Joshua 15 in plain modern English. New Ground English Translation.

The land allotted to the tribe of Judah, distributed by their family groups, extended south to the border of Edom — all the way to the Zin wilderness at the far southern edge.

Their southern boundary started at the tip of the Salt Sea — from the bay that faces south —

then ran south of the Akrabbim Pass, continued through to Zin, went up south of Kadesh-barnea, passed Hezron, went up to Addar, and curved around to Karka.

From there it continued to Azmon, then followed the Wadi of Egypt and ended at the Mediterranean Sea. This was their southern boundary.

The eastern boundary was the Salt Sea all the way up to where the Jordan River empties into it. The northern boundary started at the bay of the sea where the Jordan enters,

went up to Beth-hoglah, passed north of Beth-arabah, then went up to the Stone of Bohan son of Reuben.

Then the boundary went up to Debir from the Valley of Achor, turning north toward Gilgal, which faces the Adummim Pass on the south side of the valley. It continued to the waters of En-shemesh and ended at En-rogel.

The boundary then went up through the Valley of Ben-hinnom along the southern slope of the Jebusite city — that is, Jerusalem — then climbed to the top of the hill west of the Hinnom Valley, at the northern end of the Rephaim Valley.

From the hilltop the boundary curved to the spring at the Waters of Nephtoah, extended to the towns near Mount Ephron, then curved toward Baalah — that is, Kiriath-jearim.

From Baalah the boundary curved westward to Mount Seir, passed along the northern slope of Mount Jearim — also called Chesalon — then went down to Beth-shemesh and continued to Timnah.

The boundary went along the northern slope of Ekron, then curved to Shikkeron, passed along Mount Baalah, extended to Jabneel, and ended at the sea.

The western boundary was the coastline of the Mediterranean Sea. These were the borders surrounding Judah's descendants, grouped by their families.

Following Yahweh's command to Joshua, Caleb son of Jephunneh was given a portion within Judah's territory — specifically Kiriath-arba (that is, Hebron). Arba had been the ancestor of Anak.

Caleb drove out from there the three descendants of Anak: Sheshai, Ahiman, and Talmai — all from Anak's line.

From there he marched up against the people living in Debir. (Debir used to be called Kiriath-sepher.)

Caleb announced, "Whoever attacks Kiriath-sepher and captures it — I'll give him my daughter Achsah as his wife."

Othniel son of Kenaz, Caleb's brother, captured it — so Caleb gave him his daughter Achsah as his wife.

When she arrived to live with Othniel, she urged him to ask her father for a field. As she got down from her donkey, Caleb asked her, "What do you want?"

She answered, "Give me a gift. Since you've given me land in the Negev desert, give me springs of water too." So Caleb gave her the upper springs and the lower springs.

This was the inheritance of the tribe of Judah, distributed by their family groups:

The southernmost towns belonging to the tribe of Judah, near the border of Edom in the Negev, were: Kabzeel, Eder, Jagur,

Kinah, Dimonah, Adadah,

Kedesh, Hazor, Ithnan,

Ziph, Telem, Bealoth,

Hazor-hadattah, Kerioth-hezron (that is, Hazor),

Amam, Shema, Moladah,

Hazar-gaddah, Heshmon, Beth-pelet,

Hazar-shual, Beersheba, Biziothiah,

Baalah, Iim, Ezem,

Eltolad, Chesil, Hormah,

Ziklag, Madmannah, Sansannah,

Lebaoth, Shilhim, Ain, and Rimmon — twenty-nine towns in all, along with their surrounding villages.

In the western foothills: Eshtaol, Zorah, Ashnah,

Zanoah, En-gannim, Tappuah, Enam,

Jarmuth, Adullam, Socoh, Azekah,

Shaaraim, Adithaim, Gederah, and Gederothaim — fourteen towns along with their surrounding villages.

Also: Zenan, Hadashah, Migdal-gad,

Dilean, Mizpah, Joktheel,

Lachish, Bozkath, Eglon,

Cabbon, Lahmam, Chitlish,

Gederoth, Beth-dagon, Naamah, and Makkedah — sixteen towns along with their surrounding villages.

Also: Libnah, Ether, Ashan,

Iphtah, Ashnah, Nezib,

Keilah, Achzib, and Mareshah — nine towns along with their surrounding villages.

Ekron with its surrounding towns and villages,

from Ekron to the sea, everything alongside Ashdod, together with their villages.

Ashdod with its surrounding towns and villages, Gaza with its surrounding towns and villages, all the way to the Wadi of Egypt and the coastline of the Mediterranean Sea.

In the hill country: Shamir, Jattir, Socoh,

Dannah, Kiriath-sannah (that is, Debir),

Anab, Eshtemoh, Anim,