Joshua 15:1-9
Jos 15:1
This then was the lot of the tribe of the children
of Judah by their families; even to the border of Edom the wilderness of
Zin southward was the uttermost part of the south coast.
In this chapter we have the assignment of the land to the
tribe of Judah and the assignment of Hebron to Caleb.
Notwithstanding the land shall be
divided by lot: according to the names of the tribes of their fathers they shall
inherit. (Numbers 26:55) The
land was divided according to the casting of lots and Judah was the first tribe
to be assigned. The wilderness of
Zin on the southern border was about 70 miles (113 KM) south of Jerusalem.
The coast of Edom was east of the wilderness of Zin.
Jos 15:2
And their south border was from the shore of the salt
sea, from the bay that looketh southward:
The salt sea or the Dead Sea as it is known today was the
southeast border. The bay or
“tongue” may be the protrusion within the Dead Sea which goes southward all the
way to the southern coast of Judah.
Jos 15:3
And it went out to the south side to Maaleh-acrabbim, and
passed along to Zin, and ascended up on the south side unto Kadesh-barnea, and
passed along to Hezron, and went up to Adar, and fetched a compass to Karkaa:
Maaleh-acrabbim is as known as the ascent of Akrabbim
which is located about 10 miles (16 KM) southwest of the southern tip of the
Dead Sea. Akrabbim is located on
the side of the wilderness of Zin.
Kadesh-barnea was about 32 miles (52 KM) south of the Wilderness of Zin.
Hezron which is Hazor was all the way to the north which was about 160
miles (257 KM) north of the wilderness of Zin.
And your border shall turn from
the south to the ascent of Akrabbim, and pass on to Zin: and the going forth
thereof shall be from the south to Kadesh-barnea, and shall go on to
Hazar-addar, and pass on to Azmon: (Numbers 34:4)
Adar was very close to Hazor maybe even a suburb.
Azmon was about 16 miles (26 KM) northwest of Kadesh-barnea.
Karkaa was a village in the wilderness and was between the Mediterranean
and Dead Seas.
Jos 15:4
From thence it passed toward Azmon, and went out
unto the river of Egypt; and the goings out of that coast were at the sea: this
shall be your south coast.
The coast of the Sea was the Mediterranean Sea.
And the border shall fetch a
compass from Azmon unto the river of Egypt, and the goings out of it shall be at
the sea. (Numbers 34:5) This
was the south coast. The river of
Egypt may have been the Brook of Egypt
which separated them from Sinai.
Jos 15:5
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:
The eastern borders was the Salt or Dead Sea where the
Jordan River emptied into it at the northern point.
The bay of the Sea may be the Sea of Chinnereth where the Jordan empties
in the southernmost part of the Sea.
Jos 15:6
And the border went up to Beth-hogla, and passed along by
the north of Beth-arabah; and the border went up to the stone of Bohan the son
of Reuben:
Beth-hogla was about 3 miles (5 KM) north of the northern
tip of the Dead Sea. Beth-Arabah
was in the wilderness but the location is unknown.
The border was up to the stone of Bohan who was the son of Reuben
probably made for some exploit he did or he is buried there.
Now Bohan might have been a descendant of Reuben because he is not listed
anywhere in Scripture as a direct son.
It might have been a marker separating the tribes of Judah and Benjamin
but the meaning of the stone is unknown.
Jos 15:7
And the border went up toward Debir from the valley of
Achor, and so northward, looking toward Gilgal, that is before the going
up to Adummim, which is on the south side of the river: and the border
passed toward the waters of En-shemesh, and the goings out thereof were at
En-rogel:
Debir was located 10 miles (16 KM) south of Hebron.
The valley of Achor was located at the northwestern tip of the Dead Sea
which was about 30 miles (48 KM) northeast of Debir.
Gilgal was about 10 miles (16 KM) north of the Valley of Achor.
Adummim was about 2 miles (3 KM) northwest of Debir.
The river in view is unknown and I won’t speculate.
En-shemesh was about 20 miles (32 KM) northeast of Hebron.
The place of the waters spoken of is unknown.
The spring of En-rogel was located just about 300 yards south of the wall
of Hezekiah, south of the Dung gate.
Jos 15:8
And the border went up by the valley of the son of Hinnom
unto the south side of the Jebusite; the same is Jerusalem: and the
border went up to the top of the mountain that lieth before the valley of
Hinnom westward, which is at the end of the valley of the giants
northward:
The Valley of Hinnom was on the south side of Jerusalem
which contained a large garbage dump.
The top of the mountain is believed to be Mount Moriah.
Valley of the Giants was the valley of Rephaim which was west of the
valley of Hinnom. It is believed
that this valley was partly in both Judah and Benjamin.
Jos 15:9
And the border was drawn from the top of the hill unto
the fountain of the water of Nephtoah, and went out to the cities of mount
Ephron; and the border was drawn to Baalah, which is Kirjath-jearim: