Joshua 18:12

12 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.

Joshua 18:12 Meaning and Commentary

Joshua 18:12

And their border on the north side was from Jordan
Which was the eastern boundary of the tribe, and hence proceeded from east to west, and formed its northern border, which is described in like manner as the lot of the children of Joseph, ( Joshua 16:1 Joshua 16:2 ) ;

and the border went up to the side of Jericho on the north side;
from Jordan it went to the north of Jericho, and so took in that place, which was within the tribe of Benjamin, ( Joshua 18:21 ) ;

and went up through the mountains westward;
the mountains that were on the north of Jericho; for, as Strabo says ^F9, Jericho was surrounded with mountains, see ( Joshua 2:16 Joshua 2:22 ) ; through these mountains the coast went on towards the western border of the tribe:

and the goings out thereof were at the wilderness of Bethaven:
a place near Bethel and Ai, to which there was a wilderness adjoining, see ( Joshua 7:2 ) ( 8:20 ) ; here ended the northern border.

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FOOTNOTES:

F9 Geograph. l. 16. p. 525.

Joshua 18:12 In-Context

10 And there at Shiloh, Joshua cast sacred lots in the presence of the LORD to determine which tribe should have each section.

11 The 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.

12 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.

13 From 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.

14 The 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.