Joshua 15: The Inheritance of Judah
Judah receives its wide borders and many cities, Caleb drives out the giants, and Achsah asks her father for springs of water.
Joshua 15 (WEB)
1 The lot for the tribe of the children of Judah according to their families was to the border of Edom, even to the wilderness of Zin southward, at the uttermost part of the south.
2 Their south border was from the uttermost part of the Salt Sea, from the bay that looks southward;
3 and it went out southward of the ascent of Akrabbim, and passed along to Zin, and went up by the south of Kadesh Barnea, and passed along by Hezron, went up to Addar, and turned about to Karka;
4 and it passed along to Azmon, went out at the brook of Egypt; and the border ended at the sea. This shall be your south border.
5 The east border was the Salt Sea, even to the end of the Jordan. The border of the north quarter was from the bay of the sea at the end of the Jordan.
6 The border went up to Beth Hoglah, and passed along by the north of Beth Arabah; and the border went up to the stone of Bohan the son of Reuben.
7 The border went up to Debir from the valley of Achor, and so northward, looking toward Gilgal, that is over against the ascent of Adummim, which is on the south side of the river. The border passed along to the waters of En Shemesh, and ended at En Rogel.
8 The border went up by the valley of the son of Hinnom to the side of the Jebusite southward (the same is Jerusalem); and the border went up to the top of the mountain that lies before the valley of Hinnom westward, which is at the farthest part of the valley of Rephaim northward.
9 The border extended from the top of the mountain to the spring of the waters of Nephtoah, and went out to the cities of Mount Ephron; and the border extended to Baalah (the same is Kiriath Jearim);
10 and the border turned about from Baalah westward to Mount Seir, and passed along to the side of Mount Jearim on the north (the same is Chesalon), and went down to Beth Shemesh, and passed along by Timnah;
11 and the border went out to the side of Ekron northward; and the border extended to Shikkeron, and passed along to Mount Baalah, and went out at Jabneel; and the goings out of the border were at the sea.
12 The west border was to the shore of the great sea. This is the border of the children of Judah according to their families.
13 To Caleb the son of Jephunneh he gave a portion among the children of Judah, according to the commandment of Yahweh to Joshua, even Kiriath Arba, named after the father of Anak (the same is Hebron).
14 Caleb drove out the three sons of Anak: Sheshai, and Ahiman, and Talmai, the children of Anak.
15 He went up against the inhabitants of Debir: now the name of Debir before was Kiriath Sepher.
16 Caleb said, “He who strikes Kiriath Sepher, and takes it, to him will I give Achsah my daughter as wife.”
17 Othniel the son of Kenaz, the brother of Caleb, took it: and he gave him Achsah his daughter as wife.
18 When she came, she had him ask her father for a field. She got off of her donkey, and Caleb said, “What do you want?”
19 She said, “Give me a blessing. Because you have set me in the land of the South, give me also springs of water.” He gave her the upper springs and the lower springs.
20 This is the inheritance of the tribe of the children of Judah according to their families.
21 The farthest cities of the tribe of the children of Judah toward the border of Edom in the South were Kabzeel, Eder, Jagur,
22 Kinah, Dimonah, Adadah,
23 Kedesh, Hazor, Ithnan,
24 Ziph, Telem, Bealoth,
25 Hazor Hadattah, Kerioth Hezron (the same is Hazor),
26 Amam, Shema, Moladah,
27 Hazar Gaddah, Heshmon, Beth Pelet,
28 Hazar Shual, Beersheba, Biziothiah,
29 Baalah, Iim, Ezem,
30 Eltolad, Chesil, Hormah,
31 Ziklag, Madmannah, Sansannah,
32 Lebaoth, Shilhim, Ain, and Rimmon. All the cities are twenty-nine, with their villages.
33 In the lowland, Eshtaol, Zorah, Ashnah,
34 Zanoah, En Gannim, Tappuah, Enam,
35 Jarmuth, Adullam, Socoh, Azekah,
36 Shaaraim, Adithaim and Gederah (or Gederothaim); fourteen cities with their villages.
37 Zenan, Hadashah, Migdal Gad,
38 Dilean, Mizpah, Joktheel,
39 Lachish, Bozkath, Eglon,
40 Cabbon, Lahmam, Chitlish,
41 Gederoth, Beth Dagon, Naamah, and Makkedah; sixteen cities with their villages.
42 Libnah, Ether, Ashan,
43 Iphtah, Ashnah, Nezib,
44 Keilah, Achzib, and Mareshah; nine cities with their villages.
45 Ekron, with its towns and its villages;
46 from Ekron even to the sea, all that were by the side of Ashdod, with their villages.
47 Ashdod, its towns and its villages; Gaza, its towns and its villages; to the brook of Egypt, and the great sea with its coastline.
48 In the hill country, Shamir, Jattir, Socoh,
49 Dannah, Kiriath Sannah (which is Debir),
50 Anab, Eshtemoh, Anim,
51 Goshen, Holon, and Giloh; eleven cities with their villages.
52 Arab, Dumah, Eshan,
53 Janim, Beth Tappuah, Aphekah,
54 Humtah, Kiriath Arba (the same is Hebron), and Zior; nine cities with their villages.
55 Maon, Carmel, Ziph, Jutah,
56 Jezreel, Jokdeam, Zanoah,
57 Kain, Gibeah, and Timnah; ten cities with their villages.
58 Halhul, Beth Zur, Gedor,
59 Maarath, Beth Anoth, and Eltekon; six cities with their villages.
60 Kiriath Baal (the same is Kiriath Jearim), and Rabbah; two cities with their villages.
61 In the wilderness, Beth Arabah, Middin, Secacah,
62 Nibshan, the City of Salt, and En Gedi; six cities with their villages.
63 As for the Jebusites, the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the children of Judah couldn’t drive them out; but the Jebusites live with the children of Judah at Jerusalem to this day.
Joshua 15 (KJV)
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 Maaleh–acrabbim, and passed along to Zin, and ascended up on the south side unto Kadesh–barnea, 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 Beth–hogla, and passed along by the north of Beth–arabah; 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 En–shemesh, and the goings out thereof were at En–rogel:
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 Kirjath–jearim:
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 Beth–shemesh, 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 Kirjath–sepher.
16 And Caleb said, He that smiteth Kirjath–sepher, 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 Hazar–gaddah, and Heshmon, and Beth–palet,
28 And Hazar–shual, and Beer–sheba, 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 En–gannim, 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 Migdal–gad,
38 And Dilean, and Mizpeh, and Joktheel,
39 Lachish, and Bozkath, and Eglon,
40 And Cabbon, and Lahmam, and Kithlish,
41 And Gederoth, Beth–dagon, 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 Kirjath–sannah, 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 Beth–tappuah, and Aphekah,
54 And Humtah, and Kirjath–arba, 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, Beth–zur, and Gedor,
59 And Maarath, and Beth–anoth, and Eltekon; six cities with their villages:
60 Kirjath–baal, which is Kirjath–jearim, and Rabbah; two cities with their villages:
61 In the wilderness, Beth–arabah, Middin, and Secacah,
62 And Nibshan, and the city of Salt, and En–gedi; 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.
Joshua 15 (ASV)
1 And the lot for the tribe of the children of Judah according to their families was unto the border of Edom, even to the wilderness of Zin southward, at the uttermost part of the south.
2 And their south border was from the uttermost part of the Salt Sea, from the bay that looketh southward;
3 and it went out southward of the ascent of Akrabbim, and passed along to Zin, and went up by the south of Kadesh-barnea, and passed along by Hezron, and went up to Addar, and turned about to Karka;
4 and it passed along to Azmon, and went out at the brook of Egypt; and the goings out of the border were at the sea: this shall be your south border.
5 And the east border was the Salt Sea, even unto the end of the Jordan. And the border of the north quarter was from the bay of the sea at the end of the Jordan;
6 and the border went up to Beth-hoglah, and passed along by the north of Beth-arabah; and the border went up to the stone of Bohan the son of Reuben;
7 and the border went up to Debir from the valley of Achor, and so northward, looking toward Gilgal, that is over against the ascent of Adummim, which is on the south side of the river; and the border passed along to the waters of En-shemesh, and the goings out thereof were at En-rogel;
8 and the border went up by the valley of the son of Hinnom unto the side of the Jebusite southward (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 uttermost part of the vale of Rephaim northward;
9 and the border extended from the top of the mountain unto the fountain of the waters of Nephtoah, and went out to the cities of mount Ephron; and the border extended to Baalah (the same is Kiriath-jearim);
10 and the border turned about from Baalah westward unto mount Seir, and passed along unto the side of mount Jearim on the north (the same is Chesalon), and went down to Beth-shemesh, and passed along by Timnah;
11 and the border went out unto the side of Ekron northward; and the border extended to Shikkeron, and passed along to mount Baalah, and went out at Jabneel; and the goings out of the border were at the sea.
12 And the west border was to the great sea, and the border thereof. This is the border of the children of Judah round about according to their families.
13 And unto Caleb the son of Jephunneh he gave a portion among the children of Judah, according to the commandment of Jehovah to Joshua, even Kiriath-arba, which Arba was the father of Anak (the same is Hebron).
14 And Caleb drove out thence the three sons of Anak: Sheshai, and Ahiman, and Talmai, the children of Anak.
15 And he went up thence against the inhabitants of Debir: now the name of Debir beforetime was Kiriath-sepher.
16 And Caleb said, He that smiteth Kiriath-sepher, 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, when she came unto him, that she moved him to ask of her father a field: and she alighted from off her ass; and Caleb said, What wouldest thou?
19 And she said, Give me a blessing; for that thou hast set me in the land of the South, 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 border of Edom in the South 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-hezron (the same is Hazor),
26 Amam, and Shema, and Moladah,
27 and Hazar-gaddah, and Heshmon, and Beth-pelet,
28 and Hazar-shual, and Beer-sheba, and Biziothiah,
29 Baalah, and Iim, and Ezem,
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 In the lowland, Eshtaol, and Zorah, and Ashnah,
34 and Zanoah, and En-gannim, Tappuah, and Enam,
35 Jarmuth, and Adullam, Socoh, and Azekah,
36 and Shaaraim, and Adithaim, and Gederah, and Gederothaim; fourteen cities with their villages.
37 Zenan, and Hadashah, and Migdal-gad,
38 and Dilean, and Mizpeh, and Joktheel,
39 Lachish, and Bozkath, and Eglon,
40 and Cabbon, and Lahmam, and Chitlish,
41 and Gederoth, Beth-dagon, and Naamah, and Makkedah; sixteen cities with their villages.
42 Libnah, and Ether, and Ashan,
43 and Iphtah, and Ashnah, and Nezib,
44 and Keilah, and Achzib, and Mareshah; nine cities with their villages.
45 Ekron, with its towns and its villages;
46 from Ekron even unto the sea, all that were by the side of Ashdod, with their villages.
47 Ashdod, its towns and its villages; Gaza, its towns and its villages; unto the brook of Egypt, and the great sea, and the border thereof.
48 And in the hill-country, Shamir, and Jattir, and Socoh,
49 and Dannah, and Kiriath-sannah (the same 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 Eshan,
53 and Janim, and Beth-tappuah, and Aphekah,
54 and Humtah, and Kiriath-arba (the same is Hebron), and Zior; nine cities with their villages.
55 Maon, Carmel, and Ziph, and Jutah,
56 and Jezreel, and Jokdeam, and Zanoah,
57 Kain, Gibeah, and Timnah; ten cities with their villages.
58 Halhul, Beth-zur, and Gedor,
59 and Maarath, and Beth-anoth, and Eltekon; six cities with their villages.
60 Kiriath-baal (the same is Kiriath-jearim), and Rabbah; two cities with their villages.
61 In the wilderness, Beth-arabah, Middin, and Secacah,
62 and Nibshan, and the City of Salt, and En-gedi; six cities with their villages.
63 And 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.
Summary
The lot for the tribe of Judah is described in careful detail, tracing its borders from the wilderness of Zin in the south to the Salt Sea in the east, up to the region of Jerusalem, and out to the great sea in the west. Within Judah's portion, Caleb takes his promised inheritance, driving out the three sons of Anak from Hebron. He then offers his daughter Achsah in marriage to whoever captures Debir, and his nephew Othniel takes the city and wins her. In a tender exchange, Achsah comes to her father and asks for a blessing: since he has given her land in the dry South, she also asks for springs of water, and Caleb generously gives her the upper springs and the lower springs. The chapter then lists, region by region, the many cities of Judah's inheritance—those in the South, the lowland, the hill country, and the wilderness—each cluster numbered and named. It closes on a sobering note: the children of Judah could not drive out the Jebusites who lived in Jerusalem, so they dwelt together with Judah there to that day. Judah's vast portion shows the abundance of God's gift, while the unconquered Jebusites foreshadow the unfinished work that would await a later king.
Main Characters
- Caleb — The faithful warrior who takes Hebron from the Anakim and promises his daughter to whoever captures Debir.
- Achsah — Caleb's daughter, who boldly and wisely asks her father for springs of water to bless the dry land she has been given.
- Othniel — Caleb's relative who captures Kiriath Sepher (Debir) and wins Achsah as his wife; later one of Israel's judges.
- The tribe of Judah — The royal tribe whose broad inheritance and many cities are detailed, though it could not yet drive the Jebusites from Jerusalem.
Key Verse
Joshua 15:19 (WEB)
She said, “Give me a blessing. Because you have set me in the land of the South, give me also springs of water.” He gave her the upper springs and the lower springs.
Lessons Learned
- God's gifts to his people are generous and carefully measured, down to the smallest village.
- It is right to ask our Father for the good things we need; he delights to give.
- Faithful courage, like Caleb's, presses on to claim what God has promised.
- Incomplete obedience leaves footholds, like the Jebusites in Jerusalem, that linger for generations.
- God's provision is detailed and abundant. Judah's inheritance is mapped border by border and city by city (Joshua 15:20-32, WEB), showing the care with which the Lord apportions his gifts.
- Bold faith claims the promise. “Caleb drove out the three sons of Anak” (Joshua 15:14, WEB), acting on the inheritance God had pledged rather than leaving it to others.
- Ask the Father for his blessing. Achsah requests, “Give me also springs of water,” and Caleb “gave her the upper springs and the lower springs” (Joshua 15:19, WEB). God's children may ask for what they need.
- Compromise leaves enemies in the city. “the children of Judah couldn’t drive them out; but the Jebusites live with the children of Judah at Jerusalem to this day” (Joshua 15:63, WEB), an unfinished task left for the future.
- What impression does the detailed listing of Judah's borders and cities make about God's gift to his people?
- How does Caleb continue to model faith within Judah's inheritance?
- What can we learn from Achsah's request and Caleb's generous response?
- Why does the chapter end by noting that the Jebusites remained in Jerusalem?
- What good thing has God set you in the midst of for which you have not yet thought to ask his fuller blessing?
- The painstaking detail (15:1-12, 20-62) shows that God's inheritance is not vague but specific and generous, every region and village accounted for. It pictures a God who knows and provides exactly, leaving none of his people without a place.
- Caleb drives out the sons of Anak and spurs others to conquest by offering Achsah to whoever takes Debir (15:13-17). His faith is contagious, drawing Othniel into the same boldness; faithfulness tends to stir faithfulness in others.
- Achsah does not settle for dry land but asks her father for springs, and Caleb freely grants both upper and lower springs (15:18-19). She models confident, specific asking, and he models open-handed giving—a small portrait of approaching a generous Father.
- The note about the Jebusites (15:63) is honest about Israel's failure. Jerusalem would remain in enemy hands until David's day, reminding readers that partial obedience leaves consequences and that the full inheritance still awaited a greater conquest.
- This is a personal-application question. Encourage members to consider where God has placed them and to bring a specific request for his blessing there, as Achsah did. As leader, gently affirm that asking is an act of trust in the Father's goodness.