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Easy-to-Read Version

Joshua 15:1

The land that was given to Judah was divided among the families of that tribe. That land went to the border of Edom and south all the way to the desert of Zin at the edge of Teman.

Bible Study Resources

Concordances:

- Nave's Topical Bible - Canaan;   Zin;   Thompson Chain Reference - Sin;   Wilderness of Zin;   Zin;   Torrey's Topical Textbook - Judah, the Tribe of;   Tribes of Israel, the;  

Dictionaries:

- Bridgeway Bible Dictionary - Edom;   Judah, tribe and kingdom;   Kadesh-barnea;   Easton Bible Dictionary - Lot;   Fausset Bible Dictionary - Judah;   Holman Bible Dictionary - Edom;   Joshua, the Book of;   Tribes of Israel, the;   Zin;   Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible - Joshua;   Judah;   Sin, Wilderness of;   Zin;   Hastings' Dictionary of the New Testament - Dalmanutha;   Lots;   Morrish Bible Dictionary - Zin, Wilderness of;   People's Dictionary of the Bible - Judah;   Judah territory of;   Zin;  

Encyclopedias:

- International Standard Bible Encyclopedia - Judah, Territory of;   Zin;   The Jewish Encyclopedia - Lots;   Zin;  

Parallel Translations

Christian Standard Bible®
Now the allotment for the tribe of the descendants of Judah by their clans was in the southernmost region, south to the Wilderness of Zin and over to the border of Edom.
Hebrew Names Version
The lot for the tribe of the children of Yehudah according to their families was to the border of Edom, even to the wilderness of Tzin southward, at the uttermost part of the south.
King James Version
This then was the lot of the tribe of the children of Judah by their families; even to the border of Edom the wilderness of Zin southward was the uttermost part of the south coast.
Lexham English Bible
The allotment for the tribe of the descendants of Judah according to their families reached to the border of Edom, to the wilderness of Zin, to the far south.
English Standard Version
The allotment for the tribe of the people of Judah according to their clans reached southward to the boundary of Edom, to the wilderness of Zin at the farthest south.
New Century Version
The land that was given to the tribe of Judah was divided among all the family groups. It went all the way to the Desert of Zin in the far south, at the border of Edom.
New English Translation
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.
Amplified Bible
Now the lot (allotment) for the tribe of the sons of Judah according to their families reached [southward to] the border of Edom, southward to the wilderness of Zin at its most southern part.
New American Standard Bible
Now 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.
Geneva Bible (1587)
This then was the lot of the tribe of the children of Iudah by their families: euen to the border of Edom and the wildernesse of Zin, Southward on the Southcoast.
Legacy Standard Bible
Now 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 far end toward the south.
Contemporary English Version
The clans of the Judah tribe were given land that went south along the border of Edom, and at its farthest point south it even reached the Zin Desert.
Complete Jewish Bible
The territory chosen by lot for the tribe of the descendants of Y'hudah according to their families extended to the border of Edom in the Tzin Desert, toward the Negev in the far south.
Darby Translation
And the lot of the tribe of the children of Judah according to their families was: to the border of Edom, the wilderness of Zin, southward, in the extreme south.
George Lamsa Translation
THIS then was the lot of the tribe of the children of Judah by their families; it extended to the border of Edom, to the wilderness of Zin, to the uttermost of the southern border.
Good News Translation
The families of the tribe of Judah received a part of the land described as follows: The land reached south to the southernmost point of the wilderness of Zin, at the border of Edom.
Literal Translation
And the lot for the tribe of the sons of Judah for their families was to the border of Edom, the wilderness of Zin southward, in the extreme south.
Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
The lot of the trybe of the children of Iuda amonge their kynreds, was ye coaste of Edom by the wyldernesse of Zin, which borderth southwarde on the edge of the south coutrees.
American Standard Version
And the lot for the tribe of the children of Judah according to their families was unto the border of Edom, even to the wilderness of Zin southward, at the uttermost part of the south.
Bible in Basic English
Now the part of the land marked out for the children of Judah by families, went up to the edge of Edom, as far as the waste land of Zin to the south, to the farthest point of it on the south.
Bishop's Bible (1568)
This was the lot of the tribe of the children of Iuda by their kinreds, euen to the border of Edom in the wildernesse of Zin southwarde, euen from the vtmost parte of the south coast.
JPS Old Testament (1917)
And the lot for the tribe of the children of Judah according to their families was unto the border of Edom, even to the wilderness of Zin southward, at the uttermost part of the south.
King James Version (1611)
This then was the lot of the tribe of the children of Iudah by their families, euen to the border of Edom; the wildernesse of Zin Southward, was the vttermost part of the South coast:
Brenton's Septuagint (LXX)
And the borders of the tribe of Juda according to their families were from the borders of Idumea from the wilderness of sin, as far as Cades southward.
English Revised Version
And the lot for the tribe of the children of Judah according to their families was unto the border of Edom, even to the wilderness of Zin southward, at the uttermost part of the south.
Berean Standard Bible
Now the allotment for the clans of the tribe of Judah extended to the border of Edom, to the Wilderness of Zin at the extreme southern boundary:
Wycliffe Bible (1395)
Therfor this was the part of the sones of Juda, bi her kynredis; fro the terme of Edom `til to deseert of Syn ayens the south, and `til to the laste part of the south coost,
Young's Literal Translation
And the lot for the tribe of the sons of Judah, for their families, is unto the border of Edom; the wilderness of Zin southward, at the extremity of the south;
Update Bible Version
And the lot for the tribe of the sons of Judah according to their families was to the border of Edom, even to the wilderness of Zin to the Negeb, at the uttermost part of the south.
Webster's Bible Translation
[This] then was the lot of the tribe of the children of Judah by their families; [even] to the border of Edom, the wilderness of Zin southward [was] the uttermost part of the south border.
World English Bible
The lot for the tribe of the children of Judah according to their families was to the border of Edom, even to the wilderness of Zin southward, at the uttermost part of the south.
New King James Version
So this was the lot of the tribe of the children of Judah according to their families: The border of Edom at the Wilderness of Zin southward was the extreme southern boundary.
New Living Translation
The allotment for the clans of the tribe of Judah reached southward to the border of Edom, as far south as the wilderness of Zin.
New Life Bible
The share of land for the family group of the people of Judah by their families was south to the land of Edom. It went to the Desert of Zin at the far south.
New Revised Standard
The lot for the tribe of the people of Judah according to their families reached southward to the boundary of Edom, to the wilderness of Zin at the farthest south.
J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
So then the boundary of the tribe of the sons of Judah, by their families, - reached unto the boundary of Edom, the desert of Zin southward, on the extreme south;
Douay-Rheims Bible
Now the lot of the children of Juda by their kindreds was this: From the frontier of Edom, to the desert of Sin southward, and to the uttermost part of the south coast.
Revised Standard Version
The lot for the tribe of the people of Judah according to their families reached southward to the boundary of Edom, to the wilderness of Zin at the farthest south.
THE MESSAGE
The lot for the people of Judah, their clans, extended south to the border of Edom, to the wilderness of Zin in the extreme south.
New American Standard Bible (1995)
Now 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.

Contextual Overview

1 The land that was given to Judah was divided among the families of that tribe. That land went to the border of Edom and south all the way to the desert of Zin at the edge of Teman. 2 The southern border of Judah's land started at the south end of the Dead Sea. 3 The border went south to Scorpion Pass and continued on to Zin. Then the border continued south to Kadesh Barnea. It continued past Hezron to Addar. From Addar the border turned and continued to Karka. 4 The border continued to Azmon, the brook of Egypt, and then to the Mediterranean Sea. All that land was on their southern border. 5 Their eastern border was the shore of the Dead Sea to the area where the Jordan River flowed into the sea. Their northern border started at the area where the Jordan River flowed into the Dead Sea. 6 Then the northern border went to Beth Hoglah and continued north of Beth Arabah. The border continued to the stone of Bohan. (Bohan was the son of Reuben.) 7 Then the northern border went through the Valley of Achor to Debir. There the border turned to the north and went to Gilgal. Gilgal is across from the road that goes through the mountain of Adummim. It is on the south side of the brook. The border continued along the waters of En Shemesh. The border stopped at En Rogel. 8 Then the border went through the Valley of Ben Hinnom beside the southern side of the Jebusite city (that is, Jerusalem). There the border went to the top of the hill on the west side of Hinnom Valley. This was at the northern end of Rephaim Valley. 9 From there the border went to the spring of water of Nephtoah. Then the border went to the cities near Mount Ephron. There the border turned and went to Baalah. (Baalah is also called Kiriath Jearim.) 10 At Baalah the border turned west and went to the hill country of Seir. The border continued along the north side of Mount Jearim (Kesalon) and continued down to Beth Shemesh. From there the border went past Timnah.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

am 2561, bc 1443, An, Ex, Is, 48

This then was the lot: The geography of the sacred writings presents many difficulties, occasioned by the changes which Canaan has undergone, especially for the last 2,000 years. Many of the ancient towns and villages have had their names so totally changed that their former appellations are no longer discernible; several lie buried under their own ruins, and others have been so long destroyed that not a vestige of them remains. On these accounts it is very difficult to ascertain the precise situation of many places mentioned in these chapters; but this cannot in any measure affect the truth of the narrative. Joshua 14:2, Numbers 26:55, Numbers 26:56

even to the: Numbers 33:36, Numbers 33:37, Numbers 34:3-5, Ezekiel 47:19

Reciprocal: Numbers 13:21 - from the wilderness of Zin Numbers 20:1 - Kadesh Numbers 33:54 - give the less inheritance Numbers 34:17 - are the names Joshua 18:5 - Judah shall Joshua 18:8 - that I may here Joshua 18:11 - between the children Joshua 18:19 - this was the Ezekiel 48:7 - Judah

Cross-References

Genesis 15:1
After all these things happened, the word of the Lord came to Abram in a vision. God said, "Abram, don't be afraid. I will defend you and give you a great reward."
Genesis 15:2
But Abram said, "Lord God , there is nothing you can give me that will make me happy, because I have no son. My slave Eliezer from Damascus will get everything I own after I die."
Genesis 15:3
Abram said, "You have given me no son, so a slave born in my house will get everything I have."
Genesis 15:4
Then the Lord spoke to Abram and said, "That slave will not be the one to get what you have. You will have a son who will get everything you own."
Genesis 15:5
Then God led Abram outside and said, "Look at the sky. See the many stars. There are so many you cannot count them. Your family will be like that."
Genesis 15:6
Abram believed the Lord , and because of this faith the Lord accepted him as one who has done what is right.
Genesis 15:10
Abram brought all these to God. Abram killed these animals and cut each of them into two pieces. Then he laid each half across from the other half. He did not cut the birds into two pieces.
Genesis 15:14
But then I will punish the nation that made them slaves. Your people will leave that land, and they will take many good things with them.
Genesis 15:16
After four generations your people will come to this land again and defeat the Amorites. That will happen in the future because the Amorites are not yet guilty enough to lose their land."
Genesis 15:17
After the sun went down, it got very dark. The dead animals were still on the ground, each animal cut into two pieces. Then a smoking firepot and a flaming torch passed between the halves of the dead animals.

Gill's Notes on the Bible

This then was the lot of the tribe of the children of Judah by their families,.... The land of Canaan was divided by lot to the several tribes, and the tribe of Judah had its lot first; of the manner of casting lots, :-; It seems as if the lot was first cast for the tribes of Judah and Joseph, when the former had the southern, and the latter the northern part of the land for their portion, which was done in Gilgal; after this lots were cast in Shiloh for the other seven tribes, who had the land divided among them, which lay between Judah and Joseph, or between the southern and northern parts of the land, see Joshua 18:1, c. and it seems that not only the land was divided to the tribes by lot, but that the portion of land which belonged to each tribe was divided in the same way to the several families and households belonging thereunto as is here suggested, with respect to the tribe of Judah, whose lot reached

[even] to the border of Edom; or Idumea, which lay to the south of the land of Canaan:

the wilderness of Zin southward [was] the uttermost part of the south coast; the same with Kadesh, and lay upon the borders of Edom; see

Numbers 33:36.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

The inheritance of the tribe of Judah is described first by its general boundaries on all four sides Joshua 15:1-12; then reference is again made, for the sake of completeness, to the special inheritance of Caleb which lay within these boundaries Joshua 15:13-20; and lastly a list of the towns is given Joshua 15:21-63. Consult the marginal references.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

CHAPTER XV

The lot of the tribe of Judah described, 1.

Their south border, 2-4.

Their east border, 5-11.

Their west border, 12.

Caleb's conquest, 13-15.

Promises his daughter to the person who should take

Kirjath-sepher, 16.

Othniel his kinsman renders himself master of it, and gets

Achsah to wife, 17.

Her request to her father to get a well watered land, which

is granted, 18, 19.

The cities of the tribe of Judah are enumerated, 20-63.

NOTES ON CHAP. XV

Verse Joshua 15:1. This then was the lot of the tribe of - Judah — The geography of the sacred writings presents many difficulties, occasioned by the changes which the civil state of the promised land has undergone, especially for the last two thousand years. Many of the ancient towns and villages have had their names so totally changed, that their former appellations are no longer discernible; several lie buried under their own ruins, and others have been so long destroyed that not one vestige of them remains. On these accounts it is very difficult to ascertain the situation of many of the places mentioned in this and the following chapters. But however this may embarrass the commentator, it cannot affect the truth of the narrative. Some of the principal cities in the universe, cities that were the seats of the most powerful empires, are not only reduced to ruins, but so completely blotted out of the map of the world that their situation cannot be ascertained. Where is Babylon? Where are Nineveh, Carthage, Thebes, Tyre, Baalbec, Palmyra, and the so far-famed and greatly celebrated TROY? Of the former and the latter, so renowned by historians and poets, scarcely a vestige, properly speaking, remains; nor can the learned agree on the spot once occupied by the buildings of those celebrated cities! Should this circumstance invalidate the whole history of the ancient world, in which they made so conspicuous a figure? And can the authenticity of our sacred historian be impaired, because several of the places he mentions no longer exist? Surely no: nor can it be called in question but by the heedless and superficial, or the decidedly profane. Although some of the cities of the holy land are destroyed, and it would be difficult to ascertain the geography of several, yet enough remain, either under their ancient names, or with such decisive characteristics, that through their new names their ancient appellatives are readily discernible.

It is natural to suppose that the division mentioned here was made after an accurate survey of the land, which might have been made by proper persons accompanying the conquering army of the Israelites. Nine tribes and a half were yet to be accommodated, and the land must be divided into nine parts and a half. This was no doubt done with the utmost judgment and discretion, the advantages and disadvantages of each division being carefully balanced. These were the portions which were divided by lot; and it appears that Judah drew the first lot; and, because of the importance and pre-eminence of this tribe, this lot is first described.

By their families — It is supposed that the family divisions were not determined by lot. These were left to the prudence and judgment of Joshua, Eleazar, and the ten princes, who appointed to each family a district in proportion to its number, c., the general division being that alone which was determined by the lot.

To the border of Edom — The tribe of Judah occupied the most southerly part of the land of Canaan. Its limits extended from the extremity of the Dead Sea southward, along Idumea, possibly by the desert of Sin, and proceeding from east to west to the Mediterranean Sea, and the most eastern branch of the river Nile, or to what is called the river of Egypt. Calmet very properly remarks, that Joshua is particular in giving the limits of this tribe, as being the first, the most numerous, most important that which was to furnish the kings of Judea; that in which pure religion was to be preserved, and that from which the Messiah was to spring.


 
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