Joshua 16 8

Joshua 16:8 kjv

The border went out from Tappuah westward unto the river Kanah; and the goings out thereof were at the sea. This is the inheritance of the tribe of the children of Ephraim by their families.

Joshua 16:8 nkjv

The border went out from Tappuah westward to the Brook Kanah, and it ended at the sea. This was the inheritance of the tribe of the children of Ephraim according to their families.

Joshua 16:8 niv

From Tappuah the border went west to the Kanah Ravine and ended at the Mediterranean Sea. This was the inheritance of the tribe of the Ephraimites, according to its clans.

Joshua 16:8 esv

From Tappuah the boundary goes westward to the brook Kanah and ends at the sea. Such is the inheritance of the tribe of the people of Ephraim by their clans,

Joshua 16:8 nlt

From Tappuah the boundary extended westward, following the Kanah Ravine to the Mediterranean Sea. This is the homeland allocated to the clans of the tribe of Ephraim.

Joshua 16 verses

Joshua 16 8 Meaning

Joshua 16:8 delineates a specific segment of the southern border for the tribe of Ephraim, describing its westward extension. It establishes that the territory begins from a location called Tappuah and proceeds directly westward to the Brook Kanah, where the boundary then terminates at the Mediterranean Sea. This verse emphasizes that the described region is the divinely appointed inheritance designated for the tribe of the children of Ephraim, apportioned meticulously according to their individual families.

Joshua 16 8 Context

Joshua 16 is part of the extensive section in the Book of Joshua (chapters 13-21) that meticulously details the division and distribution of the Promised Land among the twelve tribes of Israel. Following the conquest of Canaan, the land had been subdued, allowing Joshua to proceed with God's command to assign tribal inheritances. Chapter 16 focuses specifically on the territory allocated to the descendants of Joseph, comprising the tribes of Ephraim and Manasseh, reflecting Jacob's blessing of Joseph's sons.

The immediate context shows Ephraim's southern and eastern borders (vv. 5-7) being described first, leading into verse 8 which details the westward stretch of its southern border. This precise demarcation was vital for ancient Israel, establishing legal land ownership, providing a basis for identity and self-governance, and helping to prevent future disputes over territory. It signifies the fulfillment of God's covenant promises to Abraham and his descendants, moving Israel from nomadic existence to settled, territorial nationhood under divine ordinance. The inclusion of specific geographic features highlights the practical, tangible reality of the inheritance given to them.

Joshua 16 8 Word analysis

• From Tappuah (מִתַּפּוּחַ, mi-Tappuaḥ):

  • Tappuaḥ (תַּפּוּחַ): Means "apple" or "apple place," often indicating a place rich in fruit.
  • Significance: A specific geographical landmark (perhaps a town or region) serving as a precise starting point for the border description. Its identity solidifies the meticulousness of the land division.
  • Importance: Shows the tangible, verifiable nature of the allotted boundaries, critical for tribal identity and future land claims.

• westward (יָמָּה, yamah):

  • Yamah: A directional adverb meaning "towards the sea" or "westward."
  • Significance: Specifies the direction of the boundary's extension from Tappuah. The "sea" always refers to the Mediterranean Sea in this context.
  • Importance: Indicates the breadth and full extent of the tribal territory, moving towards the natural boundary.

• to the Brook Kanah (עַד-נַחַל קָנָה, ʿad Naḥal Qanah):

  • Naḥal (נַחַל): "Brook," "wadi," or "river." A perennial or seasonal watercourse.
  • Qanah (קָנָה): "Reed." So, "Reed Brook." Believed to be Wadi Qanah, a prominent natural feature.
  • Significance: Another distinct, easily identifiable natural boundary, acting as a fixed marker.
  • Importance: Natural features like wadis often served as common, agreed-upon borders in ancient times.

• its terminus was the sea (הָיָה תוֹצְאוֹתָיו הַיָּם, hayah totzeʾotav hay-yam):

  • Totzeʾot (תּוֹצְאוֹת): "Outgoings," "terminations," "ends," "boundaries." Derived from a verb meaning "to go out."
  • Hay-yam (הַיָּם): "The sea," specifically the Mediterranean Sea.
  • Significance: Explicitly states that the western boundary extended completely to the Mediterranean Sea, encompassing the full promised breadth of land.
  • Importance: Reinforces the completeness of the inheritance, bounded by the definitive natural boundary of the Great Sea. This was a promised border since Abraham.

• This is the inheritance (זֹאת נַחֲלַת, Zot Naḥalat):

  • Zot (זֹאת): "This," referring directly to the described territory.
  • Naḥalat (נַחֲלַת): "Inheritance," "allotment," "possession." Carries the sense of a permanent, divinely given gift and entitlement.
  • Significance: Affirms the divine origin and legal claim to the land for Ephraim. Not acquired by might alone, but by God's promise.
  • Importance: A key theological term, representing not merely land ownership, but a perpetual, spiritual endowment tied to covenant faithfulness.

• of the tribe of the children of Ephraim (לְמַטֵּה בְּנֵי-אֶפְרַיִם, le-maṭṭeh beneʾ-Efrayim):

  • Maṭṭeh (מַטֵּה): "Rod," "staff," then "tribe" or "branch" (as a staff leads/guides).
  • Beneʾ-Efrayim (בְּנֵי אֶפְרַיִם): "Sons of Ephraim." Ephraim ("doubly fruitful") was the younger son of Joseph, later elevated to prominence by Jacob (Gen 48:19).
  • Significance: Clearly identifies the recipients of this specific land portion. Ephraim was a prominent tribe in central Israel.
  • Importance: Links the land to a specific lineage within God's chosen people, underscoring the genealogical basis of the inheritance.

• according to their families (לְמִשְׁפְּחֹתָם, le-mishpeḥotam):

  • Mishpeḥotam (מִשְׁפָּחָה): "Family," "clan."
  • Significance: The distribution was not just tribal, but also meticulously allocated down to the familial units within the tribe. This level of detail implies organization and equity.
  • Importance: Demonstrates the thoroughness of the land distribution, ensuring every household had its place, providing stability and order within the emerging nation. It highlights a precise divine provision that accounts for every segment of the community.

Words-Group analysis

• "From Tappuah westward to the Brook Kanah, its terminus was the sea.": This phrase meticulously defines a specific, substantial portion of Ephraim's boundary, from an internal landmark (Tappuah) across a geographical feature (Brook Kanah) all the way to the natural external limit (the Mediterranean Sea). The progression indicates a continuous, clearly defined border. This detailed geographical language serves as a legal-style deed for the ancient Israelites, making the land claim unambiguous and authoritative. It highlights the divine hand in providing clear boundaries and stability.
• "This is the inheritance of the tribe of the children of Ephraim according to their families.": This declarative statement clarifies the legal and theological status of the delineated land. It affirms that this territory is not merely conquered land, but a God-given, permanent "inheritance" (nachalah). The explicit mention of "Ephraim" as a "tribe" and the distribution "according to their families" underscores the divinely ordered system of allocation, ensuring justice, identity, and the fulfillment of promises made generations prior to Abraham. It solidifies the link between divine promise, tribal identity, and land possession.

Joshua 16 8 Bonus section

The extensive and precise geographical details found throughout Joshua's land division narratives, including Joshua 16:8, are highly typical of ancient Near Eastern land grants and treaties. Such detailed descriptions served a critical legal and administrative function, formally delineating ownership and authority. For Israel, this went beyond mere administrative precision; it highlighted the divine authority behind the land allocation and underscored God's faithfulness in fulfilling His covenant. The accuracy of these biblical descriptions, verifiable through modern archaeology and geography, speaks to the historical reliability of the text. Furthermore, Ephraim's location, in the fertile central highlands, positioned them as a dominant force in Israel's early history, making the precise definition of their boundaries all the more crucial for later political and religious developments (e.g., the location of Shiloh, the eventual rise of Jeroboam from Ephraim, and the northern kingdom often being called "Ephraim" in prophecy). This verse is a microcosm of God's orderly provision for His people's present and future.

Joshua 16 8 Commentary

Joshua 16:8 is a succinct yet profoundly significant verse that illustrates God's meticulous fulfillment of His covenant promises to Israel. It acts as a deed, detailing a critical portion of Ephraim's southern border with precision, tracing it from an internal landmark (Tappuah) through a natural feature (Brook Kanah) directly to the Mediterranean Sea. This level of detail was not superfluous but essential, serving several key purposes for the newly established nation.

Firstly, it provided clarity and legal foundation for land ownership, preventing disputes among the tribes and within families. In an agrarian society, precise land demarcation was foundational to economic stability and social order. Secondly, it rooted the people's identity in a specific geographical place, reinforcing their tribal unity and sense of belonging within the Promised Land. This land was their divine inheritance, a tangible expression of God's faithfulness, purchased not by their might but by God's promise and power. Lastly, the description, like all the border narratives in Joshua, underscores the absolute fulfillment of God's Word, demonstrating that "not one word of all the good promises that the LORD had made... had failed" (Josh 21:45). Though Ephraim, as noted later (Josh 16:10), faced challenges fully dispossessing the inhabitants of Gezer, the verse confirms their rightful claim and the extent of their God-given territory. It represents a spiritual blueprint for possessing the full measure of what God has promised.