Joshua 15:3
in Joshua 15proceeded south of the Ascent of Akrabbim, continued on to Zin, went over to the south of Kadesh-barnea, ran past Hezron up to Addar, and curved toward Karka.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
and it went out southward of the ascent of Akrabbim, and passed along to Zin, and went up by the south of Kadesh-barnea, and passed along by Hezron, and went up to Addar, and turned about to Karka;
KJV
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:
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This verse in Joshua 15
Commentary
8 notes on this verseMaaleh-acrabbim - The ascent of the Mount of Scorpions, probably so called from the multitude of those animals found in that place. Kadesh-barnea - This place was called Enmishpat, Gen 14:7. It was on the edge of the wilderness of Paran, and about twenty-four miles from Hebron. Here Miriam, the sister of Moses and Aaron, died; and here Moses and Aaron rebelled against the Lord; hence the place was called Meribah-Kadesh, or the contention of Kadesh. Karkaa - Supposed to be the Coracea of Ptolemy, in Arabia Petraea. - Calmet.
This site's exposition
This then was the lot of the tribe
on Joshua 15:1-12
Judah is given first and given most, before the tabernacle tribe and before Joseph, which matches the sceptre of Genesis 49:10 rather than birth order. The word lot is meant literally: Numbers 26:55 and Joshua 14:2 both say the land was divided by lot, so the borders traced here were settled by a method nobody could steer. The frame runs from the salt sea in verse 2 to the great sea in verse 12, so the chapter opens by drawing a line around the whole of it before naming anything inside.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers2 voices
"And the borders," it says, "are all the way to Kadesh." Kadesh means "holy" or "sanctification." Therefore, the borders of Judah reach all the way to sanctification.
But also we must go up the ascent of the hills of Akrabbim, which means "scorpions." Thus it is necessary for us to pass over and even tread down scorpions, about which the Savior says, "Behold, I have given you the authority to tread over serpents and scorpions." Whoever therefore wishes and longs to enter into the inheritance of the tribe of Judah must go up these ascents and tread down and escape from scorpions that stand in the way.
The Puritans and the Awakening3 voices
That the lot did not at this time so unchangeably determine each tribe, that their portion could neither be increased or diminished; as is manifest, because after Judah's lot was fixed, Simeon's lot was taken out of it, chap. xix, 9, though after the land was more distinctly known and surveyed, it is likely the bounds were more certain and fixed.
Our Lord therefore, who sprang out of Judah, and whose the kingdom is, shall judge the mount of Esau, Obad. The northern border divided it from the lot of Benjamin. In this, mention is made of the stone of Bohan a Reubenite (
quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — unbalanced-parens
And it went out to the south side of Maalehacrabbim,....
1 more voice on this verse
The Nineteenth Century1 voice
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
Maaleh-akrabbim--Hebrew, "the ascent of scorpions"; a pass in the "bald mountain" (see on Jos 11:17), probably much infested by these venomous reptiles.
The words behind it
17 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| וְ֠יָצָא | veyatza' | and it goes out | H3318 → | 1067 times |
| אֶל־ | ʾel- | to | H413 → | 5510 times |
| מִנֶּ֜גֶב | minegev | from [the] south | H5045 → | 112 times |
| לְמַעֲלֵ֤ה | lemaaleh | of [the] ascent of | H4608 → | 18 times |
| עַקְרַבִּים֙ | ʾakrabim | scorpions | H4610 → | |
| וְעָ֣בַר | veavar | and it passes on | H5674 → | 556 times |
| צִ֔נָה | tzinah | Zin towards | H6790 → | |
| וְעָלָ֥ה | vealah | and it goes up | H5927 → | 890 times |
| מִנֶּ֖גֶב | minegev | from [the] south | H5045 → | 112 times |
| לְקָדֵ֣שׁ | lekadesh | of Kadesh | H6947 → | 20 times |
| בַּרְנֵ֑עַ | barnea' | Barnea | H6947 → | 20 times |
| וְעָבַ֤ר | veavar | and it passes on | H5674 → | 556 times |
| חֶצְרוֹן֙ | chetzron | Hezron | H2696 → | |
| וְעָלָ֣ה | vealah | and it goes up | H5927 → | 890 times |
| אַדָּ֔רָה | ʾadarah | Addar towards | H146 → | |
| וְנָסַ֖ב | venasav | and it turns | H5437 → | 161 times |
| הַקַּרְקָֽעָה׃ | hakarkaah | <the> Karka towards | H7173 → |
וְ֠יָצָאand it goes out
veyatza'H3318 →1067 times
אֶל־to
ʾel-H413 →5510 times
מִנֶּ֜גֶבfrom [the] south
minegevH5045 →112 times
לְמַעֲלֵ֤הof [the] ascent of
lemaalehH4608 →18 times
עַקְרַבִּים֙scorpions
ʾakrabimH4610 →
וְעָ֣בַרand it passes on
veavarH5674 →556 times
צִ֔נָהZin towards
tzinahH6790 →
וְעָלָ֥הand it goes up
vealahH5927 →890 times
מִנֶּ֖גֶבfrom [the] south
minegevH5045 →112 times
לְקָדֵ֣שׁof Kadesh
lekadeshH6947 →20 times
בַּרְנֵ֑עַBarnea
barnea'H6947 →20 times
וְעָבַ֤רand it passes on
veavarH5674 →556 times
חֶצְרוֹן֙Hezron
chetzronH2696 →
וְעָלָ֣הand it goes up
vealahH5927 →890 times
אַדָּ֔רָהAddar towards
ʾadarahH146 →
וְנָסַ֖בand it turns
venasavH5437 →161 times
הַקַּרְקָֽעָה׃<the> Karka towards
hakarkaahH7173 →
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
Genesis 14:7Then they turned back to invade En-mishpat (that is, Kadesh), and they conquered the whole territory of the Amalekites, as well as the Amorites who lived in Hazazon-tamar.
it leads to
- 2 Chronicles 20:2
Then some men came and told Jehoshaphat, “A vast army is coming against you from Edom, from beyond the Sea; they are already in Hazazon-tamar” (that is, En-gedi).
- Genesis 20:1
Now Abraham journeyed from there to the region of the Negev and settled between Kadesh and Shur. While he was staying in Gerar,
- 2 Chronicles 20:2
Through
Numbers 20:1In the first month, the whole congregation of Israel entered the Wilderness of Zin and stayed in Kadesh. There Miriam died and was buried.
it leads to
- Numbers 13:21
So they went up and spied out the land from the Wilderness of Zin as far as Rehob, toward Lebo-hamath.
- Exodus 15:20
Then Miriam the prophetess, Aaron’s sister, took a tambourine in her hand, and all the women followed her with tambourines and dancing.
- Numbers 33:36
They set out from Ezion-geber and camped at Kadesh in the Wilderness of Zin.
- Numbers 26:59
and Amram’s wife was named Jochebed. She was also a daughter of Levi, born to Levi in Egypt. To Amram she bore Aaron, Moses, and their sister Miriam.
- Numbers 13:21
Through
Numbers 34:4cross south of the Ascent of Akrabbim, continue to Zin, and go south of Kadesh-barnea. Then it will go on to Hazar-addar and proceed to Azmon,
it leads to
- Numbers 32:8
This is what your fathers did when I sent them from Kadesh-barnea to inspect the land.
- Numbers 13:26
and they went back to Moses, Aaron, and the whole congregation of Israel in the Wilderness of Paran at Kadesh. They brought back a report for the whole congregation and showed them the fruit…
- Numbers 32:8
Where this verse is studied
On this page
About Joshua
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763); John Wesley, Explanatory Notes upon the Old Testament; Keil and Delitzsch, Biblical Commentary on the Old Testament: Joshua, Judges, Ruth; Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible and Origen of Alexandria, HOMILIES ON JOSHUA 19.3.