Joshua 19:27 kjv
And turneth toward the sunrising to Bethdagon, and reacheth to Zebulun, and to the valley of Jiphthahel toward the north side of Bethemek, and Neiel, and goeth out to Cabul on the left hand,
Joshua 19:27 nkjv
It turned toward the sunrise to Beth Dagon; and it reached to Zebulun and to the Valley of Jiphthah El, then northward beyond Beth Emek and Neiel, bypassing Cabul which was on the left,
Joshua 19:27 niv
It then turned east toward Beth Dagon, touched Zebulun and the Valley of Iphtah El, and went north to Beth Emek and Neiel, passing Kabul on the left.
Joshua 19:27 esv
then it turns eastward, it goes to Beth-dagon, and touches Zebulun and the Valley of Iphtahel northward to Beth-emek and Neiel. Then it continues in the north to Cabul,
Joshua 19:27 nlt
then it turned east toward Beth-dagon, and ran as far as Zebulun in the valley of Iphtah-el, going north to Beth-emek and Neiel. It then continued north to Cabul,
Joshua 19 27 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Gen 15:18 | "...From the river of Egypt as far as the great river..." | God's promise of specific land boundaries. |
| Num 34:1-12 | Commands regarding the precise boundaries of Canaan. | God's detail in land allotment. |
| Deut 1:8 | "See, I have placed the land before you. Go in and possess it." | Divine command to take the promised land. |
| Deut 32:8 | "...He set the boundaries of the peoples..." | God as the sovereign disposer of territories. |
| Josh 13:1 | "...Much land still remains to be possessed." | Context of ongoing challenge and partial possession. |
| Josh 19:24 | The fifth lot came out for the tribe of Asher... | Immediate context for Asher's inheritance. |
| Josh 19:25 | "Their territory included Helkath..." | Beginning of Asher's territorial description. |
| Josh 19:28 | "...then to Rehob and Hammon, and Kanah, as far as Sidon the Great." | Continuing boundaries of Asher's territory. |
| Josh 15:41 | "Gederoth, Beth-dagon, and Naamah, and Makkedah..." | Beth-dagon also mentioned as a city in Judah (different location). |
| Judg 1:31-32 | Asher did not drive out the inhabitants of Acco... | Asher's failure to fully occupy its given land. |
| Judg 5:17 | "...Asher remained on the seacoast..." | Description of Asher's territory in the Judges era. |
| 1 Sam 5:2-7 | Dagon, a Philistine deity whose temple housed the ark. | Dagon's cult associated with place names. |
| 1 Kgs 9:11-13 | Hiram king of Tyre ... was not pleased with them, saying, "What are these cities..." referring to Cabul. | Later context for the city of Cabul. |
| Ps 16:6 | "The lines have fallen for me in pleasant places..." | Joy in divine inheritance and portion. |
| Ps 78:55 | "He drove out nations before them... allotted their inheritance..." | God giving Israel their allotted inheritance. |
| Isa 54:2 | "Enlarge the place of your tent; stretch out the curtains..." | Prophetic imagery of spiritual expansion beyond physical boundaries. |
| Ezek 47:13-20 | Future division of the land among tribes in Ezekiel's vision. | Prophetic vision of renewed boundaries. |
| Acts 17:26 | "...He determined their appointed times and the boundaries of their habitation." | God's sovereign control over nations' territories. |
| Eph 1:11 | "In him we have obtained an inheritance..." | Believers' spiritual inheritance in Christ. |
| Col 1:12 | "...qualified us to share in the inheritance of the saints in light." | Spiritual inheritance of believers. |
| Heb 11:8-10 | Abraham looked forward to a city whose builder and designer is God. | Heavenly and spiritual inheritance over physical land. |
| 1 Pet 1:4 | "...an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading..." | Description of the spiritual, eternal inheritance. |
| Gal 3:29 | "And if you are Christ’s, then you are Abraham’s offspring, heirs according to promise." | Spiritual heirship connecting believers to Abraham's promises. |
| Rev 21:1 | "Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth..." | Eschatological vision of renewed creation, ultimate territory. |
Joshua 19 verses
Joshua 19 27 Meaning
This verse describes a specific portion of the northern boundary of the tribal territory allotted to Asher in the Promised Land. It traces the boundary's movement eastward from a previous point towards Beth-dagon, then south or southeast towards the border with Zebulun. Subsequently, it delineates a northward path through the Valley of Iphtahel, past Beth-emek and Neiel, before extending westward towards Cabul. It is a precise geographical demarcation, critical for establishing the unique inheritance of the tribe of Asher according to God's command.
Joshua 19 27 Context
Joshua chapter 19 details the allocation of land to several Israelite tribes by lot after the conquest, fulfilling God's covenant promises. The immediate context of verse 27 is the description of the inheritance granted to the tribe of Asher, encompassing verses 24 through 31. This section provides the specific geographical markers that define Asher's territory, moving counter-clockwise around its borders, often listing specific cities or prominent natural features that serve as boundary points. Historically, the demarcation of tribal boundaries was paramount in ancient Israel, establishing the legal and communal identity of each tribe and confirming God's faithfulness in granting the promised land as an inheritance. Despite this detailed allotment, Israel faced the ongoing challenge of fully possessing the land and dispossessing its previous inhabitants, a reality particularly true for Asher (Judg 1:31-32), which did not fully drive out the coastal Canaanite population.
Joshua 19 27 Word analysis
- Then it turned: (וַיָּשָׁב, wayyāšāḇ). From the verb שׁוּב (šûḇ), meaning 'to turn,' 'to return.' Here it denotes a directional change of the boundary line, indicating its next segment.
- toward the sunrise: (הַמִּזְרָחָה, hammizrāḥâ). 'The east' or 'eastward.' Common directional indicator, precise and unambiguous.
- to Beth-dagon: (לְבֵית־דָּגֹוֹן, ləbēṯ-Dāḡōn). "House of Dagon." Dagon was a prominent Canaanite and Philistine agricultural deity, often depicted as half-man, half-fish. Its presence within an Israelite tribal boundary signifies that the allotted land included areas associated with pagan worship, highlighting the pervasive presence of non-Israelite elements in Canaan and the ongoing challenge to Israel's purity of worship.
- and reached to Zebulun: (וּפָגַע בִּזְבֻלוּן, ûpāḡa‘ bizḇulun). "And struck/encountered Zebulun." The verb פָּגַע (pāḡaʿ) signifies making contact, implying that the boundary line touched or converged with the territory of the neighboring tribe of Zebulun. This confirms precise boundary intersection.
- and to the Valley of Iphtahel northward: (וּפָגַע בִּנְבֵית עֵמֶק יִפְתַּח־אֵל צָפוֹנָה, ûpāḡa‘ biḇēṯ ‘ēmeq Yiptaḥ-ʾĒl ṣāp̄ônnâ). The phrase "and touched the entrance/area of the Valley of Iphtahel northward." "Iphtahel" means "God opens" or "God sets free." Valleys often served as natural and easily identifiable boundaries in ancient topography. The "northward" specifies the direction the boundary follows after reaching the valley.
- to Beth-emek and Neiel: (אֶל־בֵּית־הָעֵמֶק וּנְעִיאֵל, ʾel-bêṯ-hā‘ēmeq ûNə‘îʾēl). Beth-emek means "House of the Valley," suggesting a settlement within or near a prominent valley. Neiel means something like "moved by God." These are additional towns that demarcate the boundary. The specific listing demonstrates geographical exactitude in the tribal inheritance.
- and it went out: (וְיָצָא, wəyāṣāʾ). From the verb יָצָא (yāṣāʾ), 'to go out,' 'to come forth.' Describes the boundary line's extension, continuing its course.
- to Cabul on the left: (אֶל־כָּבוּל מִשְּׂמֹאל, ʾel-kābûl miśśəmōʾl). "To Cabul from the left/west." "Cabul" in Hebrew likely means 'as good as nothing' or 'dry, sterile land', perhaps given this name later in 1 Kgs 9:13, but here is merely a geographic marker. "On the left" indicates the western direction relative to one facing east, defining the western extent of this boundary segment.
Joshua 19 27 Bonus section
The detailed descriptions of tribal boundaries in Joshua 13-19 were essential not only for establishing territorial rights but also for tax collection, military conscription, and resolving inter-tribal disputes in ancient Israel. The practice of defining boundaries through natural features like valleys (Valley of Iphtahel) or named towns (Beth-dagon, Cabul) was common in the ancient Near East, reflecting legal and administrative customs of the time. The repeated failure of many tribes, including Asher, to fully drive out the inhabitants from their allotted territories (mentioned in Judges) provides crucial context, illustrating a persistent spiritual struggle rather than a geographical oversight in God's plan. This tension between ideal possession and lived reality is a recurrent theme throughout the Old Testament, pointing to a need for divine intervention and complete redemption ultimately found in the Person and work of Christ.
Joshua 19 27 Commentary
Joshua 19:27 offers a granular insight into the meticulous distribution of the Promised Land, reinforcing God's faithfulness to His covenant promises. The precise detailing of towns, valleys, and directions—even mentioning "Beth-dagon," a site with clear pagan associations—underscores the literal nature of the divine land grant and the inclusion of all facets of Canaan within Israel's inheritance. This precision provided legal and historical validation for the tribal claims, yet simultaneously highlighted the immense task of fully possessing and sanctifying the land, a challenge Asher, like other tribes, struggled with (Judg 1). This verse is a snapshot of God's perfect plan juxtaposed with Israel's practical and spiritual realities. The land inheritance in Joshua points forward to the spiritual inheritance believers receive in Christ, an imperishable and eternal possession that far surpasses earthly territories.