Joshua 15:4
It proceeded to Azmon, joined the Brook of Egypt, and ended at the Sea. This was their southern border.
Then it passed along to Azmon
The phrase "passed along" suggests a movement or transition, indicating the delineation of boundaries. The Hebrew root for "passed" is "עָבַר" (avar), which often implies crossing over or moving through. This movement to "Azmon" marks a specific point in the southern boundary of the tribe of Judah. Azmon is believed to be a location in the Negev desert, a region characterized by its arid climate and sparse vegetation. Historically, this area was significant for its strategic position, serving as a borderland between the Israelites and their neighbors. The mention of Azmon underscores the importance of clearly defined borders in maintaining the identity and security of the Israelite tribes.

joined the Brook of Egypt
The "Brook of Egypt" is traditionally identified with the Wadi El-Arish, a seasonal riverbed that served as a natural boundary between Canaan and Egypt. The Hebrew term for "brook" is "נַחַל" (nachal), which can refer to a stream or riverbed, often dry except during the rainy season. This boundary was crucial in ancient times, as it marked the extent of the Promised Land given to the Israelites. The connection to Egypt also highlights the historical and theological significance of the Israelites' exodus from Egypt and their journey to the land promised by God. This boundary served as a reminder of God's deliverance and faithfulness.

and ended at the Sea
The "Sea" referred to here is likely the Mediterranean Sea, known in Hebrew as "הַיָּם" (hayam). This vast body of water formed the western boundary of the land allotted to Judah. The sea represents both a physical boundary and a symbol of the vastness of God's creation. In biblical literature, the sea often signifies chaos and mystery, yet it is also under God's sovereign control. The ending of the border at the sea emphasizes the completeness and sufficiency of the land God provided for His people, ensuring they had access to both land and maritime resources.

This was their southern border
The phrase "southern border" indicates the demarcation of the territory allotted to the tribe of Judah. In Hebrew, "border" is "גְּבוּל" (gevul), which signifies a boundary or limit. The establishment of borders was essential for the organization and governance of the Israelite tribes. It provided a sense of identity and belonging, as each tribe had its own inheritance within the Promised Land. The southern border, in particular, was crucial for protection against incursions from the south and for maintaining the integrity of the tribal allotment. This verse, therefore, not only describes a geographical boundary but also reflects God's provision and order for His people, ensuring that each tribe had a place within His divine plan.

Persons / Places / Events
1. Azmon
A location marking part of the southern boundary of the land allotted to the tribe of Judah. Its exact location is not definitively known today, but it is significant as a boundary marker.

2. Brook of Egypt
Often identified with the Wadi El-Arish, this brook served as a natural boundary between the land of Canaan and Egypt. It is a significant geographical feature in the delineation of the Promised Land.

3. The Sea
Refers to the Mediterranean Sea, which formed the western boundary of the land allotted to the tribe of Judah. It is a major geographical landmark in the region.

4. Southern Border
The southern boundary of the land allotted to the tribe of Judah, which is being described in this passage. It is part of the larger division of the Promised Land among the tribes of Israel.
Teaching Points
God's Faithfulness in Promises
The detailed description of the land's boundaries in Joshua 15:4 is a testament to God's faithfulness in fulfilling His promises to the patriarchs. Believers can trust that God will fulfill His promises in their lives as well.

Importance of Boundaries
Just as physical boundaries were important for the tribes of Israel, spiritual and moral boundaries are essential for believers today. Setting and respecting boundaries can lead to a more disciplined and fruitful Christian life.

Historical and Spiritual Heritage
Understanding the historical context of the land of Israel helps believers appreciate their spiritual heritage. It reminds us of the continuity of God's plan from the Old Testament to the New Testament.

God's Sovereignty Over Nations
The delineation of borders in the Bible reflects God's sovereignty over nations and history. Believers can find comfort in knowing that God is in control of world events and personal circumstances.
Bible Study Questions
1. How does the description of the southern border in Joshua 15:4 reflect God's faithfulness to His promises to Abraham and his descendants?

2. In what ways can understanding the historical boundaries of the Promised Land enhance our appreciation of biblical history and God's plan for His people?

3. How can the concept of setting boundaries, as seen in Joshua 15:4, be applied to our personal and spiritual lives today?

4. What other biblical passages describe the boundaries of the Promised Land, and how do they reinforce the message of God's sovereignty and faithfulness?

5. How can the geographical markers in Joshua 15:4 serve as a reminder of God's control over nations and His ultimate plan for humanity?
Connections to Other Scriptures
Genesis 15:18
This verse connects to God's promise to Abraham regarding the land his descendants would inherit, which includes the boundaries described in Joshua 15:4.

Numbers 34:3-5
These verses provide a detailed description of the southern border of the Promised Land, which aligns with the description in Joshua 15:4.

Ezekiel 47:19
This passage also describes the southern boundary of the land, showing the consistency of God's promises and the importance of these geographical markers.
The Inheritance of JudahW. G. Blaikie.Joshua 15:1-12
People
Achsah, Addar, Ahiman, Anak, Anakites, Arba, Ben, Bohan, Cain, Caleb, Dagon, Debir, Dumah, Eder, Eglon, Ephron, Gad, Gedor, Hezron, Hoglah, Jebusites, Jephunneh, Jezreel, Joshua, Kenaz, Maon, Naamah, Othniel, Pelet, Reuben, Seir, Shamir, Shema, Sheshai, Shual, Talmai, Tappuah, Telem, Timnah, Zur
Places
Achzib, Adadah, Addar, Adullam, Adummim, Ain, Akrabbim, Amam, Anab, Anim, Aphekah, Arab, Ashan, Ashdod, Ashnah, Azekah, Baalah, Bealoth, Beersheba, Beth-anoth, Beth-arabah, Beth-dagan, Beth-hoglah, Beth-pelet, Beth-shemesh, Beth-tappuah, Beth-zur, Biziothiah, Bozkath, Brook of Egypt, Cabbon, Carmel, Chesalon, Chesil, Chitlish, City of Salt, Dannah, Debir, Dilean, Dimonah, Dumah, Eder, Edom, Eglon, Ekron, Eltekon, Eltolad, Enam, En-gannim, Engedi, En-rogel, En-shemesh, Eshan, Eshtaol, Eshtemoh, Ether, Ezem, Gaza, Gederah, Gederoth, Gederothaim, Gedor, Gibeah, Gilgal, Giloh, Great Sea, Hadashah, Halhul, Hazar-gaddah, Hazar-shual, Hazor, Hazor-hadattah, Hebron, Heshmon, Hezron, Holon, Hormah, Humtah, Iim, Iphtah, Ithnan, Jabneel, Jagur, Janim, Jarmuth, Jattir, Jebus, Jerusalem, Jokdeam, Joktheel, Jordan River, Juttah, Kabzeel, Kadesh-barnea, Kain, Keilah, Kerioth-hezron, Kinah, Kiriath-arba, Kiriath-baal, Kiriath-jearim, Kiriath-sannah, Kiriath-sepher, Lachish, Lahmam, Lebaoth, Libnah, Maarath, Madmannah, Makkedah, Maon, Mareshah, Middin, Migdal-gad, Mizpeh, Moladah, Mount Baalah, Mount Ephron, Mount Jearim, Mount Seir, Negeb, Nephtoah, Nezib, Nibshan, Rabbah, Rimmon, Salt Sea, Sansannah, Secacah, Shaaraim, Shamir, Shema, Shikkeron, Shilhim, Socoh, Tappuah, Telem, Timnah, Valley of Achor, Valley of Hinnom, Valley of Rephaim, Zanoah, Zenan, Ziklag, Zin, Zior, Ziph, Zorah
Topics
Along, Azmon, Border, Boundary, Brook, Coast, Continued, Egypt, Ended, Ending, Goes, Goings, Joined, Limit, Limits, Outgoings, Passed, Passes, Proceeded, River, South, Southern, Southward, Stream, Thence, Torrent, Towards, Wadi
Dictionary of Bible Themes
Joshua 15:1-63

     5235   boundary
     7266   tribes of Israel

Library
The Sea of Sodom
The bounds of Judea, on both sides, are the sea; the western bound is the Mediterranean,--the eastern, the Dead sea, or the sea of Sodom. This the Jewish writers every where call, which you may not so properly interpret here, "the salt sea," as "the bituminous sea." In which sense word for word, "Sodom's salt," but properly "Sodom's bitumen," doth very frequently occur among them. The use of it was in the holy incense. They mingled 'bitumen,' 'the amber of Jordan,' and [an herb known to few], with
John Lightfoot—From the Talmud and Hebraica

Tiglath-Pileser iii. And the Organisation of the Assyrian Empire from 745 to 722 B. C.
TIGLATH-PILESER III. AND THE ORGANISATION OF THE ASSYRIAN EMPIRE FROM 745 to 722 B.C. FAILURE OF URARTU AND RE-CONQUEST Of SYRIA--EGYPT AGAIN UNITED UNDER ETHIOPIAN AUSPICES--PIONKHI--THE DOWNFALL OF DAMASCUS, OF BABYLON, AND OF ISRAEL. Assyria and its neighbours at the accession of Tiglath-pileser III.: progress of the Aramaeans in the basin of the Middle Tigris--Urartu and its expansion into the north of Syria--Damascus and Israel--Vengeance of Israel on Damascus--Jeroboam II.--Civilisation
G. Maspero—History Of Egypt, Chaldaea, Syria, Babylonia, and Assyria, V 7

John the Baptist --visit of Jesus to John, and his Abode in the Desert of Judea --Adoption of the Baptism of John.
An extraordinary man, whose position, from the absence of documentary evidence, remains to us in some degree enigmatical, appeared about this time, and was unquestionably to some extent connected with Jesus. This connection tended rather to make the young prophet of Nazareth deviate from his path; but it suggested many important accessories to his religious institution, and, at all events, furnished a very strong authority to his disciples in recommending their Master in the eyes of a certain class
Ernest Renan—The Life of Jesus

Divers Matters.
I. Beth-cerem, Nehemiah 3:14. "The stones, as well of the altar, as of the ascent to the altar, were from the valley of Beth-cerem, which they digged out beneath the barren land. And thence they are wont to bring whole stones, upon which the working iron came not." The fathers of the traditions, treating concerning the blood of women's terms, reckon up five colours of it; among which that, "which is like the water of the earth, out of the valley of Beth-cerem."--Where the Gloss writes thus, "Beth-cerem
John Lightfoot—From the Talmud and Hebraica

Epistle xxvi. To Theoctista, Patrician
To Theoctista, Patrician [1704] Gregory to Theoctista, &c. That your Excellency, though placed in so great a tumult of affairs, is full of the fruitfulness of the sacred word, and incessantly pants after eternal joys, for this I give great thanks to Almighty God, in that in you I see fulfilled what is written of the elect fathers, But the children of Israel walked on dry land through the midst of the sea (Exod. xv. 19). But on the other hand, I am come into the depth of the sea, and the storm hath
Saint Gregory the Great—the Epistles of Saint Gregory the Great

Emmaus. Kiriath-Jearim.
"From Beth-horon to Emmaus it was hilly."--It was sixty furlongs distant from Jerusalem.--"To eight hundred only, dismissed the army, (Vespasian) gave a place, called Ammaus, for them to inhabit: it is sixty furlongs distant from Jerusalem." I inquire, whether this word hath the same etymology with Emmaus near Tiberias, which, from the 'warm baths,' was called Chammath. The Jews certainly do write this otherwise... "The family (say they) of Beth-Pegarim, and Beth Zipperia was out of Emmaus."--The
John Lightfoot—From the Talmud and Hebraica

The Coast of the Asphaltites, the Essenes. En-Gedi.
"On the western shore" (of the Asphaltites) "dwell the Essenes; whom persons, guilty of any crimes, fly from on every side. A nation it is that lives alone, and of all other nations in the whole world, most to be admired; they are without any woman; all lust banished, &c. Below these, was the town Engadda, the next to Jerusalem for fruitfulness, and groves of palm-trees, now another burying-place. From thence stands Massada, a castle in a rock, and this castle not far from the Asphaltites." Solinus,
John Lightfoot—From the Talmud and Hebraica

And thou, Bethlehem Ephratah, too little to be among the thousands of Judah
"And thou, Bethlehem Ephratah, too little to be among the thousands of Judah, out of thee shall come forth unto Me (one) [Pg 480] to be Ruler in Israel; and His goings forth are the times of old, the days of eternity." The close connection of this verse with what immediately precedes (Caspari is wrong in considering iv. 9-14 as an episode) is evident, not only from the [Hebrew: v] copulative, and from the analogy of the near relation of the announcement of salvation to the prophecy of disaster
Ernst Wilhelm Hengstenberg—Christology of the Old Testament

Moses and his Writings
[Illustration: (drop cap W) Clay letter tablet of Moses' time.] We now begin to understand a little of the very beginning of God's Book--of the times in which it was written, the materials used by its first author, and the different kinds of writing from which he had to choose; but we must go a step farther. How much did Moses know about the history of his forefathers, Abraham and Jacob, and of all the old nations and kings mentioned in Genesis, before God called him to the great work of writing
Mildred Duff—The Bible in its Making

The Power of Assyria at Its Zenith; Esarhaddon and Assur-Bani-Pal
The Medes and Cimmerians: Lydia--The conquest of Egypt, of Arabia, and of Elam. As we have already seen, Sennacherib reigned for eight years after his triumph; eight years of tranquillity at home, and of peace with all his neighbours abroad. If we examine the contemporary monuments or the documents of a later period, and attempt to glean from them some details concerning the close of his career, we find that there is a complete absence of any record of national movement on the part of either Elam,
G. Maspero—History Of Egypt, Chaldaea, Syria, Babylonia, and Assyria, V 8

Some Helps to Mourning
Having removed the obstructions, let me in the last place propound some helps to holy mourning. 1 Set David's prospect continually before you. My sin is ever before me' (Psalm 51:3). David, that he might be a mourner, kept his eye full upon sin. See what sin is, and then tell me if there be not enough in it to draw forth tears. I know not what name to give it bad enough. One calls it the devil's excrement. Sin is a complication of all evils. It is the spirits of mischief distilled. Sin dishonours
Thomas Watson—The Beatitudes: An Exposition of Matthew 5:1-12

Sennacherib (705-681 B. C. )
The struggle of Sennacherib with Judaea and Egypt--Destruction of Babylon. Sennacherib either failed to inherit his father's good fortune, or lacked his ability.* He was not deficient in military genius, nor in the energy necessary to withstand the various enemies who rose against him at widely removed points of his frontier, but he had neither the adaptability of character nor the delicate tact required to manage successfully the heterogeneous elements combined under his sway. * The two principal
G. Maspero—History Of Egypt, Chaldaea, Syria, Babylonia, and Assyria, V 8

Kadesh. Rekam, and that Double. Inquiry is Made, Whether the Doubling it in the Maps is Well Done.
The readers of the eastern interpreters will observe, that Kadesh is rendered by all Rekam, or in a sound very near it. In the Chaldee, it is 'Rekam': in the Syriac, 'Rekem': in the Arabic, 'Rakim'... There are two places noted by the name Rekam in the very bounds of the land,--to wit, the southern and eastern: that is, a double Kadesh. I. Of Kadesh, or Rekam, in the south part, there is no doubt. II. Of it, in the eastern part, there is this mention: "From Rekam to the east, and Rekam is as the
John Lightfoot—From the Talmud and Hebraica

Joshua
The book of Joshua is the natural complement of the Pentateuch. Moses is dead, but the people are on the verge of the promised land, and the story of early Israel would be incomplete, did it not record the conquest of that land and her establishment upon it. The divine purpose moves restlessly on, until it is accomplished; so "after the death of Moses, Jehovah spake to Joshua," i. 1. The book falls naturally into three divisions: (a) the conquest of Canaan (i.-xii.), (b) the settlement of the
John Edgar McFadyen—Introduction to the Old Testament

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