Study note

Joshua 15:59

After this verse, the Greek Old Testament lists another district with 11 cities. These cities are:

  • Tekoa,

  • Ephrathah (that is, Bethlehem),

  • Phagor,

  • Etam,

  • Kulon,

  • Tatam,

  • Saris,

  • Karem,

  • Gallim,

  • Bether, and

  • Manoch.

Each city also had surrounding villages.

Including this district explains why Bethlehem appears in the list. Without this district, Bethlehem would be missing, which would be unexpected. It is possible that an early copyist of the Hebrew text accidentally left out this twelfth district.