Joshua 15:1 - Meaning and Application

Judah and Joseph were the two sons of Jacob who received Reuben’s lost rights as firstborn. Judah received the ruling role, and Joseph received the double share, so these two tribes were given their land first. Judah was settled in the south of Canaan, and Joseph in the north, while the other seven tribes received their portions in relation to these two. Benjamin, Simeon, and Dan were attached to Judah’s side, while Issachar, Zebulun, Naphtali, and Asher were attached to Joseph’s.

It seems these two larger portions were assigned first, before there was such a careful survey of the land as we read later (Joshua 18:9). Most likely, the main and best-known parts of the north and south, especially the areas closest to Gilgal, were divided into two large sections first. Then the lot was cast between Judah and Joseph, the two leading tribes, one represented by Joshua and the other by Caleb, who took the lead in this division. By that decision, the southern land, described in this chapter, fell to Judah, and the northern land, described in the next two chapters, fell to Joseph.

Once that was settled, the rest could be divided more evenly among the seven remaining tribes, either by amount or by quality. This likely fits the rule given earlier, “To the larger tribe you shall give a larger inheritance, and to the smaller you shall give a smaller inheritance” (Numbers 33:54). In other words, two larger portions were first set aside for Judah and Joseph, and then the smaller tribes received smaller shares. The first step happened at Gilgal, and the second at Shiloh.

These verses give the borders of Judah’s lot, and the text says it was divided by their families, meaning with attention to the size of their families. This suggests that Joshua, Eleazar, and the other commissioners did not stop after giving each tribe its land by lot. It is likely they also divided those larger tribal portions further, probably again by lot, among the families and households. That would have been easier to manage through this highest authority, and would likely have caused less complaint than if local leaders in each tribe had made the divisions themselves.

The borders of Judah are described carefully, though not in a way that could never change. A good part of what lay inside these boundaries was later given to Simeon and Dan. The eastern border was the Salt Sea alone (Joshua 15:5). It was more than an ordinary salt sea, with a deadly quality linked to the fire and sulfur that destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah in Abraham’s time. Their ruins lie beneath this dead water, which has no life in it.

The southern border was the same as the southern edge of the land of Canaan in general, as can be seen by comparing (Joshua 15:1-4) with (Numbers 34:3-5). So this strong and warlike tribe of Judah guarded the whole land on the side facing Edom, their old and bitter enemies, even though their ancestors had been twin brothers. Our Lord Jesus, who came from Judah and whose is the kingdom, will judge the mountain of Esau (Obadiah 1:21).

The northern border separated Judah from Benjamin. On this line the stone of Bohan the Reubenite is mentioned (Joshua 15:6). He was likely a leading man among the Reubenites who had crossed the Jordan, died at the camp in Gilgal, and was buried near that stone. The Valley of Achor also lay on this border (Joshua 15:7), reminding Judah of the trouble Achan, one of their own tribe, had brought on Israel. That memory would help keep them from becoming proud of their service. This northern line came very close to Jerusalem (Joshua 15:8), so close that Mount Zion and Mount Moriah were included in Judah’s lot, even though most of the city lay in Benjamin’s territory.

The western border at first ran near the Great Sea (Joshua 15:12), but later the tribe of Dan took away a good part of Judah’s western land. The lot was only meant to decide between Judah and Joseph which should have the north and which should have the south, not to fix every border forever. Judah’s inheritance was clearly marked out. Though they were strong and influential, they still could not enlarge their holdings whenever they pleased. They had to live in a way that allowed their neighbors room to live as well. Even those placed high must not think they are meant to stand alone in the middle of the earth.