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Josué 15

VBL · Chapter 15/24

1Esta fue la tierra asignada a la tribu de Judá, por familias: se extendía hacia el sur hasta la frontera de Edom, hasta el desierto de Zin en el extremo sur.

2Su frontera comenzaba en el extremo del Mar Salado – la bahía que mira hacia el sur —

3Hai luego iba hacia el sur del Paso de los escorpiones, a través del desierto de Zin, para luego dirigirse al sur de Cades-barnea hasta Hezrón. Desde allí subía hasta Adar y luego giraba hacia Carca,

4pasando por Azmon y saliendo al Wadi de Egipto, terminando en el mar. Esta era su frontera sur.

5La frontera oriental de Judá era el Mar Salado, hasta donde termina el río Jordán.

6hasta el límite de Bet-Joglá, y luego al norte de Bet-arabá hasta la Piedra de Bohán (hijo de Rubén).

7Desde allí iba hasta el límite de Debir por el valle de Acor, y giraba al norte hacia Gilgal, frente a las alturas de Adumín, al sur del valle. Luego el límite continuaba hasta las aguas de En-semes y hasta En-rogel.

8El límite pasaba entonces por el valle de Ben-Hinón, a lo largo de la ladera sur de los jebuseos, (es decir, Jerusalén), y luego subía a la cima de la montaña que domina el valle de Hinón hasta el extremo norte del valle de Refayín.

9Desde allí, el límite iba desde la cima de la montaña hasta el manantial de agua de Neftoa y hasta las ciudades del monte Efrón. Luego se doblaba hacia Balá (Quiriath-Yearín).

10Luego el límite daba la vuelta al oeste de Baalá hasta el monte Seir y pasaba por la ladera norte del monte Yearín hasta la ciudad de Kesalón, bajaba a Bet Semes y seguía hasta Timná.

11El límite seguía hasta la ladera norte de Ecrón y se doblaba hacia Siquerón, pasando por el monte Balá, hasta Jabneel y terminaba en el mar.

12El límite occidental era la costa del Gran Mar.

13El Señor le había ordenado a Josué que asignara algunas tierras en el territorio de Judá a Caleb, hijo de Jefone, y así se le dio la ciudad de Quiriat-arba, o Hebrón. (Arba era el padre de Anac).

14Caleb expulsó a tres grupos familiares: Sesay, Ajimán y Talmai, descendientes de Anac.

15Desde allí fue a atacar a los habitantes de Debir (antes conocida como Quiriat-sefer).

16Caleb anunció: “Al que ataque a Quiriat-sefer y lo capture, le daré a mi hija Acsa para que se case con él”.

17Otniel, hijo de Quenaz, hermano de Caleb, capturó la ciudad, por lo que Caleb le dio a su hija Acsa para que se casara.

18Cuando ella se acercó, él la convenció para que le pidiera un campo a su padre.Y cuando ella se bajó del asno, Caleb le preguntó: “¿Qué quieres?” .

19Ella respondió: “Por favor, dame una bendición. Ya que me has dado una tierra que es como el desierto, por favor, te pido que también me des manantiales de agua”. Entonces él le dio tanto el manantial superior como el inferior.

20Esta fue la tierra asignada a la tribu de Judá, por familias.

21Las ciudades para la tribu de Judá en el extremo sur, en la frontera con Edom: Cabzeel, Edar, Jagur,

22Quiná, Dimoná, Adadá,

23Cedes, Jazor, Itnán,

24Zif, Telén, Bealot,

25Jazor-jadatá, Queriot-Jezrón (o Jazor),

26Amán, Semá, Moladá,

27Jazar-Gadá, Hesmón, Bet-pelet,

28Jazar-súal, Beerseba, Biziotiá,

29Balá, Iyín, Esen,

30Eltolad, Quesil, Jormá,

31Siclag, Madmana, Sansaná,

32Lebaot, Sijín, Ayín, y Rimón, es decir, veintinueve ciudades con sus aldeas.

33Las ciudades de las estribaciones occidentales: Estaol, Zora, Asena,

34Zanoa, Enganín, Tapúaj, Enam,

35Jarmut, Adulán, Soco, Azeca,

36Sajarayin, Aditatin, Guederá, y Guederotayin, es decir, diez ciudades con sus aldeas.

37También: Zenán, Jadasá, Migdal-gad,

38Dileán, Mizpa, Joctel,

39Laquis, Bocat, Eglón,

40Cabón, Lajmás, Quitlís,

41Guederot, Bet-dagón, Noamá, y Maceda, es decir, diez ciudades con sus aldeas.

42Además: Libná, Éter, Asán,

43Jifta, Asena, Nezib,

44Queilá, Aczib y Maresá. Es decir, nueve ciudades con sus aldeas.

45Ecrón, con sus ciudades y aldeas,

46desde Ecrón hasta el mar las ciudades cercanas a Asdod y sus aldeas,

47Asdod y sus ciudades con sus aldeas, y Gaza con sus ciudades y aldeas, hasta el Wadi de Egipto, y a lo largo de la costa del mar.

48En la región de las colinas: Samir, Jatir, Soco,

49Daná, Quiriat Saná (o Debir),

50Anab, Estemoa, Anín,

51Gosén, Holón y Guiló. Es decir, once ciudades con sus aldeas.

52También: Arab, Dumá, Esán,

53Yanún, Bet-tapúaj, Afecá,

54Humtá, Quiriat-arba (o Hebrón), y Sior. Es decir, nueve ciudades con sus aldeas.

55Además: Maón, Carmelo, Zif, Yutá,

56Jezrel, Jocdeán, Zanoa,

57Caín, Guibeá y Timná. Es decir, diez ciudades con sus aldeas.

58También: Jaljul, Betsur, Guedor,

59Marat, Beth Anot y Eltecón. Es decir, seis ciudades con sus aldeas.

60Además: Quiriat Baal (o Quiriat-Yearín) y Rabá. Es decir, dos ciudades con sus aldeas.

61En el desierto: Bet-arabá, Midín, Secacá,

62Nibsán, la Ciudad de la Sal, y Engadi. Es decir, seis ciudades con sus aldea.

63Sin embargo, la tribu de Judá no pudo expulsar a los jebuseos, los habitantes de Jerusalén, por lo que los jebuseos viven entre la tribu de Judá en Jerusalén hasta el día de hoy.

📖 Chapter study

Summary

A detailed description of the territory of Judah, including Caleb's conquest of Hebron and Debir, and the marriage of his daughter Achsah to Othniel.

Explanation

The extensive list of borders and cities of Judah (the largest tribe by territory) documented, with legal precision, the property boundaries between families and clans, preventing future disputes over land. Amid this seemingly dry list, the personal story of Achsah shines through - she asks for and receives extra springs of water from her father Caleb, a small account of initiative and family generosity in the middle of an administrative chapter. The closing verse honestly acknowledges that Judah could not completely drive out the Jebusites from Jerusalem, a failure that would repeat itself with other tribes and bring consequences later on.

Fun facts

  • The city of Jerusalem (called Jebus by its original inhabitants) would only be fully conquered by David centuries later, in 2 Samuel 5.
  • Othniel, who marries Achsah here, later becomes Israel's first deliverer-judge in Judges 3:9-11.

Verse-by-verse explanation

  1. Josué 15:1Judah's borders are marked by natural landmarks — a valley, a rock, a spring — that made sense to the people who lived there but now require archaeologists to pinpoint. It worked like an ancient land deed, using natural markers instead of coordinates or street signs.
  2. Josué 15:2This describes Judah's southern border, starting at the tip of the Salt Sea and following the natural line that separated the territory from its neighbors to the south.
  3. Josué 15:3The southern border keeps going down to the ascent of Akrabbim and climbs back up to Kadesh-barnea, the same place the spies had set out from years earlier.
  4. Josué 15:4The southern limit ends at the river of Egypt, which empties into the Mediterranean — this whole line marks Judah's southern border.
  5. Josué 15:5On the east side, Judah's border is the Salt Sea; on the north, it begins where the Jordan flows into that sea.
  6. Josué 15:6The northern border climbs through Beth-hogla and Beth-arabah, passing by a stone marker linked to one of Reuben's sons.
  7. Josué 15:7The line continues to Debir, passing near Gilgal and the ascent of Adummim, until it reaches the waters of En-shemesh.
  8. Josué 15:8The border runs through the Valley of Hinnom, at the height of Jerusalem — a Jebusite city at the time — and climbs to the top of the mountain overlooking that valley.
  9. Josué 15:9From there the line goes to the spring of Nephtoah, passes by the cities of Mount Ephron, and reaches Baalah, also called Kirjath-jearim.
  10. Josué 15:10The border curves west, passes through the hill country of Seir, and goes down to Beth-shemesh and Timnah.
  11. Josué 15:11It continues near Ekron, passes by Shicron and Mount Baalah, and ends at Jabneel, close to the sea.
  12. Josué 15:12The western border is simply the Mediterranean Sea — this completes the whole outline of Judah's territory.
  13. Josué 15:13Fulfilling the promise made to Joshua, Caleb receives a portion within Judah's territory: the city of Hebron, also called Kirjath-arba.
  14. Josué 15:14Caleb drives out the three sons of Anak from there, recalling the same giant people who had terrified the spies decades earlier.
  15. Josué 15:15From Hebron, Caleb advances to Debir, which had formerly been called Kirjath-sepher.
  16. Josué 15:16Caleb promises his own daughter, Achsah, in marriage to whoever conquers Kirjath-sepher — a common incentive at the time to motivate a difficult attack.
  17. Josué 15:17Othniel, Caleb's nephew, captures the city and receives Achsah as his wife, fulfilling the promise.
  18. Josué 15:18Already married, Achsah urges her husband to ask her father for more land; she herself gets down from the donkey to negotiate directly with Caleb.
  19. Josué 15:19Achsah asks her father for springs of water beyond the dry field she received, and the request is granted; in a land where rain was scarce, access to springs mattered as much as the size of the land itself. It's a small detail that shows what truly mattered in a land inheritance in that region.
  20. Josué 15:20This closes out the section on borders and stories, opening the way for the detailed list of Judah's inherited cities.
  21. Josué 15:21The list of cities in Judah's far south begins, near the border with Edom.
  22. Josué 15:22Three more cities from this southern region follow next in the list.
  23. Josué 15:23The list of southern cities continues, including Kedesh, distinct from the Kadesh-barnea mentioned earlier.
  24. Josué 15:24Three more city names complete this part of the far-south list of Judah.
  25. Josué 15:25Two versions of Hazor appear here, showing how names repeated among different cities in the region.
  26. Josué 15:26The list continues with more cities in southern Judah, including Moladah.
  27. Josué 15:27These cities lie in the Negev, the dry strip in Judah's far south toward the border with Edom — a list that adds up to twenty-nine cities and their villages.
  28. Josué 15:28Beer-sheba, one of the most remembered places from the patriarchs' story, appears here as part of Judah's territory.
  29. Josué 15:29More cities from the same stretch of the Negev, in southern Judah — names that appear only here, within a list of twenty-nine cities that closes out this region.
  30. Josué 15:30Hormah, a city tied to Israel's earlier defeats in the wilderness, now appears as part of the conquered territory.
  31. Josué 15:31Ziklag, a city that will later appear in the story of David fleeing from Saul, already shows up here in Judah's list.
  32. Josué 15:32The list of the far south closes with a total of twenty-nine cities, each with its surrounding villages.
  33. Josué 15:33The list of lowland cities now begins, a different region from the southern lands.
  34. Josué 15:34More lowland cities join the list, including En-gannim, in this section of Judah's territory.
  35. Josué 15:35Jarmuth and Adullam, cities tied to kings defeated by Joshua in earlier chapters, appear here as Judah's territory.
  36. Josué 15:36This group of lowland cities closes with a total of fourteen cities and their villages.
  37. Josué 15:37A new group of lowland cities begins, including Migdal-gad, continuing the list of the Shephelah.
  38. Josué 15:38These cities lie in the Shephelah, the lowland between the hill country of Judah and the Philistine coast — a stretch that adds up to sixteen cities in all.
  39. Josué 15:39Lachish, one of the important cities Joshua conquered in chapter 10, is among the cities in this group.
  40. Josué 15:40Three more towns in Judah's lowland, the Shephelah — good, disputed land, a natural corridor between the hill country of Judah and the Philistine coast.
  41. Josué 15:41This second lowland group closes with sixteen cities in total.
  42. Josué 15:42Libnah is the same city Joshua conquered during the southern campaign, recounted in chapter 10 — here it opens a new group of nine cities in Judah's lowland.
  43. Josué 15:43Three more cities complete, with Libnah, the group of nine that closes this lowland list of Judah — all in the Shephelah, near the border with the Philistines.
  44. Josué 15:44This group of nine cities — which includes Keilah, a city David later rescues from a Philistine attack — closes another section of Judah's lowland (1 Samuel 23).
  45. Josué 15:45Ekron, one of the five Philistine cities, appears as part of the territory assigned to Judah, even though it wasn't fully under Israelite control.
  46. Josué 15:46The area around Ekron, near Ashdod, also enters Judah's list.
  47. Josué 15:47Ashdod and Gaza, other Philistine cities, complete this coastal strip listed as part of Judah's territory, all the way to the border with Egypt.
  48. Josué 15:48The list of Judah's hill country cities, up in the highlands around Hebron, now begins.
  49. Josué 15:49Debir appears again here, under its alternate name Kirjath-sannah.
  50. Josué 15:50These cities lie in Judah's hill country, around Hebron — part of a group of eleven cities that also includes Debir, formerly Kirjath-sepher.
  51. Josué 15:51This group of hill country cities closes with eleven cities in total.
  52. Josué 15:52Another group of hill country cities begins, close to the region of Hebron.
  53. Josué 15:53More cities from Judah's hill country, in a group of nine that also includes Hebron, given by Joshua to Caleb as a reward for his faith among the twelve spies.
  54. Josué 15:54Hebron appears again, confirming its place within Judah's territory even though it had already been given to Caleb; this group closes with nine cities.
  55. Josué 15:55A new group begins, including Carmel and Ziph, the region where David will later hide from Saul.
  56. Josué 15:56These cities lie in Judah's hill country, among them Jezreel — sharing a name with the more famous city of the same name in the territory of Issachar.
  57. Josué 15:57This group of ten cities closes another section of Judah's hill country — note that there is a Gibeah here, different from the more famous Gibeah of Benjamin, King Saul's hometown.
  58. Josué 15:58Another small group of hill country cities begins, including Beth-zur.
  59. Josué 15:59This group of six cities closes another section of Judah's hill country, between Hebron and Bethlehem — names that don't appear anywhere else in the Bible.
  60. Josué 15:60A very small group closes this section: Kirjath-jearim and Rabbah, just two cities.
  61. Josué 15:61The list of cities in the wilderness of Judah begins, the arid strip running down to the Salt Sea — the same region where, centuries later, the Dead Sea Scrolls would be found.
  62. Josué 15:62The list ends with En-gedi, on the shore of the Salt Sea, closing with six cities in total — and so all of Judah's inheritance is complete.
  63. Josué 15:63Even after the land was officially assigned to Judah by lot, the text admits that the Jebusites kept living in Jerusalem, never driven out. The division on paper and the actual control on the ground didn't always match, and the book doesn't hide that difference.

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