New Living Translation
Joshua 18:12
12The northern boundary of Benjamin’s land began at the Jordan River, went north of the slope of Jericho, then west through the hill country and the wilderness of Beth-aven.
Joshua 18:12 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)And their border on the north side was from Jordan; and the border went up to the side of Jericho on the north side, and went up through the mountains westward; and the goings out thereof were at the wilderness of Beth–aven.
- New International Version (NIV)On the north side their boundary began at the Jordan, passed the northern slope of Jericho and headed west into the hill country, coming out at the wilderness of Beth Aven.
- English Standard Version (ESV)On the north side their boundary began at the Jordan. Then the boundary goes up to the shoulder north of Jericho, then up through the hill country westward, and it ends at the wilderness of Beth-aven.
- New King James Version (NKJV)Their border on the north side began at the Jordan, and the border went up to the side of Jericho on the north, and went up through the mountains westward; it ended at the Wilderness of Beth Aven.
Context of Joshua 18:12
10And there at Shiloh, Joshua cast sacred lots in the presence of the Lord to determine which tribe should have each section. 11The first allotment of land went to the clans of the tribe of Benjamin. It lay between the territory assigned to the tribes of Judah and Joseph. The northern boundary of Benjamin’s land began at the Jordan River, went north of the slope of Jericho, then west through the hill country and the wilderness of Beth-aven. 13From there the boundary went south to Luz (that is, Bethel) and proceeded down to Ataroth-addar on the hill that lies south of Lower Beth-horon. 14The boundary then made a turn and swung south along the western edge of the hill facing Beth-horon, ending at the village of Kiriath-baal (that is, Kiriath-jearim), a town belonging to the tribe of Judah. This was the western boundary.
Read all of Joshua 18Joshua 18:12 word by word
וַיְהִ֨י לָהֶ֧ם הַגְּב֛וּל לִפְאַ֥ת צָפ֖וֹנָה מִן־הַיַּרְדֵּ֑ן וְעָלָ֣ה הַגְּבוּל֩ אֶל־כֶּ֨תֶף יְרִיח֜וֹ מִצָּפ֗וֹן וְעָלָ֤ה בָהָר֙ יָ֔מָּה וְהָיוּ֙ תֹּֽצְאֹתָ֔יו מִדְבַּ֖רָה בֵּ֥ית אָֽוֶן׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- And their borderגְּבוּלgebûl gebûl · border: boundaryH1366
- on the northצָפוֹןtsâphôn tsâphôn · northH6828
- sideפֵּאָהpê'âh · sideH6285
- was from Jordanיַרְדֵּןyardên · JordanH3383
- went upעָלָה‛âlâh · to ascend: riseH5927
- to the sideכָּתֵףkâthêph · shoulderH3802
- of Jerichoיְרִיחוֹyerîychô yerêchô yerîychôh · JerichoH3405
- through the mountainsהַרhar · mountain: hill countryH2022
- westwardיָםyâm · sea: westH3220
- and the goings outתּוֹצָאָהtôtsâ'âh tôtsâ'âh · outgoingH8444
- thereof were at the wildernessמִדְבָּרmidbâr · wildernessH4057
- of Beth–avenבֵּית אָ֫וֶןbêyth 'âven · Beth-avenH1007
Cross-references for Joshua 18:12
- Joshua 2:1Then Joshua secretly sent out two spies from the Israelite camp at Acacia Grove. He instructed them, “Scout out the land on the other side of the Jordan River, especially around Jericho.” So the two men set out and came to the house of a prostitute named Rahab and stayed there that night.
- Joshua 3:16the water above that point began backing up a great distance away at a town called Adam, which is near Zarethan. And the water below that point flowed on to the Dead Sea until the riverbed was dry. Then all the people crossed over near the town of Jericho.
- Joshua 6:1Now the gates of Jericho were tightly shut because the people were afraid of the Israelites. No one was allowed to go out or in.
- Joshua 16:1The allotment for the descendants of Joseph extended from the Jordan River near Jericho, east of the springs of Jericho, through the wilderness and into the hill country of Bethel.
- Joshua 7:2Joshua sent some of his men from Jericho to spy out the town of Ai, east of Bethel, near Beth-aven.
- Hosea 4:15“Though you, Israel, are a prostitute, may Judah not be guilty of such things. Do not join the false worship at Gilgal or Beth-aven, and do not take oaths there in the Lord’s name.
- Hosea 5:8“Sound the alarm in Gibeah! Blow the trumpet in Ramah! Raise the battle cry in Beth-aven! Lead on into battle, O warriors of Benjamin!
- Hosea 10:5The people of Samaria tremble in fear for their calf idol at Beth-aven, and they mourn for it. Though its priests rejoice over it, its glory will be stripped away.
Commentaries on Joshua 18:12
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 12The wilderness of Beth-aven - This was the same as Beth-el; but this name was not given to it till Jeroboam had fixed one of his golden calves there. Its first name signifies the house of God; its second, the house of iniquity.Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 11-28Verses 11-28 See the marginal references. There are many indications found in this and the next chapter that the text is in great disorder, and many of the places are still unknown. Joshua 18:14 And compassed the corner - Render “and turned on the west side southward.” The meaning is, that at lower Beth-horon the northern boundary-line of Benjamin curved round and ran southward - Beth-horon being its extreme westerly point. Joshua 18:21 The “Valley of…Read the comment
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 11-28Verses 11-28 The boundaries of each portion were distinctly drawn, and the inheritance of each tribe settled. All contests and selfish claims were prevented by the wise appointment of God, who allotted the hill and the valley, the corn and pasture, the brooks and rivers, the towns and cities. Is the lot of any servant of Christ cast in affliction and sorrow? It is the Lord; let him do what seemeth him good. Are we in prosperity and peace? It is from…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 1-28As he had promised, God brought Israel into the land. Joshua then focused on dividing the land among Israel's tribes. The tribal allowances made the covenant of the Israelites with God real. It showed the fulfillment of God's promise to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. Since God owned the land, giving it to the tribes was a gift. God gave them the land to live in and guided its distribution. In these lists of tribal allowances, the author describes some borders…Read the comment
Topics related to Joshua 18:12
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on Joshua 18
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
- Tyndale Open Study Notes
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
- Rashi on Tanakh
- Calvin’s Commentaries
- Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
- John Wesley’s Notes
- Darby Translation Notes
- Geneva Bible Translation Notes
- Kingcomments
- Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
- Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
- Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
- EGW Writings
New Living Translation — © 1996, 2004, 2015 Tyndale House Foundation
Commentaries