Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Joshua 15:20
This [is] the inheritance of the tribe of the children of Judah according to their families.
20 32. Cities of Judah in the South
20. This is the inheritance ] “The speech of Achsah to her father was the best reason for the slight notice of this desert tract in later times, and is the best introduction to the real territory of Judah, on which we now enter. ‘Give me a blessing, for thou hast given me a south land; give me also springs of water.’ The wells of Beersheba were enough for the Patriarchs, the Amalekites, and the Kenites, but they were not enough for the daughter of Judah and the house of the mighty Caleb.” Stanley’s Sinai and Palestine, p. 161. The territory of Judah, in average length about 45 miles and in average breadth about 50, was from a very early period divided into four main regions (i) the South; (ii) the Lowland; (iii) the Mountain; (iv) the Wilderness.
( ) The South was the undulating pasture country which intervened between the hills, the proper possession of the tribe, and the desert country which marks the lower part of Palestine.
( ) The Lowland, or, to give it its proper name, the Shephelah, was a broad strip of land lying between the central mountains and the Mediterranean Sea. From the edge of the sandy tract which fringes the immediate shore it stretched up to the bases of the hills of Judah the garden and granary of the tribe and formed the lower part of the maritime plain which extended along the whole seaboard of Palestine from “the river of Egypt” to Sidon.
( ) The Mountain, or “the Hill Country,” though not the richest, was at once the largest and the most important of the four. “Beginning a few miles below Hebron, where it attains its highest level, it stretches eastward to the Dead Sea and westward to the Shephelah, and forms an elevated district or plateau, which, though thrown into considerable undulations, yet preserves a general level in both directions.”
( ) The Wilderness, Midbah, which here, and here only, is synonymous with Arbah, represents the sunken district adjoining the Dead Sea. See Mr. Grove’s article in Smith’s Bibl. Dict.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
16-20. He that smitethKirjath-sepherThis offer was made as an incentive to youthfulbravery (see on 1Sa 17:25); and theprize was won by Othniel, Caleb’s younger brother (Jdg 1:13;Jdg 3:9). This was the occasion ofdrawing out the latent energies of him who was destined to be thefirst judge in Israel.
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
This [is] the inheritance of the tribe of the children of Judah, according to their families. The general description of which is given in the preceding part of the chapter, as the particular cities belonging to it are enumerated in the following part; the account of the gift of Hebron to Caleb, and the taking of Debir by Othniel, with the request of Achsah, and the grant of it, are inserted between them, and stand as it were in a parenthesis.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
Jos 15:20 contains the closing formula to vv. 1-19, i.e., to the description of the territory of Judah by its boundaries (vid., Jos 18:20).
Fuente: Keil & Delitzsch Commentary on the Old Testament
| The Lot of Judah. | B. C. 1444. |
20 This is the inheritance of the tribe of the children of Judah according to their families. 21 And the uttermost cities of the tribe of the children of Judah toward the coast of Edom southward were Kabzeel, and Eder, and Jagur, 22 And Kinah, and Dimonah, and Adadah, 23 And Kedesh, and Hazor, and Ithnan, 24 Ziph, and Telem, and Bealoth, 25 And Hazor, Hadattah, and Kerioth, and Hezron, which is Hazor, 26 Amam, and Shema, and Moladah, 27 And Hazar-gaddah, and Heshmon, and Beth-palet, 28 And Hazar-shual, and Beer-sheba, and Bizjoth-jah, 29 Baalah, and Iim, and Azem, 30 And Eltolad, and Chesil, and Hormah, 31 And Ziklag, and Madmannah, and Sansannah, 32 And Lebaoth, and Shilhim, and Ain, and Rimmon: all the cities are twenty and nine, with their villages: 33 And in the valley, Eshtaol, and Zoreah, and Ashnah, 34 And Zanoah, and En-gannim, Tappuah, and Enam, 35 Jarmuth, and Adullam, Socoh, and Azekah, 36 And Sharaim, and Adithaim, and Gederah, and Gederothaim; fourteen cities with their villages: 37 Zenan, and Hadashah, and Migdal-gad, 38 And Dilean, and Mizpeh, and Joktheel, 39 Lachish, and Bozkath, and Eglon, 40 And Cabbon, and Lahmam, and Kithlish, 41 And Gederoth, Beth-dagon, and Naamah, and Makkedah; sixteen cities with their villages: 42 Libnah, and Ether, and Ashan, 43 And Jiphtah, and Ashnah, and Nezib, 44 And Keilah, and Achzib, and Mareshah; nine cities with their villages: 45 Ekron, with her towns and her villages: 46 From Ekron even unto the sea, all that lay near Ashdod, with their villages: 47 Ashdod with her towns and her villages, Gaza with her towns and her villages, unto the river of Egypt, and the great sea, and the border thereof: 48 And in the mountains, Shamir, and Jattir, and Socoh, 49 And Dannah, and Kirjath-sannah, which is Debir, 50 And Anab, and Eshtemoh, and Anim, 51 And Goshen, and Holon, and Giloh; eleven cities with their villages: 52 Arab, and Dumah, and Eshean, 53 And Janum, and Beth-tappuah, and Aphekah, 54 And Humtah, and Kirjath-arba, which is Hebron, and Zior; nine cities with their villages: 55 Maon, Carmel, and Ziph, and Juttah, 56 And Jezreel, and Jokdeam, and Zanoah, 57 Cain, Gibeah, and Timnah; ten cities with their villages: 58 Halhul, Beth-zur, and Gedor, 59 And Maarath, and Beth-anoth, and Eltekon; six cities with their villages: 60 Kirjath-baal, which is Kirjath-jearim, and Rabbah; two cities with their villages: 61 In the wilderness, Beth-arabah, Middin, and Secacah, 62 And Nibshan, and the city of Salt, and En-gedi; six cities with their villages. 63 As for the Jebusites the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the children of Judah could not drive them out: but the Jebusites dwell with the children of Judah at Jerusalem unto this day.
We have here a list of the several cities that fell within the lot of the tribe of Judah, which are mentioned by name, that they might know their own, and both keep it and keep to it, and might neither through cowardice nor sloth lose the possession of what was their own.
I. The cities are here named, and numbered in several classes, which they then could account for the reason of better than we can now. Here are, 1. Some that are said to be the uttermost cities towards the coast of Edom, v. 21-32. Here are thirty-eight named, and yet said to be twenty-nine (v. 32), because nine of these were afterwards transferred to the lot of Simeon, and are reckoned as belonging to that, as appears by comparing ch. xix. 2, c. therefore those only are counted (though the rest are named) which remained to Judah. 2. Others that are said to be in the valley (v. 33) are counted to be fourteen, yet fifteen are named; but it is probable that Gederah and Gederathaim were either two names or two parts of one and the same city. 3. Then sixteen are named without any head of distinction, v. 37-41, and nine more, v. 42-44. 4. Then the three Philistine-cities, Ekron, Ashdod, and Gaza, v. 45-47. 5. Cities in the mountains, eleven in all (v. 48-51), nine more (v. 52-54), ten more (v. 55-57), six more (Jos 15:58; Jos 15:59), then two (v. 60), and six in the wilderness, a part of the country not so thick of inhabitants as some others were.
II. Now here, 1. We do not find Bethlehem, which was afterwards the city of David, and was ennobled by the birth of our Lord Jesus in it. But that city, which at the best was but little among the thousands of Judah (Mic. v. 2), except that it was thus dignified, was now so little as not to be accounted one of the cities, but perhaps was one of the villages not named. Christ came to give honour to the places he was related to, not to receive honour from them. 2. Jerusalem is said to continue in the hands of the Jebusites (v. 63), for the children of Judah could not drive them out, through their sluggishness, stupidity, and unbelief. Had they attempted it with vigour and resolution, we have reason to think God would not have been wanting to them to give them success; but they could not do it, because they would not. Jerusalem was afterwards to be the holy city, the royal city, the city of the great King, the brightest ornament of all the land of Israel. God has designed it should be so. It may therefore be justly looked upon as a punishment of their neglect to conquer other cities which God had given them that they were so long kept out of this. 3. Among the cities of Judah (in all 114) we meet with Libnah, which in Joram’s days revolted, and probably set up for a free independent state (2 Kings viii. 22), and Lachish, where king Amaziah was slain (1 Kings xiv. 19); it led the dance in idolatry (Mic. i. 13); it was the beginning of sin to the daughter of Zion. Giloh, Ahithophel’s town, is here mentioned, and Tekoa, of which the prophet Amos was, and near which Jehoshaphat obtained that glorious victory, 2 Chron. xx. 20, c., and Maresha, where Asa was a conqueror. Many of the cities of this tribe occur in the history of David’s troubles. Adullam, Ziph, Keilah, Maon, Engedi, Ziklag, here reckoned in this tribe, were places near which David had most of his haunts for, though sometimes Saul drove him out from the inheritance of the Lord, yet he kept as close to it as he could. The wilderness of Judah he frequented much, and in it John Baptist preached, and there the kingdom of heaven commenced, Matt. iii. 1. The riches of this country no doubt answered Jacob’s blessing of this tribe, that he should wash his garments in wine, Gen. xlix. 11. And, in general, Judah, thou art he whom thy brethren shall praise, not envy.
Fuente: Matthew Henry’s Whole Bible Commentary
20. This is the inheritance, etc He had formerly, indeed, traced out the boundaries of the children of Judah; but it is now shown for a different reason how large and fertile the territory was which the Lord in his great liberality had bestowed upon them. One hundred and thirteen cities with their towns and villages are enumerated. The number attests not only the populousness, but also the fertility of the country. And there cannot be a doubt that by the divine blessing a new degree of fertility was imparted to it. The goodness of God was, however, manifested in the very nature of the land selected for his people, a land abounding in all kinds of advantages. If we attend to the number of souls in the tribe, we shall find that one half of the country would have been amply sufficient for their habitation. For when eight hundred were allocated in each of the cities, the remainder had the towns and the villages. It is no doubt true that a portion was afterwards withdrawn and given to the tribe of Simeon. For in this was accomplished the dispersion of which Jacob had prophesied,
“
I will divide them in Jacob, and scatter them in Israel.” (Gen 49:7)
They were accordingly admitted by the children of Judah as a kind of guests.
Fuente: Calvin’s Complete Commentary
Cities of Judah Jos. 15:20-63
20 This is the inheritance of the tribe of the children of Judah according to their families.
21 And the uttermost cities of the tribe of the children of Judah toward the coast of Edom southward were Kabzeel, and Eder, and Jagur,
22 And Kinah, and Dimonah, and Adadah,
23 And Kedesh, and Hazor, and Ithnan,
24 Ziph, and Telem, and Bealoth,
25 And Hazor, Hadattah, and Kerioth, and Hezron, which is Hazor,
26 Amam, and Shema, and Moladah,
27 And Hazar-gaddah, and Heshmon, and Beth-palet,
28 And Hazar-shual, and Beer-sheba, and Bizjothjah,
29 Baalah, and Iim, and Azem,
30 And Eltolad, and Chesil, and Hormah,
31 And Ziklag, and Madmannah, and Sansannah,
32 And Lebaoth, and Shilhim, and Ain, and Rimmon: all the cities are twenty and nine, with their villages:
32 And in the valley, Eshtaol, and Zoreah, and Ashnah,
34 And Zanoah, and En-gannim, Tappuah, and Enam,
35 Jarmuth, and Adullam, Socoh, and Azekah,
36 And Sharaim, and Adithaim, and Gederah, and Gederothaim; fourteen cities with their villages:
37 Zenan, and Hadashah, and Migdal-gad,
38 And Dilean, and Mizpeh, and Joktheel,
39 Lachish, and Bozkath, and Eglon,
40 And Cabbon, and Lahmam, and Kithlish,
41 And Gederoth, Beth-dagon, and Naamah, and Makkedah; sixteen cities with their villages:
42 Libnah, and Ether, and Ashan,
43 And Jiphtah, and Ashnah, and Nezib,
44 And Keilah, and Achzib, and Mareshah; nine cities with their villages:
45 Ekron, with her towns and her villages:
46 From Ekron even unto the sea, all that lay near Ashdod, with their villages:
47 Ashdod with her towns and her villages, Gaza with her towns and her villages, unto the river of Egypt, and the Great Sea, and the border thereof:
48 And in the mountains, Shamir, and Jattir, and Socoh,
49 And Dannah, and Kirjath-sannah, which is Debir,
50 And Anab, and Eshtemoh, and Anim,
51 And Goshen, and Holon, and Giloh; eleven cities with their villages:
52 Arab, and Dumah, and Eshean,
53 And Janum, and Beth-tappuah, and Aphekah,
54 And Humtah, and Kirjath-arba, which is Hebron, and Zior; nine cities with their villages:
55 Maon, Carmel, and Ziph, and Juttah,
56 And Jezreel, and Joddeam and Zanoah,
57 Cain, Gibeah, and Timnah; ten cities with their villages:
58 Halhul, Beth-zur, and Gedor,
59 And Maarath, and Beth-anoth, and Eltekon; six cities with their villages:
60 Kirjath-baal, which is Kirjath-jearim, and Rabbah; two cities with their villages:
61 In the wilderness, Beth-arabah, Middin, and Secacah,
62 And Nibshan, and the city of Salt, and En-gedi; six cities with their villages.
63 As for the Jebusites the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the children of Judah could not drive them out: but the Jebusites dwell with the children of Judah at Jerusalem unto this day.
12.
How are the towns of Judah listed? Jos. 15:21-63
The towns contained in the land of Judah were listed in four different districts. The land was naturally divided according to the richness of the soil with the southland or Negeb listed first. Following these towns were the towns in the lowland, or Shephelah, on the Mediterranean sea-coast. The third listing was of the cities in the hill country or mountain area. Last of all, a list of the cities in the barren land of Judah was given. Much of the land between Hebron and the Dead Sea was barren as was the land east of Jerusalem.
13.
How many towns were in the Negeb? Jos. 15:21-32
The total is given in Jos. 15:32. Here it is said that there were twenty-nine cities in all. It is also said that there were some villages with these cities. By counting the total number of proper names, we arrive at the number thirty-seven. There were evidently twenty-nine important cities and some rather unimportant villages. All of these were grouped according to their general location. The first group was one of nine places (Jos. 15:21-23). The second group (Jos. 15:24-25) was a list of six places. The third group (Jos. 15:26-28) was one of nine towns. The last group (Jos. 15:29-32) was one of thirteen towns in the western portion of the Negeb.
14.
How many towns were in the Shephelah? Jos. 15:33-47
Some fifty towns were in the hilly region or slopes on the western side of the territory of Judah. Fourteen of these towns were in the northern part of this area, while sixteen towns were listed in the actual plain in its full extent from north to south. The third group of towns, all in the southern half of the hilly region, comprised a total of nine towns. The fourth group, with eleven points mentioned, was a section later given to the tribe of Dan.
15.
How many towns were in the mountains? Jos. 15:48-60
The towns in the mountains were divided into six different groups. The mountains in Judah rise sharply from the southern area and reach some three thousand feet above sea level in the area around Hebron. This mountainous region then runs north to a broad valley just north of Jerusalem. The range is one of limestone mountains with some jagged peaks, but the sides are often covered with vegetation. The whole area is crisscrossed by many fertile valleys. Likely these towns were located in these valleys, but the whole area was thickly dotted by the towns.
16.
How many towns were in the wilderness? Jos. 15:61-62
Only six cities and their villages were in the land sometimes called the Desert of Judah. This area ran along the Dead Sea from the northern border of Judah to Wady Fikreh on the south. For the most part, this area was uninhabited, but these six cities were located there, En-gedi is the best known of the six. A perennial spring supplies an ample abundance of water and even today the area is a welcome oasis in an otherwise extremely barren territory.
17.
What was the status of Jerusalem? Jos. 15:63
Adoni-zedek, the king of the Jebusites, had been killed by Joshua. His city had been pillaged and sacked, but the Israelites had not inhabited it. As a result, the Jebusites had come back to live there. The children of Judah left them alone, and they dwelt for a long time in the midst of Israel. Technically, the city was in the territory given to the people of the tribe of Benjamin; but David captured it and established his capital there (2Sa. 5:6-10).
Fuente: College Press Bible Study Textbook Series
‘ This is the inheritance of the tribe of the children of Judah, according to their families.’
For this summary description with respect to the tribes compare Jos 13:23 (Reuben); Jos 13:28 (Gad); Jos 15:20 (Judah); Jos 16:8 (Ephraim); Jos 18:28 (Benjamin); Jos 19:8 (Simeon); Jos 19:16 (Zebulun); Jos 19:23 (Issachar); Jos 19:31 (Asher); Jos 19:39 (Naphtali); Jos 19:48 (Dan). By this phrase the inheritance of each tribe was summed up.
It is noticeable that the portion of the half tribe of Manasseh in Transjordan was not described in this way but as ‘even for the half of the children of Machir according to their families’ (Jos 13:31), nor was the other part of Manasseh specifically so, although both did ‘inherit’ – see Jos 13:32; Jos 16:9; Jos 17:4. As the children of Joseph, Ephraim and Manasseh shared a joint inheritance (Jos 16:4; Jos 16:9; Jos 17:14; compare Deu 34:2), even though it was in separate lots because they were so large (compare Jos 14:4; Jos 17:17). Ephraim also had possessions in the midst of Manasseh (Jos 16:9). This in itself points to the early date of these records. In the Psalms (Psa 60:7; Psa 80:2; Psa 108:8) Ephraim and Manasseh were totally separate tribes (but see 1Ch 9:3). At this point Levi is still seen as the twelfth tribe, but with no inheritance apart from YHWH (Jos 13:14; Jos 13:33; Jos 14:4), and gradually being replaced among the twelve by Manasseh (Jos 14:4), who is not, however, at this stage a separate tribe inheriting.
This detailed description of the inheritance of Judah (and later of the other tribes) was seen as important because it demonstrated the fulfilment of God’s promises to His people. He had promised them much land, they received much land. He had promised them cities to dwell in. They received cities to dwell in. Thus did they gain confidence and faith in the One Who fulfilled His promises. We too gain in confidence when we walk with God and receive His blessings. It gives confidence to go on to greater things.
Fuente: Commentary Series on the Bible by Peter Pett
The recital of the names of the cities of Judah ‘ s lot take up all these verses. I think it unnecessary to make any observation upon them, excepting in this general way. The Reader of discernment will observe, that while the sacred historian mentions a certain number, the enumeration one by one as we read then doth not correspond. But this apparent difference will be easily accounted for if we only suppose, what is very probable; that some of them are not cities but hamlets or villages: and we cannot in this remote age form an opinion to which the title of city or village belonged. I think it more important to call the Reader ‘ s attention to a circumstance, which may not perhaps so immediately strike him, and yet the moment I mention it he will see its interesting nature. I mean that, as in the province of Judah ‘ s dominions our Lord in after ages was born, Bethlehem was the highly honoured spot of Jesus’ birth, but yet is not in this list enumerated. Was it because Bethlehem at that time was not a city, or was it because it should be like the Redeemer himself, obscure and unnoticed? Dearest Lord! how dost thou by thy glorious example, put to the blush all that we think great and excellent? The prophet in after ages sung of Bethlehem on Jesus’s account, and then pointed to what alone made it excellent. Mic 5:2 .
Fuente: Hawker’s Poor Man’s Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
Gen 49:8-12, Deu 33:7
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
This verse concludes the description of the tribal boundaries of Judah given in Jos 15:1-19.