Albert Barnes Commentary Joshua 15:21-63

"And the uttermost cities of the tribe of the children of Judah toward the border of Edom in the South were Kabzeel, and Eder, and Jagur, and Kinah, and Dimonah, and Adadah, and Kedesh, and Hazor, and Ithnan, Ziph, and Telem, and Bealoth, and Hazor-hadattah, and Kerioth-hezron (the same is Hazor), Amam, and Shema, and Moladah, and Hazar-gaddah, and Heshmon, and Beth-pelet, and Hazar-shual, and Beer-sheba, and Biziothiah, Baalah, and Iim, and Ezem, and Eltolad, and Chesil, and Hormah, and Ziklag, and Madmannah, and Sansannah, and Lebaoth, and Shilhim, and Ain, and Rimmon: all the cities are twenty and nine, with their villages. In the lowland, Eshtaol, and Zorah, and Ashnah, and Zanoah, and En-gannim, Tappuah, and Enam, Jarmuth, and Adullam, Socoh, and Azekah, and Shaaraim, and Adithaim, and Gederah, and Gederothaim; fourteen cities with their villages. Zenan, and Hadashah, and Migdal-gad, and Dilean, and Mizpeh, and Joktheel, Lachish, and Bozkath, and Eglon, and Cabbon, and Lahmam, and Chitlish, and Gederoth, Beth-dagon, and Naamah, and Makkedah; sixteen cities with their villages. Libnah, and Ether, and Ashan, and Iphtah, and Ashnah, and Nezib, and Keilah, and Achzib, and Mareshah; nine cities with their villages. Ekron, with its towns and its villages; from Ekron even unto the sea, all that were by the side of Ashdod, with their villages. Ashdod, its towns and its villages; Gaza, its towns and its villages; unto the brook of Egypt, and the great sea, and the border [thereof]. And in the hill-country, Shamir, and Jattir, and Socoh, and Dannah, and Kiriath-sannah (the same is Debir), and Anab, and Eshtemoh, and Anim, and Goshen, and Holon, and Giloh; eleven cities with their villages. Arab, and Dumah, and Eshan, and Janim, and Beth-tappuah, and Aphekah, and Humtah, and Kiriath-arba (the same is Hebron), and Zior; nine cities with their villages. Maon, Carmel, and Ziph, and Jutah, and Jezreel, and Jokdeam, and Zanoah, Kain, Gibeah, and Timnah; ten cities with their villages. Halhul, Beth-zur, and Gedor, and Maarath, and Beth-anoth, and Eltekon; six cities with their villages. Kiriath-baal (the same is Kiriath-jearim), and Rabbah; two cities with their villages. In the wilderness, Beth-arabah, Middin, and Secacah, and Nibshan, and the City of Salt, and En-gedi; six cities with their villages. And as for the Jebusites, the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the children of Judah could not drive them out: but the Jebusites dwell with the children of Judah at Jerusalem unto this day." — Joshua 15:21-63 (ASV)

List of the towns of the tribe of Judah. These are arranged in four divisions, according to the natural features of the district; namely, those of the Negeb or south country (Joshua 15:21–32); of “the valley,” or “the plain” (“Shephelah”, Joshua 15:33–47); of “the mountains” (Joshua 15:48–60); and of “the wilderness” (Joshua 15:61–62). Many of the identifications are still conjectural only.

(Joshua 15:21–32) The Negeb was for the most part rocky and arid, and cannot have been at any time very thickly populated.

(Joshua 15:21) Kabzeel was the native place of Benaiah (2 Samuel 23:20), who was famous as a slayer of lions. The Negeb was a principal haunt of these beasts.

(Joshua 15:24) Telem may be the Telaim of 1 Samuel 15:4, where Saul mustered his army for the expedition against the Amalekites. It is possibly to be found at “El-Kuseir,” a spot where the various routes toward different parts of the Negeb converge, and which is occupied by the Arab tribe the “Dhullam,” a word identical with Telem in its consonants. Bealoth is probably the “Baalath-beer–Ramath of the south” (Joshua 19:8), and was one of the towns afterward assigned to the Simeonites. It is identified with the modern Kurnub.

(Joshua 15:25) And Hezron which is Hazor - In this verse are the names of two towns only, not of four. Two places bearing the common topographical appellation, Hazor (“enclosure”) are here mentioned and distinguished as “Hazor Hadattah” and “Kerioth-Hezron,” otherwise termed Hazor, simply: the former has been identified by some with “El-Hudhera”; the latter is probably the modern “El-Kuryetein.” Kerioth, prefixed to a name, indicates military occupation, as Hazor points to pastoral pursuits.

The place therefore seems to be an ancient pastoral settlement which had been fortified by the Anakim, and called accordingly Kerioth; to which name the men of Judah, after they had captured it, added that of Hezron, in honor of one of their leading ancestors (Ruth 4:18). Kerioth was the home of Judas the traitor, if the ordinary derivation of Iscariot (= קריות אישׁ 'ı̂ysh qerı̂yôth, that is, man of Kerioth) is accepted (Matthew 10:4).

(Joshua 15:26) Moladah is probably the modern “El-Milh,” and like Hazar-shual (“Berrishail” near Gaza, meaning “enclosure of foxes”), occurs (Joshua 19:2–3; 1 Chronicles 4:28) as a town belonging to Simeon, and (Nehemiah 11:26–27) as a place occupied by Jews after the captivity.

(Joshua 15:29–32) Baalah (Joshua 19:3) is found in the modern “Deir-el-Belah,” near Gaza. Iim, that is, “ruinous heaps” or “conical hills” (see note on Numbers 21:11), is connected by some with Azem; and the compound name, “Ije Azem,” is traced in El-Aujeh, in the country of the Azazimeh Arabs, in whose name the ancient Azem may perhaps be traced. Eltolad is connected with “Wady-el-Thoula,” in the extreme south of the Negeb. Chesil appears to be the town called Bethul (Joshua 19:4), and probably the Bethel (1 Samuel 30:27) situated not far from Ziklag.

The name Chesil (“fool”) was most likely given as a term of reproach (compare the change of Bethel, house of God, into Bethaven, house of vanity, Hosea 4:15). As Chesil signifies the group of stars known as Orion (Amos 5:8), it was probably the worship of the heavenly bodies in particular that was carried on here. Bethel may have been the ancient name, and the spot was perhaps the very one near Beer-sheba where Abraham planted a tamarisk tree (Genesis 21:33).

The place is probably “El Khulasah,” the Elusa of ecclesiastical writers, situated some fifteen miles southwest of Beer-sheba. Jerome testifies that the worship of Venus as the morning star was practiced there, and Sozomen appears to be speaking of this place when he mentions a Bethel Βηθελια Bēthelia in the territory of Gaza, populous and famous for an ancient and splendid temple. The site of Ziklag is uncertain. Madmannah and Sansannah correspond to Beth-marcaboth (“house of chariots”) and Hazar-susah (“horse enclosure”) in Joshua 19:5 and 1 Chronicles 4:31. The latter names point to two way stations on or near the main road between Egypt and Palestine, and are represented by the modern “Minyay” and “Wady-es-Suny,” on the caravan route south of Gaza.

Shilhim or Sharuhen (Joshua 19:6), and Shaaraim (1 Chronicles 4:31), are traced in “Khirbet-es-Seram,” near El Aujeh. Ain and Rimmon were possibly originally two towns, but over time became so connected as to be treated as one name (Nehemiah 11:29). The place is probably the present “Um-er-Rummamim,” that is, “mother of pomegranates,” a place about ten miles north of Beer-sheba.

(Joshua 15:32) Twenty and nine - The King James Version gives 34 names. The difference is due either to the confusion by an early copyist of letters similar in form which were used as numerals, or to the separation in the King James Version of names which in the original were one (for example, Joshua 15:25).

(Joshua 15:33–47) “The valley” or the Shephelah, is bounded on the south by the Negeb, on the west by the Mediterranean, on the north by the plain of Sharon, and on the east by “the mountains” (Joshua 15:48). It is a well-defined district, of an undulating surface and highly fertile character, even now thickly dotted with villages, which are for the most part situated on the different hills. The towns in this district, like those in the Negeb, are classed in four groups.

(Joshua 15:33–36) First group of fourteen towns: these belong to the northeastern portion of the Shephelah. Eshtaol and Zoreah were afterward assigned to the tribe of Dan, and inhabited by Danites (Judges 13:25; Judges 18:2, 8, 11). The latter place was the home of Samson (Judges 13:2). It was one of the cities fortified by Rehoboam (2 Chronicles 11:10), and was re-occupied by the Jews after the captivity (Nehemiah 11:29). It is probably the modern Surah. (Eshtaol has been identified with Eshua (Conder)).

Both places were in later times partly populated by Judahites from Kirjath-jearim, perhaps after the departure of the colony of Danites for Dan-Laish. Zanoah is the modern “Zanna,” not far from Surah.

Socoh is the modern “Shuweikah.” Sharaim is perhaps to be found in the modern “Zakariya.” Gederah (“wall” or “fortress”) was a name borne by several places, with various endings.

(Joshua 15:37–41) Second group of towns, containing those in the middle portion of the Shephelah, of which only some can be identified (Joshua 10:10).

(Joshua 15:42–44) Third group: towns in the south of the Shephelah. For Libnah, see Joshua 10:29. Mareshah is believed to be near Beit-jibrin, the ancient “Eleutheropolis.”

(Joshua 15:45–47) Fourth group: the towns of the Philistine seacoast .

(Joshua 15:48–60) This highland district extends from the Negeb on the south to Jerusalem, and is bounded by the Shephelah on the west, and the “wilderness” (Joshua 15:61–62) on the east. The mountains, which are of limestone, rise to a height of nearly 3,000 feet. At present, the highlands of Judah present a somewhat dreary and monotonous aspect. The peaks are for the most part barren, though crowned almost everywhere with the ruins of ancient towns, and bearing on their sides marks of former cultivation. Many of the valleys, especially toward the south, are, however, still very productive. The towns here enumerated are given in six groups.

(Joshua 15:48–51) First group: towns on the southwest. Dannah (identified with “Idnah” (Conder)). Jattir (“Attir”), and Eshtemoh (“Semua”) were priestly cities (Joshua 21:14; 1 Chronicles 6:57), and the place to which David, after routing the Amalekites, sent presents (1 Samuel 30:27–28). Socoh is “Suweikeh.”

(Joshua 15:52–54) Second group of nine towns, situated somewhat to the north of the previously mentioned. Of these Dumah is perhaps the ruined village “Ed Daumeh,” in the neighborhood of Hebron; and Beth-tappuah, that is, “house of apples,” “Teffuh,” a place which still has a good number of inhabitants, is conspicuous for its olive groves and vineyards, and bears on every side the traces of industry and thrift.

(Joshua 15:55–57) Third group; lying eastward of the towns named in the previous two groups, and adjacent to “the wilderness.”

(Joshua 15:55) The four towns retain their ancient names with little change. Maon (1 Samuel 23:24; 1 Samuel 25:2), the home of Nabal, is to be found on the conical hill, “Main,” the top of which is covered with ruins. It lies eight or nine miles southeast of Hebron. Carmel (1 Samuel 25:2), the modern “Kurmul,” is a little to the north of “Main.” The name belongs to more than one place (Joshua 12:22). Ziph gave its name to “the wilderness” into which David fled from Saul (1 Samuel 23:14).

(Joshua 15:58, 59) Fourth group. Towns north of the previously mentioned, of which Beth-zur and Gedor are represented by “Beit-sur” and “Jedur.”

After Joshua 15:59, a fifth group of eleven towns follows in the Greek version, which appears to have dropped out of the Hebrew text in very ancient times, probably because some transcriber unknowingly passed from the word “villages” at the end of Joshua 15:59 to the same word at the end of the missing passage. The omitted group contains the towns of an important, well-known, and populous district lying immediately south of Jerusalem, and including such towns as Tekoah (2 Samuel 14:2; Nehemiah 3:5, 27; Amos 1:1); Bethlehem, the native town of David and of Christ (Genesis 35:19); and Aetan, a Grecized form of Etam (2 Chronicles 11:6).

(Joshua 15:61–62) This district, including the towns in “the wilderness”—the scene of David’s wanderings (1 Samuel 23:24; Psalms 63, title), of the preaching of the Baptist (Matthew 3:1), and perhaps of our Lord’s temptation (Matthew 4:0)—extended from the northern limit of Judah along the Dead Sea to the Negeb. It was bounded on the west by that part of “the mountains” or highlands of Judah, which adjoined Bethlehem and Maon. It abounds in limestone rocks, perforated by numerous caverns, and often of fantastic shapes. It is badly supplied with water and is therefore mostly barren, though in many parts, now quite desolate, it shows clear signs of former cultivation. It contained only a thin population in the days of Joshua.

(Joshua 15:62) “The city of Salt” is not mentioned elsewhere, but was no doubt connected with “the valley of salt” (2 Samuel 8:13). The name itself, and the mention of En-gedi (see note on Genesis 14:7), suggest that its site must be sought near the Dead Sea.