Bible Strands
Joshua 15:3
proceeded south of the Ascent of Akrabbim, continued on to Zin, went over to the south of Kadesh-barnea, ran past Hezron up to Addar, and curved toward Karka.
Berean Standard Bible
Follow its threads on the canvas →
Study note
Setting — Joshua delineates the southern boundary of Judah’s tribal allotment, tracing a route from the bay at the southern tip of the Salt Sea toward the western sea.
The words — עַקְרַבִּים ('ak.ra.Bim) literally means "scorpions," naming the Ascent of Akrabbim, while מִ/נֶּ֜גֶב (mi./Ne.gev) means "from the south," establishing the border’s directional baseline.
The thread — The same landmarks appear in Numbers 34:4 as part of the broader land survey, mark the Amorite border in Judges 1:36, and recall the region near Kadesh in Genesis 14:7.
Why it lands — The text requires precise geographic tracking to fix Judah’s territorial limits, asking the reader to map how specific topographical markers define the tribe’s inherited portion.
Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.
The Hebrew words
King James Version
And it went out to the south side to Maaleh–acrabbim, and passed along to Zin, and ascended up on the south side unto Kadesh–barnea, and passed along to Hezron, and went up to Adar, and fetched a compass to Karkaa:
Cross-references
- Numbers 34:4 cross south of the Ascent of Akrabbim, continue to Zin, and go south of Kadesh-barnea. Then it will go on to Hazar-addar and proceed to Azmon,
- Judges 1:36 And the border of the Amorites extended from the Ascent of Akrabbim to Sela and beyond.
- Genesis 14:7 Then they turned back to invade En-mishpat (that is, Kadesh), and they conquered the whole territory of the Amalekites, as well as the Amorites who lived in Hazazon-tamar.
- Numbers 20:1 In the first month, the whole congregation of Israel entered the Wilderness of Zin and stayed in Kadesh. There Miriam died and was buried.
- Numbers 32:8 This is what your fathers did when I sent them from Kadesh-barnea to inspect the land.