Joshua 15:7

Translation
King James Version
And the border went up toward Debir from the valley of Achor, and so northward, looking toward Gilgal, that is before the going up to Adummim, which is on the south side of the river: and the border passed toward the waters of Enshemesh, and the goings out thereof were at Enrogel:
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KJV (with Strong's)
And the border H1366 went up H5927 toward Debir H1688 from the valley H6010 of Achor H5911, and so northward H6828, looking H6437 toward Gilgal H1537, that is before H5227 the going up H4608 to Adummim H131, which is on the south side H5045 of the river H5158: and the border H1366 passed H5674 toward the waters H4325 of Enshemesh H5885, and the goings out H8444 thereof were at Enrogel H5883:
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Complete Jewish Bible
then the border went up to D'vir from the Akhor Valley, then northward facing Gilgal (that is, across from Ma'alei-Adumim, which is on the south side of the vadi); next the border passed to the 'Ein-Shemesh Spring and went out at 'Ein-Rogel.
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Berean Standard Bible
Then the border went up to Debir from the Valley of Achor, turning north to Gilgal, which faces the Ascent of Adummim south of the ravine. It continued along the waters of En-shemesh and came out at En-rogel.
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American Standard Version
and the border went up to Debir from the valley of Achor, and so northward, looking toward Gilgal, that is over against the ascent of Adummim, which is on the south side of the river; and the border passed along to the waters of En-shemesh, and the goings out thereof were at En-rogel;
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World English Bible Messianic
The border went up to Debir from the valley of Achor, and so northward, looking toward Gilgal, that is over against the ascent of Adummim, which is on the south side of the river. The border passed along to the waters of En Shemesh, and ended at En Rogel.
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Geneva Bible (1599)
Againe this border goeth vp to Debir from the valley of Achor, and Northwarde, turning toward Gilgal, that lyeth before the going vp to Adummim, which is on the Southside of the riuer: also this border goeth vp to the waters of En-shemesh, and endeth at En-rogel.
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Young's Literal Translation
and the border hath gone up towards Debir from the valley of Achor, and northward looking unto Gilgal, which is over-against the ascent of Adummim, which is on the south of the brook, and the border hath passed over unto the waters of En-Shemesh, and its outgoings have been unto En-Rogel;
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See also
1 Kings 1:92 Samuel 17:17Joshua 7:26Joshua 10:43Joshua 5:9Joshua 5:10Hosea 2:5
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Dan, Ephraim, and Benjamin
Dan, Ephraim, and Benjamin View full PDF
Canaan Overview
Canaan Overview View full PDF
Judah and Simeon
Judah and Simeon View full PDF

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In the KJVVerse 6,210 of 31,102

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SUMMARY

Joshua 15:7 meticulously delineates a crucial segment of the northern boundary of the tribal territory allotted to Judah, stretching from the Valley of Achor, northward towards Gilgal, past the Ascent of Adummim, and concluding at the ancient springs of Enshemesh and Enrogel. This detailed geographical description is not merely a dry list of places but serves as a tangible testament to God's precise fulfillment of His covenant promises to Israel, establishing their inheritance in the land of Canaan with divine order and clarity.

CONTEXT

  • Literary Context: Joshua 15:7 is embedded within the extensive and highly detailed account of the land distribution among the tribes of Israel, specifically focusing on the tribal allotment for Judah (Joshua 15). This chapter meticulously outlines Judah's boundaries—northern, southern, eastern, and western—and then lists the cities within its territory. The preceding verses (Joshua 15:1-6) describe the southern and part of the eastern borders, while verses 7-11 continue the northern boundary, leading into the enumeration of cities. This meticulous geographical record underscores the legal and theological significance of the land as a divine inheritance, ensuring that each tribe received its designated portion as promised by God. The precision serves to prevent future disputes and affirm the tangible reality of God's faithfulness.
  • Historical & Cultural Context: Following the conquest campaigns under Joshua, the division of the land was a critical phase in establishing Israel as a settled nation. This process was carried out by lot, as commanded by God (Numbers 26:55-56), signifying divine appointment rather than human negotiation. In ancient Near Eastern cultures, land ownership and clear boundaries were paramount for identity, livelihood, and stability. The detailed descriptions in Joshua reflect a common practice of recording territorial claims, but here, it is imbued with theological weight, as the land was a direct fulfillment of the Abrahamic covenant. The mention of specific landmarks like springs (Enshemesh, Enrogel) highlights their vital importance in an arid region for water supply, agriculture, and settlement, making them natural and undisputed markers for boundaries.
  • Key Themes: Joshua 15:7 contributes significantly to several overarching themes within the book of Joshua and the broader Pentateuch. Primarily, it powerfully illustrates Divine Faithfulness and Covenant Fulfillment, demonstrating God's unwavering commitment to His promises made to Abraham regarding the land of Canaan (e.g., Genesis 12:7 and Genesis 15:18). The detailed boundaries also emphasize Order and Inheritance, showcasing God's meticulous organization in establishing His people in their designated territories, thereby securing their future and preventing chaos. Furthermore, the inclusion of places like the Valley of Achor, a site of past national failure, subtly introduces the theme of Redemption and Integration, showing how even places associated with sin are incorporated into God's redemptive plan for His people's inheritance. This precision grounds the narrative in Tangible Reality, affirming that God's actions are not abstract but have concrete, historical manifestations in the physical world.

EXPOSITION AND ANALYSIS

Key Word Analysis

  • Border (Hebrew, gᵉbûwl', H1366): This term (H1366) refers to a defined boundary or territory, literally "a cord (as twisted)," implying a demarcation. Its repeated use throughout Joshua 15 emphasizes the precise and divinely ordained nature of the land division. It signifies not merely a geographical line but a legal and theological demarcation of inheritance, reflecting God's order and the secure possession of the promised land. The meticulous detailing of the gᵉbûwl underscores the certainty of God's word.
  • Adummim (Hebrew, ʼĂdummîym', H131): This name (H131), meaning "red spots," refers to a specific pass in Palestine. The "going up to Adummim" (H4608, maʻăleh - "an elevation, i.e. acclivity") indicates a significant ascent, likely named for the reddish color of its rocks. Its inclusion highlights the use of prominent, identifiable natural features as markers for the tribal boundaries, emphasizing the practical and verifiable nature of the land distribution.
  • Passed (Hebrew, ʻâbar', H5674): This verb (H5674) means "to cross over," used widely for any transition. In this context, it describes the movement of the boundary line itself, indicating its trajectory and progression through the landscape. The active sense of "passed" reinforces the dynamic and established nature of the border, not merely a static line but one that has been surveyed and confirmed.

Verse Breakdown

  • "And the border went up toward Debir from the valley of Achor,": This clause establishes the initial segment and direction of Judah's northern boundary. The border ascends from the Valley of Achor, a place famously associated with Israel's failure and judgment (Achan's sin in Joshua 7), moving towards Debir, likely a prominent city or geographical feature in the Judean hill country. This movement from a low-lying valley to higher ground sets the topographical scene and symbolically incorporates a place of past trouble into the promised inheritance.
  • "and so northward, looking toward Gilgal, that [is] before the going up to Adummim, which [is] on the south side of the river:": This segment further refines the boundary's trajectory. The border continues northward, passing by or in the vicinity of Gilgal. Gilgal was a highly significant site, serving as Israel's first encampment after crossing the Jordan, where they were circumcised and celebrated the Passover (Joshua 5). Its mention here anchors the boundary in a key historical and spiritual landmark. The phrase "before the going up to Adummim" precisely locates Gilgal in relation to the "Ascent of Adummim," a notoriously dangerous pass on the road between Jericho and Jerusalem, known for its reddish rocks. "On the south side of the river" likely refers to the Wadi Qelt or a similar seasonal stream, further pinpointing the geographical context of this challenging ascent.
  • "and the border passed toward the waters of Enshemesh, and the goings out thereof were at Enrogel:": The final part of this border description moves towards two vital water sources. Enshemesh, meaning "Fountain of the Sun," and Enrogel, meaning "Fountain of the Fuller" or "Fountain of the Foot," were prominent springs near ancient Jerusalem. Enrogel, in particular, was a significant landmark at the confluence of the Hinnom and Kidron Valleys. The "goings out thereof" signifies the termination point of this specific border segment, emphasizing the importance of these springs as clear, identifiable markers for territorial limits in an arid region, crucial for life and settlement.

Literary Devices

Joshua 15:7 primarily employs Topographical Description, a detailed and precise outlining of geographical features to define boundaries. This technique is pervasive throughout Joshua 15, serving to establish the concrete reality of the land inheritance. The meticulous naming of valleys, ascents, and springs grounds the theological promises in tangible, verifiable locations. The text also uses Repetition of directional phrases ("went up toward," "passed toward") and prepositions ("from," "toward," "before," "on the south side") to create a sense of movement and progression along the border, emphasizing its continuous and established nature. While not explicitly symbolic in itself, the inclusion of places like the Valley of Achor introduces a subtle Allusion to past events, reminding the reader of Israel's history—both triumph and failure—and how God integrates all aspects of their journey into His overarching plan for their inheritance. The precise naming of specific springs (Enshemesh, Enrogel) also functions as Specificity, providing undeniable and enduring landmarks that would have been well-known to the original audience, thereby reinforcing the authenticity and divine authority of the land division.

THEOLOGICAL AND THEMATIC CONNECTIONS

This verse, with its meticulous geographical detail, powerfully underscores the theme of God's absolute faithfulness and the tangible fulfillment of His covenant promises. The land, promised to Abraham centuries earlier, is now being precisely apportioned to his descendants, demonstrating that God's word is not abstract but concretely realized in history. This divine precision in land distribution highlights God's sovereignty, His commitment to order, and His provision for His people. It also serves as a foundational example of how God works through specific, sometimes seemingly mundane, details to accomplish His grand redemptive purposes. The physical inheritance of the land foreshadows a greater, spiritual inheritance.

REFLECTION AND APPLICATION

The intricate details of Joshua 15:7, while seemingly a dry geographical listing, offer profound spiritual insights for believers today. They remind us that God is a God of meticulous detail and unwavering faithfulness. Just as He precisely delineated the boundaries for Judah, He orchestrates the details of our lives, ensuring that His promises and purposes are fulfilled with precision. This verse encourages us to trust in God's sovereign plan, even when the path seems complex or the details mundane. Our "inheritance" in Christ, though spiritual, is just as real and secure as Judah's physical land. We can rest in the assurance that God oversees every boundary and every blessing, guiding us through both "valleys of trouble" and "fountains of the sun," integrating all experiences into His perfect design for our ultimate good and His glory.

Questions for Reflection

  • How does God's meticulous attention to detail in Joshua 15:7 encourage your trust in His care for the details of your own life?
  • What "boundaries" or "inheritances" (spiritual or otherwise) has God defined for you, and how does this verse affirm His faithfulness in fulfilling them?
  • Considering the Valley of Achor's significance, how might God use past failures or "troublesome" places in your life as part of His ongoing redemptive plan?

FAQ

Why is so much detail given to geographical boundaries in the book of Joshua?

Answer: The extensive geographical details in Joshua, including Joshua 15:7, serve several crucial purposes. Firstly, they provide a legal and historical record of the land distribution, validating each tribe's specific inheritance and preventing future disputes over territory. Secondly, they are a powerful testament to God's faithfulness in fulfilling His ancient promises to Abraham that his descendants would inherit the land of Canaan (e.g., Genesis 12:7). The precision underscores that God's word is not abstract but concretely realized in the physical world. Thirdly, it highlights divine order and sovereignty, demonstrating that God is meticulously orchestrating every aspect of His people's settlement. Finally, it grounds the biblical narrative in tangible reality, making the events of the conquest and settlement historically verifiable and emphasizing that God's actions occur within real-world contexts.

CHRIST-CENTERED FULFILLMENT

The precise delineation of Judah's inheritance in Joshua 15:7, a physical land given by divine promise, finds its ultimate and spiritual fulfillment in Jesus Christ. Just as Judah received a tangible portion of Canaan, believers in Christ receive an eternal, spiritual inheritance that is far greater and incorruptible. Christ is the true "inheritance" (e.g., Colossians 1:12), and through Him, we are granted access to all the spiritual blessings in the heavenly places (e.g., Ephesians 1:3). The meticulous boundaries in Joshua foreshadow the secure and unshakeable nature of our salvation and eternal dwelling, which is guaranteed by Christ's finished work. The "Valley of Achor," a place of past judgment, being integrated into the inheritance, beautifully prefigures how Christ takes our past failures and sins, redeeming them and incorporating them into His glorious plan for our future, transforming places of trouble into "doors of hope" (Hosea 2:15). Our true "Gilgal" is found in Christ, where we are spiritually circumcised and enter into new life (Colossians 2:11). Ultimately, the earthly inheritance points to the heavenly city, the New Jerusalem, where God's people will dwell securely with Him forever, an inheritance prepared for us by the Lamb of God (e.g., Revelation 21:1-4).

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Commentary on Joshua 15 verses 1–12

Judah and Joseph were the two sons of Jacob on whom Reuben's forfeited birth-right devolved. Judah had the dominion entailed on him, and Joseph the double portion, and therefore these two tribes were first seated, Judah in the southern part of the land of Canaan and Joseph in the northern part, and on them the other seven did attend, and had their respective lots as appurtenances to these two; the lots of Benjamin, Simeon, and Dan, were appendant to Judah, and those of Issachar and Zebulun, Naphtali and Asher, to Joseph. These two were first set up to be provided for, it should seem, before there was such an exact survey of the land as we find afterwards, Jos 18:9. It is probable that the most considerable parts of the northern and southern countries, and those that lay nearest to Gilgal, and which the people were best acquainted with, were first put into two portions, and the lot was cast upon them between these two principal tribes, of the one of which Joshua was, and of the other Caleb, who was the first commissioner in this writ of partition; and, by the decision of that lot, the southern country, of which we have an account in this chapter, fell to Judah, and the northern, of which we have an account in the two following chapters, to Joseph. And when this was done there was a more equal dividend (either in quantity or quality) of the remainder among the seven tribes. And this, probably, was intended in that general rule which was given concerning this partition (Num 33:54), to the more you shall give the more inheritance, and to the fewer you shall give the less, and every man's inheritance shall be where his lot falleth; that is, "You shall appoint two greater portions which shall be determined by lot to those more numerous tribes of Judah and Joseph, and then the rest shall be less portions to be allotted to the less numerous tribes." The former was done in Gilgal, the latter in Shiloh.

In these verses, we have the borders of the lot of Judah, which, as the rest, is said to be by their families, that is, with an eye to the number of their families. And it intimates that Joshua and Eleazar, and the rest of the commissioners, when they had by lot given each tribe its portion, did afterwards (it is probable by lot likewise) subdivide those larger portions, and assign to each family its inheritance, and then to each household, which would be better done by this supreme authority, and be apt to give less disgust than if it had been left to the inferior magistrates of each tribe to make that distribution. The borders of this tribe are here largely fixed, yet not unalterably, for a good deal of that which lies within these bounds was afterwards assigned to the lots of Simeon and Dan. 1. The eastern border was all, and only, the Salt Sea, Jos 15:5. Every sea is salt, but this was of an extraordinary and more than natural saltness, the effects of that fire and brimstone with which Sodom and Gomorrah were destroyed in Abraham's time, whose ruins lie buried in the bottom of this dead water, which never either was moved itself or had any living thing in it. 2. The southern border was that of the land of Canaan in general, as will appear by comparing Jos 15:1-4 with Num 34:3-5. So that this powerful and warlike tribe of Judah guarded the frontiers of the whole land, on that side which lay towards their old sworn enemies (though their two fathers were twin-brethren), the Edomites. Our Lord therefore, who sprang out of Judah, and whose the kingdom is, shall judge the mount of Esau, Oba 1:21. 3. The northern border divided it from the lot of Benjamin. In this, mention is made of the stone of Bohan a Reubenite (Jos 15:6), who probably was a great commander of those forces of Reuben that came over Jordan, and died in the camp at Gilgal, and was buried not far off under this stone. The valley of Achor likewise lies upon this border (Jos 15:7), to remind the men of Judah of the trouble which Achan, one of their tribe, gave to the congregation of Israel, that they might not be too much lifted up with their services. This northern line touched closely upon Jerusalem (Jos 15:8), so closely as to include in the lot of this tribe Mount Zion and Mount Moriah, though the greater part of the city lay in the lot of Benjamin. 4. The west border went near to the great sea at first (Jos 15:12), but afterwards the lot of the tribe of Dan took off a good part of Judah's lot on that side; for the lot was only to determine between Judah and Joseph, which should have the north and which the south, and not immovably to fix the border of either. Judah's inheritance had its boundaries determined. Though it was a powerful warlike tribe, and had a great interest in the other tribes, yet they must not therefore be left to their own choice, to enlarge their possessions at pleasure, but must live so as that their neighbours might live by them. Those that are placed high yet must not think to be placed alone in the midst of the earth.

Matthew Henry (1662–1714) — Commentary on the Whole Bible. This section covers verses 1–12. Public domain.
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Origen of AlexandriaAD 253
HOMILIES ON JOSHUA 19.4
Everyone, therefore, who wants to enter into the portion of the children of Judah must first pass through the Salt Sea. That is to say, he must surmount the waves and billows of this life and escape from all things in this world that, by virtue of their own uncertainty and hazardousness, are compared with the waves of the sea. Then he may be able to reach the land of Judah and to approach the fountain of the sun. But what is the fountain of the sun, or of which sun? Of that sun, of course, about which it is written, "But for the ones fearing my name, the sun of righteousness will arise." Therefore you will find the fountain of this sun in the land of Judah, if you move away from the Salt Sea. Which fountain? That one of which Jesus said, "The water that I give will become a fountain of water leaping up into eternal life within the person who drinks from it." Therefore, when you have found the kind of fountain of this sun that we have described, you will also find its city.
Source: Quotations drawn from early Church Fathers and historical Christian theologians (AD 100–1500). Some quotes address the surrounding passage context rather than this verse alone.
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