The third and most important division of the territory was “the hill country.” Beginning in the Negeb below Hebron, this region extends toward the north to Jerusalem, and is bounded on the east by the wilderness of the Dead Sea and on the west by the Shephelah. The highest point is near Hebron, and reaches more than 3,300 ft. (1,006 m.) above sea level. The cities enumerated in this section are arranged in five groups.

 The first group (vs. 48-51) contains 11 cities situated in the southwestern portion, among which we may note Jattir, modern Khirbet ‘Attîr, 13 mi. (21 km.) southwest of Hebron; Socoh, now the modern Khirbet Shuweikeh; Debir, already referred to (ch. 10:38, 39); Eshtemoh, now es-Semû‘, one of David’s places of refuge; and Giloh, probably Khirbet Jâlā, 6 1/2 mi. (10.5 km.) northwest of Hebron, the native city of Ahithophel, Absalom’s counselor, and the scene of his suicide. The second group, to the north of the first group, contains nine cities, among which is reckoned Hebron. None of the others is of any importance.

 In the third group of cities (vs. 55-57), consisting of ten towns lying nearer the southern desert, occur some that are connected with the life of David as an outlaw. It includes Maon, 8 mi. (13 km.) south of Hebron, where dwelt the churlish Nabal; Jezreel, from which came David’s wife, Ahinoam. Here, too, is Timnah, not the Timnah of Samson’s story, but the place where the patriarch Judah “went up” to his sheepshearers, 9 mi. (14.5 km.) west by south of Bethlehem. Remarkably, Bethlehem does not appear in the lists. It never played any important part in history outside of being the birthplace of David and Jesus, but became world famous on this account. According to the prophet Micah (ch. 5:2), the city remained in almost total obscurity. In Joshua’s time it had probably not yet become worthy of mention.

The fourth group consists of six cities to the north of Hebron, and the fifth group, of only two cities, on the west of Jerusalem, Kirjath-jearim, known in early times as Baalah or Kirjath-baal, and Rabbah, at an unidentified site in the hills near Kirjath-jearim.