The land assigned to the families of the tribe of Judah reached southward to the border of Edom, with the wilderness of Zin being its southernmost point.
The southern boundary began at the south bay of the Dead Sea,
ran south of Scorpion Pass into the wilderness of Zin and went south of Kadesh-barnea to Hezron. Then it went up to Addar, where it turned toward Karka.
From there it passed to Azmon, until it finally reached the brook of Egypt, which it followed to the Mediterranean Sea. This was their southern boundary.
The eastern boundary extended along the Dead Sea to the mouth of the Jordan River. The northern boundary began at the bay where the Jordan River empties into the Dead Sea,
crossed to Beth-hoglah, then proceeded north of Beth-arabah to the stone of Bohan. (Bohan was Reuben's son.)
From that point it went through the valley of Achor to Debir, turning north toward Gilgal, which is across from the slopes of Adummim on the south side of the valley. From there the border extended to the springs at En-shemesh and on to En-rogel.
The boundary then passed through the valley of the son of Hinnom, along the southern slopes of the Jebusites, where the city of Jerusalem is located. Then it went west to the top of the mountain above the valley of Hinnom, and on up to the northern end of the valley of Rephaim.
From there the border extended from the top of the mountain to the spring at the waters of Nephtoah, and from there to the towns on Mount Ephron. Then it turned toward Baalah (that is, Kiriath-jearim).
The border circled west of Baalah to Mount Seir, passed along to the town of Kesalon on the northern slope of Mount Jearim, and went down to Beth-shemesh and on to Timnah.
The boundary line then proceeded to the slope of the hill north of Ekron, where it turned toward Shikkeron and Mount Baalah. It passed Jabneel and ended at the Mediterranean Sea.
The western boundary was the shoreline of the Mediterranean Sea. These are the boundaries for the families of the tribe of Judah.
The LORD instructed Joshua to assign some of Judah's territory to Caleb son of Jephunneh. So Caleb was given the city of Arba (that is, Hebron), which had been named after Anak's ancestor.
Caleb drove out the three Anakites--Sheshai, Ahiman, and Talmai--descendants of Anak.
Then he fought against the people living in the town of Debir (formerly called Kiriath-sepher).
Caleb said, "I will give my daughter Acsah in marriage to the one who attacks and captures Kiriath-sepher."
Othniel, the son of Caleb's brother Kenaz, was the one who conquered it, so Acsah became Othniel's wife.
When Acsah married Othniel, she urged him to ask her father for an additional field. As she got down off her donkey, Caleb asked her, "What is it? What can I do for you?"
She said, "Give me a further blessing. You have been kind enough to give me land in the Negev; please give me springs as well." So Caleb gave her the upper and lower springs.
This was the inheritance given to the families of the tribe of Judah.
The towns of Judah situated along the borders of Edom in the extreme south are 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, Kesil, Hormah,
Ziklag, Madmannah, Sansannah,
Lebaoth, Shilhim, Ain, and Rimmon. In all, there were twenty-nine of these towns with their surrounding villages.
The following towns situated in the western foothills were also given to Judah: Eshtaol, Zorah, Ashnah,
Zanoah, En-gannim, Tappuah, Enam,
Jarmuth, Adullam, Socoh, Azekah,
Shaaraim, Adithaim, Gederah, and Gederothaim. In all, there were fourteen towns with their surrounding villages.
Also included were Zenan, Hadashah, Migdal-gad,
Dilean, Mizpeh, Joktheel,
Lachish, Bozkath, Eglon,
Cabbon, Lahmam, Kitlish,
Gederoth, Beth-dagon, Naamah, and Makkedah--sixteen towns with their surrounding villages.
Besides these, there were Libnah, Ether, Ashan,
Iphtah, Ashnah, Nezib,
Keilah, Aczib, and Mareshah--nine towns with their surrounding villages.
The territory of the tribe of Judah also included all the towns and villages of Ekron.
From Ekron the boundary extended west and included the towns near Ashdod with their surrounding villages.
It also included Ashdod with its towns and villages and Gaza with its towns and villages, as far as the brook of Egypt and along the coast of the Mediterranean Sea.
Judah also received the following towns in the hill country: Shamir, Jattir, Socoh,
Dannah, Kiriath-sannah (that is, Debir),
Anab, Eshtemoh, Anim,
Goshen, Holon, and Giloh--eleven towns with their surrounding villages.
Also included were the towns of Arab, Dumah, Eshan,
Janim, Beth-tappuah, Aphekah,
Humtah, Kiriath-arba (that is, Hebron), and Zior--nine towns with their surrounding villages.
Besides these, there were Maon, Carmel, Ziph, Juttah,
Jezreel, Jokdeam, Zanoah,
Kain, Gibeah, and Timnah--ten towns with their surrounding villages.
In addition, there were Halhul, Beth-zur, Gedor,
Maarath, Beth-anoth, and Eltekon--six towns with their surrounding villages.
There were also Kiriath-baal (that is, Kiriath-jearim) and Rabbah--two towns with their surrounding villages.
In the wilderness there were the towns of Beth-arabah, Middin, Secacah,
Nibshan, the City of Salt, and En-gedi--six towns with their surrounding villages.
But the tribe of Judah could not drive out the Jebusites, who lived in the city of Jerusalem, so the Jebusites live there among the people of Judah to this day.