The Bible Says Commentary on Joshua 15

Joshua 15 records the territorial allotment assigned to the tribe of Judah. The chapter defines Judah's borders on all four sides: south, east, north, and west. Caleb, a distinguished member of the tribe and a contemporary of Joshua in age, receives Hebron as his inheritance. He successfully expels the sons of Anak. Caleb also conquers Debir through Othniel, who then marries his daughter Achsah. In response to Achsah's petition, Caleb grants her springs of water to accompany her dry southern land. The remainder of the chapter enumerates the cities allotted to Judah. They are organized into five major districts: the southern district, the lowland, the Philistine cities, the hill country, and the wilderness. The narrative concludes by noting Judah's failure to dislodge the Jebusites, who continued to live alongside them in Jerusalem. The chapter's outline is as follows:

1. The writer delineates the inheritance of the tribe of Judah by describing its boundaries on all four sides: south, east, north, and west (vv. 1-12).
   
   
2. Caleb receives Hebron as his inheritance and successfully drives out the three sons of Anak. He conquers Debir through Othniel, his nephew, who receives Caleb's daughter Achsah as a reward. In response to Achsah's request, Caleb grants her springs of water to complement her dry southern land (vv. 13-19).
   
   
3. The writer enumerates the cities allotted to Judah. He arranges them into five major districts: the southern district, the lowland, the Philistine cities, the hill country, and the wilderness. Yet the Jebusites, the original inhabitants of Jerusalem, continued to dwell there alongside the people of Judah (vv. 20-63).