Also Judah took Gaza with the coast thereof, and Askelon with the coast thereof, and Ekron with the coast thereof.

Also Judah took Gaza with the border thereof, and Ashkelon with the border thereof, and Ekron with the border thereof.

And Juda took Gaza with its confines, and Ascalon and Accaron with their confines.

Judah also took Gaza with its territory, and Ash'kelon with its territory, and Ekron with its territory.

Also Judah took Gaza with its border, and Askelon with its border, and Ekron with its border.

And Judah captureth Gaza and its border, and Askelon and its border, and Ekron and its border;

Then Judah took Gaza and its limit, and Ashkelon and its limit, and Ekron and its limit.

Also Judah took Gaza with its territory, and Ashkelon with its territory, and Ekron with its territory, and Ashdod with its surrounding lands.

And Judah seized Gaza, with its parts, and Ashkelon as well as Ekron, with their borders.

It is remarkable that Ashdod is not here mentioned, as it is in Joshua 15:46-47, in conjunction with Gaza and Ekron; but that Askelon, which is not in the list of the cities of Judah at all, is named in its stead. (See Joshua 13:3 note.) It is a curious fact that when Rameses III took Askelon it was occupied, not by Philistines, but apparently by Hebrews. Rameses began to reign in 1269 B.C., and reigned 25 years. At any time between 1269 and 1244 B.C. such occupation of Askelon by Hebrews agrees with the Book of Judges.

Judah took Gaza - and Askelon - and Ekron - There is a most remarkable variation here in the Septuagint; I shall set down the verse: Και ουκ εκληρονομησεν Ιουδας την Γαζαν, ουδε τα ὁρια αυτης· ουδε την Ασκαλωνα, ουδε τα ὁρια αυτης· και την Ακκαρων, ουδε τα ὁρια αυτης· την Αζωτον, ουδε τα περισπορια αυτης· και ην Κυριος μετα Ιουδα. "But Judah Did Not possess Gaza, Nor the coast thereof; neither Askelon, nor the coasts thereof, neither Ekron, nor the coasts thereof; neither Azotus, nor its adjacent places: and the Lord was with Judah." This is the reading of the Vatican and other copies of the Septuagint: but the Alexandrian MS., and the text of the Complutensian and Antwerp Polyglots, agree more nearly with the Hebrew text. St. Augustine and Procopius read the same as, the Vatican MS.; and Josephus expressly says that the Israelites took only Askelon and Azotus, but did not take Gaza nor Ekron; and the whole history shows that these cities were not in the possession of the Israelites, but of the Philistines; and if the Israelites did take them at this time, as the Hebrew text states, they certainly lost them in a very short time after.

Also Judah took (i) Gaza with the coast thereof, and Askelon with the coast thereof, and Ekron with the coast thereof.
(i) These cities and others were later possessed by the Philistines, (1-Samuel 6:17).

Also Judah took Gaza, with the coast thereof,.... Which by lot fell to that tribe, Joshua 15:47; it was not till now subdued:
and Ashkelon with the coast thereof; which, according to our countryman Sandys (q), was ten miles from Gaza:
and Ekron with the coast thereof; this also is the lot that fell to Judah, but was afterwards given to the tribe of Daniel, Joshua 15:45; for whom Judah now fought and took it; but in a short time all these places were retaken, and possessed by the Philistines, and were three of their five principalities which they ever after retained, see Judges 3:3.
(q) Travels, p. 118. Ed. 5.

Judah took - It is only said, they took the cities, and probably contented themselves with making them tributary; but it is not said that they slew the people, as they ought to have done; and as it is said of the other cities here. And the people being thus spared, did by God's just judgment recover their strength, and expel the Jews out of their cities. It is farther observable, that Ekron here taken, was one of Daniel's cities, Joshua 19:43, and it was taken here by Judah and Simeon, partly out of love for their brother Daniel, and partly to secure their new conquests, and other adjoining territories, from such potent neighbours.