19:2

and included Beersheba (or Sheba), Moladah: The towns listed in verses 2–6 were in the south part of the land that belonged to the clan of Judah.

Beersheba: There is also an interpretation issue with the word Beersheba.

(1) Sheba is another name for the town of Beersheba. For example:

Beersheba (or Sheba), Moladah (New International Version)

(Berean Standard Bible, New International Version, NET Bible, Tanakh: The Holy Scriptures, New American Standard Bible, God’s Word, Revised English Bible, King James Version)

(2) Sheba is a different town. It is not the same town as Beersheba. For example:

Beersheba, Sheba, Moladah (English Standard Version)

(English Standard Version, Revised Standard Version, New Revised Standard Version, New Living Translation (2004), Good News Translation)

It is recommended that you follow option (1) along with many English versions. There is a similar list of the towns that belonged to the clan of Simeon in 1 Chronicles 4:28. That list does not include the town of Sheba. Moreover, if Sheba is counted as an independent town in this list, the total number of towns would come to fourteen, rather than thirteen, as stated in verse 6. Because of this, many Bible scholars consider the term Sheba to be an alternative name for the town of Beersheba.

Here are some other ways to translate this part of the verse:

They received the following towns as its permanent possession: Beersheba, which is also called Sheba, and Moladah
-or-
The land that was assigned to them included the following towns: Beersheba, or Sheba, and Moladah

Sheba: There is a textual issue with the word Sheba.

(1) The text should say Sheba. This follows the Masoretic Text.

(Berean Standard Bible, New International Version, NET Bible, Revised Standard Version, English Standard Version, Tanakh: The Holy Scriptures, New American Standard Bible, God’s Word, Good News Translation, King James Version)

(2) The text should say Shema. This follows the Septuagint, and it also agrees with Joshua 15:26.

(New American Bible, Revised Edition, New Jerusalem Bible, Contemporary English Version)

It is recommended that you follow option (1). This is the reading of most English versions, and is supported by many commentaries.

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