Joshua 15 47

Joshua 15:47 kjv

Ashdod with her towns and her villages, Gaza with her towns and her villages, unto the river of Egypt, and the great sea, and the border thereof:

Joshua 15:47 nkjv

Ashdod with its towns and villages, Gaza with its towns and villages?as far as the Brook of Egypt and the Great Sea with its coastline.

Joshua 15:47 niv

Ashdod, its surrounding settlements and villages; and Gaza, its settlements and villages, as far as the Wadi of Egypt and the coastline of the Mediterranean Sea.

Joshua 15:47 esv

Ashdod, its towns and its villages; Gaza, its towns and its villages; to the Brook of Egypt, and the Great Sea with its coastline.

Joshua 15:47 nlt

It also included Ashdod with its surrounding settlements and villages and Gaza with its settlements and villages, as far as the Brook of Egypt and along the coast of the Mediterranean Sea.

Joshua 15 verses

Joshua 15 47 Meaning

Joshua 15:47 defines a significant portion of the inheritance given to the tribe of Judah, specifically outlining its southwestern and western boundaries. It names the major Philistine cities of Ashdod and Gaza, along with their surrounding towns and villages, as included within Judah's assigned territory. The verse then specifies the natural geographic limits: extending south to the Brook of Egypt (a seasonal wadi) and west to the Great Sea (the Mediterranean), encompassing its entire coastline. This indicates the divinely intended breadth of Judah's land, even though these Philistine strongholds were not fully conquered at this initial stage of the settlement.

Joshua 15 47 Context

Joshua chapter 15 details the tribal allotment given to Judah, the largest and most prominent tribe. After the general allocation described in previous chapters, Joshua 15:20-63 specifically lists the towns assigned to Judah within various geographical regions: the Negeb, the Shephelah (lowland), the hill country, and the wilderness. Verse 47 falls within the listing of towns in the lowland region (the Shephelah, vv. 33-47), specifically on the western coastal plain.

Historically, this period marks the transition from conquest to settlement. While God faithfully promised the entire land to Israel, their possession was often partial, particularly regarding well-fortified cities like those of the Philistines. The listing of Ashdod and Gaza as part of Judah's inheritance highlights the full scope of God's covenant promise to Abraham (Gen 15:18; Num 34), which extended to the Brook of Egypt. However, the subsequent book of Judges frequently illustrates the challenge and often failure of Israel to completely dislodge the Philistines from these formidable cities, leading to centuries of conflict and demonstrating the tension between divine provision and human responsibility in obedience.

Joshua 15 47 Word analysis

• Ashdod (אַשְׁדּוֹד, 'Ashdōd): A powerful, well-fortified city of the Philistine Pentapolis. It was a major center of the god Dagon. Although allotted to Judah, it remained largely unconquered, serving as a stronghold against Israel throughout the periods of Judges and Samuel.
• its towns (בְּנֹתֶיהָ, bᵊnōṯehā): Literally "its daughters." This term refers to dependent settlements or smaller cities that were under the administrative and military control of the main city, Ashdod. It signifies the wider sphere of influence and population governed by the primary urban center.
• and its villages (וְחַצְרֵיהָ, wəḥaṣrêhā): Refers to less significant, typically unfortified rural settlements or hamlets associated with the main cities. These would be agricultural communities that supported the urban centers. Their inclusion indicates the full scope of land possession, beyond just major population centers.
• Gaza (עַזָּה, 'Azzah): Another major Philistine city, and the southernmost of the Pentapolis. It was a significant trade hub and strategic stronghold, known for its strong fortifications. Like Ashdod, it largely remained outside Israel's full control for extended periods, despite being part of Judah's inheritance. Its capture is partially mentioned in Judges 1:18, but it was not held permanently.
• its towns (בְּנֹתֶיהָ, bᵊnōṯehā): Similar to Ashdod, this denotes the dependent urban areas and controlled settlements extending from Gaza.
• and its villages (וְחַצְרֵיהָ, wəḥaṣrêhā): Again, refers to the surrounding rural and agricultural settlements associated with Gaza.
• as far as the Brook of Egypt (עַד־נַחַל מִצְרָיִם, ‘ad naḥal Miṣrāyim): This marks the divinely designated southwestern boundary of the promised land. It is not the Nile River, but a wadi (seasonal riverbed), commonly identified with the Wadi El-Arish, that flows into the Mediterranean Sea near modern Rafah. It served as a clear, natural frontier separating Canaan from Egypt, consistent with covenant promises from Genesis 15:18 and Numbers 34:5.
• and the Great Sea (וְהַיָּם הַגָּדוֹל, wəhayyām hagādôl): This refers to the Mediterranean Sea, which forms the western boundary of the land of Canaan. Its mention confirms the natural and constant western limit of Judah's inheritance.
• with its coastline (וּגְבֻלָהּ, ugḇūlāh): Implies the extent of the land bordering the sea, encompassing the entire coastal strip. This reinforces that the promised territory extended right up to the very edge of the sea, even if parts of it (like the Philistine cities) were highly contested.

Words-group Analysis

• "Ashdod, its towns and its villages; Gaza, its towns and its villages": This specific grouping emphasizes that Judah's allocated territory was not limited to just the central fortresses but encompassed the entire political and demographic hinterland of these major Philistine strongholds. This reveals the immense scope of the promised land and the formidable nature of the challenge faced by Judah.
• "as far as the Brook of Egypt and the Great Sea with its coastline": This phrase succinctly delineates the southern and western extremities of Judah's inheritance, clearly mapping its geographic limits based on God's long-standing covenant promises. These are definitive natural boundaries that define the outer limits of the Promised Land as bestowed by the Almighty.

Joshua 15 47 Bonus section

• The inclusion of the powerful Philistine cities within Judah's territory reinforces the scope of God's covenant with Abraham (Gen 15:18), indicating that the divine plan for Israel's dominion extended over even the most formidable gentile adversaries.
• The fact that these cities were explicitly part of Judah's inheritance but were largely not conquered at this time serves as a poignant theological point. It underscores that while God grants the land and the victory, Israel bore the responsibility for obediently and courageously possessing it. This dynamic highlights the tension between God's sovereign gift and humanity's essential role in actively claiming and defending it through faith.
• The continued presence of the Philistines in these areas led to centuries of conflict, shaping major biblical events and narratives, most notably involving Samson and David, whose primary adversaries often stemmed from these very cities mentioned in Joshua 15:47.

Joshua 15 47 Commentary

Joshua 15:47 precisely delineates Judah's western and southern frontiers within the promised land. By including Ashdod and Gaza, along with their extensive dependent settlements, the verse powerfully declares the full measure of the divine gift and inheritance. These were not merely remote lands, but strategic Philistine strongholds, deeply entrenched with their own cultures and deities like Dagon. This specification emphasizes that God's covenant promise included the total dominion over these areas, no matter how formidable the present occupants were. The presence of the Brook of Egypt and the Great Sea further solidify the preordained, unchanging boundaries established by the Lord. This passage thus serves as a powerful declaration of God's faithful provision, yet it simultaneously sets the stage for the unfolding narrative in Judges and Samuel, which often details Israel's ongoing struggle and partial failure to fully possess this divinely allotted territory, highlighting the importance of unwavering obedience in realizing God's promises.