ekron northward and the border hath been marked out [to] Shicron and hath passed over to mount Baalah and gone out [to] Jabneel; and the outgoings of the border have been at the sea.

And the border went out unto the side of Ekron northward .... Which was one of the principalities of the Philistines; and which though it fell to the lot of Judah Joshua 15:45 was not possessed by them:

and the border was drawn to Shicron and passed along to Mount Baalah; of which places we have no account elsewhere:

and went unto Jabneel; which Masius makes no doubt was one of the Jamnias and particularly that which was a seaport; which Strabo saysF1Geograph. l. 16. p. 522. was distant from Azotus and Ashkelon about two hundred furlongs or twenty five miles:

and the goings out of the border were at the sea; the Mediterranean sea; here the northern border ended.

 

Joshua 15:12  12 The west border was the coastline of the Great Sea. This is the boundary of the children of Judah all around according to their families.

   YLT  12And the west border [is] to the great sea and [its] border; this [is] the border of the sons of Judah round about for their families.

And the west border was to the great sea and the coast thereof .... The western border of the tribe of Judah went along by the Mediterranean sea which lay west to the land of Canaan; and this border reached from Jabneel to the river of Egypt where the southern border ended Joshua 15:4

this is the coast of the children of Judah round about according to their families; but being too large some part of it was afterwards given to Simeon and some particular cities of it were given to Dan and Benjamin: it was bounded on the west by the tribes of Simeon and Dan towards the Mediterranean sea and by the tribe of Benjamin on the north and by the wilderness of Paran on the south and by the dead sea and Jordan on the east.

 

Joshua 15:13  13 Now to Caleb the son of Jephunneh he gave a share among the children of Judah according to the commandment of the Lord to Joshua namely Kirjath Arba which is Hebron (Arba was the father of Anak).

   YLT  13And to Caleb son of Jephunneh hath he given a portion in the midst of the sons of Judah according to the command of Jehovah to Joshua [even] the city of Arba father of Anak -- it [is] Hebron.

And unto Caleb the son of Jephunneh he gave a part among the children of Judah .... That is Joshua gave it to him. This account is inserted before the cities in the lot of the tribe of Judah were enumerated to show what was to be excepted from them and which had been given to Caleb previous to the lot:

according to the commandment of the Lord to Joshua; for as he had declared this to Moses Deuteronomy 1:36; so it seems he also gave the same order to Joshua who it is not improbable might consult the Lord about it when Caleb made his request Joshua 14:12

even the city of Arba the father of Anak which city is Hebron; See Gill on Joshua 14:15.

 

Joshua 15:14  14 Caleb drove out the three sons of Anak from there: Sheshai Ahiman and Talmai the children of Anak.

   YLT  14And Caleb is dispossessing thence the three sons of Anak Sheshai and Ahiman and Talmai children of Anak

And Caleb drove thence the three sons of Anak .... Some think this was after the death of Joshua and is here inserted by some other person divinely inspired and thoroughly acquainted with this fact that the gift and the possession of this place might appear in one view; but it rather seems to be done before:

Sheshai and Ahiman and Talmai the children of Anak; the very same giants Caleb saw at Hebron when he was sent a spy into the land Numbers 13:22; for these may as well be supposed to have lived to this time as himself unless it can be thought that they were the sons of those men called by their fathers' names; and though they were driven out when Joshua took Hebron yet while he was engaged in making other conquests or however before he died they regained the possession of that city and of the parts adjacent to it from whence Caleb with the help of his tribe expelled them conquered and slew them Judges 1:10.

 

Joshua 15:15  15 Then he went up from there to the inhabitants of Debir (formerly the name of Debir was Kirjath Sepher).

   YLT  15and he goeth up thence unto the inhabitants of Debir; and the name of Debir formerly is Kirjath-Sepher.

And he went up from thence to the inhabitants of Debir .... Having conquered Hebron and got possession of that Caleb marched to Debir a city not many miles from Hebron and seems to have been in the country and part of the land which was given him; of which See Gill on Joshua 10:38

and the name of Debir before was Kirjathsepher; or "the city of books"; either a place of literature a sort of an academy or where was a public library; the Targum calls it Kirjatharche or the city of the archives in which were laid up the public records of the Canaanites; the same is called Kirjathsannah for the like reason; see Gill on Joshua 15:49.

 

Joshua 15:16  16 And Caleb said “He who attacks Kirjath Sepher and takes it to him I will give Achsah my daughter as wife.”

   YLT  16And Caleb saith `He who smiteth Kirjath-Sephar and hath captured it -- I have given to him Achsah my daughter for a wife.'

And Caleb said he that smiteth Kirjathsepher and taketh it .... Which he ordered to be proclaimed through the army that was under his command; and which was done not so much on the account of the difficulty of taking the place through the number of the inhabitants of it and its fortifications which it seems had fallen again into the hands of the Canaanites since it was taken by Joshua; nor through inactivity diffidence and timorousness in himself; but that others who were officers and men of valour under him might gather some laurels as well as himself; and chiefly being under a divine impulse he ordered this declaration to be made whereby his brother Othniel who was to be a judge in Israel might appear a great man and fit for such an office; and as an encouragement he promises as follows:

to him will I give Achsah my daughter to wife; and to be married into the family of the chief prince of the tribe of Judah was a very great honour as well as no doubt a very large dowry might be expected and was given with her and very probably the city of Debir was promised that should be taken. This Achsah seems to be a daughter of Caleb by a concubine 1 Chronicles 2:48.

 

Joshua 15:17  17 So Othniel the son of Kenaz the brother of Caleb took it; and he gave him Achsah his daughter as wife.

   YLT  17And Othniel son of Kenaz brother of Caleb doth capture it and he giveth to him Achsah his daughter for a wife.

And Othniel the son of Kenaz the brother of Caleb took it .... The relation of Othniel to Caleb is a little intricate and as it is understood occasions objections to the marriage of Caleb's daughter to him; it seems at first sight that he was Caleb's own brother a younger brother and so uncle to his daughter and such marriages were forbidden Leviticus 18:14. Jarchi thinks he was the brother of Caleb by his mother's side; Kimchi both by father and mother's side; but not to observe that besides the word "brother" sometimes signifies only a kinsman or near relation and not precisely a brother; it is not Othniel that is called the brother of Caleb but Kenaz who was the father of Othniel; so that Caleb was Othniel's uncle and Achsah and Othniel were brothers' children or first cousins between whom marriage was allowed of:

and he gave him Achsah his daughter to wife; according to the tenor of his proclamation and the promise he made.

 

Joshua 15:18  18 Now it was so when she came to him that she persuaded him to ask her father for a field. So she dismounted from her donkey and Caleb said to her “What do you wish?”

   YLT  18And it cometh to pass in her coming in that she persuadeth him to ask from her father a field and she lighteth from off the ass and Caleb saith to her `What -- to thee?'

And it came to pass as she came unto him .... To her husband being conducted from her father's house to his in order to consummate the marriage just as we may suppose when she was got to her husband's house before she lighted off the beast on which she rode:

that she moved him to ask of her father a field; or persuaded him to make such a request to him or that he would give her leave to make it; that is Achsah put Othniel her espoused husband upon it to entreat her father Caleb or suffer her to use her interest with him to obtain a field of him over and above and something better than what he had already given:

and she lighted off her ass; she leaped or threw herself from it; or bowing herself she fell off on her feet as Jarchi interprets it and in an humble manner made her obeisance to her father; though De Dieu from the use of the word in the Ethiopic language gives a different sense as if she continued on her ass and did not alight waiting the success of her husband's request; or that her father taking notice of this might ask the reason of it which would give her an opportunity of asking the favour of him which she judged was a proper time of doing it; and there are some versions which seem to countenance this sense the Septuagint version is "she cried from off the ass;'and the Vulgate Latin version "she sighed as she sat upon the ass:"

and Caleb said unto her what wouldest thou? what wouldest thou have? what is thy request for he perceived by the posture she put herself in that she had something to say to him.

 

Joshua 15:19  19 She answered “Give me a blessing; since you have given me land in the South give me also springs of water.” So he gave her the upper springs and the lower springs.

   YLT  19And she saith `Give to me a blessing; when the land of the south thou hast given me then thou hast given to me springs of waters;' and he giveth to her the upper springs and the lower springs.

Who answered give me a blessing .... By which she meant not a paternal benediction or that he would wish and pray for a blessing on her; nor food or a maintenance as Jarchi that her husband would provide for her; but rather an inheritance or possession as the Targum; or a gift as Abendana a present or something over and above what he had already given her; or an addition to her portion as Kimchi: the word is sometimes used for a fish pool as well as a blessing and so glances at what she had in view pools of water or a well watered land:

for thou hast given me a south land; a dry land as the Jewish writersF1So Jarchi and Kimchi in loc. R. Sol. Urbin. Ohel Moed fol. 34. 1. generally interpret this word otherwise all the land belonging to the tribe of Judah was south land and Caleb could give her no other; but Debir as Hebron was was in the hill country was mountainous and so dry and wanted watering:

give me also springs of water; she means land in which there were springs of water; for unless she was possessed of the land in which they were she would have no command of the springs and so have little or no use of them:

and he gave her the upper springs and the nether springs; such as were in the higher grounds and such as were in the lower ones that she might have a sufficiency to water all her lands and fields; or as she moved her husband to ask a field and he put her on doing the same Caleb gave her a field in the upper part of which were springs and also in the lower part; though he seems to have given more than she requested.

 

Joshua 15:20  20 This was the inheritance of the tribe of the children of Judah according to their families:

   YLT  20This [is] the inheritance of the tribe of the sons of Judah for their families.

This is the inheritance of the tribe of the children of Judah according to their families. The general description of which is given in the preceding part of the chapter as the particular cities belonging to it are enumerated in the following part; the account of the gift of Hebron to Caleb and the taking of Debir by Othniel with the request of Achsah and the grant of it are inserted between them and stand as it were in a parenthesis.

 

Joshua 15:21  21 The cities at the limits of the tribe of the children of Judah toward the border of Edom in the South were Kabzeel Eder Jagur

   YLT  21And the cities at the extremity of the tribe of the sons of Judah are unto the border of Edom in the south Kabzeel and Eder and Jagur

And the uttermost cities of the tribe of the children of Judah .... That is those cities which were the outward part of the tribe of Judah the southern border of it; for the midland cities are not in this part of the description reckoned which reaches from hence to the end of Joshua 15:32

toward the coast of Edom southward: it begins about the dead sea and goes on in that part of the land of Canaan which bordered on Idumea and so proceeds on westward towards Gaza and the Mediterranean sea: the cities in this part of the tribe

were Kabzeel called Jekabzeel Nehemiah 11:25; and was the native place of Benaiah one of David's mighty men 2 Samuel 23:20

and Eder and Jagur; of which we have no mention elsewhere.

 

Joshua 15:22  22 Kinah Dimonah Adadah

   YLT  22and Kinah and Dimonah and Adadah

And Kinah .... Of this city we read of nowhere else:

and Dimonah; the second city is thought to be the same with Dibon Nehemiah 11:25; and JeromF2Comment. in Esaiam c. 15. 9. observes that a place elsewhere was indifferently called in his time Dibon and Dimon;

and Adadah; the last of these cities is nowhere met with.

 

Joshua 15:23  23 Kedesh Hazor Ithnan

   YLT  23and Kedesh and Hazor and Ithnan

And Kedesh .... The first of these cities seems to be Kadeshbarnea which was to the south of the land and on the borders of Edom from whence the spies were sent Numbers 32:8

and Hazor is another city from that which is mentioned Joshua 11:1; and was in the tribe of Naphtali:

and Ithnan which JeromF3De loc. Heb. fol. 92. H. calls Jedna was according to him six miles from Eleutheropolis as you go to Hebron; the Greek version joins this and the former city together and makes them one.

 

Joshua 15:24  24 Ziph Telem Bealoth

   YLT  24Ziph and Telem and Bealoth

Ziph .... Ziph was of the tribe of Judah in the south on the borders of Eleutheropolis as Jerom saysF4De loc. Heb. fol. 95. G. and was eight miles from Hebron to the east; and in his time a village was shown where David was hid; but that Ziph seems to be in another part of this tribe near Carmel and from whence a wilderness had its name; see Joshua 15:55

and Telem is supposed to be the same with Telaim 1 Samuel 15:4

and Bealoth; of this city we read nowhere else.

 

Joshua 15:25  25 Hazor Hadattah Kerioth Hezron (which is Hazor)

   YLT  25and Hazor Hadattah and Kerioth Hezron (it [is] Hazor )

And Hazor Hadattah and Kerioth and Hezron which is Hazor. According to the Targum two cities only are here meant which reads "and Hazorhadattah and Keriothhezron which is Hazor"; and this reading seems to be right; there were three Hazors in this tribe one in Joshua 15:23 and two more here which are distinguished; the first is called Hazorhadattah or new Hazor; of which Jerom saysF5De. loc. Heb. fol. 88. B. there is a village at this day called Asor in the borders of Ashkelon to the east of it which fell to the lot of the tribe of Judah; the Scripture makes mention of it calling: it new Asor to distinguish it from the old; and Keriothhezron is the same with Hezron Joshua 15:3; and had also the name of Hezron. From this place Judas Iscariot is thought to have his name being Ishceriot a man of Keriot.

 

Joshua 15:26  26 Amam Shema Moladah

   YLT  26Amam and Shema and Moladah

Amam .... Of Amam we read nowhere else:

and Shema is thought by some to be the same with Sheba though wrongly given afterwards to the tribe of Simeon as was also Moladah mentioned with it Joshua 19:2

and Moladah; it is also spoken of in 1 Chronicles 4:28 and seems to be the same with Malathi or Malatis about twenty miles from HebronF6Vid. Reland. Palest. Illustrat. tom. 2. p. 885 886. .

 

Joshua 15:27  27 Hazar Gaddah Heshmon Beth Pelet

   YLT  27and Hazar-Gaddah and Heshmon and Beth-Palet

And Hazargaddah .... The first of these it is probable is the same JeromF7Ut supra (De loc. Heb.) fol. 92. B. calls Gadda in the tribe of Judah which was in his day a village in the extreme borders of Daroma to the east hanging over the dead sea:

and Heshmon is met with nowhere else:

and Bethpalet is in Nehemiah 11:26 where it is called Bethphelet.

 

Joshua 15:28  28 Hazar Shual Beersheba Bizjothjah

   YLT  28and Hazar-Shual and Beer-Sheba and Bizjothjah

And Hazarshual .... The first of these seems to have its name from an haunt of foxes here and was given to the tribe of Simeon Joshua 19:3; and is mentioned as here with Beersheba 1 Chronicles 4:28 Nehemiah 11:27

and Beersheba was a city well known in the extreme border of the land of Canaan southward; hence the phrase "from Dan to Beersheba" Judges 20:1 of which Jerom saysF8lbid. fol. 89. E. F. Bersabee in the tribe of Judah or Simeon is at this day a large village twenty miles from Hebron to the south in which there is a Roman garrison; and from hence the borders of the land of Judea begin and go on to Dan which is by Paneas:

and Bizjothjah of which mention is made elsewhere.

 

Joshua 15:29  29 Baalah Ijim Ezem

   YLT  29Baalah and Iim and Azem

Baalah .... Baalah was given to the tribe of Simeon Joshua 19:3; for Baalah is the same with Balah there as it is with Bilba 1 Chronicles 4:29; though according to the Jerusalem TalmudF9Hieros. Sanhedrin fol. 18. 3. it is the same with Baalah given to the tribe of Dan Joshua 19:44; and was one of those places whose houses were in Judah and their fields in Dan:

and Azem was also given to the tribe of Simeon Joshua 19:3; it is the same with Ezem 1 Chronicles 4:29

and Iim of which we read nowhere else.

 

Joshua 15:30  30 Eltolad Chesil Hormah

   YLT  30And Eltolad and Chesil and Hormah

And Eltolad .... The first of these cities is called Tolad 1 Chronicles 4:29

and Chesil seems to be the same with Bethul and Bethuel Joshua 19:4 1 Chronicles 4:30; and here the Greek version calls it Baithel:

and Hormah is the same with Zephath Judges 1:17. All these three cities were given to the tribe of Simeon Joshua 19:4.

 

Joshua 15:31  31 Ziklag Madmannah Sansannah

   YLT  31and Ziklag and Madmannah and Sansannah

And Ziklag .... Ziklag was also given to the tribe of Simeon Joshua 19:5 it was in the bands of the king of Gath in the times of David who gave it to him; it bordered on the Amalekites and is placed by JeromF3De loc. Heb. fol. 94. I. in Daroma on the south of the lot of Judah or Simeon.

and Madmannah according to the same writerF4Ibid. fol. 93. E. was in his time called Menois a town near the city Gaza:

and Sansannah of which no mention is made elsewhere.

 

Joshua 15:32  32 Lebaoth Shilhim Ain and Rimmon: all the cities are twenty-nine with their villages.

   YLT  32and Lebaoth and Shilhim and Ain and Rimmon; all the cities [are] twenty and nine and their villages.

And Lebaoth .... Whether Lebaoth is the same with Bethlebaoth given to the tribe of Simeon Joshua 19:6; is not certain:

and Shilhim is nowhere else spoken of:

and Ain seems to be the same with that in Numbers 34:11; also See Gill on Numbers 34:11.

and Rimmon the place JeromF5De loc. Heb. fol. 91. C. calls Eremmon which he says was a large village of the Jews sixteen miles from Eleutheropolis to the south in Daroma; this and the preceding are joined together as one and called Enrimmon Nehemiah 11:29. It is probable they were near to each other and in process of time the buildings of each might increase so as to meet and join each other:

all the cities are twenty and nine with their villages; but according to our version and as we point them they are thirty eight; some make them thirty six others thirty seven; the Jews generally make thirty eight of them as we do and account for the difference of number thus; that nine of these cities were given to the tribe of Simeon Joshua 19:1; and these being taken out of the thirty eight there remain twenty nine; so Jarchi and Kimchi account for it; but as the number of the cities is uncertain and this account is given before the separation of the nine and they are all reckoned together this does not seem to be satisfactory; rather as Abarbinel observes the twenty nine of the places enumerated were cities and the other were villages unwalled towns or not of so much note as the twenty nine.

 

Joshua 15:33  33 In the lowland: Eshtaol Zorah Ashnah

   YLT  33In the low country: Eshtaol and Zoreah and Ashnah

And in the valley .... In Joshua 15:33 are enumerated the several cities belonging to the tribe of Judah which lay in the valley. JeromF6De. loc. Heb. fol. 94. M. says that now all the plain and champaign country near Eleutheropolis which verges to the north and west is called "Sephela" or the valley:

Eshtaol; the two first of these seem to be given afterwards to the tribe of Dan Joshua 19:41; between these two places Samson was born and buried Judges 13:2; they were both at the same distance from Eleutheropolis according to Jerom; of Eshtaol he saysF7Ibid. fol. 91. C. it is showed to this day ten miles from Eleutheropolis to the north as you go to Nicopolis or Emmaus:

and Zoreah of which he calls Saara he saysF8lbid. fol. 94. I. it is a village on the borders of Eleutheropolis as you go to Nicopolis about ten miles of it in the tribe of Dan or Judah:

and Ashnah of which no mention is made elsewhere; there was another place of the same name but different from this Joshua 15:43.

 

Joshua 15:34  34 Zanoah En Gannim Tappuah Enam

   YLT  34and Zanoah and En-Gannim Tappuah and Enam

And Zanoah .... The first of these Jerom saysF9De loc. Heb. fol. 95. G. is in the borders of Eleutheropolis as you go to Aelia (or Jerusalem); there is at this day a village called Zanua:

and Engannim which signifies a fountain of gardens is now (according to the same writerF11Ibid. fol. 91. E. ) a village near Bethel:

and Tappuah was a royal city of which see Joshua 12:17. Enaim in the tribe of Judah Jerom saysF12Ibid. fol. 91. E. in his day was the village Bethenim about the turpentine tree or oak of Mamre; but that seems to be the same with Ain Joshua 15:32; of which he says the same under that word and makes it to be two miles from the oak and four from Hebron. Masius thinks it is the same with Enam near to Timnath of which See Gill on Genesis 38:14; it following Tappuah one would be tempted to think with Jarchi it was the same with Entappuah but that that was on the borders of Manasseh Joshua 17:7

and Enam; it has an ה prefixed to it and may be read "that Enam" as pointing out some known and remarkable place though now unknown.

 

Joshua 15:35  35 Jarmuth Adullam Socoh Azekah

   YLT  35Jarmuth and Adullam Socoh and Azekah

Jarmuth and Adullam .... The two first of these were royal cities of which see Joshua 10:3

Socoh; Jerom saysF13De loc. Heb. fol. 94. I. there were two little villages in his day of the name of Socho as you go to Aelia (or Jerusalem) from Eleutheropolis in the ninth mile on the public way one in the mountain and the other in the plain (the same with this ) both of which were called Socoth: of this place was Antigonus president of the sanhedrim and successor of Simeon the just called in the MisnahF14Pirke Abot c. 1. sect. 3. a man of Socho:

and Azekah; See Gill on Joshua 10:10; it appears to be near to Socoh from 1 Samuel 17:1 where the Philistines are said to pitch their camp between them.

 

Joshua 15:36  36 Sharaim Adithaim Gederah and Gederothaim: fourteen cities with their villages;

   YLT  36and Sharaim and Adithaim and Gederah and Gederothaim; fourteen cities and their villages.

And Sharaim .... Sharaim seems to be the Saara of Jerom which he describes as a village on the borders of Eleutheropolis to the north as you go to Nicopolis (or Emmaus) about ten miles from it in the tribe of Dan or JudahF15Ut supra. (De loc. Heb. fol. 88. E.) ; there was a place called Bethshaaraim where the sanhedrim sometimes satF16T. Bab. Roshhashauah fol. 31. 2. and where R. Judah was buriedF17Gloss. in T. Bab. Sanhedrin fol. 47. 1. . This seems to be the same with Shaaraim in 1 Samuel 17:52

and Adithaim; Jerom observesF18Ut supra (De loc. Heb.) fol. 88. F. under the word "Adithaim" that there is a village called Adia near Gaza and another Aditha near Diospolis (or Lydda) to the east:

and Gederah which seems to be the same Jerom calls Gaddera in the tribe of JudahF19De loc. Heb. fol. 92. B. now he says called a village belonging to the country of Aelia (or Jerusalem) by the name of Gadera about the turpentine tree.

and Gederothaim of which we nowhere else read; Kimchi thinks Gederah and Gederothaim were one city:

fourteen cities with their villages; but upon counting them it will appear there are fifteen which may be reduced to fourteen if with Kimchi we take the two last to be but one who in this way reconciles it; or with Jarchi make Tappuah and Enam to be one also called Entappuah which is the way he takes to solve the difficulty; but perhaps the case is this that one of the places in the account was not a city but a village.

 

Joshua 15:37  37 Zenan Hadashah Migdal Gad

   YLT  37Zenan and Hadashah and Migdal-Gad

Zenan .... Here begins another list or catalogue of the cities in the valley or plain. Zenan perhaps is the same with Zaanan Micah 1:11

and Hadashah was so small a city in Judea in the times of the Misnic doctors that they sayF20Misn. Eruvim c. 5. sect. 6. it had but fifty dwellings in it; and Jerom speaksF21De loc. Heb. fol. 88. F. of a place called Adasa in the tribe of Judah in his times a village near Guphua; it should be Taphna:

and Migdalgad of which we nowhere else read; some think it had its name from some famous exploit done here by one of the tribe of Gad who came over with Joshua to assist in the war as the stone of Bohan the Reubenite Joshua 15:6.

 

Joshua 15:38  38 Dilean Mizpah Joktheel

   YLT  38and Dilean and Mizpeh and Joktheel

And Dilean .... Of the first of these nothing is to be said:

and Mizpeh of which name there were cities in other tribes; this in the tribe of Judah was in the times of JeromF23De loc. Heb. fol. 93. D. called Mapha on the borders of Eleutheropolis to the south as you go to Aelia or Jerusalem:

and Joktheel of which nothing is to be said.

 

Joshua 15:39  39 Lachish Bozkath Eglon

   YLT  39Lachish and Bozkath and Eglon

Lachish .... Lachish and Eglon were royal cities of which see Joshua 10:3

and Bozkath is called Boscath of which place was the mother of King Josiah 2 Kings 21:1; some take it to be the same with Bascana as in the Apocrypha:"And when he came near to Bascama he slew Jonathan who was buried there.' (1 Maccabees 13:23)

and Eglon also was a royal city of which see Joshua 10:3.

 

Joshua 15:40  40 Cabbon Lahmas [b] Kithlish

   YLT  40and Cabbon and Lahmam and Kithlish

And Cabbon and Lahmam and Kithlish. Cities of which we can give no account not being mentioned elsewhere.

 

Joshua 15:41  41 Gederoth Beth Dagon Naamah and Makkedah: sixteen cities with their villages;

   YLT  41and Gederoth Beth-Dagon and Naamah and Makkedah; sixteen cities and their villages.

And Gederoth .... Gederoth is reckoned among the cities of the low country and south of Judah 2 Chronicles 28:18

and Bethdagon; in it very probably was a temple of Dagon which was a principal deity of the Philistines 1 Samuel 5:2; Jerom saysF24De loc. Heb. fol. 89. F. in his time was shown a large village called Capherdagon between Diospolis and Jamnia; of Naamah the same writer says nothing only that it was a city of the tribe of Judah:

and Makkedah; see Joshua 10:10; it was a royal city Joshua 12:16;

sixteen cities with their villages; and is the exact number of them as before enumerated.

 

Joshua 15:42  42 Libnah Ether Ashan

   YLT  42Libnah and Ether and Ashan

Libnah .... Here begins another division or list of the cities of Judah in the valley or plain. Libnah is the same with Libnah a royal city; see Joshua 10:29

and Ether was given to the tribe of Simeon Joshua 19:7; and under Ether of the lot of Simeon Jerom writesF25De loc. Heb. fol. 91. C. & 92. I. there is now a very large village called Jethira in interior Daroma near Malatha twenty miles from Eleutheropolis:

and Ashan also was given to the tribe of Simeon Joshua 19:7; and the above writer relatesF26De loc. Heb. fol. 88. G. that there was in his times a village called Bethasan belonging to Aelia or Jerusalem fifteen miles from it.

 

Joshua 15:43  43 Jiphtah Ashnah Nezib

   YLT  43and Jiphtah and Ashnah and Nezib

And Jiphtah .... Jiphtah is nowhere else mentioned:

and Ashnah; there was another Ashnah of this tribe and which was in the vale also met with already in Joshua 15:33

and Nezib was in Jerom'sF1De loc. Heb. fol. 93. I. times called Nasib seven miles from Eleutheropolis as you go to Hebron.

 

Joshua 15:44  44 Keilah Achzib and Mareshah: nine cities with their villages;

   YLT  44and Keilah and Achzib and Mareshah; nine cities and their villages.

And Keilah .... The first of these is a well known city which David saved from the hands of the Philistines 1 Samuel 23:1 &c. In Jerom's time it was a little village to the east of Eleutheropolis about eight miles from it as you go to Hebron; in which was shown the sepulchre of the Prophet HabakkukF2De loc. Heb. fol. 90. A. .

And Achzib is said to be on the borders of Asher Joshua 19:29 and is supposed the same with Chezib Genesis 38:5; and the Ecdippa of Josephus and others and now called Zib; See Gill on Micah 1:14

and Mareshah; Jerom saysF3lbid. fol. 93. E. only the ruins of it were to be seen two miles from Eleutheropolis:

nine cities with their villages; which is just their number.

 

Joshua 15:45  45 Ekron with its towns and villages;

   YLT  45Ekron and its towns and its villages

Ekron with her towns and her villages. One of the five principalities of the Philistines which with two more next mentioned though they fell to the lot of the tribe of Judah were never possessed by them; for which reason perhaps Gath and Ascalon are not mentioned and these are put for the rest; see Joshua 13:3.

 

Joshua 15:46  46 from Ekron to the sea all that lay near Ashdod with their villages;

   YLT  46from Ekron and westward all that [are] by the side of Ashdod and their villages.

From Ekron even unto the sea .... The Mediterranean sea or the west as the Targum:

all that lay near Ashdod with their villages; this is the Azotus of the New Testament Acts 8:40 another of the principalities of the Philistines of which and Ekron See Gill on Amos 1:8 and See Gill on Zephaniah 2:4.

 

Joshua 15:47  47 Ashdod with its towns and villages Gaza with its towns and villages—as far as the Brook of Egypt and the Great Sea with its coastline.

   YLT  47Ashdod its towns and its villages Gaza its towns and its villages unto the brook of Egypt and the great sea and [its] border.

Ashdod with her towns and her villages Gaza with her towns and her villages .... Gaza was another of the principalities of the Philistines of which See Gill on Amos 1:7; See Gill on Zephaniah 2:4; See Gill on Acts 8:26; these with the two other principalities not mentioned Gath and Ashkelon were in the western border of the tribe of Judah which reached from Ekron the first that is mentioned:

unto the river of Egypt; of which see Joshua 15:4

and the great sea and the border thereof; the Mediterranean sea called so in comparison of the lesser seas in Judea the salt sea and the sea of Tiberias; whose border was its shore and the cities upon it and not the isles in the sea as Jarchi.

 

Joshua 15:48  48 And in the mountain country: Shamir Jattir Sochoh

   YLT  48And in the hill-country: Shamir and Jattir and Socoh

And in the mountains .... The hill country of Judea as it is called Luke 1:39 in which were the following cities:

Shamir: the Alexandrian copy of the Greek version reads Sophir as the name of the first of these cities; and Jerom saysF4De loc. Heb. fol. 94. I. there was a village of this name in the mountainous parts situated between Eleutheropolis and Ashkelon in the tribe of Judah; see Micah 1:11

and Jattir the same writer calls Jether in the tribe of Judah; and saysF5Ibid. fol. 92. l. there was in his time a very large village called Jethira twenty miles from Eleutheropolis the inhabitants of which were then all Christians: it was situated in interior Daroma near Malatha:

and Socoh is different from Socoh in Joshua 15:35; that was in the plain this in the mountain; See Gill on Joshua 15:35.

 

Joshua 15:49  49 Dannah Kirjath Sannah (which is Debir)

   YLT  49and Dannah and Kirjath-Sannah (it [is] Debir)

And Dannah .... Dannah is not mentioned elsewhere:

and Kirjathsannah which is Debir; Kirjathsannah had three names this and Debir and Kirjathsepher; See Gill on Joshua 15:15; all which are of much the same signification; for "Sanna" with the ArabsF6"mos vivendi lex" Golius col. 1221. Castell. col. 2567. Vid. Bochart. Canaan 50:2. c. 17. col. 771. and so with the Phoenicians signifies law doctrine and manner of life; and with the Mahometans the secondary law to the Koran and answers to the Jewish Misnah; and the Greek version interprets this name "the city of letters". JeromF7De loc. Heb. fol. 90. I. calls it Daenna and seems to confound it with Dannah.

 

Joshua 15:50  50 Anab Eshtemoh Anim

   YLT  50and Anab and Eshtemoh and Anim

And Anab .... Of Anab; see Gill on Joshua 11:21

and Eshtemoh Jerom callsF8De loc. Heb. fol. 88. G. Astemech a village in the tribe of Judah and belongs to the Jews in Daroma and is to the north of a place called Anem perhaps the same with Anim here;

and Anim Jerom says is the village Anea near another of the same name; which he places to the south of Hebron as he does this to the east the inhabitants of which in his time were all Christians.

 

Joshua 15:51  51 Goshen Holon and Giloh: eleven cities with their villages;

   YLT  51and Goshen and Holon and Giloh; eleven cities and their villages.

And Goshen .... Of Goshen in the land of Canaan; see Gill on Joshua 10:41

and Holon of which there is no other mention:

and Giloh was the city of Ahitophel 2 Samuel 15:12

eleven cities with their villages; the number agrees; this is the first division of cities in the mountains; a second follows.

 

Joshua 15:52  52 Arab Dumah Eshean

   YLT  52Arab and Dumah and Eshean

Arab .... Arab is the same JeromF9De loc. Heb. fol. 91. B. calls Ereb and was in his time a village in the south and was called Heromith:

and Dumah; Duma Jerom saysF11Ibid. fol. 90. K. was a large village in the south also on the borders of Eleutheropolis seventeen miles from it:

and Eshean of which we have no account.

 

Joshua 15:53  53 Janum Beth Tappuah Aphekah

   YLT  53and Janum and Beth-Tappuah and Aphekah

And Janum .... Under the word "Janum" Jerom writesF12De loc. Heb. fol. 92. I. there is a village called Janua three miles from Legion to the south but seems not to be what is written:

and Bethtappuah is by Jerom called BethaphuF13Ibid. fol. 89. F. and said to be a village in the tribe of Judah fourteen miles beyond Raphia as you go to Egypt which is the border of Palestine:

and Aphekah; Jerom speaksF14Ibid. fol. 88. D. of a large castle in his time called Apheca near the town of Palestine; there were several places of the name of Aphek; See Gill on Joshua 12:18. As for Bethtappuah it seems to be a place which was dedicated to a deity to which apples were sacred in memory of the apple by which mankind was seduced; there was in later times a goddess called Pomona from hence.

 

Joshua 15:54  54 Humtah Kirjath Arba (which is Hebron) and Zior: nine cities with their villages;

   YLT  54and Humtah and Kirjath-Arba (it [is] Hebron) and Zior; nine cities and their villages.

And Humtah .... Of Humtah we nowhere else read:

and Kirjatharba which is Hebron; of Kirjatharba we read frequently; See Gill on Joshua 14:15

and Zior; Jerom saysF15De loc. Heb. fol. 94. H. that in his time there was a village shown by the name of Sihor between Aelia (or Jerusalem) and Eleutheropolis in the tribe of Judah:

nine cities with their villages; which is exactly their number as expressed; here ends the second division or of the cities in the hill country of Judea; a third follows.

 

Joshua 15:55  55 Maon Carmel Ziph Juttah

   YLT  55Maon Carmel and Ziph and Juttah

Maon Carmel .... Maon was the dwelling place of Nabal the Carmelite whose possessions were in Carmel and were not far from one another 1 Samuel 25:2. It gave name to a wilderness near where David hid himself from Saul 1 Samuel 23:25; JeromF16De loc. Heb. fol. 93. E. places it to the east of Daroma who also informsF17lbid. fol. 92. C. us that there was in his time a village that went by the name of Carmelia ten miles from Hebron towards the east and where was a Roman garrison.

and Ziph according to the same writerF18Ibid. fol. 95. G. was eight miles from Hebron to the east; and there was a village shown in his time where David was hid; this gave name to a wilderness also 1 Samuel 23:14

and Juttah which Jerom callsF19Ibid. fol. 92. I. Jeshan was in his time a large village of the Jews eighteen miles from Eleutheropolis to the southern part in Daroma. RelandF20Palestin. Illustrat. tom. 2. p. 870. conjectures that this was the native place of John the Baptist; and that instead of "a city of Judah" it should be read "the city Juta" Luke 1:39.

 

Joshua 15:56  56 Jezreel Jokdeam Zanoah

   YLT  56and Jezreel and Jokdeam and Zanoah

And Jezreel .... This Jezreel in the tribe of Judah is different from that which was once a royal seat of some of the kings of Israel and from whence the famous valley of Jezreel or Esdraelon had its name: of this we have no other account elsewhere:

and Jokdeam; of which we have no other mention:

and Zanoah is a distinct place from the city of the same name in the valley Joshua 15:34.

 

Joshua 15:57  57 Kain Gibeah and Timnah: ten cities with their villages;

   YLT  57Cain Gibeah and Timnah; ten cities and their villages.

Cain .... Cain or Hakain "that Cain" we nowhere else read of; whether the name was given it by the old Canaanites in memory of Cain the son of Adam is not certain:

Gibeah; there were other places that went by the name of Gibeah; there was a Gibeah in Benjamin Judges 20:4 and another in the same tribe called Gibeah of Saul 1 Samuel 11:4 to distinguish it from that; but this was in the tribe of Judah. Masius conjectures it is the same with that in 1 Samuel 23:19 which was near Ziph; and not amiss. JeromF21Ut supra (De loc. Heb.) fol. 92. C. makes mention of Gabaha and Gabatha little villages to the east of Daroma; and of another Gabatha near Bethlehem in the tribe of Judah; but whether either of these are meant it is doubtful:

Timnah of this city; see Gill on Joshua 15:10

ten cities with their villages; the number agrees with the names of them.

 

Joshua 15:58  58 Halhul Beth Zur Gedor

   YLT  58Halhul Beth-Zur and Gedor

Halhul .... Here begins a fourth division or list of the cities in the mountains. Halhul Jerom calls Ehul and saysF23De loc. Heb. fol. 91. B. there was in his time in the country belonging to Aelia (or Jerusalem) a village by the name of Ahula near Hebron; and

Bethzur Jerom saysF24De loc. Heb. fol. 89. G. was then called Bethseron a village as you go from Aelia to Hebron in the twentieth mile near which was a fountain at the bottom of a mount where it is said the eunuch was baptized by Philip: he makes mention of another village called Bethsur in the tribe of Judah a mile from Eleutheropolis. In the Apocrypha:"So he came to Judea and drew near to Bethsura which was a strong town but distant from Jerusalem about five furlongs and he laid sore siege unto it.' (2 Maccabees 11:5)it is said to be but five furlongs from Jerusalem but it must have been at a greater distance:

Gedor of this city; see Gill on Joshua 12:13.

 

Joshua 15:59  59 Maarath Beth Anoth and Eltekon: six cities with their villages;

   YLT  59and Maarath and Beth-Anoth and Eltekon; six cities and their villages.

And Maarath and Bethanoth and Eltekon .... Of these cities we have no account elsewhere; only mention is made of Eltekeh in the tribe of Dan Joshua 19:44

six cities with their villages; these were all in the mountainous part of Judea as were the two following.

 

Joshua 15:60  60 Kirjath Baal (which is Kirjath Jearim) and Rabbah: two cities with their villages.

   YLT  60Kirjath-Baal (it [is] Kirjath-Jearim) and Rabbah; two cities and their villages.

Kirjathbaal (which is Kirjathjearim ) .... Of Kirjathbaal and its several names; see Gill on Joshua 15:9

and Rabbah of which we nowhere else read; for this is a very different city from the Rabbah of the children of Ammon 2 Samuel 12:26

two cities with their villages; why these are reckoned by themselves is not certain.

 

Joshua 15:61  61 In the wilderness: Beth Arabah Middin Secacah

   YLT  61In the wilderness: Beth-Arabah Middin and Secacah

In the wilderness .... The wilderness of Judea which was not a desert and uninhabited but had many cities and villages in it those that follow:

Betharabah; the first of these seems to be in the borders of Judah and Benjamin and so is ascribed to both; see Joshua 15:6

Middin and Secacah; of the two last we read nowhere else only in Judges 5:10; what we translate "ye that sit in judgment" Kimchi interprets "ye that dwell by Middin" and says it is the name of a place in Joshua and mentions this passage.

 

Joshua 15:62  62 Nibshan the City of Salt and En Gedi: six cities with their villages.

   YLT  62and Nibshan and the city of Salt and En-Gedi; six cities and their villages.

And Nibshan .... Of Nibshan no mention is made elsewhere:

and the city of Salt some take to be Zoar so called because near the salt sea or where Lot's wife was turned into a pillar of salt Genesis 19:22; but rather this city might be so called because salt was made here.

and Engedi or Engaddi is a well known place near the salt sea; See Gill on Ezekiel 47:10. Jerom saysF25De loc. Heb. fol. 91. B. there was a very large village of Jews in his time called Engaddi near the dead sea from whence comes the opobalsam; the same place is called Hazazontamar from the palm trees which grew there 2 Chronicles 20:2. It was famous for vineyards also Song of Solomon 1:14; it lay according to JosephusF26Antiqu. l. 9. c. 1. sect. 2. three hundred furlongs or about forty miles from Jerusalem:

six cities with their villages; the sum total agrees with the particulars.

 

Joshua 15:63  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 to this day.

   YLT  63As to the Jebusites inhabitants of Jerusalem the sons of Judah have not been able to dispossess them and the Jebusite dwelleth with the sons of Judah in Jerusalem unto this day.

As for the Jebusites the inhabitants of Jerusalem .... From whom the city was called Jebus Judges 19:10. The Jews say that these Jebusites were not those of the seven nations; but there was a man whose name was Jebus and he was of the Philistines of the seed of Abimelech and the place was called by his name Jebus; and the men of that family that dwelt at Jerusalem their names were called Jebusites having their descent from him; so Araunah the Jebusite was king of that place: and the fort of that place was Zion which was at Jerusalem: so Kimchi relates from their Rabbins and with whom Jarchi agrees but without any foundation; there is no doubt to be made of it that these Jebusites were Canaanites:

the children of Judah could not drive them out; according to the above Jewish writers they could have done it but it was not fit and proper they should because of the oath of Abraham to Abimelech from whom they suppose these Jebusites sprung; but the case was this; though Joshua slew the king of this place and took his land with the rest Joshua 10:1; and though the men of Judah retook it after his death it having been got into the hands of the Jebusites again Judges 1:8; yet either the fort of Zion was never taken by either of them or if taken the Jebusites got possession of it again and held it until the times of David; see 2 Samuel 5:6

but the Jebusites dwell with the children of Judah at Jerusalem unto this day; the one in the fort of Zion and the other in the city of Jerusalem properly so called and thus they continued unto the writing of this book; by which it should seem that the Jebusites were not dispossessed of their fort or a part of the city by Joshua; or this might be added and inserted by some inspired man afterwards; or however it must be done before the times of David: and from the whole it appears that the city of Jerusalem at least a part of it belonged to the tribe of Judah as another part did to that of Benjamin to which it is ascribed Joshua 18:28; see Judges 1:21.

 

──John Gill’s Exposition of the Bible

 

New King James Version (NKJV)

Footnotes:

  1. Joshua 15:8 Literally Giants
  2. Joshua 15:40 Or Lahmam