Keraia
Joshua 15

Joshua 15:5

Judah’s Inheritance · Joshua 15:1–12
Read Joshua 15

Translations

Modern
The eastern border was the Salt Sea as far as the mouth of the Jordan. The northern border started from the bay of the sea at the mouth of the Jordan,
Traditional
And the east border was the salt sea, even unto the end of Jordan. And their border in the north quarter was from the bay of the sea at the uttermost part of Jordan:
Literal
And the eastern border was the Salt Sea, as far as the mouth of the Jordan. And the border began on the northern quarter at the bay of the sea at the mouth of the Jordan.
Latin
Ab oriente vero erit initium, mare salsissimum usque ad extrema Jordanis: et ea quæ respiciunt ad aquilonem, a lingua maris usque ad eumdem Jordanis fluvium.

Original

Hebrew
English
The eastern border was the Salt Sea as far as the mouth of the Jordan. The northern border started from the bay of the sea at the mouth of the Jordan,

Notes

Joshua 15:5–11

Although Judah’s northern boundary is described in great detail, some sections of this border cannot be determined with certainty.

Joshua 15:1–63

The description of Judah's allotment of tribes is more detailed than that of the other tribes. The failures of Judah's older brothers positioned him to lead (Genesis 34:25–31; 35:22). As a result, the tribe of Judah received a central location among the tribes, guaranteeing its leadership in the nation (Genesis 49:8–12; Deuteronomy 33:7).

Joshua 14:1–19:51

  • The allotment of land to the tribes on the west side of the Jordan describes what God intended for each tribe to possess.

  • The one narrating the story begins this section with Caleb receiving land and ends with Joshua receiving land (14:6–15; 19:49–51). Only Caleb and Joshua had shown faith in God that Israel could conquer the land (Numbers 13:30; 14:6–9).

Joshua 13:1–21:45

  • As he had promised, God brought Israel into the land. Joshua then focused on dividing the land among Israel's tribes.

  • The tribal allowances made the covenant of the Israelites with God real. It showed the fulfillment of God's promise to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. Since God owned the land, giving it to the tribes was a gift. God gave them the land to live in and guided its distribution.

  • In these lists of tribal allowances, the author describes some borders in great detail, allowing them to be mapped. With others, they are less plainly defined.

Theme notes and profiles

Joshua Inheriting the Land

Places

Jordan: A river and region, significant in Israel's history Salt Sea: Another name for the Dead Sea

Glossary

Allotment of the Land Brook of Egypt Dead Sea Ezem Gilgal Joshua (Person) Joshua, Book of Judah, Tribe of Judges, Book of Tekoa, Tekoites Tribe of Dan Wadi

Topics

Jordan: Empties Into the Dead Sea the Tribe of Judah: Bounds of Inheritance