Joshua 15:1-19

Here is the land allotted to the families of the tribe of Judah: Their territory extended southward to the Wilderness of Zin, which belonged to Edom. Their boundary started from the bay at the southern end of the Dead Sea, crossed south of Scorpion Pass, continued to Zin, and went on south of Kadesh Barnea. Then it went past Hezron up to Addar and curved around to Karka, continued to Azmon and followed the stream on the border of Egypt in a northwesterly direction to the Mediterranean Sea. That is the southern border of all the tribes of Israel. The Dead Sea formed the eastern border of Judah, and its territory lay to the west toward the Mediterranean Sea. Their northern border began there and went up to Beth Hoglah and continued north of the ridge overlooking the Jordan Valley. From there it went up to the Stone of Bohan, named after Bohan, Reuben’s son. The boundary then went up to Debir from the Valley of Achor and turned north to Gilgal, which faces Adummim Pass south of the gorge. It continued along to the waters of En Shemesh and ended at En Rogel. Then the boundary ran through the Hinnom Valley along the southern slope of Jebus (now known as Jerusalem). From there it went to the top of the hill west of the Hinnom Valley at the northern end of the Valley of Rephaites. It continued from the top of the mountain to the spring of the waters of Nephtoah, and from there to the town of Mount Ephron and on to Baalah, which today is called Kiriath Jearim. It then turned west from Baalah to Mount Seir and ran along the northern shoulder of Mount Jearim (that is, Kesalon), descended to the city of Beth Shemesh, and crossed to the city of Timnah. The border then went north to the ridge of the city of Ekron, turned toward the city of Shikkeron, crossed to Mount Baalah, and came out at the city of Jamnia. The border ended at the southern end of the Dead Sea. The western boundary was the Mediterranean coastline. This was the territory that belonged to the families of the tribe of Judah. YAHWEH had commanded Joshua, “Give a share of the territory from the tribe of Judah to Caleb son of Jephunneh.” So Joshua gave him the city of Hebron which was founded by Arba, the ancestor of Anak. Caleb drove out three Anakim from Hebron: Sheshai, Ahiman, and Talmai—descendants of Anak. From Hebron, he marched out and fought against the people of Debir, which used to be called Kiriath Sepher. Caleb once promised, “Whoever succeeds in capturing Kiriath Sepher may marry my daughter Achsah.” Caleb’s nephew Othniel, the son of his brother Kenaz, took the city, so Caleb gave him the hand of his daughter Achsah in marriage. One day, Achsah came and charmed her father so that she could ask him for a gift. When she got down from her donkey, Caleb said to her, “What would you like for a wedding present?” “Father,” she replied, “give me a special gift. You have already given me land, but it’s in arid country. Please, also give me some springs of water.” So Caleb gave her the upper and lower springs near the city of Hebron.