Joshua 15:35

Jarmuth, and Adullam, Socoh, and Azekah,

Joshua 15:35 (KJV)

Context

Joshua 15:35 is part of the detailed record of the land allotted to the tribe of Judah. The chapter lists the boundaries and cities of Judah’s inheritance, and this verse names four of those cities: Jarmuth, Adullam, Socoh, and Azekah. These were located in the Shephelah, the lowland region between Judah’s central hill country and the coastal plain.

Meaning

Jarmuth was a royal city of the Amorites. Its king joined a coalition of five Amorite kings who opposed Israel, and Joshua’s forces defeated that coalition, capturing Jarmuth among other cities (Joshua 10:5, 23; 12:11). Adullam lay in the Shephelah and appears in Genesis 38:1, where Judah stayed after the incident with Tamar. Later, David fled to the cave of Adullam while escaping King Saul (1 Samuel 22:1). Socoh was another lowland town, mentioned in 1 Samuel 17:1 as a place near where the Philistines camped before David fought Goliath. Azekah, also in the Shephelah, is named alongside Socoh in the same episode (1 Samuel 17:1). Jeremiah 34:7 further notes Azekah as one of the cities besieged by Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon, underscoring its continued strategic importance.

Biblical connections

These four cities—Jarmuth, Adullam, Socoh, and Azekah—played significant roles throughout Israel’s history. They were sites of military conflict, places of refuge, and settings for events involving key figures such as Joshua, David, and Judah. The list format emphasizes the concrete, historical reality of the tribal allotment. Joshua 15:35 therefore represents a small yet meaningful segment of the larger narrative that records the fulfillment of God’s promise to give the land to Israel and to establish the tribe of Judah within its allotted inheritance.

Application

This verse reminds readers that God’s promises are fulfilled in specific, tangible ways. The cities named were not abstract ideas but real places where God’s people lived, fought, and took refuge. Just as God gave Judah a lasting inheritance, He remains faithful to His promises to His people today.

Reflection

Consider how God’s faithfulness is seen in the ordinary details of life—in the places where you live, work, and find refuge. The recording of these cities shows that God cares about the concrete circumstances of His people, not just the grand narrative.