Joshua 15:61

“In the wilderness, etc.] The wilderness of Judea, which was not a desert and uninhabited but had many cities and villages in it, those that follow: Betharabah; the first of these seems to be in the borders of Judah and Benjamin, and so is ascribed to both; (see <061506>Joshua 15:6 18:22); Middin, and Secacah; of the two last we read nowhere else, only in (<070510>Judges 5:10); what we translate “ye that sit in judgment”, Kimchi interprets, “ye that dwell by Middin”, and says it is the name of a place in Joshua, and mentions this passage.”

“List of the towns of the tribe of Judah. These are arranged in four divisions, according to the natural features of the district; namely,, those of the Negeb or south country Joshua 15:21-32; of “the valley,” or “the plain” (“Shephelah”, Joshua 15:33-47); of “the mountains” Joshua 15:48-60; and of “the wilderness” Joshua 15:61-62. Many of the identifications are still conjectural only. Joshua 15:21-32. The Negeb was for the most part rocky and arid, and cannot have been at any time very thickly populated. Joshua 15:21 Kabzeel was the native place of Benaiah 2 Samuel 23:20, who was famous as a slayer of lions. The Negeb was a principal haunt of these beasts. Joshua 15:24 Telem may be the…”

“15:61 The wilderness of Judea included the eastern slopes of the central mountain highlands and extended to the western shore of the Dead Sea; three of its six towns were on or near that shoreline.”

“Betharabah: Jos 15:6, Jos 18:18 Joshua 15:62”