Numbers 34:7 kjv
And this shall be your north border: from the great sea ye shall point out for you mount Hor:
Numbers 34:7 nkjv
'And this shall be your northern border: From the Great Sea you shall mark out your border line to Mount Hor;
Numbers 34:7 niv
"?'For your northern boundary, run a line from the Mediterranean Sea to Mount Hor
Numbers 34:7 esv
"This shall be your northern border: from the Great Sea you shall draw a line to Mount Hor.
Numbers 34:7 nlt
"Your northern boundary will begin at the Mediterranean Sea and run east to Mount Hor,
Numbers 34 7 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Gen 12:7 | "To your offspring I will give this land." | God's initial promise of the land to Abraham. |
| Gen 15:18 | "To your offspring I give this land, from the river of Egypt to the great river, the river Euphrates," | Divine covenant with specific geographical markers for the land. |
| Ex 23:31 | "I will set your borders from the Red Sea to the Philistine Sea, and from the wilderness to the River." | God establishing wide boundaries for Israel's inheritance. |
| Num 33:53 | "You shall take possession of the land and settle in it, for I have given you the land to possess." | Command to possess the specific land given by God. |
| Deut 1:7 | "Go in and take possession of the land which I have sworn to your fathers, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, to give to them and to their descendants after them." | Recounting God's command to possess the promised territory. |
| Deut 11:24 | "Every place where you set your foot will be yours." | Broad promise of possession tied to Israel's advance. |
| Josh 1:4 | "From the wilderness and Lebanon as far as the great river, the river Euphrates, all the land of the Hittites to the Great Sea toward the setting of the sun shall be your territory." | Delineation of Joshua's divinely promised territorial conquest. |
| Judg 1:27 | "Manasseh did not drive out the inhabitants of Beth-shean and its villages..." | Example of Israel's failure to fully occupy and possess the promised land. |
| 1 Kgs 4:21 | "Solomon ruled over all the kingdoms from the Euphrates to the land of the Philistines and to the border of Egypt." | Example of Israel's extended dominion, touching promised borders during Solomon's reign. |
| 1 Kgs 8:65 | "Solomon and all Israel with him held the feast… from the entrance of Hamath to the Brook of Egypt." | An expansive historical border reflecting God's promised territorial limits. |
| 2 Kgs 14:25 | "He restored the border of Israel from the entrance of Hamath as far as the Sea of the Arabah..." | Example of Jeroboam II regaining parts of the divinely intended northern boundary. |
| 2 Chr 7:8 | "...from the entrance of Hamath to the Brook of Egypt..." | Reflecting the same extensive borders during periods of fidelity. |
| Isa 10:9 | "Is not Calno as Carchemish? Is not Hamath as Arpad? Is not Samaria as Damascus?" | Mentions Hamath as a known and powerful city, emphasizing its strategic location. |
| Ezek 47:15 | "This shall be the border of the land toward the north side: from the Great Sea, the way of Hethlon, to the entrance of Zedad;" | Prophetic vision reiterating the specific northern boundaries, including Zedad. |
| Ezek 47:16 | "...Hamath, Berothah, Sibraim..." | Further detailing points along the ideal northern border, near Hamath. |
| Ezek 47:17 | "The border shall run from the sea to Hazar-enan, with the border of Damascus to the north, and the border of Hamath to the north." | Reinforces Hamath's significance in the ultimate divine boundary. |
| Ezek 47:20 | "The west side also shall be the Great Sea from the border as you go toward Hamath, as far as the entrance of Hamath." | Confirms Hamath as a defining landmark for the land's borders. |
| Ps 105:11 | "To you I will give the land of Canaan as your portion, your allotted heritage." | The land is a divine inheritance and gift. |
| Ps 136:21 | "And gave their land for a heritage, for a heritage unto Israel his servant:" | Reiterates God giving the land as an inheritance. |
| Acts 7:5 | "Yet he gave him no inheritance in it, not even a foot's length, but promised to give it to him as a possession..." | Recounting Abraham's promised land inheritance by God. |
| 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 timing for all nations. |
| Heb 4:8-9 | "For if Joshua had given them rest, God would not have spoken of another day later on... there remains a Sabbath rest for the people of God." | The land inheritance prefigured a spiritual rest and eternal inheritance in Christ. |
| Rev 21:10-27 | Description of the New Jerusalem, the dwelling place of God with man. | Ultimate fulfillment of God's perfect dwelling place for His people. |
Numbers 34 verses
Numbers 34 7 Meaning
Numbers 34:7 outlines a specific portion of the northern boundary of the Promised Land (Canaan) that God commanded to be set apart for the tribes of Israel. It marks the commencement of this northern limit from a particular "Mount Hor," continues this demarcation towards the "entrance of Hamath," and then extends its extremity to "Zedad." This verse details the divinely ordained territorial claim, ensuring precise knowledge of the inheritance promised to God's chosen people.
Numbers 34 7 Context
Numbers chapter 34 provides the divine instructions for the specific geographical boundaries of the land of Canaan that the Israelites were to inherit. This detailed demarcation follows immediately after the command to drive out the inhabitants and destroy their idols (Num 33:51-56), emphasizing that the land given was to be a holy possession for God's chosen people. Verse 7 specifically outlines a key segment of the northern border. Historically and culturally, defining precise borders was crucial for a nation establishing its presence and claim, providing both legal basis for possession and a physical expression of God's covenant faithfulness. The specific landmarks like Hamath were widely recognized and strategically significant in the ancient Near East, grounding the divine promise in tangible reality.
Numbers 34 7 Word analysis
- And your border shall turn: The Hebrew term for "turn" here is תְּאוָה (t'awa), meaning to mark off, delineate, or draw. This signifies a precise, deliberate act of establishing the boundary, not merely a casual change in direction. It highlights God's specific instruction in shaping the land's limits for Israel.
- Mount Hor: הֹר הָהָר (Hor HaHar). This phrase means "Mountain of the Mountain" or "Mount Hor." It refers to a northern peak or mountain range distinct from the Mount Hor in Edom where Aaron died. This northern Mount Hor marks a key starting or turning point for the boundary line, signifying a definite and prominent natural landmark as a divine marker.
- unto the entrance of Hamath: Hebrew: לְבֹא חֲמָת (l'vo Chamath). "Entrance of Hamath" does not refer to the city of Hamath itself but rather to the region, pass, or strategic point leading into the territory of Hamath, a prominent city and kingdom in what is now Syria. This indicates the utmost northern extent of the Promised Land as defined by God, beyond the historically consistent control of Israel.
- and the goings forth of the border: Hebrew: וְהָיוּ תֹּצְאֹת הַגְּבוּל (v'hayu totz'ot hagvul). This phrase literally means "and the exits/outcomes/extremities of the border." It indicates the way the boundary line proceeds or issues forth from the previous point, implying its natural course and furthest extent in that direction.
- shall be to Zedad: Hebrew: צְדָדָה (Tz'dadah). Zedad is a specific, known geographical location or town (modern Sadad in Syria) that marks the ultimate northeastern extent of the northern border. Its inclusion provides a precise geographical reference point for the divine boundary.
- your border shall turn from Mount Hor unto the entrance of Hamath: This phrase outlines the major northern arc of the boundary. It demonstrates God's specificity, providing tangible, recognizable landmarks for the Israelites to understand their divinely granted territory. This arc spans from a clear mountainous start point to a significant geopolitical pass.
- and the goings forth of the border shall be to Zedad: This phrase extends and confirms the northern boundary's precise endpoint towards the northeast. It signifies the continuous and definitive nature of the God-given borders, stretching to a named town which serves as the ultimate marker for this section of the frontier.
Numbers 34 7 Bonus section
The "entrance of Hamath" became a proverbial phrase in the Old Testament, frequently appearing in other books (e.g., 1 Kings, 2 Kings, Ezekiel) to describe the northernmost extent of Israel's dominion, whether historically achieved or prophetically envisioned. This dual nature—an actual historical boundary point and a symbol of God's ultimate intended expansive territory for Israel—is a significant theme. Furthermore, the detailed mapping in Numbers 34 foreshadows God's meticulous nature in all His dealings, including the ultimate eternal inheritance provided to believers in Christ, which is not confined to physical land but is a spiritual and boundless kingdom.
Numbers 34 7 Commentary
Numbers 34:7 is a testament to God's precise and extensive provision for His people Israel. It meticulously details a portion of the northern boundary of the land He promised, using prominent geographical markers like a northern Mount Hor, the entrance to Hamath, and Zedad. This level of detail underscores that the land was not vaguely designated but was a tangible, God-given inheritance with clear limits. The specified extent of these boundaries, particularly "the entrance of Hamath" and "Zedad," indicates an ideal, generous territory often larger than what Israel consistently occupied throughout its history, highlighting God's boundless faithfulness in offering the full inheritance contrasted with Israel's often-partial possession due to sin or lack of complete obedience. This divine demarcation provided a legal claim, secured identity, and served as a reminder of God's covenant promises to His people.