“This then was the lot of the tribe of the children of Judah by their families; even to the border of Edom the wilderness of Zin southward was the uttermost part of the south coast.”
Joshua 15:1 is part of the account of the division of the Promised Land among the tribes of Israel after they had conquered it under the leadership of Joshua. In this verse, we specifically focus on the tribe of Judah and the description of the land allocated to them.
The Tribe of Judah:Judah was one of the twelve tribes of Israel, and it held a prominent position among them. It was the tribe from which King David and, later, Jesus Christ, the Messiah, would come. The allocation of land to the tribe of Judah is outlined in the subsequent verses following Joshua 15:1.
The Division of the Land:The verse begins by stating, “This then was the lot of the tribe of the children of Judah by their families.” The division of the land was carried out by casting lots, which was a common method used in the Old Testament to determine the allocation of territories. The land was distributed among the families of the tribe of Judah, ensuring fairness and impartiality in the process.
The Borders:The verse goes on to mention that the southern border of Judah extended to the border of Edom the wilderness of Zin southward. Edom refers to the descendants of Esau, Jacob’s brother, and they occupied the territory south of Judah. The wilderness of Zin was a desert region located in the southern part of the Promised Land.
The inclusion of these geographical details emphasizes the precision and accuracy with which the land was apportioned to each tribe. The southern border of Judah extended as far as the wilderness of Zin, marking the outermost boundary of the tribe’s territory in the south.
In summary, Joshua 15:1 highlights the division of the land among the tribes of Israel, with a specific focus on the tribe of Judah. It reveals that Judah received its allotted portion, and the verse provides insight into the southern border of the tribe’s territory, extending to the wilderness of Zin, bordering Edom.
