Joshua 15:4 kjv
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.
Joshua 15:4 nkjv
From there it passed toward Azmon and went out to the Brook of Egypt; and the border ended at the sea. This shall be your southern border.
Joshua 15:4 niv
It then passed along to Azmon and joined the Wadi of Egypt, ending at the Mediterranean Sea. This is their southern boundary.
Joshua 15:4 esv
passes along to Azmon, goes out by the Brook of Egypt, and comes to its end at the sea. This shall be your south boundary.
Joshua 15:4 nlt
From there it passed to Azmon until it finally reached the Brook of Egypt, which it followed to the Mediterranean Sea. This was their southern boundary.
Joshua 15 4 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Gen 15:18 | "To your descendants I give this land, from the river of Egypt to the great river, the River Euphrates," | God's expansive promise of land to Abraham. |
| Ex 23:31 | "I will establish your borders from the Red Sea to the Philistine Sea, and from the desert to the River Euphrates," | Divine delineation of Israel's national borders. |
| Num 34:3-5 | "Your southern boundary shall extend from the Desert of Zin along the border of Edom...and extend to Azmon and go out to the Brook of Egypt," | Precise prior command for Israel's southern border. |
| Num 34:6 | "Your western boundary shall be the Great Sea..." | Defines the Great Sea as Israel's western border. |
| Deut 1:7 | "Go to the hill country of the Amorites... and into the Arabah, into the hill country and into the Negev..." | Recalls the breadth of the promised land. |
| Deut 19:14 | "You must not move your neighbor’s boundary stone, set up by your predecessors..." | Law against altering established land limits. |
| Deut 27:17 | "Cursed is the one who moves his neighbor’s boundary stone." | Strong warning against disrupting boundaries. |
| Josh 1:3 | "Every place on which the sole of your foot treads, I have given it to you, just as I promised Moses." | God's direct gift of the land. |
| Josh 15:1 | "The allotment for the tribe of Judah according to their clans reached southward to the border of Edom, to the Desert of Zin..." | Introduction to Judah's initial land inheritance. |
| Josh 15:12 | "The western border was the Great Sea and its coastline. These were the boundaries around the people of Judah by their clans." | Confirming Judah's western boundary at the Sea. |
| Josh 18:2-10 | Details land distribution for other tribes after surveying the land. | Systematic division of the promised land. |
| Judg 18:1 | Tribal inheritances set distinct territories for each group. | Each tribe receives a defined inheritance. |
| 1 Kin 4:21 | "Solomon ruled over all the kingdoms from the River to the land of the Philistines and to the border of Egypt..." | Historical realization of the promised geographical extent. |
| Isa 27:12 | "In that day the LORD will thresh from the flowing stream of the Euphrates to the Brook of Egypt," | Prophecy of a future ingathering extending to these borders. |
| Ezek 47:19 | "The south side also shall be from Tamar as far as the waters of Meribath-kadesh, and to the brook of Egypt," | Prophetic southern boundary of the restored land. |
| Ps 78:55 | "He drove out nations before them; he apportioned for them an inheritance by measure and settled the tribes of Israel in their tents." | God's faithfulness in distributing the land. |
| Ps 105:11 | "saying, 'To you I will give the land of Canaan as the portion of your inheritance.'" | Reiterates God's specific promise of land as inheritance. |
| Acts 7:45 | "Our ancestors in turn brought it with Joshua when they dispossessed the nations God drove out before them." | Acknowledges the fulfillment of God's promise through Joshua. |
| Gal 3:18 | "For if the inheritance is by the law, it is no longer by promise; but God gave it to Abraham by a promise." | Spiritual inheritance founded on divine promise. |
| Eph 1:11 | "In him we have obtained an inheritance, having been predestined according to the purpose of him who works all things according to the counsel of his will," | Believers' spiritual inheritance in Christ. |
| Heb 4:8 | "For if Joshua had given them rest, God would not have spoken later about another day." | Earthly land inheritance foreshadows heavenly rest. |
| 1 Pet 1:4 | "to an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you," | The enduring, eternal nature of the believer's inheritance. |
Joshua 15 verses
Joshua 15 4 Meaning
Joshua 15:4 precisely defines the western segment of the southern boundary for the tribal inheritance of Judah. This border line traversed westward from a preceding point, passing through Azmon, a known locality in the Negev desert. It then reached a significant natural demarcation, the "Brook of Egypt," historically identified as Wadi El-Arish, and concluded its course at the Mediterranean Sea. This verse underlines the meticulous fulfillment of God's covenant promises concerning the land apportionment to Israel, particularly detailing the divinely appointed territory of the tribe of Judah.
Joshua 15 4 Context
Joshua chapter 15 initiates the detailed account of land distribution among the tribes of Israel, focusing initially on the substantial territory allotted to the tribe of Judah. This prominence is fitting given Judah's destiny as the tribe from which David and the Messiah would arise. Joshua 15:4 serves as the conclusion to the intricate description of Judah's southern boundary, meticulously tracing its path from a previous point, through named landmarks, until it definitively reached the western and ultimate boundary of the land: the Mediterranean Sea. The historical setting is the immediate aftermath of the successful military campaigns led by Joshua, marking the direct fulfillment of God's long-standing covenant promise to Abraham that his descendants would possess the land of Canaan. The establishment of precise, God-ordained geographical boundaries was critical for the identity, security, and internal organization of each tribe, helping to prevent future territorial disputes and signifying the secure possession of their God-given inheritance. It stands as a testament to the divine order and precision in fulfilling His word.
Joshua 15 4 Word analysis
- then it passed along: The Hebrew phrase "וְעָבַר" (ve'avar) indicates a continuous, flowing progression of the boundary line. It conveys the deliberate and methodical charting of the borders, emphasizing accuracy in land demarcation.
- to Azmon: Hebrew: עַצְמוֹן ('Atsmon). This identifies a specific geographical marker, a point of reference within the southern wilderness of Zin, situated within the Negev. Its repeated mention in the instructions for the southern boundary in Num 34:4-5 highlights its known significance and fixed nature as a boundary marker provided by God.
- and went out by: Hebrew: וְיָצְאָה עַל־ (ve'yatza'ah 'al-). This idiom suggests the boundary reaching a major outward extent or connecting point, denoting where it met or proceeded alongside the next significant landmark.
- the Brook of Egypt: Hebrew: נַחַל מִצְרַיִם (Nachal Mitzrayim). This is a crucial geographical identifier. It refers to a seasonal watercourse (a wadi), not the mighty Nile River. Scholars widely identify it with Wadi el-Arish, which naturally formed the historical and political frontier between the land of Canaan (and later Israel) and ancient Egypt. Its mention as a consistent boundary in multiple biblical texts (Gen 15:18, Num 34:5, Ezek 47:19) underscores its importance as God's designated limit for Israel's southwestern territory.
- and the border ended: Hebrew: וְהָיוּ תֹּצְאוֹתָיו (vehayu totze'otav) literally means "and its exits/outcomes were." This phrasing communicates the definitive culmination point of the boundary. It marks a clear, final termination of the described section of the border.
- at the Sea: Hebrew: הַיָּם (Hayyam). This specifically designates the Mediterranean Sea, frequently called "the Great Sea" (HaYam HaGadol) elsewhere in Scripture. It constituted the unambiguous and unchanging western boundary for Judah and the entire nation of Israel.
- This shall be your southern boundary: Hebrew: זֹאת תִּהְיֶה לָכֶם גְּבוּל נֶגֶב (zot tihyeh lachem gevul Negev). This concluding declaration confirms the fixed and unalterable nature of the described line as Judah's divinely apportioned southern limit. "Gevul" (boundary/territory) emphasizes defined parameters, crucial for the nation's and tribes' order and distinct identity. "Negev" identifies the arid southern region to which this boundary pertained.
Joshua 15 4 Bonus section
The careful definition of boundaries in Joshua, particularly as seen in Josh 15:4, establishes a theological principle that extends beyond physical geography. These boundaries represent God's order, provision, and divine setting of limits. Just as God established the physical parameters for His people's dwelling, He also sets spiritual and moral boundaries for their walk. Respect for these boundaries, whether physical landmarks or spiritual commands, was foundational to Israel's covenant relationship with God. The exactness of these descriptions also highlights the verifiable nature of God's fulfillment of His promises, providing assurance of His reliability. Furthermore, the land inheritance serves as an earthly type for the spiritual inheritance promised to believers in Christ—an imperishable, undefiled, and unfading possession (1 Pet 1:4), demonstrating God's faithful provision from the physical realm to the eternal.
Joshua 15 4 Commentary
Joshua 15:4 serves as more than just a cartographical detail; it is a profound testament to the fidelity and specificity of God's covenant promises. By meticulously delineating Judah's southern border, extending to the vital geographical markers of Azmon and the Brook of Egypt, and finally to the Mediterranean Sea, the verse demonstrates the tangible realization of the land inheritance foretold for generations. This detailed survey reinforces the divine nature of the land allocation, not as a human conquest, but as a direct fulfillment of God's decree. It highlights the principle that God's plans are exact and fully realized, providing the foundation for Israel's identity and future within the boundaries He set. This precise definition brought order, prevented conflict, and solidified the legal claim of the tribe of Judah to their sacred inheritance.