Yosua 15:1-12

15:1 The land allotted to the tribe of Judah by its clans reached to the border of Edom, to the Wilderness of Zin in the Negev far to the south. ¹  15:2 Their southern border started at the southern tip of the Salt Sea, ²  15:3 extended ³  south of the Scorpion Ascent, ⁴  crossed to Zin, went up from the south to Kadesh Barnea, crossed to Hezron, went up to Addar, and turned toward Karka. 15:4 It then crossed to Azmon, extended to the Stream of Egypt, ⁵  and ended at the sea. This was their ⁶  southern border.

15:5 The eastern border was the Salt Sea to the mouth ⁷  of the Jordan River. ⁸ 

The northern border started north of the Salt Sea at the mouth of the Jordan, ⁹  15:6 went up to Beth Hoglah, crossed north of Beth Arabah, and went up to the Stone of Bohan son of Reuben. 15:7 It then went up to Debir from the Valley of Achor, turning northward to Gilgal (which is opposite the Pass ¹⁰  of Adummim south of the valley), crossed to the waters of En Shemesh and extended to En Rogel. 15:8 It then went up the Valley of Ben Hinnom to the slope of the Jebusites on the south (that is, Jerusalem), ¹¹  going up to the top of the hill opposite the Valley of Ben Hinnom to the west, which is at the end of the Valley of the Rephaites to the north. 15:9 It then went from the top of the hill to the spring of the waters of Nephtoah, extended to the cities of Mount Ephron, and went to Baalah (that is, Kiriath Jearim). 15:10 It then turned from Baalah westward to Mount Seir, crossed to the slope of Mount Jearim on the north (that is Kesalon), descended to Beth Shemesh, and crossed to Timnah. 15:11 It then extended to the slope of Ekron to the north, went toward Shikkeron, crossed to Mount Baalah, extended to Jabneel, and ended at the sea.

15:12 The western border was the Mediterranean Sea. ¹²  These were the borders of the tribe of Judah and its clans. ¹³ 

Yosua 19:1-9

Simeon’s Tribal Lands

19:1 The second lot belonged to the tribe of Simeon by its clans. ¹⁴  19:2 Their assigned land included ¹⁵  Beer Sheba, ¹⁶  Moladah, 19:3 Hazar Shual, Balah, Ezem, 19:4 Eltolad, Bethul, Hormah, 19:5 Ziklag, Beth Marcaboth, Hazar Susah, 19:6 Beth Lebaoth, and Sharuhen – a total of thirteen cities and their towns, 19:7 Ain, Rimmon, Ether, and Ashan – a total of four cities and their towns, 19:8 as well as all the towns around these cities as far as Baalath Beer (Ramah of the Negev). This was the land assigned to the tribe of Simeon by its clans. ¹⁷  19:9 Simeon’s assigned land was taken from Judah’s allotted portion, for Judah’s territory was too large for them; so Simeon was assigned land within Judah. ¹⁸ 

[15:1]  ¹ tn Heb “The lot was to the tribe of the sons of Judah by their clans to the border of Edom, the wilderness of Zin toward the south, southward.”

[15:2]  ² tn Heb “Their southern border was from the end of the Salt Sea, from the tongue that faces to the south.”

[15:2]  sn The Salt Sea is another name for the Dead Sea (also in v. 5).

[15:3]  ³ tn Heb “went out.”

[15:3]  ⁴ tn Or “the Ascent of Scorpions” (עַקְרַבִּים [’aqrabbim] means “scorpions” in Hebrew).

[15:4]  ⁵ tn Traditionally “the Brook of Egypt,” although a number of recent translations have “the Wadi of Egypt” (cf. NAB, NIV, NRSV).

[15:4]  ⁶ tn The translation follows the LXX at this point. The MT reads, “This will be your southern border.”

[15:5]  ⁷ tn Heb “end.”

[15:5]  ⁸ tn The word “River” is not in the Hebrew text, but has been supplied for clarity.

[15:5]  ⁹ tn Heb “the border on the northern side was from the tongue of the sea, from the end of the Jordan.”

[15:7]  ¹⁰ tn Or “ascent.”

[15:8]  ¹¹ map For location see Map5 B1; Map6 F3; Map7 E2; Map8 F2; Map10 B3; JP1 F4; JP2 F4; JP3 F4; JP4 F4.

[15:12]  ¹² tn Heb “the Great Sea,” the typical designation for the Mediterranean Sea.

[15:12]  ¹³ tn Heb “this was the border of the sons of Judah round about, by their clans.”

[19:1]  ¹⁴ tn Heb “and the second lot came out for Simeon, for the tribe of the sons of Simeon by their clans.”

[19:2]  ¹⁵ tn Heb “and they had in their inheritance.”

[19:2]  ¹⁶ tc The MT has “and Sheba” listed after “Beer Sheba.” The LXX suggests “Shema.” The Hebrew text appears to be corrupt, since the form “Sheba” duplicates the latter part of the preceding name. If Sheba (or Shema) is retained, the list numbers fourteen, one more than the number given in the concluding summary (v. 6).

[19:8]  ¹⁷ tn Heb “this was the inheritance of the tribe of the sons of Simeon.”

[19:9]  ¹⁸ tn Heb “from the portion of the sons of Judah was the inheritance of the sons of Simeon for the portion of the sons of Judah was too large for them, and the sons of Simeon received an inheritance in the midst of their inheritance.”