King James Version:
(The Lord speaking is red text)
Then your south quarter shall be from the wilderness of Zin along by the coast of Edom, and your south border shall be the outmost coast of the salt sea eastward:
Complete Jewish Bible:
"Your southern portion will extend from the Tzin Desert close to the border of Edom. The eastern terminus of your southern border is at the end of the Dead Sea.
Berean Standard Bible:
Your southern border will extend from the Wilderness of Zin along the border of Edom. On the east, your southern border will run from the end of the Salt Sea,
American Standard Version:
then your south quarter shall be from the wilderness of Zin along by the side of Edom, and your south border shall be from the end of the Salt Sea eastward;
KJV with Strong’s Numbers:
Then your south{H5045} quarter{H6285} shall be from the wilderness{H4057} of Zin{H6790} along by the coast{H3027} of Edom{H123}, and your south{H5045} border{H1366} shall be the outmost coast{H7097} of the salt{H4417} sea{H3220} eastward{H6924}:
Cross-References (KJV):
Genesis 14:3
- All these were joined together in the vale of Siddim, which is the salt sea.
Ezekiel 47:13
- ¶ Thus saith the Lord GOD; This [shall be] the border, whereby ye shall inherit the land according to the twelve tribes of Israel: Joseph [shall have two] portions.
Joshua 3:16
- That the waters which came down from above stood [and] rose up upon an heap very far from the city Adam, that [is] beside Zaretan: and those that came down toward the sea of the plain, [even] the salt sea, failed, [and] were cut off: and the people passed over right against Jericho.
Joshua 15:1
- ¶ [This] then was the lot of the tribe of the children of Judah by their families; [even] to the border of Edom the wilderness of Zin southward [was] the uttermost part of the south coast.
Joshua 15:12
- And the west border [was] to the great sea, and the coast [thereof]. This [is] the coast of the children of Judah round about according to their families.
Ezekiel 47:18
- And the east side ye shall measure from Hauran, and from Damascus, and from Gilead, and from the land of Israel [by] Jordan, from the border unto the east sea. And [this is] the east side.
Ezekiel 47:23
- And it shall come to pass, [that] in what tribe the stranger sojourneth, there shall ye give [him] his inheritance, saith the Lord GOD.
Explore This Verse Across Other Resources:
Commentary for Numbers 34:3
Numbers 34:3 is a part of the instructions given by God to Moses regarding the boundaries of the Promised Land for the Israelites as they prepare to enter and possess it after their long journey from Egypt. The verse specifically delineates the southern boundary of the land that was to be allocated to the tribes of Israel.
In this verse, the "south quarter" refers to the southern extent of the territory that the Israelites were to occupy. The "wilderness of Zin" is an area in the northern part of the Sinai Peninsula, which is to the south of Canaan. The "coast of Edom" indicates the region east of the Arabah valley, which was inhabited by the Edomites, descendants of Esau and traditional rivals of the Israelites.
The "salt sea eastward" is an ancient name for the Dead Sea, which is the lowest point on Earth and is known for its high salt concentration, making its waters inhospitable to most life forms. The "outmost coast" suggests that the border would extend to the eastern shore of the Dead Sea, encompassing a significant portion of the territory to the east of the Jordan River.
The historical context of this verse is the period after the Exodus, as the Israelites are on the brink of entering the land promised to their ancestors. God, through Moses, is establishing the geographical limits of the land that the Israelites are to conquer and settle. This demarcation serves both a practical and a symbolic purpose: practically, it defines the extent of the land to be divided among the tribes; symbolically, it fulfills God's covenantal promise to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob that their descendants would inherit a specific land.
In summary, Numbers 34:3 is part of the divine directive that meticulously outlines the southern boundary of the Promised Land. It reflects the culmination of the Israelites' journey from slavery to the cusp of nationhood, as they are about to receive their inheritance, a land "flowing with milk and honey," as described throughout the Pentateuch. This verse underscores the importance of divine promise, the sanctity of the land, and the meticulous attention to detail in the ancient Israelite legal and religious tradition.
*This commentary is produced by Microsoft/WizardLM-2-8x22B AI model
Strong's Numbers and Definitions:
Note: H = Hebrew (OT), G = Greek (NT)
- Strong's Number: H5045
There are 98 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: נֶגֶב
Transliteration: negeb
Pronunciation: neh'-gheb
Description: from an unused root meaning to be parched; the south (from its drought); specifically, the Negeb or southern district of Judah, occasionally, Egypt (as south to Palestine); south (country, side, -ward). - Strong's Number: H6285
There are 59 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: פֵּאָה
Transliteration: pêʼâh
Pronunciation: pay-aw'
Description: feminine of פֹּה; properly, mouth in a figurative sense, i.e. direction, region, extremity; corner, end, quarter, side. - Strong's Number: H4057
There are 257 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: מִדְבָּר
Transliteration: midbâr
Pronunciation: mid-bawr'
Description: from דָבַר in the sense of driving; a pasture (i.e. open field, whither cattle are driven); by implication, a desert; also speech (including its organs); desert, south, speech, wilderness. - Strong's Number: H6790
There are 9 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: צִן
Transliteration: Tsin
Pronunciation: tseen
Description: from an unused root meaning to prick; a crag; Tsin, a part of the Desert; Zin. - Strong's Number: H3027
There are 1447 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: יָד
Transliteration: yâd
Pronunciation: yawd
Description: a primitive word; in distinction from כַּף, the closed one); used (as noun, adverb, etc.) in a great variety of applications, both literally and figuratively, both proximate and remote (as follows); a hand (the open one (indicating power, means, direction, etc.),; ([phrase] be) able, [idiom] about, [phrase] armholes, at, axletree, because of, beside, border, [idiom] bounty, [phrase] broad, (broken-) handed, [idiom] by, charge, coast, [phrase] consecrate, [phrase] creditor, custody, debt, dominion, [idiom] enough, [phrase] fellowship, force, [idiom] from, hand(-staves, -y work), [idiom] he, himself, [idiom] in, labour, [phrase] large, ledge, (left-) handed, means, [idiom] mine, ministry, near, [idiom] of, [idiom] order, ordinance, [idiom] our, parts, pain, power, [idiom] presumptuously, service, side, sore, state, stay, draw with strength, stroke, [phrase] swear, terror, [idiom] thee, [idiom] by them, [idiom] themselves, [idiom] thine own, [idiom] thou, through, [idiom] throwing, [phrase] thumb, times, [idiom] to, [idiom] under, [idiom] us, [idiom] wait on, (way-) side, where, [phrase] wide, [idiom] with (him, me, you), work, [phrase] yield, [idiom] yourselves. - Strong's Number: H123
There are 188 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: אֱדֹם
Transliteration: ʼĔdôm
Pronunciation: ed-ome'
Description: or (fully) אֱדוֹם ; from אָדֹם; red (see Genesis 25:25); Edom, the elder twin-brother of Jacob; hence the region (Idumaea) occupied by him; Edom, Edomites, Idumea. - Strong's Number: H1366
There are 196 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: גְּבוּל
Transliteration: gᵉbûwl
Pronunciation: gheb-ool'
Description: or גְּבֻל; (shortened) from גָּבַל; properly, a cord (as twisted), i.e. (by implication) a boundary; by extension the territory inclosed; border, bound, coast, [idiom] great, landmark, limit, quarter, space. - Strong's Number: H7097
There are 87 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: קָצֶה
Transliteration: qâtseh
Pronunciation: kaw-tseh'
Description: or (negative only) קֵצֶה; from קָצָה; (used in a great variety of applications and idioms; compare קֵץ); an extremity; [idiom] after, border, brim, brink, edge, end, (in-) finite, frontier, outmost coast, quarter, shore, (out-) side, [idiom] some, ut(-ter-) most (part). - Strong's Number: H4417
There are 26 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: מֶלַח
Transliteration: melach
Pronunciation: meh'-lakh
Description: from מָלַח; properly, powder, i.e. (specifically) salt (as easily pulverized and dissolved); salt(-pit). - Strong's Number: H3220
There are 339 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: יָם
Transliteration: yâm
Pronunciation: yawm
Description: from an unused root meaning to roar; a sea (as breaking in noisy surf) or large body of water; specifically (with the article), the Mediterranean Sea; sometimes a large river, or an artifical basin; locally, the west, or (rarely) the south; sea ([idiom] -faring man, (-shore)), south, west (-ern, side, -ward). - Strong's Number: H6924
There are 83 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: קֶדֶם
Transliteration: qedem
Pronunciation: keh'-dem
Description: or קֵדְמָה; from קָדַם; the front, of place (absolutely, the fore part, relatively the East) or time (antiquity); often used adverbially (before, anciently, eastward); aforetime, ancient (time), before, east (end, part, side, -ward), eternal, [idiom] ever(-lasting), forward, old, past. Compare קִדְמָה.