Joshua 15:20–63
20 This is the inheritance of the tribe of the sons of Judah according to their families.
21 Now the cities at the extremity of the tribe of the sons of Judah toward the border of Edom in the south were Kabzeel, Eder, and Jagur,
22 Kinah, Dimonah, and Adadah,
23 Kedesh, Hazor, and Ithnan,
24 Ziph, Telem, and Bealoth,
25 Hazor-hadattah, Kerioth-hezron (that is, Hazor),
26 Amam, Shema, and Moladah,
27 Hazar-gaddah, Heshmon, and Beth-pelet,
28 Hazar-shual, Beersheba, and Biziothiah,
29 Baalah, Iim, and Ezem,
30 Eltolad, Chesil, and Hormah,
31 Ziklag, Madmannah, and Sansannah,
32 Lebaoth, Shilhim, Ain, and Rimmon; in all, twenty-nine cities with their villages.
33 In the lowland: Eshtaol, Zorah, and Ashnah,
34 Zanoah, En-gannim, Tappuah, and Enam,
35 Jarmuth, Adullam, Socoh, and Azekah,
36 Shaaraim, Adithaim, Gederah, and Gederothaim; fourteen cities with their villages.
37 Zenan, Hadashah, and Migdal-gad,
38 Dilean, Mizpeh, and Joktheel,
39 Lachish, Bozkath, and Eglon,
40 Cabbon, Lahmas, and Chitlish,
41 Gederoth, Beth-dagon, Naamah, and Makkedah; sixteen cities with their villages.
42 Libnah, Ether, and Ashan,
43 Iphtah, Ashnah, and Nezib,
44 Keilah, Achzib, and Mareshah; nine cities with their villages.
45 Ekron, with its towns and its villages;
46 from Ekron even to the sea, all that were by the side of Ashdod, with their villages.
47 Ashdod, 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.
48 In the hill country: Shamir, Jattir, and Socoh,
49 Dannah, Kiriath-sannah (that is, Debir),
50 Anab, Eshtemoh, Anim,
51 Goshen, Holon, and Giloh; eleven cities with their villages.
52 Arab, Dumah, and Eshan,
53 Janum, Beth-tappuah, and Aphekah,
54 Humtah, Kiriath-arba (that is, Hebron), and Zior; nine cities with their villages.
55 Maon, Carmel, Ziph, and Juttah,
56 Jezreel, Jokdeam, and Zanoah,
57 Kain, Gibeah, and Timnah; ten cities with their villages.
58 Halhul, Beth-zur, and Gedor,
59 Maarath, Beth-anoth, and Eltekon; six cities with their villages.
60 Kiriath-baal (that is, Kiriath-jearim), and Rabbah; two cities with their villages.
61 In the wilderness: Beth-arabah, Middin, and Secacah,
62 Nibshan, the City of Salt, and Engedi; six cities with their villages.
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 in Jerusalem to this day.
Cities of the Tribe of Judah
5 sections
The cities of the tribe of Judah are divided into 5 sections: (1)The cities of Negev, an area in the south end. (2)The cities in the lowlands (Shephelah), which are the region between the coastline and the hill country. (3)The cities on the coastline; cities such as Ekron, Ashdod, and Gaza are listed, but these cities eventually were conquered by the Philistines. (4)The cities in the hill country. (5)The cities in the desert, namely the cities near the Dead Sea.
Notable things
There are two things in particular. (1) Surprisingly, the City of David, Bethlehem, where Jesus was born, is a city in the hill country, but was not mentioned in this list. We can see from this that Bethlehem was such an insignificant city. Prophet Micah said, “But as for you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, too little to be among the clans of Judah, from you One will go forth for Me to be ruler in Israel. His goings forth are from long ago, from the days of eternity” (Micah 5:2). Let us remember that the Messiah was born in such a city and thank the grace of the Lord. (2) It says in Verse 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.” It was only in the time of David that the Jebusites were driven out. David conquered Jerusalem and established it as the capital of the unified kingdom. From the phrase “until this day,” we can say that the book of Joshua was written before David’s time. We, too, might have forts in life that God commands us to take but are still untouched. Let’s pray that God would help us take such forts in the same way as how David, by faith, conquered the city of the Jebusites.
Today's prayer
God of Israel, please pour strength into me, that I may be able to shatter the fortresses of the enemy. I pray in the name of Jesus Christ. Amen.