Joshua 15:12
in Joshua 15And the western border was the coastline of the Great Sea. These are the boundaries around the clans of the descendants of Judah.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
And the west border was to the great sea, and the border thereof. This is the border of the children of Judah round about according to their families.
KJV
And the west border was to the great sea, and the coast thereof. This is the coast of the children of Judah round about according to their families.
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This verse in Joshua 15
Commentary
4 notes on this verseThis site's exposition
the allotment for the clans of the tribe of Judah
on Joshua 15:1-12
Judah is given first and given most, before the tabernacle tribe and before Joseph, which matches the scepter of Genesis 49:10 rather than birth order. The lot is literal, as Numbers 26:55 and Joshua 14:2 both say, so nobody could steer these borders. The frame runs from the Salt Sea at verse 2 to the Great Sea at verse 12, drawing the whole before naming anything inside.
This site's exposition
coastline of the Great Sea
Numbers 34:6 gave the Great Sea as the western border of the whole land, and Judah's portion takes that same coast. With verse 12 the four sides are complete. Matthew Henry observes that even this strong tribe received fixed bounds and was left no room to widen its holding at will.
The record, by era
The Puritans and the Awakening2 voices
And the west border was to the great sea, and the coast thereof,....
Though it was a powerful warlike tribe, and had a great interest in the other tribes, yet they must not therefore be left to their own choice, to enlarge their possessions at pleasure, but must live so as that their neighbours might live by them. Those that are placed high yet must not think to be placed alone in the midst of the earth.
How the passage was read
What the Jewish commentators add
On the verses either side of this one
The boundary went out — Referring to the end of the boundary.
1 more on this passage, in their own words ▾
According to the word of Adonoy to Yehoshua. As the Holy one, blessed is He, said to Yehoshua. 14 See above:9,10.
This section is reception history: how the passage was read and kept in the Jewish tradition. Where a reading parts from an essential of the Christian faith, the section says so at that point.
Texts and citation data: Sefaria; each excerpt follows its version’s licence. 4 further sources are cited on this chapter that carry no English text this site may quote or only restate the verse.
The words behind it
11 Hebrew wordsEvery Hebrew word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Hebrew | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| וּגְב֣וּל | ugevul | and [the] border of | H1366 → | 240 times |
| יָ֔ם | yam | [the] west | H3220 → | 396 times |
| הַיָּ֥מָּה | haiyamah | [is] the sea towards | H3220 → | 396 times |
| הַגָּד֖וֹל | hagadol | <the> great | H1419 → | 526 times |
| וּגְב֑וּל | ugevul | and territory | H1366 → | 240 times |
| זֶ֠ה | zeh | this | H2088 → | 1180 times |
| גְּב֧וּל | gevul | [is] [the] border of | H1366 → | 240 times |
| בְּנֵֽי־ | benei- | [the] descendants of | H1121 → | 4930 times |
| יְהוּדָ֛ה | yehudah | Judah | H3063 → | 819 times |
| סָבִ֖יב | saviv | around | H5439 → | 336 times |
| לְמִשְׁפְּחֹתָֽם׃ | lemishpechotam | to clans their | H4940 → | 303 times |
וּגְב֣וּלand [the] border of
ugevulH1366 →240 times
יָ֔ם[the] west
yamH3220 →396 times
הַיָּ֥מָּה[is] the sea towards
haiyamahH3220 →396 times
הַגָּד֖וֹל<the> great
hagadolH1419 →526 times
וּגְב֑וּלand territory
ugevulH1366 →240 times
זֶ֠הthis
zehH2088 →1180 times
גְּב֧וּל[is] [the] border of
gevulH1366 →240 times
בְּנֵֽי־[the] descendants of
benei-H1121 →4930 times
יְהוּדָ֛הJudah
yehudahH3063 →819 times
סָבִ֖יבaround
savivH5439 →336 times
לְמִשְׁפְּחֹתָֽם׃to clans their
lemishpechotamH4940 →303 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
Deuteronomy 11:24Every place where the sole of your foot treads will be yours. Your territory will extend from the wilderness to Lebanon, and from the Euphrates River to the Western Sea.
it leads to
- Joshua 14:9
On that day Moses swore to me, saying, ‘Surely the land on which you have set foot will be an inheritance to you and your children forever, because you have wholly followed the LORD…
- Genesis 15:18–21
On that day the LORD made a covenant with Abram, saying, “To your descendants I have given this land—from the river of Egypt to the great River Euphrates—
- Exodus 23:31
And I will establish your borders from the Red Sea to the Sea of the Philistines, and from the desert to the Euphrates. For I will deliver the inhabitants into your hand, and you…
- 1 Kings 4:21
And Solomon reigned over all the kingdoms from the Euphrates to the land of the Philistines, as far as the border of Egypt. These kingdoms offered tribute and served Solomon all the days of…
- 2 Chronicles 9:26
He reigned over all the kings from the Euphrates to the land of the Philistines, as far as the border of Egypt.
- Joshua 14:9
Through
Joshua 15:47Ashdod, with its towns and villages; Gaza, with its towns and villages, as far as the Brook of Egypt and the coastline of the Great Sea.
it leads to
- Joshua 15:4
It proceeded to Azmon, joined the Brook of Egypt, and ended at the Sea. This was their southern border.
- Jeremiah 47:1
This is the word of the LORD that came to Jeremiah the prophet about the Philistines before Pharaoh struck down Gaza.
- Zephaniah 2:4
For Gaza will be abandoned, and Ashkelon left in ruins. Ashdod will be driven out at noon, and Ekron will be uprooted.
- Joshua 15:4
Where this verse is studied
On this page
About Joshua
Who and where
1 name in this verse with a page on the site.
This page draws on John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763); Keil and Delitzsch, Biblical Commentary on the Old Testament: Joshua, Judges, Ruth; Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible and The Berean Standard Bible, Joshua 15, with the verses cited in the note.