Joshua 15:1

Joshua 15:1-12. Boundaries of the Tribe of Judah

1. the lot of the tribe of the children of Judah In this Chapter we have (a) the boundaries of the tribe of Judah(Joshua 15:1-12); (b) Caleb's possession(Joshua 15:13-19); (c) a list of the cities of Judah(Joshua 15:20-63). "The lot of the tribe" = the lot which was drawn or fell to them.

even to the border of Edom i. e. the territory of Judah extended to Edom on the east, and was bounded on the south by the wilderness of Zin, or that part of the wilderness of Paran, in which Kadesh-barnea was situated.

1. Zenan= Zaanan (Micah 1:11), site unknown; 2. Hadashah, site unknown; 3. Migdal-gad, site unknown; 4. Dilean, site unknown; 5. Mizpeh, not the Mizpeh of Benjamin (ch. Joshua 18:26); 6. Joktheel, site unknown; 7. Lachish(see above Joshua 10:3); 8. Bozkath, uncertain; 9. Eglon(see above, Joshua 10:3); 10. Cabbon; 11. Lahmam; 12. Kithlish; 13. Gederoth, all undetermined; 14. Beth-dagon, indicating by its name the Philistine worship of Dagon; 15. Naamah, undetermined; 16. Makkedah, a royal city of the Canaanites, already spoken of Joshua 10:16.

1. Libnah, conquered by Joshua, see above, Joshua 10:29-30; Joshua 2. Ether, and 3. Ashan, see 1 Chronicles 4:32; 1 Chronicles 4. Jiphtah; 5. Ashnah, sites unknown; 6. Nezib= the modern Nûsib; 7. Keilah, to the north of Nezib, the modern Kila; this was the town (a) which David rescued from the attack of the Philistines (1 Samuel 23:7); (b) which became the repository of the sacred ephod after the massacre of the priests at Nob (1 Samuel 23:6); (c) which David left, warned of the intention of the inhabitants to deliver him to Saul (1 Samuel 23:13); 8. Achzib, see Genesis 38:5; Micah 1:14; 9. Mareshah, afterwards fortified by Rehoboam (2 Chronicles 11:8), and the scene of the victory of king Asa (2 Chronicles 14:9-13). It was subsequently called Maresa, and was famous in the contests of the Maccabees (1Ma 5:65-68). It was restored by the Roman general Gabinius, and destroyed by the Parthians. The modern name is Merash.

1. Ekron, see ch. Joshua 13:3, with her towns, or rather "daughter towns", and villages; 2. Ashdod, with her "daughter towns" and villages, see above, ch. Joshua 11:21; Joshua 3. Gaza, with her "daughter towns" and villages, see above, ch. Joshua 10:41; as far as the "river of Egypt," see above, Joshua 13:3, and "the great sea."

1. Shamir, still unknown; 2. Jattir, probably the modern "Attîr, 10 miles south of Hebron; 3. Socoh, not Shocohin "the Lowland," but like it now called Suweikeh; 4. Dannah, still unknown; 5. Kirjath-sannah, i.e. Debir, see above, Joshua 10:38; Joshua 15:15; Joshua 6. Anab, a town of the Anakims (ch. Joshua 11:21), still existing under its old name; 7. Eshtemoh, one of the places frequented by David and his followers during his life as an outlaw (1 Samuel 30:28). Now Semua, seven miles south of Hebron; 8. Anim, close to Eshtemoa, nine miles south of Hebron; 9. Goshen, not determined; 10. Holon, a priest's city (1 Chronicles 6:58); 11. Giloh, the site of which has not yet been discovered, but it was (a) the birthplace of Ahithophel (2 Samuel 15:12); (b) and the place where the traitor hanged himself (2 Samuel 17:23).

1. Arab; 2. Dumah, a ruined village not far from Hebron, now Ed-Daumeh; 3. Eshean, site unknown; 4. Janum, not discovered; 5. Beth-tappuah= "House of Apples." The name has been preserved in Tefffûh, a place about 5 miles west of Hebron; 6. Aphekah, not the Aphekof ch. Joshua 12:18; Joshua 13:4, but on the mountains of Judah; 7. Hum-tah, not yet discovered; 8. Kirjath-Arba, see above, Joshua 14:15; Joshua 15:13; Joshua 9. Zior, unknown.

1. Maon, to the east of Eshtemoa, now Main; here David hid himself during his life as an outlaw (1 Samuel 23:24), and here he met Nabal, the churl (1 Samuel 25:2); 2. Carmel(Kurmul), a name familiar in the history (a) of Saul (1 Samuel 15:12); (b) of David (1Sa 25:2; 1 Samuel 25:5; 1 Samuel 25:7); (c) of Uzziah (2 Chronicles 26:10); 3. Ziph(Tell Zif), about five miles south-east of Hebron, where (a) David hid himself (1 Samuel 23:19; Psalms 54. title); which (b) Rehoboam fortified (2 Chronicles 11:8); 4. Juttah, west of Ziph, now Yǔtta, a priests" city (ch. Joshua 21:16); 5. Jezreel, the home of Ahinoam the second wife of David (1 Samuel 25:43); 6, Jokdeam; 7. Zanoah, these places are undiscovered, and not elsewhere named; 8. Cain, likewise unknown; 9. Gibeah= "hill," a very common name; 10. Timnah, not the Timnah between Beth-shemesh and Ekron (Joshua 15:10), but the place whither Judah went up to his sheep-shearing (Genesis 38:12-14).

1. Halhul, still called Hûlhûl, north of Hebron, on the way to Jerusalem, in a well-cultivated region of fields and vineyards; 2. Beth-zur, to the north of Halhul, now Beit Sur, fortified by Rehoboam (2 Chronicles 11:7), and one of the strongest fortresses afterwards in all Judæa (1Ma 4:29; 1Ma 4:61; 1Ma 6:7; 1Ma 6:26); 3. Gedor, north-west of Beth-zur, now Jedûr; see 1 Chronicles 12:7, on the brow of a high mountain, north-west of the road between Jerusalem and Hebron; 4. Maarath, unknown; 5. Beth-anoth= "house of Echo" (Gesenius), now Beit Ainûn; 6. Eltekon, site unknown.

1. Kirjath-baal= Kirjath-jearim, see above, Joshua 15:9; Joshua 2. Rabbah, unknown.