Judah could not

Joshua 15:20-63 (JDV)

Joshua 15:20 This was the inheritance of the tribe of the descendants of Judah by their clans.
Joshua 15:21 These were the outermost cities of the tribe of the descendants of Judah toward the border of Edom in the Negev: Kabzeel, Eder, Jagur,
Joshua 15:22 Kinah, Dimonah, Adadah,
Joshua 15:23 Kedesh, Hazor, Ithnan,
Joshua 15:24 Ziph, Telem, Bealoth,
Joshua 15:25 Hazor-hadattah, Kerioth-hezron (that is, Hazor),
Joshua 15:26 Amam, Shema, Moladah,
Joshua 15:27 Hazar-gaddah, Heshmon, Beth-pelet,
Joshua 15:28 Hazar-shual, Beer-sheba, Biziothiah,
Joshua 15:29 Baalah, Iim, Ezem,
Joshua 15:30 Eltolad, Chesil, Hormah,
Joshua 15:31 Ziklag, Madmannah, Sansannah,
Joshua 15:32 Lebaoth, Shilhim, Ain, and Rimmon– twenty-nine cities in all, with their settlements.
Joshua 15:33 In the Judean foothills: Eshtaol, Zorah, Ashnah,
Joshua 15:34 Zanoah, En-gannim, Tappuah, Enam,
Joshua 15:35 Jarmuth, Adullam, Socoh, Azekah,
Joshua 15:36 Shaaraim, Adithaim, Gederah, and Gederothaim– fourteen cities, with their settlements;
Joshua 15:37 Zenan, Hadashah, Migdal-gad,
Joshua 15:38 Dilan, Mizpeh, Jokthe-el,
Joshua 15:39 Lachish, Bozkath, Eglon,
Joshua 15:40 Cabbon, Lahmam, Chitlish,
Joshua 15:41 Gederoth, Beth-dagon, Naamah, and Makkedah– sixteen cities, with their settlements;
Joshua 15:42 Libnah, Ether, Ashan,
Joshua 15:43 Iphtah, Ashnah, Nezib,
Joshua 15:44 Keilah, Achzib, and Mareshah– nine cities, with their settlements;
Joshua 15:45 Ekron, with its surrounding villages and settlements;
Joshua 15:46 from Ekron to the sea, all the cities near Ashdod, with their settlements;
Joshua 15:47 Ashdod, with its surrounding villages and settlements; Gaza, with its surrounding villages and settlements, to the Brook of Egypt and the coastline of the Mediterranean Sea.
Joshua 15:48 In the hill country: Shamir, Jattir, Socoh,
Joshua 15:49 Dannah, Kiriath-sannah (that is, Debir),
Joshua 15:50 Anab, Eshtemoh, Anim,
Joshua 15:51 Goshen, Holon, and Giloh – eleven cities, with their settlements;
Joshua 15:52 Arab, Dumah, Eshan,
Joshua 15:53 Janim, Beth-tappuah, Aphekah,
Joshua 15:54 Humtah, Kiriath-arba (that is, Hebron), and Zior– nine cities, with their settlements;
Joshua 15:55 Maon, Carmel, Ziph, Juttah,
Joshua 15:56 Jezreel, Jokdeam, Zanoah,
Joshua 15:57 Kain, Gibeah, and Timnah– ten cities, with their settlements;
Joshua 15:58 Halhul, Beth-zur, Gedor,
Joshua 15:59 Maarath, Beth-anoth, and Eltekon– six cities, with their settlements;
Joshua 15:60 Kiriath-baal (that is, Kiriath-jearim), and Rabbah– two cities, with their settlements.
Joshua 15:61 In the wilderness: Beth-arabah, Middin, Secacah,
Joshua 15:62 Nibshan, the City of Salt, and En-gedi – six cities, with their settlements.
Joshua 15:63 But the descendants of Judah could not drive out the Jebusites who lived in Jerusalem. So the Jebusites still live in Jerusalem among the descendants of Judah today.

Judah could not

The final verse of today’s text is evidence of the integrity of the historians who compiled Joshua’s story, and the scribes who kept the record free from edits in the centuries that followed. It was an embarrassing truth that the most prominent tribe of Israel could not rid itself of those pesky Jebusites. But that fact is recorded in holy Scripture as evidence that truth is more important than image.

Lord, thank you for the integrity of your word.