Judah’s Inheritance

1And so, the lot of the sons of Judah, by their families, was this: from the border of Edom, to the desert of Sin toward the south, and even to the furthest part of the southern region. 2Its beginning was from the summit of the very salty sea, and from its bay, which looks toward the south. 3And it extends toward the ascent of the Scorpion, and it passes on to Sinai. And it ascends into Kadesh-barnea, and it passes through to Hezron, ascending to Addar, and encompassing Karka. 4And from there, it passes on to Azmon, and reaches to the torrent of Egypt. And its boundary shall be the great sea; this shall be the limit of the southern region. 5Yet truly, toward the east, the beginning shall be the very salty sea, even to the limit of the Jordan, and that which looks toward the north, from the bay of the sea, even to the same river Jordan. 6And the border ascends into Beth-hoglah, and it crosses from the north into Beth-Arabah, ascending to the stone of Bohan, the son of Reuben. 7And it reaches as far as the borders of Debara, from the Valley of Achor, to the north, looking toward Gilgal, which is opposite the Ascent of Adummim, on the southern part of the torrent. And it crosses the waters that are called the Fountain of the Sun. And its exit shall be at the Fountain of Rogel. 8And it ascends by the steep valley of the son of Hinnom, from the side of the Jebusite, toward the south; this is Jerusalem. And from there, it raises itself to the top of the mountain, which is opposite Geennom to the west, at the top of the Valley of the Rephaim, to the north. 9And it passes through, from the top of the mountain, even to the fountain of the Water of Nephtoah. And it continues on, as far as the villages of mount Ephron. And it inclines toward Baalah, which is Kiriath-jearim, that is, the City of Forests. 10And it circles from Baalah, to the west, as far as mount Seir. And it passes by the side of mount Jearim, to the north, into Chesalon. And it descends into Beth-shemesh, and it passes through to Timnah. 11And it continues on, toward the north, to a region beside Ekron. And it inclines toward Shikkeron, and it crosses to mount Baalah. And it extends into Jabneel, and the last part closes at the west with the great sea. 12These are the borders of the sons of Judah, in their families, on all sides.

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

13Yet truly, to Caleb, the son of Jephunneh, he gave a portion in the midst of the sons of Judah, just as the Lord had instructed him: the City of Arba, the father of Anak, which is Hebron. 14And Caleb destroyed from it the three sons of Anak, Sheshai, and Ahiman, and Talmai, of the stock of Anak. 15And ascending further from there, he came to the inhabitants of Debir, which before was called Kiriath-Sepher, that is, the City of Letters. 16And Caleb said, “Whoever will have struck down Kiriath-Sepher, and will have seized it, I will give to him Achsah, my daughter, as wife.” 17And Othniel, the son of Kenaz, the younger brother of Caleb, seized it. And he gave him Achsah, his daughter, as wife. 18And as they were traveling together, she was urged by her husband that she ask her father for a field. And she sighed, as she was sitting on her donkey. And Caleb said to her, “What is it?” 19But she answered: “Give a blessing to me. You have given to me a southern and dry land; join to it also a watered land.” And so Caleb gave to her the watered land above and below it.

The Cities of Judah

20This is the possession of the tribe of the sons of Judah, by their families.

21And the cities, from the furthest parts of the sons of Judah, beside the borders of Edom to the south, were: Kabzeel and Eder and Jagur, 22and Kinah and Dimonah and Adadah, 23and Kadesh and Hazor and Ithnan, 24Ziph and Telem and Bealoth, 25new Hazor and Kerioth-Hezron, which is Hazor, 26Amam, Shema, and Moladah, 27and Hazar-gaddah and Heshmon and Bethpelet, 28and Hazar-shual and Beersheba and Biziothiah, 29and Baalah and Iim and Ezem, 30and Eltolad and Chesil and Hormah, 31and Ziklag and Madmannah and Sansannah, 32Lebaoth and Shilhim, and Ain and Rimmon. All the cities were twenty-nine, and their villages.

33Truly, in the plains, there were: Eshtaol and Zorah and Ashnah, 34and Zanoah and Engannim, and Tappuah and Enam, 35and Jarmuth and Adullam, Socoh and Azekah, 36and Shaaraim and Adithaim, and Gederah and Gederothaim: fourteen cities, and their villages.

37Zenan and Hadashah and Middalgad, 38Dilean and Mizpeh and Joktheel, 39Lachish and Bozkath and Eglon, 40Cabbon and Lahmam and Chitlish, 41and Gederoth and Bethdagon, and Naamah and Makkedah: sixteen cities, and their villages.

42Libnah and Ether and Ashan, 43Iphtah and Ashnah and Nezib, 44and Keilah and Achzib and Mareshah: nine cities, and their villages.

45Ekron, with its towns and villages: 46from Ekron, as far as the sea, all that inclines toward Ashdod, and its villages.

47Ashdod, with its towns and villages. Gaza, with its towns and villages, as far as the torrent of Egypt, with the great sea as its border.

48And on the mountain, Shamir and Jattir and Socoh, 49and Dannah, and Kiriath-Sannah, which is Debir, 50Anab and Eshtemoh and Anim, 51Goshen and Holon and Giloh: eleven cities, and their villages.

52Arab and Dumah and Eshan, 53and Janim and Beth-Tappuah and Aphekah, 54Humtah and Kiriath-Arba, which is Hebron, and Zior: nine cities, and their villages.

55Maon and Carmel, and Ziph and Juttah, 56Jezreel and Jokdeam and Zanoah, 57Kain, Gibeah, and Timnah: ten cities, and their villages.

58Halhul and Bethzur and Gedor, 59Maarath and Bethanoth and Eltekon: six cities, and their villages.

60Kiriath-baal, which is Kiriath-jearim, the City of Forests, and Rabbah: two cities, and their villages.

61In the desert: Beth-Arabah, Middin, and Secacah, 62and Nibshan, and the City of Salt, and Engedi: six cities, and their villages.

63But the sons of Judah were not able to destroy the Jebusite inhabitants of Jerusalem. And so the Jebusite lived with the sons of Judah in Jerusalem, even to the present day.