Editing Tribe of Judah (section)

===Territory and main cities===
{{Further|Twelve Tribes of Israel#Land allotment}}
[[File:Elah Valley below Adullam.jpg|thumb|upright|The Valley of Elah, near Adullam, in the territorial boundary of Judah]]

According to the biblical account, at its height, the tribe of Judah was the leading tribe of the Kingdom of Judah, and occupied most of the territory of the kingdom, except for a small region in the northeast occupied by [[Tribe of Benjamin|Benjamin]], and an enclave towards the south-west which was occupied by [[Tribe of Simeon|Simeon]]. [[Bethlehem]] and [[Hebron]] were initially the main cities within the territory of the tribe.

[[File:Lion of Judah.jpg|upright|thumb|The [[Lion of Judah|lion]] is the symbol of the tribe of Judah. It is often represented in [[Jewish art]], such as this [[sculpture]] outside a [[synagogue]]]]

The size of the territory of the tribe of Judah meant that in practice it had four distinct regions:{{citation needed|date=December 2021}}
* The [[Negev]] (Hebrew: ''south'') – the southern portion of the land, which was highly suitable for [[pasture]].
* The [[Shephelah]] (Hebrew: ''lowland'') – the coastal region, between the highlands and the [[Mediterranean]] sea,{{dubious|In the modern meaning it stops short of the coastal plain; pls. bring proof that it was different in biblical meaning.|date=August 2018}} which was used for [[agriculture]], in particular for [[grain]]s.
* The ''wilderness'' – the barren region immediately next to the [[Dead Sea]], and below [[sea level]]; it was wild, and barely inhabitable, to the extent that animals and people which were made unwelcome elsewhere, such as [[bear]]s, [[leopards]], and [[outlaw]]s, made it their home. In biblical times, this region was further subdivided into three sections – the ''wilderness of [[En Gedi]]'',<ref>{{bibleverse|1 Samuel|24:1}}</ref> the ''wilderness of Judah'',<ref>{{bibleverse|Judges|1:16}}</ref> and the ''wilderness of [[Ma'on (Judea)|Maon]]''.<ref>{{bibleverse|1 Samuel|23:24}}</ref>
* The ''hill country'' – the elevated plateau situated between the Shephelah and the ''wilderness'',{{dubious|In unsourced explanation used here, it would include the western slopes = modern-Hebrew Shfela, not just the "plateau".|date=August 2018}} with rocky slopes but very fertile soil. This region was used for the production of grain, [[olive]]s, [[grape]]s, and other fruit, and hence produced [[oil]] and [[wine]].
* {{anchor|Schicron}}In the [[Tanakh]], Shicron was one of the landmarks at the western end of the north boundary of the Tribe of Judah (Joshua 15:1). It was probably located near [[Ekron]].

<blockquote>Judah had assigned him by lot the upper part of Judea, reaching as far as Jerusalem, and its breadth extended to the [[Dead Sea|Lake of Sodom]]. Now in the lot of this tribe there were the cities of [[Askelon]] and [[Gaza City|Gaza]].<ref>{{cite book |last=Josephus |author-link=Josephus |title=Josephus Complete Works |publisher=Kregel Publications |translator=[[William Whiston]] |date=1981|location=Grand Rapids, Michigan |page=108 (''Antiquities'' 5.1.22.) |language=en |isbn=0-8254-2951-X }}</ref></blockquote>