Judah’s Inheritance

1Now the allotment for the clans of the tribe of Judah (praised) extended to the border of Edom (red), to the Wilderness of Zin (flat) at the extreme southern boundary:

2Their southern border started at the bay on the southern tip of the Salt Sea (the Dead Sea),a 3proceeded south of the Ascent (ascent of scorpions) of Akrabbim (the Ascent of Scorpions),b continued on to Zin (flat), went over to the south of Kadesh-barnea (holy), ran past Hezron (surrounded by a wall) up to Addar (exceedingly glorious), and curved toward Karka (floor). 4It proceeded to Azmon (strong), joined the Brook of Egypt (land of bondage), and ended at the Sea (the Mediterranean Sea).c This was their [your]d southern border.

5The eastern border was the Salt Sea as far as the mouth of the Jordan (flowing down).

The northern border started from the bay of the sea at the mouth of the Jordan, 6went up to Beth-hoglah (house of the partridge), proceeded north of Beth-arabah (house of the desert valley), and went up to the Stone of Bohan (thumb) son of Reuben (behold a son). 7Then the border went up to Debir (sanctuary) from the Valley of Achor, turning north to Gilgal (a wheel), which faces the Ascent of Adummim (ruddy one) south of the ravine. It continued along the waters of En-shemesh (fountain of the sun) and came out at En-rogel (fount of the fuller). 8From there the border went up the Valley of Ben-hinnom (lamentation) along the southern slope of the Jebusites (Jerusalemites) (that is, Jerusalem (city of peace)) and ascended to the top of the hill that faces the Valley of Hinnom on the west, at the northern end of the Valley of Rephaim. 9From the hilltop the border curved to the spring of the Waters of Nephtoah (opening), proceeded to the cities of Mount Ephron (fawn-like), and then bent around toward Baalah (mistress) (that is, Kiriath-jearim (city of forests)). 10The border curled westward from Baalah (mistress) to Mount Seir (shaggy), ran along the northern slope of Mount Jearim (forests) (that is, Chesalon (hopes)), went down to Beth-shemesh (house of the sun), and crossed to Timnah (portion). 11Then it went out to the northern slope of Ekron (torn up by the roots), curved toward Shikkeron (drunkenness), proceeded to Mount Baalah (mistress), went on to Jabneel (God causes to build), and ended at the Sea.

12And the western border was the coastline of the Great Sea.

These are the boundaries around the clans of the descendants of Judah (praised).

Caleb’s Portion and Conquest
(Judges 1:8–26)

13According to the LORD’s {YHWH} command to him (YHWH saves), Joshua gave Caleb (dog) son of Jephunneh (He will be facing) a portion among the sons of Judah (praised)—Kiriath-arba (city of Arba), that is, Hebron (association). (Arba was the forefather of Anak (neck).) 14And Caleb (dog) drove out from there the three sons of Anak (neck)—the descendants of Sheshai (noble), Ahiman (my brother is a gift), and Talmai (furrowed), the children of Anak.

15From there he marched against the inhabitants of Debir (sanctuary) (formerly known as Kiriath-sepher (city of the book)). 16And Caleb (dog) said, “To the man who strikes down Kiriath-sepher (city of the book) and captures it, I will give my daughter Acsah (anklet) in marriage.” 17So Othniel (lion of God) son of Caleb’s (dog) brother Kenaz (hunter) captured the city, and Caleb gave his daughter Acsah (anklet) to him in marriage.

18One day Acsah came to Othniel and urged him [and he urged her]e to ask her father for a field. When she got off her donkey, Caleb (dog) asked her, “What do you desire?”

19“Give me a blessing,” she answered. “Since you have given me land in the Negev (southland), give me springs of water as well.”

So Caleb gave her both the upper and lower springs.

The Cities of Judah

20This is the inheritance of the clans of the tribe of Judah (praised). 21These were the southernmost cities of the tribe of Judah (praised) in the Negev (southland) toward the border of Edom (red):

Kabzeel (God gathers), Eder (a flock), Jagur (he sojourns), 22Kinah (lamentation), Dimonah (river bed / silence), Adadah (festival / boundary), 23Kedesh (holy place), Hazor (castle), Ithnan (hire), 24Ziph (battlement), Telem (oppression), Bealoth (mistresses), 25Hazor-hadattah (new Hazor), Kerioth-hezron (cities) (surrounded by a wall) (that is, Hazor (castle)), 26Amam (their mother), Shema (hear), Moladah (birth / race), 27Hazar-gaddah (village of good fortune), Heshmon (rich soil), Beth-pelet (house of escape), 28Hazar-shual (jackal village), Beersheba (well of seven), Biziothiah (contempt of YHWH), 29Baalah (mistress), Iim (ruins), Ezem (bone), 30Eltolad (God's generations), Chesil (foolish), Hormah (destruction), 31Ziklag (winding), Madmannah (dunghill), Sansannah (palm branch), 32Lebaoth (witness), Shilhim (fountains), Ain (spring), and Rimmon (pomegranate)—twenty-nine cities in all, along with their villages.

33These were in the foothills {Shephelah}:f

Eshtaol (entreaty), Zorah (hornet), Ashnah (I will cause change), 34Zanoah (cast off), En-gannim (fountain of the garden), Tappuah (the apple city), Enam (double spring), 35Jarmuth (heights), Adullam (justice of the people), Socoh (bushy), Azekah (dug over), 36Shaaraim (double gate), Adithaim (double ornament), and Gederah (wall) (or Gederothaim (two walls))—fourteen cities, along with their villages.

37Zenan (pointed), Hadashah (new), Migdal-gad (tower of God), 38Dilan (gourd), Mizpeh (watchtower), Joktheel (the blessedness of God), 39Lachish (invincible), Bozkath (rocky height), Eglon (calf-like), 40Cabbon (the builder), Lahmas (provisions), Chitlish, 41Gederoth (walls), Beth-dagon (house of Dagon), Naamah (loveliness), and Makkedah (place of shepherds)—sixteen cities, along with their villages.

42Libnah (pavement), Ether (abundant), Ashan (smoke), 43Iphtah (he opens), Ashnah (I will cause change), Nezib (garrison), 44Keilah (fortress), Achzib (deception), and Mareshah (crest of a hill)—nine cities, along with their villages.

45Ekron (torn up by the roots), with its towns and villages; 46from Ekron (torn up by the roots) to the sea, all the cities near Ashdod (powerful), along with their villages; 47Ashdod (powerful), with its towns and villages; Gaza (the strong), with its towns and villages, as far as the Brook of Egypt (land of bondage) and the coastline of the Great Sea.

48These were in the hill country:

Shamir (a point), Jattir (plenty), Socoh (bushy), 49Dannah (You have judged), Kiriath-sannah (city of the book) (that is, Debir (sanctuary)), 50Anab (fruit), Eshtemoh (fire of astonishment), Anim (fountains), 51Goshen (drawing near), Holon (sandy), and Giloh (exile)—eleven cities, along with their villages.

52Arab (ambush), Dumah (height), Eshan (support), 53Janim (asleep), Beth-tappuah (house of the apple), Aphekah (enclosure), 54Humtah (place of lizards), Kiriath-arba (city of Arba) (that is, Hebron (association)), and Zior (smallness)—nine cities, along with their villages.

55Maon (habitation), Carmel (garden-land), Ziph (battlement), Juttah (stretched out), 56Jezreel (God sows), Jokdeam (burning of a people), Zanoah (cast off), 57Kain (possession), Gibeah (hill), and Timnah (portion)—ten cities, along with their villages.

58Halhul (trembling), Beth-zur (house of the rock), Gedor (wall), 59Maarath (bareness), Beth-anoth (house of afflictions), and Eltekon (God is straight)—six cities, along with their villages.

60Kiriath-baal (city of Baal) (that is, Kiriath-jearim (city of forests)), and Rabbah (great)—two cities, along with their villages.

61These were in the wilderness:

Beth-arabah (house of the desert valley), Middin (measures), Secacah (thicket), 62Nibshan (soft soil), the City of Salt (the city of salt), and En-gedi (fount of the kid)—six cities, along with their villages.

63But the descendants of Judah (praised) could not drive out the Jebusites (Jerusalemites) living in Jerusalem (city of peace). So to this day the Jebusites live there among the descendants of Judah.