וַיְהִי הַגּוֹרָל לְמַטֵּה בְּנֵי יְהוּדָה לְמִשְׁפְּחֹתָם אֶל גְּבוּל אֱדוֹם מִדְבַּר צִן נֶגְבָּה מִקְצֵה תֵימָן

After Hebron, the first inheritance allocated of the land was given to the leaders of Judah to apportion among the rest of the tribe. The allotment for the tribe of the children of Judah according to their families was at the border of Edom, the wilderness of Tzin in the Negev, the southern [teiman] edge of the land. Some interpret this to mean that the border reached the portion of the family of Teman, one of Esau’s descendants who inherited the land of Edom.

וַיְהִי לָהֶם גְּבוּל נֶגֶב מִקְצֵה יָם הַמֶּלַח מִן הַלָּשֹׁן הַפֹּנֶה נֶגְבָּה

Their southern border of the tribe of Judah was the edge of the Dead Sea, from the inlet facing south.

וְיָצָא אֶל מִנֶּגֶב לְמַעֲלֵה עַקְרַבִּים וְעָבַר צִנָה וְעָלָה מִנֶּגֶב לְקָדֵשׁ בַּרְנֵעַ וְעָבַר חֶצְרוֹן וְעָלָה אַדָּרָה וְנָסַב הַקַּרְקָעָה

It, the border, went south to Maaleh Akrabim, passed toward Tzin, went up, via inclines of hills and mountains, south of Kadesh Barnea, passed Hetzron, went up to Adar, and turned to a place called Karka. When a verse states that a border went up, it generally means that it literally ascended hills and peaks. However, it can also mean that the border turned northward.

וְעָבַר עַצְמוֹנָה וְיָצָא נַחַל מִצְרַיִם וְהָיוּ תֹּצְאוֹת הַגְּבוּל יָמָּה זֶה יִהְיֶה לָכֶם גְּבוּל נֶגֶב

It, the border, passed to Atzmon, and came out to the Ravine of Egypt. In light of the distances involved and the size of the tribal inheritances, this is probably Wadi el-Arish, rather than a branch of the Nile. The terminus of the border was the sea, as the border continued along the Ravine of Egypt until the Mediterranean Sea. The verse summarizes: This shall be the line of your southern border, which begins south of the Dead Sea and winds its way to the Mediterranean. The wording of the verse indicates that the members of the tribe of Judah were still standing before Joshua, as the lot directed the word of God to the inheritors. It is also possible that the description of the border here echoes a verse in Numbers (34:3) with regard to the southern border of the land of Canaan.

וּגְבוּל קֵדְמָה יָם הַמֶּלַח עַד קְצֵה הַיַּרְדֵּן וּגְבוּל לִפְאַת צָפוֹנָה מִלְּשׁוֹן הַיָּם מִקְצֵה הַיַּרְדֵּן

The eastern border was the Dead Sea, to the southern end of the Jordan. The border on the northern side of the tribe of Judah, from the east, was from the inlet of the sea at the end of the Jordan, the point of intersection between the Dead Sea and the Jordan;

וְעָלָה הַגְּבוּל בֵּית חָגְלָה וְעָבַר מִצְּפוֹן לְבֵית הָעֲרָבָה וְעָלָה הַגְּבוּל אֶבֶן בֹּהַן בֶּן רְאוּבֵן

the border went up to Beit Hogla, and passed north of Beit Arava; the border went up to the stone of Bohan, son of Reuben. This place may have received its name due to its shape of a thumb [bohen]. Alternatively, it may be named after the name of its owner or conqueror, like the Valley of the Son of Hinom.

וְעָלָה הַגְּבוּל דְּבִרָה מֵעֵמֶק עָכוֹר וְצָפוֹנָה פֹּנֶה אֶל הַגִּלְגָּל אֲשֶׁר נֹכַח לְמַעֲלֵה אֲדֻמִּים אֲשֶׁר מִנֶּגֶב לַנָּחַל וְעָבַר הַגְּבוּל אֶל מֵי עֵין שֶׁמֶשׁ וְהָיוּ תֹצְאֹתָיו אֶל עֵין רֹגֵל

The border went up to Devir from the Valley of Akhor, and northward of Devir, turning to the Gilgal, that is opposite Maaleh Adumim, which is south of the well-known ravine in that region; and the border passed to the waters of Ein Shemesh, and its terminus was at Ein Rogel, meaning it passed through Ein Rogel, a spring just south of Jerusalem. Some maintain that Ein Rogel is “the launderer’s field,” which was across from the walls of Jerusalem. In any case, this is not the Shilo’ah.

וְעָלָה הַגְּבוּל גֵּי בֶן הִנֹּם אֶל כֶּתֶף הַיְבוּסִי מִנֶּגֶב הִיא יְרוּשָׁלִָם וְעָלָה הַגְּבוּל אֶל רֹאשׁ הָהָר אֲשֶׁר עַל פְּנֵי גֵי הִנֹּם יָמָּה אֲשֶׁר בִּקְצֵה עֵמֶק רְפָאִים צָפֹנָה

The border went further up in the Valley of the Son of Hinom, which is known by that name to this day, on the southern shoulder of the Yevusites, which is Jerusalem. Until the days of King David, Jerusalem was a Yevusite city. The border went up to the top of the highlands that were on the western side of the Valley of Hinom, which is at the northern edge of the Valley of Refaim. This is an intricate border, which runs over slopes and hills before joining the northern edge of the Valley of Refaim at a point that is known nowadays as well.

וְתָאַר הַגְּבוּל מֵרֹאשׁ הָהָר אֶל מַעְיַן מֵי נֶפְתּוֹחַ וְיָצָא אֶל עָרֵי הַר עֶפְרוֹן וְתָאַר הַגְּבוּל בַּעֲלָה הִיא קִרְיַת יְעָרִים

The border curved in an arched line from the top of the highlands westward, following the mountain routes to the spring of the waters of Nefto’ah, and it came out to the cities of Mount Efron; the border curved to Baala, which is Kiryat Ye’arim.

וְנָסַב הַגְּבוּל מִבַּעֲלָה יָמָּה אֶל הַר שֵׂעִיר וְעָבַר אֶל כֶּתֶף הַר יְעָרִים מִצָּפוֹנָה הִיא כְסָלוֹן וְיָרַד בֵּית שֶׁמֶשׁ וְעָבַר תִּמְנָה

The border turned westward from Baala to Mount Se’ir, and passed by the shoulder of Mount Ye’arim from the north, which is Kesalon, and the border descended to Beit Shemesh, and passed Timna.

וְיָצָא הַגְּבוּל אֶל כֶּתֶף עֶקְרוֹן צָפוֹנָה וְתָאַר הַגְּבוּל שִׁכְּרוֹנָה וְעָבַר הַר הַבַּעֲלָה וְיָצָא יַבְנְאֵל וְהָיוּ תֹּצְאוֹת הַגְּבוּל יָמָּה

The border came out north of the shoulder of Ekron, and the border curved to Shikeron, passed Mount Baala, and came out to Yavne’el, near modern-day Yavne, and the terminus of the border was at the sea. The northern border of the territory of Judah passed along a winding route near Jerusalem, passing north of Jerusalem and extending to the Mediterranean Sea.

וּגְבוּל יָם הַיָּמָּה הַגָּדוֹל וּגְבוּל זֶה גְּבוּל בְּנֵי יְהוּדָה סָבִיב לְמִשְׁפְּחֹתָם

The western border was the Great Sea, the Mediterranean, and its borderland. The area allocated to the tribe of Judah included a strip of the Mediterranean coast and perhaps also nearby islands and shoals. The western border of the tribe of Judah stretched along the Mediterranean Sea, from the Ravine of Egypt, Wadi el-Arish, to the estuary of the Sorek Ravine near modern-day Palmachim. This is the border of the children of Judah all around, according to their families.

וּלְכָלֵב בֶּן יְפֻנֶּה נָתַן חֵלֶק בְּתוֹךְ בְּנֵי יְהוּדָה אֶל פִּי ה' לִיהוֹשֻׁעַ אֶת קִרְיַת אַרְבַּע אֲבִי הָעֲנָק הִיא חֶבְרוֹן

After describing the borders of the territory of Judah, the chapter details its cities. It begins by reviewing a matter that was already related above: To Caleb son of Yefuneh he gave a portion among the children of Judah, according to the directive of the Lord to Joshua: Kiryat Arba, or city of Arba, father of the giant, the largest of the giants. Arba was perhaps the father of the three giants mentioned below; alternatively, he was the father of Anak, who was the father of the three giants. It is possible that Kiryat Arba, which is Hebron, was so called because of the four [arba] giants, Anak and his three sons.

וַיֹּרֶשׁ מִשָּׁם כָּלֵב אֶת שְׁלוֹשָׁה בְּנֵי הָעֲנָק אֶת שֵׁשַׁי וְאֶת אֲחִימַן וְאֶת תַּלְמַי יְלִידֵי הָעֲנָק

Caleb dispossessed from there the three sons of the giant, Sheshai, Ahiman, and Talmai, who were the offspring of the giant.

וַיַּעַל מִשָּׁם אֶל יֹשְׁבֵי דְּבִר וְשֵׁם דְּבִר לְפָנִים קִרְיַת סֵפֶר

He, Caleb, went up from there to the inhabitants of Devir, a city near Hebron, perhaps to its northwest; the name of Devir was formerly Kiryat Sefer.

וַיֹּאמֶר כָּלֵב אֲשֶׁר יַכֶּה אֶת קִרְיַת סֵפֶר וּלְכָדָהּ וְנָתַתִּי לוֹ אֶת עַכְסָה בִתִּי לְאִשָּׁה

Caleb said: To whomever smites Kiryat Sefer and captures it, I will give Akhsa my daughter to him as a wife. Kiryat Sefer was not a large city, but it was apparently an important one. It is possible that at this stage Caleb was unable to organize his army himself.

וַיִּלְכְּדָהּ עָתְנִיאֵל בֶּן קְנַז אֲחִי כָלֵב וַיִּתֶּן לוֹ אֶת עַכְסָה בִתּוֹ לְאִשָּׁה

Otniel son of Kenaz, who was the brother of Caleb, captured it; and indeed he, Caleb, gave Akhsa his daughter to him as a wife.

וַיְהִי בְּבוֹאָהּ וַתְּסִיתֵהוּ לִשְׁאוֹל מֵאֵת אָבִיהָ שָׂדֶה וַתִּצְנַח מֵעַל הַחֲמוֹר וַיֹּאמֶר לָהּ כָּלֵב מַה לָּךְ

The following incident is related parenthetically: It was when she, Akhsa, arrived and saw Otniel, her new husband, that she urged him to request a field from her father. She thought that it was improper for her to ask her father of her own accord, or solely in her own merit. Perhaps Otniel felt that he was not entitled to a field, as he had already been granted Caleb’s daughter for a wife, and possibly some other portion as well. Consequently, when they visited Caleb, the head of the family, Akhsa took the initiative: She alighted from the donkey and kneeled on the ground: and Caleb said to her: What do you want? What is your desire? Clearly, you have come to ask me for something.

וַתֹּאמֶר תְּנָה לִּי בְרָכָה כִּי אֶרֶץ הַנֶּגֶב נְתַתָּנִי וְנָתַתָּה לִי גֻּלֹּת מָיִם וַיִּתֶּן לָהּ אֵת גֻּלֹּת עִלִּיּוֹת וְאֵת גֻּלֹּת תַּחְתִּיּוֹת

She said: Give me an extra blessing: As you have given me the southern land, a dry region that lacks water, give me springs, or sources of water. He gave her the upper springs and the lower springs in the Hebron region.

זֹאת נַחֲלַת מַטֵּה בְנֵי יְהוּדָה לְמִשְׁפְּחֹתָם

This is the inheritance of the tribe of the children of Judah according to their families. This is a list of the cities of the tribe of Judah, divided by region and blocs of settled areas. Some of these cities are mentioned elsewhere as being inhabited by Israel, such as Zif.

וַיִּהְיוּ הֶעָרִים מִקְצֵה לְמַטֵּה בְנֵי יְהוּדָה אֶל גְּבוּל אֱדוֹם בַּנֶּגְבָּה קַבְצְאֵל וְעֵדֶר וְיָגוּר

The cities at the edge of the tribe of the children of Judah toward the border of Edom in the south were Kabtze’el, Eder, and Yagur;

וְקִינָה וְדִימוֹנָה וְעַדְעָדָה

and Kina, Dimona, and Adada;

וְקֶדֶשׁ וְחָצוֹר וְיִתְנָן

and Kedesh, Hatzor, and Yitnan;

זִיף וָטֶלֶם וּבְעָלוֹת

Zif, Telem, and Be’alot;

וְחָצוֹר חֲדַתָּה וּקְרִיּוֹת חֶצְרוֹן הִיא חָצוֹר

and Hatzor, Hadata; perhaps Hadata means new, which is the meaning of the word in Aramaic, and if so, the verse can be read as referring to Hatzor Hadata, New Hatzor, as opposed to Old Hatzor. And Keriyot, and Hetzron, mentioned above in the description of the borders of Judah (verse 3), which is Hatzor;

אֲמָם וּשְׁמַע וּמוֹלָדָה

Amam, Shema, and Molada;

וַחֲצַר גַּדָּה וְחֶשְׁמוֹן וּבֵית פָּלֶט

and Hatzar Gada, Heshmon, and Beit Pelet;

וַחֲצַר שׁוּעָל וּבְאֵר שֶׁבַע וּבִזְיוֹתְיָה

and Hatzar Shual, Beersheba, and Bizyotya;

בַּעֲלָה וְעִיִּים וָעָצֶם

Baala, Iyim, and Etzem;

וְאֶלְתּוֹלַד וּכְסִיל וְחָרְמָה

and Eltolad, Kesil, and Horma; perhaps the same place as the one mentioned in the days of Moses;

וְצִקְלַג וּמַדְמַנָּה וְסַנְסַנָּה

and Tziklag, Madmana, and Sansana;

וּלְבָאוֹת וְשִׁלְחִים וְעַיִן וְרִמּוֹן כָּל עָרִים עֶשְׂרִים וָתֵשַׁע וְחַצְרֵיהֶן

and Levaot, Shilhim, Ayin, and Rimon; all the cities in this list, with the omission of those that would be given to the tribe of Simeon, were twenty-nine, and included their surrounding areas. These surrounding areas were small, unfortified settlements; alternatively, this term refers to the agricultural fields around the cities. These are the cities located in the southern portion of Judah.

בַּשְּׁפֵלָה אֶשְׁתָּאוֹל וְצָרְעָה וְאַשְׁנָה

In the lowlands, the lower, western portion of the territory of Judah: The cities of Eshtaol, Tzora, and Ashna;

וְזָנוֹחַ וְעֵין גַּנִּים תַּפּוּחַ וְהָעֵינָם

and Zano’ah, Ein Ganim, Tapuah, and Einam;

יַרְמוּת וַעֲדֻלָּם שׂוֹכֹה וַעֲזֵקָה

Yarmut, Adulam, Sokho, and Azeka. Most of these place names appear only here, although some of them, such as Adulam and Azeka, existed for many generations.

וְשַׁעֲרַיִם וַעֲדִיתַיִם וְהַגְּדֵרָה וּגְדֵרֹתָיִם עָרִים אַרְבַּע עֶשְׂרֵה וְחַצְרֵיהֶן

And Shaarayim, Aditayim, the Gedera, and Gederotayim; fourteen cities and their surrounding areas. This is one bloc of cities in the Judean lowlands.

צְנָן וַחֲדָשָׁה וּמִגְדַּל גָּד

Another group of cities is now listed: Tzenan, Hadasha, presumably the same Hadasha as the one recorded in the Mishna as the paradigmatic minimum-sized city, and Migdal Gad;

וְדִלְעָן וְהַמִּצְפֶּה וְיָקְתְאֵל

and Dilan, Mitzpe, and Yokte’el;

לָכִישׁ וּבָצְקַת וְעֶגְלוֹן

Lakhish, Botzkat, and Eglon;

וְכַבּוֹן וְלַחְמָס וְכִתְלִישׁ

and Kabon, Lahmas, and Kitlish. It is possible that these names are not of Semitic, Hurrian, or Philistine origin. However, some maintain that Kabon is named after Makhbena, a man from the family of Caleb. Alternatively, that it may stem from the root kaf-beit-beit, which means roasting in Semitic languages. With regard to Lahmas, some maintain that it is a corruption of Lahmam, “their bread.” The suffix “ish” in Kitlish is from the Hurrian term for king, although it is possible that this form of name was adopted by the Philistines, as in the names Akhish, who was the king of Gat, and Lakhish.

וּגְדֵרוֹת בֵּית דָּגוֹן וְנַעֲמָה וּמַקֵּדָה עָרִים שֵׁשׁ עֶשְׂרֵה וְחַצְרֵיהֶן

And there was also Gederot Beit Dagon, Naama, and Makeda; sixteen cities and their surrounding areas.

לִבְנָה וָעֶתֶר וְעָשָׁן

Another group of cities is now listed: Livna, Eter, and Ashan;

וְיִפְתָּח וְאַשְׁנָה וּנְצִיב

and Yiftah, Ashna, and Netziv;

וּקְעִילָה וְאַכְזִיב וּמָרֵאשָׁה עָרִים תֵּשַׁע וְחַצְרֵיהֶן

and Ke’ila, an important city, and Akhziv, and Maresha, which appears in other books in the Bible. It is also mentioned in various inscriptions and is known for the excavations performed there. These amount to a total of nine cities and their surrounding areas.

עֶקְרוֹן וּבְנֹתֶיהָ וַחֲצֵרֶיהָ

Another group of cities is listed: Ekron, its surrounding towns, and its surrounding areas;

מֵעֶקְרוֹן וָיָמָּה כֹּל אֲשֶׁר עַל יַד אַשְׁדּוֹד וְחַצְרֵיהֶן

from Ekron to the sea, all that were next to Ashdod, and their surrounding areas;

אַשְׁדּוֹד בְּנוֹתֶיהָ וַחֲצֵרֶיהָ; עַזָּה בְּנוֹתֶיהָ וַחֲצֵרֶיהָ; עַד נַחַל מִצְרָיִם וְהַיָּם הַגָּדוֹל וּגְבוּל

Ashdod, its towns, and its surrounding areas; Gaza, its towns, and its surrounding areas up to the Ravine of Egypt, the Great Sea and its borderland. The border reached the Mediterranean Sea and included the area adjacent to the sea.

וּבָהָר שָׁמִיר וְיַתִּיר וְשׂוֹכֹה

The chapter turns from the previous list of cities in the coastal lowlands to the cities of the hills. In the highlands: Shamir, Yatir, and Sokho;

וְדַנָּה וְקִרְיַת סַנָּה הִיא דְבִר;

and Dana, and Kiryat Sana, which is Devir, which is possibly the same Devir mentioned above (verse 15), formerly called Kiryat Sefer;

וַעֲנָב וְאֶשְׁתְּמֹה וְעָנִים

and Anav, Eshtemo, and Anim;

וְגֹשֶׁן וְחֹלֹן וְגִלֹה עָרִים אַחַת עֶשְׂרֵה וְחַצְרֵיהֶן

and Goshen, Holon; this is not the modern-day Holon; and Gilo, whose residents, the Gilonites, will feature later in the Bible, including Ahitofel the Gilonite, David’s counselor. These are eleven cities and their surrounding areas.

אֲרַב וְרוּמָה וְאֶשְׁעָן

Arav, Ruma, and Eshan;

וְיָנוּם וּבֵית תַּפּוּחַ וַאֲפֵקָה

and Yanum, Beit Tapuah, and Afeka;

וְחֻמְטָה וְקִרְיַת אַרְבַּע הִיא חֶבְרוֹן וְצִיעֹר עָרִים תֵּשַׁע וְחַצְרֵיהֶן

and Humta, and Kiryat Arba, which is Hebron, and Tzior; nine cities and their surrounding areas.

מָעוֹן כַּרְמֶל וָזִיף וְיוּטָּה

Maon, Karmel, Zif, and Yuta;

וְיִזְרְעֶאל וְיָקְדְעָם וְזָנוֹחַ

and Yizre’el, a city in the land of Judah and not the northern city of Yizre’el, and Yokde’am, and Zano’ah;

הַקַּיִן גִּבְעָה וְתִמְנָה עָרִים עֶשֶׂר וְחַצְרֵיהֶן

Kayin, Giva, and Timna; ten cities and their surrounding areas.

חַלְחוּל בֵּית צוּר וּגְדוֹר

Halhul, Beit Tzur, which is also mentioned generations later with regard to the Hasmonean wars, and Gedor;

וּמַעֲרָת וּבֵית עֲנוֹת וְאֶלְתְּקֹן עָרִים שֵׁשׁ וְחַצְרֵיהֶן

and Maarat, Beit Anot, and Eltekon; six cities and their surrounding areas.

קִרְיַת בַּעַל הִיא קִרְיַת יְעָרִים וְהָרַבָּה עָרִים שְׁתַּיִם וְחַצְרֵיהֶן

Kiryat Baal, which is Kiryat Ye’arim. Perhaps the name of this city was changed, so that it should not be called after the god Baal. And the large city of Raba; two cities and their surrounding areas.

בַּמִּדְבָּר בֵּית הָעֲרָבָה מִדִּין וּסְכָכָה

In the wilderness, the area of the Judean desert near the Dead Sea: Beit Arava, Midin, and Sekhakha;

וְהַנִּבְשָׁן וְעִיר הַמֶּלַח וְעֵין גֶּדִי עָרִים שֵׁשׁ וְחַצְרֵיהֶן

and Nivshan, and the City of Salt, perhaps called by this name due to its proximity to Sodom, and Ein Gedi, which is mentioned on numerous occasions. The modern-day Ein Gedi is probably located in the same oasis, not far from the Dead Sea; these were six cities and their surrounding areas.

וְאֶת הַיְבוּסִי יוֹשְׁבֵי יְרוּשָׁלִַם לֹא יָכְלוּ בְנֵי יְהוּדָה לְהוֹרִישָׁם וַיֵּשֶׁב הַיְבוּסִי אֶת בְּנֵי יְהוּדָה בִּירוּשָׁלִַם עַד הַיּוֹם הַזֶּה

But the Yevusites, who were the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the children of Judah were unable to dispossess; and the Yevusites resided with the children of Judah in Jerusalem, to this day, the time of King David. Jerusalem remained a Yevusite city that had not entirely surrendered to Israel throughout the period of the Judges.