Глава 15

1–12. Borders of the tribe of Judah. 13–15. Caleb's lot and his conquest. 16–17. Othniel's bravery and reward. 18–20. Blessing of Ahse from his father. 21–62. Cities in the Tribe of Judah. 63. Jebusites in Jerusalem. Joshua 15:1. The lot for the tribe of the sons of Judah, according to their tribes, fell as follows: adjacent to Idumea was the desert of Sin, to the south, at the end of Teman; The first lot went to the tribe of Judah, which received an inheritance in the southern part of Canaan, in which Hebron was located. The inheritance of the tribe of Judah bordered on Idumea, extending to the desert of Sin, in the Hebrew letter Zin (see Joshua 15:3) 130, “to the south, at the end of Teman.” The name Qin was that desert strip that was located in the southernmost part of the land of Canaan (Num. 13:22), near the border of Idumea (Num. 34:3) and along which the border line ran between the latter and the inheritance of the tribe of Judah. The location of the Qing desert can be seen in particular from the fact that Kadesh was located in it (Num. 20:1; Deut. 32:51). Feman is a Hebrew word used in the meaning of a common noun and a proper name. As a common noun, feman means “south.” In this sense it is used in Joshua 12:3 and Joshua 13:4. In the meaning of a proper name, Teman is used as a personal name (Gen.36:11,15) and as the name of a region in Idumea (Gen.36:34; Am.1:11–12; Ezek.25:13) or in general as the name of Idumea (Jer.49:7; Hab.1:8–9; Hab.3:3). This word must be used as a proper name, one must think, and in this place, since the indication to the south had already been made by the immediately preceding expression “to the south.” Teman can serve here as a designation for the southwestern Idumean region, closest to the southern part of the land of Canaan 131. Joshua 15:2. their southern limit was the edge of the Salt Sea from the bay extending to the south; Joshua 15:3. in the south it goes to the heights of Akravim, passes through Zin and, ascending from the south side to Kadesh-barna, passes through Hezron and, ascending to Addar, [goes on the western side of Kadesh,] turns to Karkae, Joshua 15:4. then Atzmon passes, goes to the stream of Egypt, so that the end of this border is the sea. This will be your southern limit. In particular, the southern border of the tribe of Judah began from the end of the Salt or Dead Sea, precisely from the shallow, swamp-like bay located in its southern part. From this tip it went south to the Akravvim hill or “Akravvim rise,” which means “Scorpio rise.” By this we mean the steep, high rise of es-Safa (closer to the Dead Sea) or el-Yemen (further from it), located in Wadi Fikre, which from the middle of the mountainous heights, currently called the Azazime Mountains, stretches northeast to the southern tip of the Dead Sea. The further border point is Kadesh-Barnea,” located on the site of Ain Kadiz (Joshua 10:41), was located southwest of the Akrabbim rise. Then named by the biblical writer Hezron, Addar, Karkaya 132 and Atzmon are supposedly indicated by some of the explorers of southern Canaan in areas near Ain Cadiz; Thus, Addor is identified with Kadeirat, located to the west of Ain Cadiz, Atzmon - with Kazeime further to the west 133. The “Stream of Egypt,” along the banks of which ran the southern border of the tribe of Judah to the sea, is currently called Wadi el-Arish, which is almost one degree of latitude near the fortress of el-Arish - “Rhinocolura” of Greek writers. The wide valley through which this river flows, which has a long extent, constitutes that strip of land by which the desert between Egypt and Palestine is divided into two parts, dissimilar in the very quality of the soil: to the west - sandy, saline, barren, to the east - more fertile; this valley therefore serves as the most appropriate boundary line between Egypt and Canaan. Joshua 15:5. The limit to the east is the Salt Sea, to the mouth of the Jordan; and the border on the north side begins from the gulf of the sea, from the mouth of the Jordan; Joshua 15:6. from here the border goes up to Beth Hoglah and runs on the north side to Beth Arava, and the border goes up to the stone of Bohan the son of Reuben; The eastern border of the tribe of Judah was Salt, i.e. Dead, the sea along its entire length. Its northern border began from the tip of this sea, which served as the mouth of the Jordan, from here it ascended west “to Beth-Hogle,” located on the site of the present Ain-Hajla, as the best spring in this area is called among the forest thicket, lying 6 versts southeast of Er-Rihi. The location of the next border point, Beth-Arava, has not been determined with certainty; according to prof. A.A. Olesnitsky, Beth-Arava corresponds to the Gospel Bethabara (John 1:28), which “lay on the line of the Jericho-Jerusalem road with a descent into the Jordan Valley, therefore, on the border of the tribes of Judah and Benjamin” 134. The place of the “stone of Bogan”, the son of Reuben, is indicated by some in Tuveil el-Aqab, two versts to the west of Er-Rihi, by others to the southwest of Ain-Hajl, near the Nevi Musa mosque, near which there is a stone “Hajr el-Asgab” - “finger stone”, identified with the “stone of Bogan” on the grounds that the Hebrew “bagan” means “big” finger" 135. With this last identification, the border would slope very far to the south. Joshua 15:7. then the border ascends to Debir from the valley of Achor and in the north turns to Gilgal, which is opposite the hill of Adummim, which lies on the south side of the stream; from here the border runs to the waters of En-Shemesh and ends at En-Rogel; The further named Davir was, according to prof. A.A. Olesnitsky, in Wadi Khot, along which the road from Jerusalem to Jericho goes, on the site of the ruins of Tour ed-Dabor, as one of the neighboring valleys is called - Wadi Dabor. The ruins are located 2 hours' journey to Jericho from the Source of the Apostles 136. Others believe this Davir to be much further to the east, on the same Jericho road, in the cave of Horet-ed-Daber, near the further named Adummim. The next border point was Gilgal, different from the one named in Joshua 4:19. The place of this Gilgal is determined by the fact that it was “against the hill” or “rise” (in the Hebrew text “maale”, in the Slavic Bible “descent”) Adummim. The rise of Adummim is the name given to the famous climb from the Jordan Valley to the mountains rising to the west of it, “so steep, winding over deep cliffs that the road along it is covered with walls.” Here, at present, there is a tower called Ghak-ed-Dam 137. Galgal itself, opposite this rise, was located in that place in Er-Rikh, which belongs to the Russian spiritual mission and on which a large granite stone was found, made in the form of a circle with round pits on its surface. This stone was called Gilgala 138 here. Under the “stream”, on the southern side of which the rise of Adummim was located, is, of course, the main stream of this area - El-Kelt 139. The waters of En-Shemesh currently bear the name of the spring of the apostles in the Christian world, which was located 20 minutes from Bethany to the Jordan Valley. En-Pogel, a spring called by the natives “Bir Aiyub”, “the source of Job”, is located near Jerusalem, in the place where the Kidron Valley connects with the Ginnom Valley. Joshua 15:8. from here the border goes up to the valley of the son of Hinnom on the south side of Jebus, which is Jerusalem, and the border goes up to the top of the mountain, which is on the west opposite the valley of Hinnom, which is on the edge of the valley of Rephaim to the north; The border of the tribe of Judah further runs along the southern outskirts of Jebus - Jerusalem, on which the “valley of the son of Hinnom”, briefly called “the valley of Hinnom” (Neh. 11:30), is indicated as a border point. Starting on the western side of Jerusalem, it skirts the foot of Mount Zion on the southeastern side until it joins the Kidron Valley. This valley is known especially for the sacrifices performed in it to Molech (2 Kings 23:10, etc.), the disgust of which for the Jews of subsequent times led to the fact that its Hebrew name “gey ginnom”, abbreviated as “gehenna” (Matthew 5:22), became the name of the place of torment in the afterlife. A further border point is the top of the mountain, “which is to the west opposite the valley of Hinnom, which is on the edge of the valley of Rephaim to the north.” Corresponding to these biblical geographical indications is the so-called “jebel Tor”, or “mountain of evil counsel,” which rises on the southwestern side of the Valley of Hinnom and at the same time serves as the northern end of the valley of the “Rephaim.” This latter, which probably received its name from the Rephaim who lived there in ancient times (Gen. 14:5), is located southwest of Jerusalem; it is quite extensive (an hour's travel in length, 1/2 an hour in width) and very fertile; currently called Baka; at its southern end is the monastery of St. Elijah (Mar Elias). Joshua 15:9. from the top of the mountain the border turns towards the fountain of water Nephtoah and goes to the cities of Mount Ephron, and the border turns towards Baal, which is Kiriath-jearim; The location of the “source of the waters of Neftoah” is recognized as the present village of Lifta, located an hour’s journey northwest of Jerusalem, on the eastern side of Wadi Hanina, with a very abundant spring 140. The further border point is, according to the Hebrew text, “the city of Mount Ephron” or “Mount Ephron” according to the Greek lists, with which the Slavic Bible agrees: “to Mount Ephron.” The advantage here of the translation of the Seventy over the Hebrew is self-evident: the designation of the boundary line by the indication of several cities, located, of course, in different parts of the mountain, is, no doubt, too vague to be chosen by the biblical writer. Mount Ephron, not named elsewhere in Scripture, is presumably recognized as a mountain range rising on the western side of Wadi Hanina. For the city of “Baal, which is Kiriath-jearim,” see Joshua 9:17. Joshua 15:10. then he turns the border from Baal to the sea [and goes] to Mount Seir, and goes along the northern side of Mount Jearim, which is Kesalon, and, descending to Bethshemesh, passes through Timnah; From Kiriath-Jearim the border line turned “towards the sea”, i.e. to the west 141 - to Mount Seir (according to the Vatican list Ασσαρ, according to the Alexandrian list Σηειρ), as the name of the mountain range, different, of course, from the Edomite mountains, with pointed peaks, on which Sores is located (Josh. 15:59), then goes to the northern side of Mount Jearim, where Kesalon (Vatican list Χασλων, Alexandrian Χασολων), currently – Kesla, on a high mountain, 15 versts west of Jerusalem; then descends to Bethshemesh (among the Seventy Πόλιv ἡλίου - “city of the sun”), which was the city of the priests (Joshua 21:16: here Beth-Shemesh) and the temporary location of the Ark of the Covenant (1 Sam. 6:12). It was also called Ir-Shemesh (Joshua 19:41). Currently, in its place is the village of Bet-Emsi with the Ain-Shems spring. Near the village, on the ledge of the mountain, there is a large stone table, recognized by local tradition as the “great stone” on which the Ark of the Covenant was placed upon its return from the Philistine land (1 Samuel 6:14–15) 142. Then called Timna, in Joshua 19:43 - Timnatha 143, is currently called Tibne, northwest of Beth-Emsi. Joshua 15:11. From here the border goes along the northern side of Ekron, and the border turns to Shikaron, passes through Mount Baal and reaches Jabeel, and the border ends at the sea. The western limit is the great sea. About Ekron Joshua 13:3. The place of Shikaron, (according to Alexander. sp. - Akkarona), is not determined. A further border point is Mount Baal, which refers to the mountainous heights west of Akir or Ekron. As the last one before the seashore, the border point is named Iavneel (Vatican list Λεμνα, Alexandrian Ιαβνηλ, in the Slavic Bible - Iavneel). In subsequent times, this city was called Jabbnea (2 Chron. 26:6) and Jamnea (1 Mac. 4:15), which served as the site of the Jewish Academy and Sanhedrin; Currently, the village of Ibne is an hour's journey from the sea, 4 hours' journey south of Jaffa. The end of the northern border of the tribe of Judah was the great, i.e. Mediterranean Sea. It also served as the western border. To the description of the boundaries of the tribe of Judah, the biblical writer in Joshua 15:13–19 added a story about Caleb’s conquest of the inheritance given to him, showing that his hope for God’s help (Joshua 14:12) was not in vain. This story is also told in the book of Judges (Judges 1:10–15), with some differences in details between the events that took place after the death of Joshua. Joshua 15:13. And to Caleb the son of Jephunneh [Jesus] gave a portion among the children of Judah, as the Lord commanded Joshua; [and Jesus gave him] Kiriath-arba, the father of Anak, otherwise Hebron. The name Jesus is not read in the Hebrew text, nor in the Greek copies, although what is said here gives every reason to imply the name of Joshua as the subject of the verb “gave.” “As the Lord commanded Joshua” is, of course, the settlement to which Caleb referred in Joshua 14:9–12. The words "[and Jesus gave him]" are read only in the Greek copies. Joshua 15:14. And Caleb [the son of Jephunneh] drove out from there the three sons of Anak: Sheshai, Ahiman, and Talmai, the children of Anak. The expulsion of the Anakim indicated here, representing three special families who bore the names of their ancestors, was secondary. It was caused by the fact that this strong (Deut. 2:10) Canaanite tribe, after the first defeat inflicted on it (Joshua 11:21), again strengthened in Hebron and the cities closest to it, which is why Caleb, having received this city as an inheritance, had to start fighting with them. He led it, of course, together with his other relatives and fellow tribesmen, why in the account of this event, found in the book. Judges (Judges 1:10), Judas is named in the first place. Joshua 15:15. From here [Caleb] went against the people of Debir [the name of Debir was formerly Kiriath-sepher]. Joshua 15:16. And Caleb said, Whoever slays Kiriath-sepher and takes it, I will give Achsah my daughter to him to wife. About the place of Debir Joshua 10:38. The appointment of such a reward (cf. 1 Samuel 17:25) shows that Debir was strongly fortified and its capture presented great difficulties. Joshua 15:17. And Othniel the [younger] son ​​of Kenaz the brother of Caleb took him, and he gave him Achsah his daughter to wife. Othniel, who was later the first Judge of the Israelites (Judges 3:9), was “the son of Kenaz, the brother of Caleb” 144. The correctness of the translation of these words adopted by us is evident from the fact that Othniel, as the son of Kenaz, could not be the brother of Caleb, as the son of Jephoniah, but his nephew. The word "younger" is read in the Alexandrian and many other Greek copies, but is not read in the Hebrew text and in the Vatican list; in all likelihood it was transferred from Judges 1:13. Joshua 15:18. When she had to go, she was taught to ask her father for her field, and she got off the donkey. Caleb said to her, “What do you want?” When Achsah, married to Othniel, went to him, she, literally from Hebrew, “invited him” (“gesitegu”) “to ask her father for her field.” In this sense, these words are also conveyed by the Seventy: συνεβουλεύσατο - “conference with him.” According to the Hebrew text and Greek translation, the thought of receiving a “field” from the father, i.e. cultivated plot belonged to Akhsa herself. What Othniel answered to his wife, the biblical writer is silent, limiting himself to what Achsa herself did. She, riding, one must think, accompanied by her father, “got off the donkey.” From this special sign of respect that the younger showed to the elders (Gen. 24:64; 1 Sam. 25:23), Caleb realized that his daughter had a special concern for him, so he asked her: “What do you want?” Joshua 15:19. She said: give me a blessing; You have given me the land of midday, give me also springs of water. And he gave her the upper springs and the lower springs. “Give me a blessing”, i.e. a gift as a sign of your special affection. The word "blessing" is used in this sense in Genesis 33:11. The daughter of the Israelites did not receive any part of the real estate upon the death of her father, who had a son, as can be seen from the book of Numbers (Num. 27:4 ff.). The endowment of a plot of land to a daughter getting married depended on the good will of the father during his lifetime, as, according to travelers, rich parents in Palestine do even today, giving a wedding gift to their daughter getting married, consisting not of money, but of a plot of land 145 . In view of this, Achsa asks his father, who had sons (1 Chronicles 2:18-19), as a blessing, “sources of water,” and confirms his request by the fact that his father gave it to the land of midday (ὅτι εἰς γῆν Ναγεβ δέδωκάς με - “like the land gave the midday meal to you and me”, which is the most consistent rendering of the corresponding words of the Hebrew text). The word "midday" (in Heb. “Gannegev”) is used here, one must think, to indicate this southern area as dry, suffering from a lack of moisture, which is why St. Jerome, when translating this expression, combines both of its meanings: “southern and dry” 146. The area where the “upper and... lower... springs” were located is indicated by travelers to the southwest of Hebron, 10 versts from Doger'e, the supposed place of Davir (Joshua 10:38), in the Seil-el-Dilbe valley, in which there are currently upper and lower springs, numbering 14, the water flowing from which forms a stream that irrigates the gardens for several versts, which is a rare occurrence in southern Palestine 147. Conveying this detail from the life of the Israelites during their settlement in the land of Canaan, the biblical writer shows how not only the best of husbands, but also of wives valued the land given to them by God and cared about getting a good plot of land for their possession. The following verses, Joshua 15:21-62, contain a list of the cities that were in the inheritance of the tribe of Judah. They are divided by the writer into 4 categories according to the areas in which they were located, what exactly the cities were: 1) “in the south”, in Hebrew – Negev (Joshua 15:21); 2) “in low places”, in Hebrew - Shephelah (Joshua 15:33); 3) “on the mountains” (Joshua 15:48); 4) “in the wilderness” (Joshua 15:61). Joshua 15:21. the cities on the edge of the tribe of the sons of Judah adjacent to Idumea in the south were: Kabzeel, Eder and Jagur, Joshua 15:22. Kina, Dimona, Adada, Joshua 15:23. Kedesh, Hazor and Ithnan, Joshua 15:24. Ziph, Telem and Baloth, Joshua 15:25. Gazor-Hadapha, Kiriath, Hezron, otherwise Gazor, Joshua 15:26. Amam, Shema and Molada, Joshua 15:27. Hatzar-Gadda, Heshmon and Beth-Palet, Joshua 15:28. Hatzar-Shual, Bathsheba and Biziothea [and their villages and their suburbs,] Joshua 15:29. Baal, Iim and Atzem, Joshua 15:30. Elfolad, Kesil and Hormah, Joshua 15:31. Tsiklag, Madmana and Sansana, Joshua 15:32. Lebaoth, Shelichim, Ain and Rimmon: all twenty-nine cities with their villages. Of the cities named here, which were located in the southern part of the tribe of Judah, very few are currently known by their geographical location. Thus, Kedesh was located, if it is not different from Kadesh-barnea, on the southwestern side of the Azasime mountains, in the wadi of Kadiz (Joshua 10:41). Molada was located, according to Eusebius (who called it Μαλααθων, and Jerome - Malath), 4 Roman miles from Arad, 20 Roman miles from Hebron; Currently, its place is recognized as Khurbet el-Milh, 4 hours east of Beersheba. Bathsheba is indicated by Eusebius 20 Roman miles south of Hebron; at present, the ruins of this city with wells of an ancient structure are called Bir es-Seba; they are on the way from Hebron to the Red Sea, at a distance of 45 kilometers (about 42 versts) from the first. For Hormah, see Joshua 12:14. The locations of other cities named here are only speculative. For example, Ziklag, according to the Greek-Slavic translation “Sikeleg”, known from the history of David (1 Samuel 27:6, etc.), is indicated by English researchers at the site of the ruins of Zuheilik, 11 English miles south of Gaza, while others assign other places to this city to the north and east of Gaza. For the cities of Shema, Kesil, Madmana, Sansana, Lebaoth, Shelichim, Ain and Rimmon, see comments on Joshua 15:19. "All twenty-nine cities". This total number of cities named in Joshua 15:21-32 reads the same in the Hebrew text and translation lists of the Seventy, as well as in Jonathan's Targum and the Arabic translation (only the Syriac reads 36, according to Walton's Polyglot), but it turns out to be less than how many are named here 148 . Some of the commentators explain the larger number of cities compared to their total amount by the fact that the names of other cities located in the same area of ​​the tribe of Judah, without changing the total number in the text, were subsequently added to the original list of cities; Moreover, in particular, it is assumed that this addition was made at the time when the Jews returning from Babylonian captivity occupied the cities located in the southern part of the tribe of Judah, which are listed in almost the same order in the book. Nehemiah (Neh. 11:21–27), but were not originally listed in the text of the book. Joshua 149. This explanation seems implausible, because it is based on the extreme stupidity of the one who, adding new names of cities to the list of them found in the book of Joshua, did not pay attention to the total number present here and left it unchanged. The assumption of a later addition to the list of cities in this place is also contradicted by the fact that in other lists of cities in the book. Joshua, a phenomenon is observed that is opposite to the idea of ​​​​a later replenishment of them - precisely the omissions of several cities are observed, as a result of which the total numbers indicated by the writer turn out to be in other places significantly greater than the number of cities named, as can be seen from Joshua 19:15,35-38. In view of this, the most probable explanation for the difference under consideration remains that the number 29 now read in the text is not the original one, that it was introduced as a result of mixing the Hebrew letter-numbers with which it was written with other letters similar in design, but having a different numerical value. The basis for this explanation is the well-known phenomenon that in the biblical text of the Old Testament books one and the same event is defined differently in different places (for example, the prophet Gad suggests that David choose, among other things, famine, according to 2 Samuel 24:13, for seven years, and according to 1 Chronicles 21:12, for three years), due to the confusion that occurred in ancient times of some letters-numbers with others, as a result of which In later times, Jewish scholars decided to denote numbers not by letters, but by writing them in words. Exactly what number was originally read in Joshua 15:32 cannot be determined at the present time due to the lack of information about many of the cities listed in this place, why the number 29 should remain unchanged. Joshua 15:33. In the low places: Eshtaol, Tzorah and Ashna, Joshua 15:34. Zanoah, En-Gannim, Tappuah and Gaenam, Joshua 15:35. Jarmuth, Adullam, [Nemra,] Soho and Azekah, Joshua 15:36. Sha'araim, Adifaim, Gedera or Gederofaim: fourteen cities with their villages. By “low places” we mean a certain area in the inheritance of the tribe of Judah, lying between the mountainous hills and the seashore. In the Hebrew text it is called Shephelah (“lowland”), which was also taken by Greek translators as its own name in other places, for example, Jer. 32:44, in Greek Σεφηλα, in the Slavic Bible “in the cities of the fields”; in the Russian translation, in the meaning of a proper name, this name is conveyed in 1 Mac.12:38: “in Sephila.” The vast plain of Shephelah, which continued to bear this name in the time of Eusebius, extends from Gaza north to Lydda and is distinguished to this day by its remarkable fertility. The biblical writer begins the list of cities located in it from its northern part. Of the cities he named, “Eshtaol... and Tzorah” are known by their geographical position, which are usually named together (Joshua 19:41, Judges 13:25, etc.) and were located not far from one another to the west of Jerusalem. The place of Tsora is recognized as the present village of Tsara; the place of Eshtaola is the village of Ashua, 4 versts northeast of Tsara. Between Tsara and Ashua, Kabr Shamshun is indicated - “the tomb of Samson”, according to what was said in Judgment 16:31, that Samson was buried by his brothers between Tsara and Estaol. Zanoah, now Zanua, a short distance southeast of Tzara. Jarmuth see Joshua 10:3; Adullam see Joshua 12:15. The name Nemra was brought from the Slavic Bible, following the translation lists of the Seventy, of which in the ancient Vatican and other lists it is read after Adollam Μεμβρα, in the Alexandrian and other Νεμρα. Nemra's position is unknown; those similar to her named Nimra (Num. 32:3) and Nimrim (Is. 15:6) were located: the first in the inheritance of the tribe of Gad, the second in the land of Moab. Soho, as the two cities of this name were called during the descent from the Judean mountains into the plain, was located, according to the instructions of Eusebius, on the site of the current ruins of Yesh-Shuveik, 3 1/2 hours' journey southwest of Jerusalem. Sha'araim (Σακαρειμ according to the Vatican list, according to other lists Σαγαρειμ, Slav. Sagarim) is indicated in Tell Zakariyeh, to the west of Soho. Gedera is indicated on the site of the present village of Qatra or Gadra, located near Jamnia. Gederofaim in the Hebrew text is connected with the preceding Gedera with the conjunction “ve” (“and”) and, therefore, appears in the meaning of the name of a special city; but in the Seventy this name corresponds to καὶ ἐπαύλεις αὐτῆς - “and her village” (Slavic Bible), i.e. Greek translators understood the name Gederofaim as a common noun (the Hebrew “gederot” means “fences, pens for cattle,” and “gederophaim” means “two fences”). In view of this meaning of the word gederot and its translation among the Seventy, Gederothaim is taken by commentators not as the name of a special city, but as another, synonymous name for Gedera. In accordance with this, in our domestic translation it reads “or Gederothaim.” Thus, if Gedera and Gederothaim are taken as the name of one city, then according to the Hebrew text there are 14 cities in the Shepheleh plain, as shown in Joshua 15:36; introduced by the Greco-Slavic translation, Nemra is the 15th city. Joshua 15:37. Tsenan, Hadasha, Migdal-Gad, Joshua 15:38. Dilean, Mitzpheh and Joktheel, Joshua 15:39. Lachish, Wotzkath and Eglon, Joshua 15:40. Habbon, Lahmas and Hiflis, Joshua 15:41. Gederoth, Beth-Dagon, Naema and Makked: sixteen cities with their villages. Of the 16 cities listed here, in addition to those named before (Lachish, Eglon and Makeda, about which see Joshua 10:3,10), the position of the city of Mitzpeh or Masorah, according to the Greek-Slavic translation, which was located on the site of Tell es-Safiye, is the name of a high hill 2 hours north of Eleutheropolis (Joshua 10:29), from which there is an abundant view of surroundings and which could therefore serve as a good guard post or - in Hebrew - Mitzpah. Joshua 15:42. Libnah, Ether and Ashan, Joshua 15:43. Iffach, Ashna and Netziv, Joshua 15:44. Keilah, Achzib, and Mareshah [and Edom]: nine cities with their villages. Of the 9 cities listed here, in addition to the previously named Libnah (Joshua 10:29), Achzib and Maresha are better known for their position. The first was probably located on the site of the current ruins of Kessab, 5 hours' journey southwest of Eleutheropolis. The second, according to Eusebius, was located 2 Roman miles from Eleutheropolis, 20 minutes from which there are hills with minor ruins called Khirbet Merash, recognized as the site of the March. Some also recognize the place of Keilah, known from the history of David (1 Sam. 23:1) in present-day Kilah, east of Eleutheropolis, north of Hebron; but this geographical definition seems doubtful due to the fact that Qila is located in the mountains of the tribe of Judah, and not on the plain, where Qela is indicated by the book of Joshua. As for the name Edom, placed in brackets, it was transferred from the Slavic Bible, in which it is also surrounded by brackets, which indicates the unstable position of this name in the Greek text from which it was taken. And indeed, in the Greek lists regarding this name, significant diversity is noticeable: in the ancient Vatican after Βαθησαρ, corresponding to Maresha in the Hebrew text, it reads Αιλων, in Alexandria 150 and some others Εδωμ, and in others, including Lucian’s, there is no name of the city, as in the Hebrew text. The existence of a special city of Edom in the tribe of Judah is equally doubtful: in Eusebius-Jerome the city of Εδουμα or Edomia is indicated in the tribe of Benjamin in 12 Romans. miles from Nablus. According to the Hebrew text, the number of cities named in Joshua 15:42–44 corresponds to their total amount of 9; Edom, as indicated by the Greco-Slavic translation, would be the 10th, as this last number is read in the Vatican list, instead of the 9th read in most Greek lists. Joshua 15:45. Ekron with its dependent cities and villages, Joshua 15:46. and from Ekron to the sea all that is near Ashdod, with their villages, Joshua 15:47. Azoth, its cities and villages, Gaza, its cities and villages, even to the brook of Egypt and the great sea, which is the limit. For the cities of the Philistine coast named here, which, although not conquered under Joshua, were also part of the inheritance of the tribe of Judah, see the commentary on Joshua 13:3; about the flood of Egypt Joshua 15:4. Joshua 15:48. On the mountains: Shamir, Iattir and Soho, Joshua 15:49. Danna, Kiriath-Sanna, otherwise Davir, Joshua 15:50. Anaf, Eshtemo and Anim, Joshua 15:51. Goshen, Holon and Gilo: eleven cities with their villages. The middle of the inheritance of the tribe of Judah was occupied by a mountainous hill, reaching its greatest height at Hebron and representing, together with bare rocks, many fertile valleys. The cities located in it are listed by the writer according to the Hebrew text in five, according to the Greek-Slavic translation (Joshua 15:59) in six groups, in the direction from south to north. The first consists of eleven cities, of which the following are better known by their position. Iattir, which was probably located on the site of Attir, as the ruins located on two hills are called, including some remains of a Christian church, located about 20 miles south of Hebron. Soho, different from the one named in Joshua 15:35, was located 4 hours southeast of Hebron on the site of extensive ruins known as Shuveike. Eshtemo was located on the site of the present village of Semua, 3 hours' journey south of Hebron, in which the ruins of a fortress and other buildings of very ancient construction were also preserved. In the time of Eusebius, the name Estema bore a large village in Darome, i.e. in southern Judea. Anim is located at the site of the ruins of Guvain, south of Semua. Gilo, the birthplace of the famous Ahithophel (2 Kings 15:12), is indicated by our domestic researcher 151 in the village of Bet-Jale, which is located to the west of the road from Jerusalem to Bethlehem, where the Russian school founded by Archimandrite Antonin is located. Others, however, believe the city of Gilo is much further south, closer to Hebron, in Khurbet Jala. For Kiriath-Sanna or Debir, see Joshua 10:38; about Anava, see Joshua 11:21; about Goshen - Joshua 10:41. Joshua 15:52. Arav, Duma and Yeshan, Joshua 15:53. Janum, Beth Tappuah and Aphekah, Joshua 15:54. Khumta, Kiriath-Arba, otherwise Hebron, and Tzigor: nine cities with their villages. Of the next 9 cities located to the north of the above, Duma was identified by its location, named by Eusebius as the largest village in Darome, 17 Roman miles from Eleutheropolis; the extensive ruins of this city with the remains of two Christian churches, south of Hebron, on the way to Beersheba, still retain the former name of the city (Daume), Beth Tappuah, the site of which was the present village of Teffuh, almost 2 hours west of Hebron with the remains of the buildings of the former city. Joshua 15:55. Maon, Carmel, Ziph and Utah, Joshua 15:56. Jezreel, Jokdam and Zanoah, Joshua 15:57. Cain, Gibeah and Timna: ten cities with their villages. Of the 10 cities named here, Maon, known from the history of David (1 Samuel 23:25,25:2), was located southeast of Hebron, 4 hours away; The name of this city is still borne by the Main hill with the ruins of the ancient city. Carmel, known from the history of Saul (1 Samuel 15:12) and David, was located 3 hours southeast of Hebron, near Maon; the site of its ruins with the remains of several churches retains its ancient name. Zif was 1 1/2 hours south of Hebron; the high hill Tell Zif with ruins, many cisterns and caves, served as the site of this city, after which the desert located near it was also called (1 Samuel 23:15) 152. Utah - 2 hours south of Hebron; currently the large Mohammedan village of Iata, or Iitta. The position of other cities in this group is not determined. Joshua 15:58. Halchul, Beth-zur and Gedor, Joshua 15:59. Maaraf, Beth Anoth and Eltekon: six cities with their villages. [Pheko, Ephratha, otherwise Bethlehem, Tagor, Etam, Kulon, Tatami, Sores, Karem, Gallim, Bethir and Manoho: eleven cities with their villages.] Of the 6 cities named here, Halkhul was 1 1/2 hours north of Hebron; in its place are the extensive ruins of Gilgul with ancient tombs, between which the tomb of the prophet Jonah (or rather, Gad) is especially revered by local Muslims 153. Beth-zur, which became especially famous during the time of the Maccabees as a strong fortress (1 Mac. 14:33), according to Eusebius, was located in 20 Romans. miles from Jerusalem, on the road to Hebron; its ruins on a high hill overgrown with bushes are known as Burj Sur, northwest of Halkhul. Gedor - 1 1/2 hours northwest of Beth-zur; the site of its ruins on a deserted hill, surrounded on both sides by a deep valley, on the way from Hebron to Bethlehem, is called Khurbet Jedur 154. Beth Anoth is indicated at the site of Veit Ann, with remarkable remains of buildings from Byzantine-Christian times, located 4 hours north of Hebron, near Halkhul and Beth Zur. The following names in Joshua 15:59 of the 11 cities that make up the 5th group and were located to the north of those listed before, placed in brackets, are not readable in the current Hebrew text and in the Latin translation of Blessed Jerome. They survive only in the lists of the Greek translation of the LXX. The omission here in the current Jewish text is also recognized by the supporters of the latter and is explained by the fact that the omitted section of the biblical text ends with the same words “vehatseregen” - “with their villages”, like the previous section that makes up the first half of Joshua 15:59; the ancient copyist of the Hebrew text, having copied the first half of the verse, ending with the indicated word, inadvertently omitted the second, ending with the same words, and directly began to copy Joshua 15:60. The omission here in the Hebrew text is evident from the fact that according to it, the northernmost part of the inheritance of the tribe of Judah, closest to Jerusalem, turns out to have no cities in the time of Joshua, while other parts of this inheritance, even the southernmost ones, adjacent to the desert, had a significant number of cities listed. Of the 11 cities whose names are preserved in the LXX translation, they are known by their position: Peko, the former homeland of the prophet Amos, was located 2 hours southeast of Bethlehem; the ruins preserved in its now deserted place, and between them - a Christian church, still bear the ancient name Takua. Ephratha, otherwise Bethlehem, called Judah in contrast to the other Bethlehem in the Zebulun tribe (Joshua 19:15), is located 2 hours from Jerusalem to Hebron. It is located on two hills connected by a low mountain, which are surrounded by fertile plains and occupied by vineyards, figs, almonds, olives, etc. trees of southern countries, while an hour's journey east of the city the desert begins, in which only small livestock can find meager food. From this fertility of its soil, especially striking in view of the desert close to it, it received its ancient (Ephratha) and new (Bethlehem) names, which have the same meaning: the first means “fruitful field”, the second - “house of bread”. One of the smallest cities in the land of Judah (Mic. 5:2), Bethlehem, became known as the birthplace of David and glorious throughout the Christian world as the birthplace of Christ the Savior according to the flesh. The Cave of the Nativity with the ancient magnificent church above it is located in the north-eastern part of the city of Fagor, according to Eusebius, which was near Bethlehem, was located on the site of the current ruins of Fagor, between Bethlehem and Hebron, to the west of the road to the latter. Etham was also located near Bethlehem. In the “Antiquities” of Josephus (Ant. Jude 8:7, 3), the city of Itham is described as pleasant in its gardens and springs and at the same time rich, located two schoines (120 stadia, or 21 versts) from Jerusalem. This corresponds to the wadis of Ain and Attan, located between Bethlehem and Fagur. Kulon is likely identified with the present village of Kulonie, 1 1/2 hours from Jerusalem on the road to Ramla and Jaffa. The place of Sores is recognized as the village of Saris, 2 hours west of Jerusalem. Karem is now the large village of Ain Karim, 2 hours west of Jerusalem. Bether was located, perhaps, on the site of the present village of Battir, located on a high mountain, in a beautiful area, almost 2 hours' journey west of Bethlehem. The towns of Tatami, Gallim and Manoho are unknown in their position. Joshua 15:60. Kiriath-Baal, otherwise Kiriath-Jearim, and Arabba: two cities with their villages [and suburbs]. About Kiriath-Baal, see Joshua. 9:17. Arabba is unknown in her position. Joshua 15:61. In the wilderness: Beth-arabah, Middin and Sekaha, Joshua 15:62. Nivshan, Ir-Melah and En-Gedi: six cities with their villages. By “desert” we mean precisely the one that is located between the Dead Sea and the mountainous hills of the tribe of Judah. It consists of mountain ranges, slopes and valleys, mostly devoid of vegetation. In this desert area, which bore separate names (the deserts of Tekoa, Ziph, Maon) from the cities located near it, the writer indicates 6 cities, of which, in addition to Beth-Arava (Joshua 15:6), the position of only En-Gedi is known, located on the site of the present Ain Gidi, as the oasis is called near the western shore of the Dead Sea, which until now, thanks to the source, has luxurious vegetation. Joshua 15:63. But the sons of Judah could not drive out the Jebusites, the inhabitants of Jerusalem, and therefore the Jebusites live with the sons of Judah in Jerusalem even to this day. For the Jebusites in Jerusalem, see Preface. For the need to keep here the Hebrew name of this desert instead of “Sin”, see Explanatory Bible, vol. 1, p. 759–760. In the Vatican, Alexandrian and Lucian copies the words “at the end of Teman” correspond to ἕως Καδης - “even to Cadiz”; Blessed Jerome translates them usque ad extremam partem australis plagae - “even to the extreme part of the southern country.” The words “turns towards Karkai” correspond in the ancient Greek lists to εκπορεύεται... τὴν κατὰ δυσμὰς Κάδης - “go to the west of Cadiz”. This Greek-Slavic translation is given at the end of Joshua 15:3 in parentheses. Trumbuil. Kadesh-Bamea, 1884 A. A. Olesnitsky. Megalithic Monuments of the Holy Land, 1895, p. 64. About Wadi Hanina, see Olesnitsky. Holy land. 1878. T. II. pp. 262 ff. According to the Hebrew text, “yamma” is used here, as in many other places, in the sense of “to the west,” which is evident here from the 8 border points listed below, through which the border line passed before it reached the sea (end of Joshua 15:11). In the LXX, instead of the city of Timna, it reads ἐπὶ λίβα (B) or νοτον (A) - “to the south,” from which it is clear that the Greek translators read “themana” here (Joshua 13.4). The inconsistency of this translation is evident from the fact that according to it the designation of the border is here geographically vague, without including the name of the area through which it passed. In Blessed Jerome, instead of “to the south,” it is translated in Thamna. In Joshua 19.43, where the Hebrew text reads “timnata veekron”, “timnata” in the LXX is translated Θαμναθα as the name of the city. So the last two words are conveyed in the LXX ἀδελφὸς Χαλεβ according to Vatik. and other ancient lists with which the Slavic Bible is consistent; in the later ones, including Lucian’s, instead it reads ἀδελφὸς Χαλεβ ὀ νεώτερος - “Caleb’s youngest brother,” as these words are translated by Blessed Jerome (frater Cales junior) and translated from Hebrew in modern times. In LXX ἐβόησεν – “cry”. K. Furrer. Wanderungen durch Palastina, 1865, p. 276. Terram australem et arentem dedisti mihi. Tristram. Bible places, 61. According to the Russian translation, there are 37 cities, according to the Slavic - 33. The reason for the dissimilarity is that some of the names, accepted in the Russian translation according to the current Hebrew text as special names, are combined together in the Greek-Slavic as a designation of the same city. Thus, in Nav.15:23–24 the names: Ifnan, Zif correspond in the Alexandrian list and the Slavic translation to one compound name Ἰφναξιφ – Ifnaxif; Likewise, in Joshua 15:25 the two names Kiriath, Hezron are translated in Greek by one αἱ πόλεις Ασερων - glory. "city of Aserom" The name of the city of Heshmon was omitted by the Greco-Slavs. translation, and Viziothea, as this name is read in the Hebrew text, with a different reading of it, was accepted by Greek translators as a common noun and translated αἱ κῶμαι αὐτῶν - “their villages.” It should be noted, however, that in the Alexandrian list the name Edom is completely covered in ink, which is why multa perobscura is noted here in the Cambridge edition. Holy Land, 2:96. Here the place of Gedor is indicated in Ain-ed-Dirv, which, according to other researchers, differs from Khurbet-Jedur. You might be interested in: