Adullam
Adullam is best known for its association with David, who sought refuge in the Cave of Adullam while fleeing from King Saul (1 Samuel 22:1-2). This location became a stronghold for David and his followers. Adullam's strategic position in the Judean hills made it a suitable hideout. The city is also mentioned in the context of the inheritance of the tribe of Judah, indicating its importance in the region. The site is identified with Tell Sheikh Madkhur, where archaeological evidence supports its historical significance.

Socoh
Socoh, also spelled Soco, was a town in the Shephelah of Judah. It is mentioned in the context of the Philistine wars, notably as the location where the Philistines camped before the battle with David and Goliath (1 Samuel 17:1). Socoh's proximity to the Valley of Elah highlights its strategic military importance. The site is identified with Khirbet Shuweikeh, where excavations have uncovered remains from various periods, including the Iron Age.

Azekah
Azekah was another fortified city in the Shephelah, playing a significant role in the defense of Judah. It is mentioned in the account of the battle where Joshua commanded the sun to stand still (Joshua 10:10-11). Azekah's location provided a vantage point over the surrounding valleys, making it a key military site. The city is also noted in the context of the Babylonian conquest, as one of the last cities to fall before Jerusalem (Jeremiah 34:7). The site is identified with Tell Zakariya, where archaeological findings have corroborated its biblical history.

• Joshua 15:35 lists Jarmuth among the “lowland” towns allotted to Judah, confirming God’s promise in Joshua 14:9 that every place Joshua’s foot had trod would belong to Israel.

• Earlier, the king of Jarmuth joined four other Amorite kings against Gibeon (Joshua 10:3–5). The Lord routed them, proving His supremacy over Canaan’s idols (Joshua 10:10–11).

• Jarmuth’s inclusion reminds us that former enemy strongholds can become places of covenant inheritance when God fights for His people (Romans 8:37).

• Centuries later, returned exiles resettled Jarmuth (Nehemiah 11:29), showing the land promise endured through judgment and restoration.

• Adullam is best known as David’s refuge: “David left Gath and escaped to the cave of Adullam” (1 Samuel 22:1). From that stronghold, God knit together a band of loyal men who would shape Israel’s future (2 Samuel 23:13–17).

• By assigning Adullam to Judah, the Lord anchored David’s personal story inside the tribe’s territory, foreshadowing the Messianic line (Matthew 1:1–2).

• Micah 1:15 connects Adullam with royal authority, and Joshua 15:35 shows how that authority was rooted in literal soil—evidence that God orchestrates geography to advance redemption history.

• Socoh sat near the Valley of Elah, where “the Philistines gathered their forces for war … between Socoh and Azekah” (1 Samuel 17:1). The valley would witness David’s victory over Goliath, underscoring that Judah’s land was not only granted but defended by faith.

• Its strategic position guarded approaches from the coastal plain, fulfilling the role Judah held as a buffer against pagan influence (Judges 14:4).

• By naming Socoh, Joshua 15:35 highlights God’s foresight: He placed His people precisely where future battles for His glory would unfold (Psalm 37:23).

• Joshua 10:10–11 records the Lord’s hailstones striking fleeing Amorites “as far as Azekah,” a dramatic sign that the battle belonged to Him.

• Jeremiah 34:6–7 cites Azekah as one of Judah’s last fortified cities before Babylon’s conquest, demonstrating the town’s military value and the tragic consequences of covenant breach.

• When Joshua 15:35 claims Azekah for Judah, it affirms that even key defensive sites are gifts from God, entrusted to a people called to trust and obey (Deuteronomy 28:1–7).

Joshua 15:35 is more than a geographic footnote. Each named town—Jarmuth, Adullam, Socoh, Azekah—signals a moment where God’s faithfulness intersected real locations, real battles, and real people. The verse assures us that the Lord’s promises reach down to specific villages and valleys, turning enemy strongholds into covenant blessings and staging grounds for future victories. By recording these details, Scripture testifies that every inch of Judah’s inheritance—and by extension every promise to God’s people today—rests securely in His sovereign, unfailing hands.

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