Joshua 15:9
in Joshua 15From the hilltop the border curved to the spring of the Waters of Nephtoah, proceeded to the cities of Mount Ephron, and then bent around toward Baalah (that is, Kiriath-jearim).
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
and the border extended from the top of the mountain unto the fountain of the waters of Nephtoah, and went out to the cities of mount Ephron; and the border extended to Baalah (the same is Kiriath-jearim);
KJV
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:
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This verse in Joshua 15
Commentary
4 notes on this verseA commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
Nephtoab is probably the modern “Ain Lifta”, two miles and a half northwestward of Jerusalem: and Mount Ephron is conjecturally connected with the city Ephrain 2Ch 13:19 or Ophrah Jos 18:23.
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 Puritans and the Awakening1 voice
And the border was drawn from the top of the hill,....
The Nineteenth Century1 voice
Baalah, which is Kirjath-jearim - This place was rendered famous in Scripture, in consequence of its being the residence of the ark, for twenty years after it was sent back by the Philistines; see 1 Samuel 5:1-7:2.
How the passage was read
What the Jewish commentators add
On the verses either side of this one
The boundary turned from Baaloh westward. Now he reverts to his previous description [of the cities] from the east to the west.
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
19 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| וְתָאַ֨ר | vetaar | and it turns | H8388 → | 8 times |
| הַגְּב֜וּל | hagevul | the border | H1366 → | 240 times |
| מֵרֹ֣אשׁ | merosh | from [the] top of | H7218 → | 599 times |
| הָהָ֗ר | hahar | the mountain | H2022 → | 546 times |
| אֶל־ | ʾel- | to | H413 → | 5510 times |
| מַעְיַן֙ | ma'yan | [the] spring of | H4599 → | |
| מֵ֣י | mei | [the] waters of | H4325 → | 581 times |
| נֶפְתּ֔וֹחַ | neftoach | Nephtoah | H5318 → | |
| וְיָצָ֖א | veyatza' | and it goes out | H3318 → | 1067 times |
| אֶל־ | ʾel- | to | H413 → | 5510 times |
| עָרֵ֣י | ʾarei | [the] cities of | H5892 → | 1090 times |
| הַר־ | har- | [the] mountain of | H2022 → | 546 times |
| עֶפְר֑וֹן | efron | Ephron | H6085 → | |
| וְתָאַ֤ר | vetaar | and it turns | H8388 → | 8 times |
| הַגְּבוּל֙ | hagevul | the border | H1366 → | 240 times |
| בַּעֲלָ֔ה | baalah | Baalah | H1173 → | 6 times |
| הִ֖יא | hi' | that | H1931 → | 1879 times |
| קִרְיַ֥ת | kiryat | [is] Kiriath | H7157 → | 39 times |
| יְעָרִֽים׃ | yearim | Jearim | H7157 → | 39 times |
וְתָאַ֨רand it turns
vetaarH8388 →8 times
הַגְּב֜וּלthe border
hagevulH1366 →240 times
מֵרֹ֣אשׁfrom [the] top of
meroshH7218 →599 times
הָהָ֗רthe mountain
haharH2022 →546 times
אֶל־to
ʾel-H413 →5510 times
מַעְיַן֙[the] spring of
ma'yanH4599 →
מֵ֣י[the] waters of
meiH4325 →581 times
נֶפְתּ֔וֹחַNephtoah
neftoachH5318 →
וְיָצָ֖אand it goes out
veyatza'H3318 →1067 times
אֶל־to
ʾel-H413 →5510 times
עָרֵ֣י[the] cities of
ʾareiH5892 →1090 times
הַר־[the] mountain of
har-H2022 →546 times
עֶפְר֑וֹןEphron
efronH6085 →
וְתָאַ֤רand it turns
vetaarH8388 →8 times
הַגְּבוּל֙the border
hagevulH1366 →240 times
בַּעֲלָ֔הBaalah
baalahH1173 →6 times
הִ֖יאthat
hi'H1931 →1879 times
קִרְיַ֥ת[is] Kiriath
kiryatH7157 →39 times
יְעָרִֽים׃Jearim
yearimH7157 →39 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
2 Samuel 6:2And he and all his troops set out for Baale of Judah to bring up from there the ark of God, which is called by the Name—the name of the LORD of Hosts, who…
it leads to
- 1 Samuel 7:1
Then the men of Kiriath-jearim came for the ark of the LORD and took it into Abinadab’s house on the hill. And they consecrated his son Eleazar to guard the ark of the LORD.
Reached by 3 separate paths from here.
- 1 Samuel 4:4
So the people sent men to Shiloh, and they brought back the ark of the covenant of the LORD of Hosts, who sits enthroned between the cherubim. And the two sons of Eli, Hophni…
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- 1 Chronicles 13:5–6
So David assembled all Israel, from the River Shihor in Egypt to Lebo-hamath, to bring the ark of God from Kiriath-jearim.
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- Psalms 80:1
Hear us, O Shepherd of Israel, who leads Joseph like a flock; You who sit enthroned between the cherubim, shine forth
- Exodus 25:18–22
Make two cherubim of hammered gold at the ends of the mercy seat,
- 1 Samuel 7:1
Through
1 Chronicles 13:6David and all Israel went up to Baalah of Judah (that is, Kiriath-jearim) to bring up from there the ark of God the LORD, who is enthroned between the cherubim—the ark that is called…
it leads to
- Joshua 15:60
Kiriath-baal (that is, Kiriath-jearim), and Rabbah—two cities, along with their villages.
Reached by 3 separate paths from here.
- Exodus 25:22
And I will meet with you there above the mercy seat, between the two cherubim that are over the ark of the Testimony; I will speak with you about all that I command you…
- Joshua 15:60
Through
Judges 18:12They went up and camped at Kiriath-jearim in Judah. That is why the place west of Kiriath-jearim is called Mahaneh-dan to this day.
it leads to
- Judges 13:25
And the Spirit of the LORD began to stir him at Mahaneh-dan, between Zorah and Eshtaol.
- Judges 13:25
Where this verse is studied
On this page
About Joshua
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763); Keil and Delitzsch, Biblical Commentary on the Old Testament: Joshua, Judges, Ruth and Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible.