Joshua 18:12

12 The northern border began at the Jordan, then went up to the ridge north of Jericho, ascending west into the hill country into 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 Joshua cast the lots for them at Shiloh in the presence of God. That's where Joshua divided up the land to the People of Israel, according to their tribal divisions.

11 The first lot turned up for the tribe of Benjamin with its clans. The border of the allotment went between the peoples of Judah and Joseph.

12 The northern border began at the Jordan, then went up to the ridge north of Jericho, ascending west into the hill country into the wilderness of Beth Aven.

13 From there the border went around to Luz, to its southern ridge (that is, Bethel), and then down from Ataroth Addar to the mountain to the south of Lower Beth Horon.

14 There the border took a turn on the west side and swung south from the mountain to the south of Beth Horon and ended at Kiriath Baal (that is, Kiriath Jearim), a town of the people of Judah. This was the west side.