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JOSHUA 15

PARAGRAPH DIVISIONS OF MODERN TRANSLATIONS

READING CYCLE THREE (see "Bible Interpretation Seminar")

FOLLOWING THE ORIGINAL AUTHOR'S INTENT AT PARAGRAPH LEVEL

This is a study guide commentary, which means that you are responsible for your own interpretation of the Bible. Each of us must walk in the light we have. You, the Bible, and the Holy Spirit are priority in interpretation. You must not relinquish this to a commentator.

Read the chapter in one sitting. Identify the subjects (reading cycle #3). Compare your subject divisions with the five translations above. Paragraphing is not inspired, but it is the key to following the original author's intent, which is the heart of interpretation. Every paragraph has one and only one subject.

CONTEXTUAL INSIGHTS

Several items in Joshua point toward a contemporary date (in the day that Joshua lived).

1. The ancient Canaanite names of cities are preserved.
   1. Baalah (Kiriath-jearim) ‒ Jos. 15:9
   2. Kiriath-sannah (Debir) ‒ Jos. 15:49
   3. Kiriath-arba (Hebron) ‒ Jos. 15:54
   
   
2. Canaanites were still in control of
   1. Gezer ‒ Jos. 16:10
   2. Jebus ‒ Jos. 18:28
   
   
3. Sidon, not Tyre, is listed as the main city of Phoenicia (cf. Jos. 13:4,6)

WORD AND PHRASE STUDY

NASB (UPDATED TEXT): JOSHUA 15:1-12
 ¹Now the lot for the tribe of the sons of Judah according to their families reached the border of Edom, southward to the wilderness of Zin at the extreme south. ²Their south border was from the lower end of the Salt Sea, from the bay that turns to the south. ³Then it proceeded southward to the ascent of Akrabbim and continued to Zin, then went up by the south of Kadesh-barnea and continued to Hezron, and went up to Addar and turned about to Karka. ⁴It continued to Azmon and proceeded to the brook of Egypt, and the border ended at the sea. This shall be your south border. ⁵The east border was the Salt Sea, as far as the mouth of the Jordan. And the border of the north side was from the bay of the sea at the mouth of the Jordan. ⁶Then the border went up to Beth-hoglah, and continued on the north of Beth-arabah, and the border went up to the stone of Bohan the son of Reuben. ⁷The border went up to Debir from the valley of Achor, and turned northward toward Gilgal which is opposite the ascent of Adummim, which is on the south of the valley; and the border continued to the waters of En-shemesh and it ended at En-rogel. ⁸Then the border went up the valley of Ben-hinnom to the slope of the Jebusite on the south (that is, Jerusalem); and the border went up to the top of the mountain which is before the valley of Hinnom to the west, which is at the end of the valley of Rephaim toward the north. ⁹From the top of the mountain the border curved to the spring of the waters of Nephtoah and proceeded to the cities of Mount Ephron, then the border curved to Baalah (that is, Kiriath-jearim). ¹⁰The border turned about from Baalah westward to Mount Seir, and continued to the slope of Mount Jearim on the north (that is, Chesalon), and went down to Beth-shemesh and continued through Timnah. ¹¹The border proceeded to the side of Ekron northward. Then the border curved to Shikkeron and continued to Mount Baalah and proceeded to Jabneel, and the border ended at the sea. ¹²The west border was at the Great Sea, even its coastline. This is the border around the sons of Judah according to their families.

15:1 "Now the lot for the tribe of the sons of Judah according to their families" The tribe of Simeon was incorporated very early into the tribe of Judah and lost all of its identity (cf. Jos. 19:1-9).

▣ "Edom" This refers to the nation east of the Jordan which came from the descendants of Esau. The basic meaning is "red" (BDB 10).

The term "south" (BDB 616) is Teman, which is the same term as the name of one of Edom's major cities.

▣ "wilderness of Zin" This should not be confused with the Wilderness of Sin, which is located in the southern part of the Sinai peninsula. This wilderness is in the northern part of the Sinai peninsula in which Kadesh-barnea is located (cf. Num. 34:2-5).

SPECIAL TOPIC: THE WILDERNESSES OF THE EXODUS

15:3 "Akrabbim" This is the name for "scorpions" (BDB 785). The boundaries of the Promised Land are given in Numbers 34 (cf. Num. 34:4). This pass was part of the unconquered Amorite territory in Jdg. 1:36.

15:4 "the brook of Egypt" The term "brook" (BDB 636) is "wadi," which denotes a river bed or channel which is dry part of the year. Today this one is called "Wadi El-arish."

Water (i.e., rivers, wadis, lakes, streams, oceans) were often used as boundaries. This one is the most southern boundary of the Promised Land and Egypt (here the southern boundary of Judah, cf. Num. 34:5).

Other natural barriers or topological distinctives, like valleys, mountain ranges, plains, were also used as boundary markers.

15:6 "the stone of Bohan the son of Reuben" We know nothing about this young man or why a memorial stone was raised for him. It is surely possible that this was a boundary marker and not a memorial (cf. Jos. 18:17).

15:7 "Gilgal" This (BDB 166) does not refer to the first Israeli campsite (cf. Jos. 4:19). It is possible that it should be translated "Geliloth" (BDB 165, cf. Jos. 18:17), because this location is also related to En-shemesh.

▣ "En-shemesh and. . . En-rogel" These were two springs (BDB 745) which seem to be located on the road from Jericho to Jerusalem.

15:8 "the valley of Ben-hinnom . . . the valley of Hinnom" This is the place where the fertility fire god, Molech, was worshiped. It was just outside the city of Jerusalem (Jebus, cf. Jos. 15:63) to the south. This is the place which later the Jews turned into a garbage dump and which Jesus used as His metaphor to describe Hell (Gehenna).

SPECIAL TOPIC: MOLECH

SPECIAL TOPIC: WHERE ARE THE DEAD?

▣ "Rephaim" See notes at Jos. 11:21.

15:9 "Baalah" This seems to be the feminine form for the term baal, and it may mean "mistress." It was the older name of Kiriath-jearim.

15:10 "Mount Seir" This means "rough," "hairy," or "shaggy" (BDB 973). There are several different sites by this name. This does not refer to Mt. Seir in Edom, but a hill close to Jerusalem.

▣ "Beth-shemesh" This means "house of the sun" (BDB 112, cf. 1 Sam. 6:9,12,13,15,19,20; 1 Kgs. 4:9; 2 Kgs. 14:13). Many believe that this refers to sun worship. There are several cities by this name.

▣ "Timnah" This was a town which was later associated with the exploits of Samson.

15:11 "Ekron" This was one of the five main Philistine walled cities (cf. Jos. 15:45-47). Apparently Judah never fully captured it or any of the main cities on the plain where chariot forces were used. See NIDOTTE, vol. 4, pp. 568-569.

15:12 "the Great Sea" This refers to the Mediterranean Ocean.

NASB (UPDATED TEXT): JOSHUA 15:13-19
 ¹³ Now he gave to Caleb the son of Jephunneh a portion among the sons of Judah, according to the command of the Lord to Joshua, namely, Kiriath-arba, Arba being the father of Anak (that is, Hebron). ¹⁴Caleb drove out from there the three sons of Anak: Sheshai and Ahiman and Talmai, the children of Anak. ¹⁵Then he went up from there against the inhabitants of Debir; now the name of Debir formerly was Kiriath-sepher. ¹⁶And Caleb said, "The one who attacks Kiriath-sepher and captures it, I will give him Achsah my daughter as a wife." ¹⁷Othniel the son of Kenaz, the brother of Caleb, captured it; so he gave him Achsah his daughter as a wife. ¹⁸It came about that when she came to him, she persuaded him to ask her father for a field. So she alighted from the donkey, and Caleb said to her, "What do you want?" ¹⁹Then she said, "Give me a blessing; since you have given me the land of the Negev, give me also springs of water." So he gave her the upper springs and the lower springs.

15:13-19 This describes the fall of Hebron to Caleb (cf. Jos. 11:21-22; 14:13-15; 15:13-19; Jdg. 1:16-21).

15:14 "Anak" See notes at Jos. 11:21.

15:15 "Kiriath-sepher" This meant "city of scribes" (BDB 900, cf. Jdg. 1:11,12). Apparently it was the location of a school which trained scribes in writing and recording within the Canaanite culture.

15:17 "Othniel" He was Caleb's younger brother. He later became a judge (cf. Jdg. 1:13; 3:9).

▣ "son of Kenaz" (cf. Jos. 14:6,14).

The VERB'S (BDB 856, KB 1038, cf. Jdg. 1:14) meaning is disputed. In Jdg. 4:21 it is used of Jael driving the tent peg through Sisera's head into the ground.

Whatever it meant, it was an idiom for getting someone's attention (i.e., a noise, a gesture). The KB 1038 suggests "clap one's hands."

15:19 This verse describes the bridal gift of Caleb to his daughter (Achsah) and nephew (Othniel). Notice the number of times the VERB "give" (BDB 678, KB 733) is used.

1. Qal IMPERATIVE
2. Qal PERFECT
3. Qal PERFECT
4. Qal IMPERFECT with waw

▣ The Negev (i.e., "south country," BDB 616) is very dry. The daughter knew what she was doing! This account is retold at the beginning of Judges (cf. Jos. 1:11-15).

NASB (UPDATED TEXT): JOSHUA 15:21-32
 ²¹Now the cities at the extremity of the tribe of the sons of Judah toward the border of Edom in the south were Kabzeel and Eder and Jagur,
 ²²and Kinah and Dimonah and Adadah,
 ²³and Kedesh and Hazor and Ithnan,
 ²⁴Ziph and Telem and Bealoth,
 ²⁵and Hazor-hadattah and Kerioth-hezron (that is, Hazor),
 ²⁶Amam and Shema and Moladah,
 ²⁷and Hazar-gaddah and Heshmon and Beth-pelet,
 ²⁸and Hazar-shual and Beersheba and Biziothiah,
 ²⁹Baalah and Iim and Ezem,
 ³⁰and Eltolad and Chesil and Hormah,
 ³¹and Ziklag and Madmannah and Sansannah,
 ³²and Lebaoth and Shilhim and Ain and Rimmon; in all, twenty-nine cities with their villages.

15:21-32 This names the cities located in the far south (Negev).

15:25 "Kerioth-hezron" This village is often associated with Judas Iscariot ("man of Kerioth"), but this is only one of several other possible meanings of "Iscariot."

Although NASB and RSV (NRSV) translate this as the name of one village, the MT has an accent mark between them, which denotes two cities. This would have reflected the tradition received by the Masoretic scholars.

15:32 "and Ain and Rimmon" The UBS Text Project, p. 38, gives "and En-Rimmon" an A rating.

1. the two cities (NASB) are listed in Jos. 19:7 and 1 Chr. 4:32
2. "En-Rimmon" is listed in Hen. 11:29

NASB (UPDATED TEXT): JOSHUA 15:33-36
 ³³In the lowland: Eshtaol and Zorah and Ashnah,
 ³⁴and Zanoah and En-gannim, Tappuah and Enam,
 ³⁵Jarmuth and Adullam, Socoh and Azekah,
 ³⁶and Shaaraim and Adithaim and Gederah and Gederothaim; fourteen cities with their villages.

15:33-47 This names the cities located in the lowlands.

1. verses 33-36 were in the northeastern coastal plain.
2. verses 37-41 in the middle
3. verses 42-44 in the southern
4. verses 45-47 in the Philistine coastal area

This section may have a separate source because its form is different from the rest of the lists of cities. These lists seem to reflect a government registry.

15:34 "Tappuah" This term means "apple tree" (BDB 656, cf. Jos. 12:17; 16:8; 17:8).

NASB (UPDATED TEXT): JOSHUA 15:37-41
 ³⁷Zenan and Hadashah and Migdal-gad,
 ³⁸and Dilean and Mizpeh and Joktheel,
 ³⁹Lachish and Bozkath and Eglon,
 ⁴⁰and Cabbon and Lahmas and Chitlish,
 ⁴¹and Gederoth, Beth-dagon and Naamah and Makkedah; sixteen cities with their villages.

NASB (UPDATED TEXT): JOSHUA 15:42-44
 ⁴²Libnah and Ether and Ashan,
 ⁴³and Iphtah and Ashnah and Nezib,
 ⁴⁴and Keilah and Achzib and Mareshah; nine cities with their villages.

NASB (UPDATED TEXT): JOSHUA 15:45-46
 ⁴⁵Ekron, with its towns and its villages;
 ⁴⁶from Ekron even to the sea, all that were by the side of Ashdod, with their villages.

NASB (UPDATED TEXT): JOSHUA 15:47
 ⁴⁷Ashdod, its towns and its villages; Gaza, its towns and its villages; as far as the brook of Egypt and the Great Sea, even its coastline.

NASB (UPDATED TEXT): JOSHUA 15:48-51
 ⁴⁸ In the hill country: Shamir and Jattir and Socoh, ⁵⁰and Anab and Eshtemoh and Anim,
 ⁵¹and Goshen and Holon and Giloh; eleven cities with their villages.

15:48-60 This names the cities located in the hill country.

NASB (UPDATED TEXT): JOSHUA 15:52-54
 ⁵²Arab and Dumah and Eshan,
 ⁵³and Janum and Beth-tappuah and Aphekah,
 ⁵⁴and Humtah and Kiriath-arba (that is, Hebron), and Zior; nine cities with their villages.

NASB (UPDATED TEXT): JOSHUA 15:55-57
 ⁵⁵Maon, Carmel and Ziph and Juttah,
 ⁵⁶and Jezreel and Jokdeam and Zanoah,
 ⁵⁷Kain, Gibeah and Timnah; ten cities with their villages.

15:56 "Jezreel" This place name means "God sows" (BDB 283). It is used of two villages.

1. tribal allocation of Judah, Jos. 15:56
2. tribal allocation of Issachar, Jos. 19:18

15:57 "Gibeah" There seem to be several cities by this name ("hill," BDB 149 II).

1. in the tribal allocation of Judah in the hill country, Jos. 15:57
2. in the tribal allocation of Benjamin, Jos. 18:28
3. in the tribal allocation of Ephraim, where Eleazar (Aaron's son) was buried on a hill, Jos. 24:33

NASB (UPDATED TEXT): JOSHUA 15:58-59
 ⁵⁸Halhul, Beth-zur and Gedor,
 ⁵⁹and Maarath and Beth-anoth and Eltekon; six cities with their villages.

15:59 The Septuagint has an additional list of eleven cities not found in the MT. It is uncertain whether this reflects a manuscript error in the MT or extraneous material added by the translators of the LXX.

NASB (UPDATED TEXT): JOSHUA 15:60
 ⁶⁰Kiriath-baal (that is, Kiriath-jearim), and Rabbah; two cities with their villages.

NASB (UPDATED TEXT): JOSHUA 15:61-62
 ⁶¹In the wilderness: Beth-arabah, Middin and Secacah,
 ⁶²and Nibshan and the City of Salt and Engedi; six cities with their villages.

15:61-62 This names the cities located in the wilderness.

NASB (UPDATED TEXT): JOSHUA 15:63
 ⁶³ Now as for the Jebusites, the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the sons of Judah could not drive them out; so the Jebusites live with the sons of Judah at Jerusalem until this day.

15:63 "the Jebusites, the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the sons of Judah could not drive them out" The Jebusites (BDB 101) seem to have held on to the fortress of the city of Jebus (cf. Jdg. 1:8) until the time of David. The VERBAL (BDB 439, KB 441) is a Hiphil INFINITIVE CONSTRUCT, cf. Jdg. 1:21,29,30,31,32,33.

SPECIAL TOPIC: MORIAH, SALEM, JEBUS, JERUSALEM, ZION

▣ "until this day" This use of the phrase shows that the scribe lived and wrote before David's day. Because Moses grew up and was trained in Egypt, which explains why Jewish scribes felt free to upgrade the literary works of Israel. From archaeology it is obvious that Mesopotamian scribes never changed their national texts whereas Egyptian scribes felt free to upgrade their national/religious texts. See notes at Jos. 7:26.

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

This is a study guide commentary which means that you are responsible for your own interpretation of the Bible. Each of us must walk in the light we have. You, the Bible, and the Holy Spirit are priority in interpretation. You must not relinquish this to a commentator.

These discussion questions are provided to help you think through the major issues of this section of the book. They are meant to be thought-provoking, not definitive.

1. Why is the division of the land so important to the Jewish people?
2. Did the Israelites fully occupy their tribal allocations?
3. Who are the Nephilim and Anakim?
4. What was the lot and how did it work?
5. Describe the Canaanite fertility religion.

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