Joshua 15:21

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Joshua 15:20-63

We have here a list of the several cities that fell within the lot of the tribe of Judah, which are mentioned by name, that they might know their own, and both keep it and keep to it, and might neither through cowardice nor sloth lose the possession of what was their own. I. The cities are here named, and numbered in several classes, which they then could account for the reason of better than we can now. Here are, 1. Some that are said to be the uttermost cities towards the coast of Edom,... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Joshua 15:21

And the uttermost cities of the tribe of the children of Judah ,.... That is, those cities which were the outward part of the tribe of Judah, the southern border of it; for the midland cities are not in this part, of the description reckoned, which reaches from hence to the end of Joshua 15:32 , toward the coast of Edom southward : it begins about the dead sea, and goes on in that part of the land of Canaan which bordered on Idumea, and so proceeds on westward towards Gaza, and the... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Joshua 15:1-63

The inheritance of Judah. This chapter does not suggest much matter for homiletic treatment. The chief points to be noticed are HOMILIES BY J. WAITE read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Joshua 15:21

Coast . Rather, border ( see note Joshua 15:4 ). Southward . The term here used (see above, Joshua 15:19 ) for "south" is the one which has the signification of dryness. It is, however, occasionally used in a less strict sense, as in Joshua 19:24 . Though the south country was in the main an arid region, yet its intersection by numerous wadys, with their attendant streams, provided fertile spots at intervals, where the traveller might rest, cattle might be watered, and corn and... read more

Albert Barnes

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible - Joshua 15:21-63

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... read more

Donald C. Fleming

Bridgeway Bible Commentary - Joshua 15:1-63

The tribe of Judah (14:6-15:63)By far the largest portions of Canaan went to the chief tribes, those of Judah and Joseph (cf. Genesis 49:8-12,Genesis 49:22-26). Judah received almost the whole of southern Canaan, and Joseph received almost the whole of central Canaan.Caleb received his special inheritance within the area given to his tribe, Judah. Here he proved that his expression of faith made forty-five years earlier was not mere words. At that time he and Joshua alone in Israel believed... read more

Robert Jamieson; A. R. Fausset; David Brown

Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible - Joshua 15:21

21-63. the uttermost cities of the tribe of the children of Judah—There is given a list of cities within the tribal territory of Judah, arranged in four divisions, corresponding to the districts of which it consisted—the cities in the southern part ( :-), those in the lowlands ( :-), those in the highlands ( :-), and those in the desert (Joshua 15:61; Joshua 15:62). One gets the best idea of the relative situation of these cities by looking at the map. read more

Thomas Constable

Expository Notes of Dr. Thomas Constable - Joshua 15:1-63

3. Judah’s inheritance ch. 15The tribe of Judah probably received first consideration in the text, because it was this tribe that had received Jacob’s special patriarchal blessing. It was also the largest tribe.Ancient Near Easterners used natural landmarks (rivers, mountains, deserts, towns, etc.) to construct borders as well as artificial boundaries that they made by drawing lines between sites. Virtually all nations have used these methods, and they are still common today.Judah was the... read more

Thomas Constable

Expository Notes of Dr. Thomas Constable - Joshua 15:21-32

The Negev (south land) formed a region between the more fertile parts of Judah to the north and the desert to the south. The writer listed four groups of towns: the first nine (Joshua 15:21-23), the second five (Joshua 15:24-25), the third nine (Joshua 15:26-28), and the fourth 13 (Joshua 15:29-32). read more

Thomas Constable

Expository Notes of Dr. Thomas Constable - Joshua 15:21-62

The towns in Judah 15:21-62The writer grouped the towns in Judah according to that tribe’s four districts. This part of Canaan contained four distinct regions: the southern Negev, the lowland plain (Shephelah), the mountains (hill country), and the desert. read more

Group of Brands