Bible Strands
Joshua 16:3
Then it descended westward to the border of the Japhletites as far as the border of Lower Beth-horon and on to Gezer, and it ended at the Sea.
Berean Standard Bible
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Study note
Setting — Joshua records the western boundary of the territory allotted to Joseph's sons, Ephraim and Manasseh, following the initial land distribution from Bethel. The verse concludes the geographic description of their inheritance before noting the formal receipt of the land.
The words — The text employs יָרַד (ya.rad), literally "it goes down," coupled with יָמָּה (ya.ma/h), meaning "westward," to track the boundary's cardinal movement. These terms specify the direction and topographical descent toward the coastal limit.
The thread — This western line intersects with later biblical narratives, including the defeat of Horam king of Gezer (Joshua 10:33), the border's routing past Bethel and Ataroth-addar (Joshua 18:13), and Solomon's rebuilding of Lower Beth-horon (2 Chronicles 8:5).
Why it lands — The verse states a fixed territorial limit that descends west to the Sea, establishing a concrete boundary for Ephraim's inheritance. It requires readers to observe the deliberate precision of tribal allocation without assuming abstract or devotional meanings beyond the geographic record.
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 goeth down westward to the coast of Japhleti, unto the coast of Beth–horon the nether, and to Gezer: and the goings out thereof are at the sea.
Cross-references
- Joshua 10:33 At that time Horam king of Gezer went to help Lachish, but Joshua struck him down along with his people, leaving no survivors.
- Joshua 18:13 From there the border crossed over to the southern slope of Luz (that is, Bethel) and went down to Ataroth-addar on the hill south of Lower Beth-horon.
- 2 Chronicles 8:5 He rebuilt Upper and Lower Beth-horon as fortified cities with walls, gates, and bars,
- Numbers 34:6 Your western border will be the coastline of the Great Sea; this will be your boundary on the west.
- 1 Kings 9:15 This is the account of the forced labor that King Solomon imposed to build the house of the LORD, his own palace, the supporting terraces, and the wall of Jerusalem, as well as Hazor, Megiddo, and Gezer.
- 1 Chronicles 7:24 His daughter was Sheerah, who built Lower and Upper Beth-horon, as well as Uzzen-sheerah.
- 1 Chronicles 7:28 Their holdings and settlements included Bethel and its villages, Naaran to the east, Gezer and its villages to the west, and Shechem and its villages as far as Ayyah and its villages.