« | Joshua 15 | » |
1 The land that was given to Judah was divided among the families of that tribe. That land went to the border of Edom and south all the way to the desert of Zin at the edge of Teman.
2 The southern border of Judah's land started at the south end of the Dead Sea.
3 The border went south to Scorpion Pass and continued on to Zin. Then the border continued south to Kadesh Barnea. It continued past Hezron to Addar. From Addar the border turned and continued to Karka.
4 The border continued to Azmon, the brook of Egypt, and then to the Mediterranean Sea. All that land was on their southern border.
5 Their eastern border was the shore of the Dead Sea to the area where the Jordan River flowed into the sea. Their northern border started at the area where the Jordan River flowed into the Dead Sea.
6 Then the northern border went to Beth Hoglah and continued north of Beth Arabah. The border continued to the stone of Bohan. (Bohan was the son of Reuben).
7 Then the northern border went through the Valley of Achor to Debir. There the border turned to the north and went to Gilgal. Gilgal is across from the road that goes through the mountain of Adummim. It is on the south side of the brook. The border continued along the waters of En Shemesh. The border stopped at En Rogel.
8 Then the border went through the Valley of Ben Hinnom beside the southern side of the Jebusite city (that is, Jerusalem). There the border went to the top of the hill on the west side of Hinnom Valley. This was at the northern end of Rephaim Valley.
9 From there the border went to the spring of water of Nephtoah. Then the border went to the cities near Mount Ephron. There the border turned and went to Baalah. (Baalah is also called Kiriath Jearim.)
10 At Baalah the border turned west and went to the hill country of Seir. The border continued along the north side of Mount Jearim (Kesalon) and continued down to Beth Shemesh. From there the border went past Timnah.
11 Then the border went to the hill north of Ekron. From there the border turned to Shikkeron and went past Mount Baalah. The border continued on to Jabneel and ended at the Mediterranean Sea.
12 The Mediterranean Sea was the western border. So the land of Judah was inside these four borders. The families of Judah lived in this area.
13 The Lord had commanded Joshua to give Caleb son of Jephunneh part of the land in Judah. So Joshua gave Caleb the land God had commanded. Joshua gave him the town of Kiriath Arba, that is, Hebron. (Arba was the father of Anak.)
14 Caleb forced the three Anakite families living in Hebron to leave there. Those families were Sheshai, Ahiman, and Talmai. They were from the family of Anak.
15 Then Caleb fought against the people living in Debir. (In the past, Debir was also called Kiriath Sepher.)
16 Caleb said, "I will give my daughter in marriage to the man who attacks and conquers Kiriath Sepher."
17 Othniel was the son of Caleb's brother Kenaz. Othniel defeated that city, so Caleb gave his daughter Acsah to Othniel to be his wife.
18 Acsah went to live with Othniel. Othniel told Acsah to ask her father Caleb for some more land. Acsah went to her father. When she got off her donkey, Caleb asked her, "What do you want?"
19 Acsah answered, "Give me a blessing. You gave me dry desert land in the Negev. Please give me some land with water on it." So Caleb gave her what she wanted. He gave her the upper and lower pools of water in that land.
20 The tribe of Judah got the land that God promised them. Each family group got part of the land.
21 The tribe of Judah got all the towns in the southern part of the Negev. These towns were near the border of Edom. Here is a list of the towns: Kabzeel, Eder, Jagur,
22 Kinah, Dimonah, Adadah,
23 Kedesh, Hazor, Ithnan,
24 Ziph, Telem, Bealoth,
25 Hazor Hadattah, Kerioth Hezron (Hazor),
26 Amam, Shema, Moladah,
27 Hazar Gaddah, Heshmon, Beth Pelet,
28 Hazar Shual, Beersheba, Biziothiah,
29 Baalah, Iim, Ezem,
30 Eltolad, Kesil, Hormah,
31 Ziklag, Madmannah, Sansannah,
32 Lebaoth, Shilhim, Ain, and Rimmon. In all, there were 29 towns and all their fields.
33 The tribe of Judah also got these towns in the western foothills: Eshtaol, Zorah, Ashnah,
34 Zanoah, En Gannim, Tappuah, Enam,
35 Jarmuth, Adullam, Socoh, Azekah,
36 Shaaraim, Adithaim, and Gederah (Gederothaim). In all, there were 14 towns and all their fields.
37 The tribe of Judah was also given these towns: Zenan, Hadashah, Migdal Gad,
38 Dilean, Mizpah, Joktheel,
39 Lachish, Bozkath, Eglon,
40 Cabbon, Lahmas, Kitlish,
41 Gederoth, Beth Dagon, Naamah, and Makkedah. In all, there were 16 towns and all the fields around them.
42 The people of Judah also got these towns: Libnah, Ether, Ashan,
43 Iphtah, Ashnah, Nezib,
44 Keilah, Aczib, and Mareshah. In all, there were nine towns and all the fields around them.
45 The people of Judah also got the town of Ekron and all the small towns and fields near it.
46 They also got the area west of Ekron and all the fields and towns near Ashdod.
47 All the area around Ashdod and the small towns there were part of the land of Judah. The people of Judah also got the area around Gaza and the fields and towns that were near it. Their land continued to the River of Egypt. And their land continued along the coast of the Mediterranean Sea.
48 The people of Judah were also given these towns in the hill country: Shamir, Jattir, Socoh,
49 Dannah, Kiriath Sannah (Debir),
50 Anab, Eshtemoh, Anim,
51 Goshen, Holon, and Giloh. In all, there were eleven towns and all the fields around them.
52 The people of Judah were also given these towns: Arab, Dumah, Eshan,
53 Janim, Beth Tappuah, Aphekah,
54 Humtah, Kiriath Arba (Hebron), and Zior. There were nine towns and all the fields around them.
55 The people of Judah were also given these towns: Maon, Carmel, Ziph, Juttah,
56 Jezreel, Jokdeam, Zanoah,
57 Kain, Gibeah, and Timnah. In all, there were ten towns and all the fields around them.
58 The people of Judah were also given these towns: Halhul, Beth Zur, Gedor,
59 Maarath, Beth Anoth, and Eltekon. In all, there were six towns and all the fields around them.
60 The people of Judah were also given the two towns of Rabbah and Kiriath Baal (Kiriath Jearim).
61 The people of Judah were also given these towns in the desert: Beth Arabah, Middin, Secacah,
62 Nibshan, Salt City, and En Gedi. In all, there were six towns and all the fields around them.
63 The army of Judah was not able to force out the Jebusites living in Jerusalem. So today there are still Jebusites living among the people of Judah in Jerusalem.
The Easy-To-Read Version (ERV)
The Easy-To-Read Version (ERV) is a Bible translation specifically designed to be accessible and comprehensible for people with limited reading skills or those for whom English is a second language. Originally published in 1987 by the World Bible Translation Center, the ERV was initially developed to serve the deaf community, using a simplified vocabulary and straightforward sentence structures. The goal of the ERV is to make the scriptures understandable to a wide range of readers, ensuring that everyone can grasp the essential messages of the Bible without being hindered by complex language or archaic terms.
One of the defining characteristics of the ERV is its commitment to clarity and simplicity. The translators employed a thought-for-thought translation philosophy, focusing on conveying the meaning of the original texts in plain, everyday English. This approach ensures that readers can easily comprehend the Bible’s teachings and narratives, making it a valuable resource for children, new Christians, and those with limited literacy skills. The ERV avoids technical theological terms and instead uses language that is commonly spoken, making it accessible for personal study and public reading alike.
The ERV also pays careful attention to the cultural and contextual nuances of the original manuscripts. The translators sought to present the Bible’s messages in a way that is relevant and meaningful to contemporary readers while maintaining faithfulness to the original texts. This cultural sensitivity helps bridge the gap between ancient scriptures and modern readers, allowing them to connect more deeply with the biblical stories and teachings. Additionally, the ERV includes helpful footnotes and cross-references that provide further explanation and context, enhancing the reader’s understanding of the text.
Despite its strengths, the ERV has faced some criticism from those who prefer more traditional or literal translations. Critics argue that the simplified language and thought-for-thought approach can sometimes result in a loss of depth and richness found in the original texts. Some theologians believe that the ERV’s emphasis on accessibility may lead to oversimplification of complex theological concepts. Nonetheless, the Easy-To-Read Version remains a highly valuable translation for its target audience, offering a clear and approachable rendition of the Bible that helps people of all backgrounds engage with and understand the scriptures.