Joshua 19:35 kjv
And the fenced cities are Ziddim, Zer, and Hammath, Rakkath, and Chinnereth,
Joshua 19:35 nkjv
And the fortified cities are Ziddim, Zer, Hammath, Rakkath, Chinnereth,
Joshua 19:35 niv
The fortified towns were Ziddim, Zer, Hammath, Rakkath, Kinnereth,
Joshua 19:35 esv
The fortified cities are Ziddim, Zer, Hammath, Rakkath, Chinnereth,
Joshua 19:35 nlt
The fortified towns included in this territory were Ziddim, Zer, Hammath, Rakkath, Kinnereth,
Joshua 19 35 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Gen 12:7 | "To your offspring I will give this land." | God's initial promise of land to Abraham. |
| Gen 35:12 | "The land that I gave to Abraham and Isaac I will give to you, and I will give the land to your offspring after you." | Reiterates the land promise to Jacob. |
| Num 26:54 | "To the larger tribe you shall give a larger inheritance, and to the smaller tribe a smaller inheritance." | Principle of land distribution by size. |
| Num 34:1-12 | "The Lord spoke to Moses, saying, 'Command the people of Israel, and say to them, When you enter the land of Canaan, this is the land that shall fall to you for an inheritance, the land of Canaan in its full extent.'" | Divine mandate and boundaries for the land. |
| Deut 33:23 | "And of Naphtali he said: 'O Naphtali, satisfied with favor, and full of the blessing of the Lord, possess the west and the south.'" | Moses' prophetic blessing regarding Naphtali's favorable inheritance. |
| Josh 1:6 | "Be strong and courageous, for you shall cause this people to inherit the land that I swore to their fathers to give them." | Joshua's divine commission to distribute the land. |
| Josh 11:23 | "So Joshua took the whole land, according to all that the Lord had spoken to Moses. And Joshua gave it for an inheritance to Israel according to their divisions, tribe by tribe." | Fulfillment of the land promise. |
| Josh 13:7 | "Now therefore divide this land for an inheritance to the nine tribes and half the tribe of Manasseh." | General instruction for land distribution. |
| Josh 19:32-39 | "The sixth lot came out for the people of Naphtali, for the people of Naphtali according to their clans..." | The immediate context of Naphtali's inheritance. |
| Judg 4:6 | "She sent and summoned Barak the son of Abinoam from Kedesh-naphtali..." | Mentions a key city within Naphtali's territory during Judges. |
| 1 Chr 6:76 | "and out of the tribe of Naphtali, Kedesh in Galilee..." | Identifies a Levite city within Naphtali, highlighting regional significance. |
| 2 Sam 5:6-9 | "And the king and his men went to Jerusalem, against the Jebusites...David took the stronghold of Zion..." | Illustrates the strategic importance of fortified cities. |
| 1 Kgs 9:15-19 | "And this is the object of the forced labor that King Solomon levied to build the house of the Lord...and Hazor and Megiddo and Gezer." | Shows ongoing significance of fortified cities in later history. |
| Isa 9:1-2 | "But there will be no gloom for her who was in anguish...In the former time he brought into contempt the land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali, but in the latter time he will make glorious the way of the sea, the land beyond the Jordan, Galilee of the Gentiles." | Prophecy of spiritual light for northern tribes, including Naphtali. |
| Matt 4:13-16 | "And leaving Nazareth he went and lived in Capernaum by the sea, in the territory of Zebulun and Naphtali, so that what was spoken by the prophet Isaiah might be fulfilled." | Jesus' ministry in Galilee fulfilling Isaiah's prophecy concerning these northern lands. |
| Acts 17:26 | "And he made from one man every nation of mankind to live on all the face of the earth, having determined allotted periods and the boundaries of their dwelling place," | God's sovereignty over the territories and inheritances of peoples. |
| Heb 11:8-9 | "By faith Abraham obeyed...and he went out, not knowing where he was going. By faith he went to live in the land of promise, as in a foreign land, living in tents..." | Highlights the faith involved in inheriting the land, even generations later. |
| Heb 11:13 | "These all died in faith, not having received the things promised, but having seen them and greeted them from afar..." | The ongoing nature of God's promises, culminating in spiritual realities. |
| 1 Pet 1:4 | "to an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you," | The New Covenant spiritual inheritance supersedes the physical land. |
| Rev 21:1 | "Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away..." | The ultimate fulfillment of God's promise to establish a dwelling for His people. |
Joshua 19 verses
Joshua 19 35 Meaning
Joshua 19:35 describes a portion of the inheritance allocated by God to the tribe of Naphtali, specifically listing five of their fortified cities. This verse details the fulfillment of God's covenant promise to settle the descendants of Abraham in the land of Canaan, marking a physical manifestation of His faithfulness and order among the tribes of Israel after the conquest.
Joshua 19 35 Context
Joshua chapter 19 describes the final allocations of land among the Israelite tribes west of the Jordan River. Following the significant portions given to Judah, Ephraim, and Manasseh, this chapter details the territories assigned to Simeon, Zebulun, Issachar, Asher, Naphtali, and Dan. Each tribal portion represents the fulfillment of God's sworn promise to their ancestors. Joshua 19:35 is specifically part of the sixth lot, granted to the people of Naphtali, detailing a list of fortified cities within their tribal boundaries. This enumeration emphasizes the orderliness and precision of the divine allocation, ensuring that each tribe received its designated portion as part of God's sovereign plan for the land of Canaan. The mention of "fortified cities" also reflects the strategic reality of maintaining control over the land amidst remaining Canaanite strongholds and future challenges.
Joshua 19 35 Word analysis
- The fortified cities (הֶעָרִים הַמִּבְצָרוֹת,
he‘ārîm hammivtsārôt):- הֶעָרִים (
he‘ārîm): "the cities." From‘îr(עִיר), meaning a city, town, or settlement. The definite article highlights specific cities known for their strength. - הַמִּבְצָרוֹת (
hammivtsārôt): "the fortified ones," "the strongholds." Frommivtsar(מִבְצָר), meaning a fortress, fortified place, or defense. It emphasizes the strategic importance and defensive capabilities of these settlements, crucial for securing tribal boundaries and offering refuge in times of conflict. This also implies a degree of difficulty in conquest if they were already fortified or the need to fortify them if they were to remain secure.
- הֶעָרִים (
- were Ziddim (צִדִּים,
tsiddîm):Tsiddimlikely means "sides" or "banks." Its exact location is debated among scholars but is believed to be in the vicinity of the Jordan Valley in the southeastern part of Naphtali's territory.
- Zer (צֵר,
tser):Tsermeans "flint" or "rock." Its location is also uncertain, but likely in the northern part of Naphtali, perhaps hinting at a rocky landscape.
- Hammath (חַמַּת,
chammat):Chammatmeans "hot springs." This city is significant and possibly identifiable with ancient Hammath by Tiberias, known for its therapeutic hot springs. It was situated strategically on the southwestern shore of the Sea of Galilee, a significant economic and strategic asset for Naphtali. Its fame for hot springs could suggest its historical appeal as a destination or resource.
- Rakkath (רַקַּת,
raqqat):Raqqatmeans "bank," "shore," or "thinness." Many scholars identify Rakkath as an early name for the city that would later become Tiberias. If so, this further solidifies the connection of Naphtali's territory to the important Sea of Galilee and its shores, indicating access to trade routes and rich agricultural lands.
- Kinnereth (כִּנֶּרֶת,
kinnereṯ):Kinnerethmeans "lyre" or "harp," likely referring to the shape of the Sea of Galilee, on whose northwestern shore the city was located. This is one of the most historically significant places mentioned in the verse. The city of Kinnereth lent its name to the entire body of water (Sea of Kinnereth in the OT, later Sea of Galilee or Lake Gennesaret in the NT). Its prominence marks the strategic northern border and economic heart of the tribal territory, having fertile plains (Plain of Gennesaret) and access to fishing.
Joshua 19 35 Bonus section
The area allocated to Naphtali, particularly the region around Kinnereth (Sea of Galilee), becomes significantly important much later in biblical history. It is within this general vicinity, including the "Galilee of the Gentiles" (mentioned in Isa 9:1), that Jesus Christ spent the majority of His earthly ministry. Matthew 4:13-16 explicitly links Jesus settling in Capernaum (on the shore of the Sea of Galilee, once part of Naphtali's inherited territory) to the prophecy of Isaiah, thereby casting the ancient tribal allocations in a new, redemptive light. The very lands defined in meticulous detail in Joshua became the setting for the Light of the World to dawn upon a people who had long walked in darkness. This continuity shows that God's detailed plan for a physical inheritance ultimately prepared the ground for a spiritual inheritance far grander than anyone could have imagined.
Joshua 19 35 Commentary
Joshua 19:35 provides a succinct yet profoundly meaningful detail in the grand narrative of Israel's inheritance. It's not merely a list of obscure place names but a concrete manifestation of God's meticulous fulfillment of His ancient promises to Abraham. The naming of "fortified cities" emphasizes the tangible nature of the inheritance, securing not only land but strategic control. Each name, while perhaps less prominent than others in biblical history, held specific geographic and perhaps resource-based importance, such as Hammath's hot springs or Rakkath's and Kinnereth's connection to the Sea of Galilee, a vibrant economic hub. These cities represent security and provision within Naphtali's God-given boundaries. The orderly distribution highlights God's sovereignty over time, space, and human history, meticulously assigning dwelling places to His people. It is a powerful reminder that God is faithful to every detail of His covenant, transforming ancient words into a living reality for Israel. For believers today, this act echoes the surety of our spiritual inheritance in Christ, a perfectly ordered and secure dwelling place granted by God's unwavering grace.