1
וַיְהִ֣י הַגּוֹרָ֗ל לְמַטֵּ֛ה בְּנֵ֥י יְהוּדָ֖ה לְמִשְׁפְּחֹתָ֑ם אֶל גְּב֨וּל אֱד֧וֹם מִדְבַּר צִ֛ן נֶ֖גְבָּה מִקְצֵ֥ה תֵימָֽן
The lot for the tribe of the sons of Judah, according to their clans, was to the border of Edom -- the wilderness of Zin, southward, from the extremity of Teman.
Opens the Judah territorial unit with the wayyiqtol formula 'and it was' (weyehi), the standard heading for each tribal allotment in Josh 13-19; the verse states the general compass point (south, toward Edom and Teman) before the detailed border survey of vv.2-4.
Word-by-word analysis· 14 words
וַיְהִ֣יand it wasQal wayyiqtol 3ms · הָיָה (H1961)Wayyiqtol of narrative sequence (formulaic verse-opening)→ Wayyiqtol: narrative-sequential, introducing the boundary description as the next event in the tribal-allotment narrativeהָיָה (H1961) 'to be, become, happen'; here the narrative formula וַיְהִי introduces the lot-description for Judah, paralleling other allotment formulas in Josh 13-19. (source id 06jPW)
הַגּוֹרָ֗לthe lotart + N m sg abs · גּוֹרָל (H1486)Subject of the introductory verbגּוֹרָל (H1486) 'lot, portion assigned by lot'; the cast lot by which tribal territory was divinely allotted (cf. Josh 14:2). (source id 06aG2)
לְמַטֵּ֛הfor the tribe ofprep לְ + N m sg constr · מַטֶּה (H4294)Prepositional phrase, indirect object (beneficiary of the lot)מַטֶּה (H4294) 'tribe, staff'; construct before בְּנֵי יְהוּדָה, 'tribe of the sons of Judah'. (source id 06r8i)
בְּנֵ֥יsons ofN m pl constr · בֵּן (H1121)Construct chain (genitival, governs יְהוּדָה)בֵּן (H1121) 'son'; here in the common idiom בְּנֵי + tribal ancestor = 'the tribe/clan descended from...'. (source id 06QpT)
יְהוּדָ֖הJudahN proper · יְהוּדָה (H3063)Genitive complement of בְּנֵי (construct chain)יְהוּדָה (H3063) proper name of the patriarch and his tribe, the largest and most prominent of Israel's tribes, whose allotment opens the western-territory list in Josh 15-19. (source id 06TzY)
לְמִשְׁפְּחֹתָ֑םaccording to their clansprep לְ + N f pl constr + 3mp suffix · מִשְׁפָּחָה (H4940)Adverbial/distributive prepositional phraseמִשְׁפָּחָה (H4940) 'clan, family'; distributive לְ marks the sub-tribal units by which the allotment is further organized. (source id 06XbD)
אֶלtoprep · אֶל (H413)Prepositional phrase marking spatial extent (boundary marker)אֶל (H413) 'to, toward'; introduces the boundary description, marking the terminus/frame of the territory. (source id 06gh4)
גְּב֨וּלthe border ofN m sg constr · גְּבוּל (H1366)Object of preposition אֶל, head of construct chainגְּבוּל (H1366) 'border, territory, boundary'; the key term of the entire chapter's boundary-survey register. (source id 065ho)
אֱד֧וֹםEdomN proper · אֱדוֹם (H123)Genitive complement of גְּבוּל (construct chain)אֱדוֹם (H123) the nation descended from Esau, occupying the region southeast of the Dead Sea/Arabah; Judah's allotment begins at its border in the far south. (source id 06FP9)
מִדְבַּרthe wilderness ofN m sg constr · מִדְבָּר (H4057)Appositional noun, further specifying the border regionמִדְבָּר (H4057) 'wilderness, steppe-land'; here the wilderness of Zin, the arid region south of the Judean hill country bordering Edom. (source id 067DJ)
צִ֛ןZinN proper · צִן (H6790)Genitive complement of מִדְבַּר (construct chain)צִן (H6790) the wilderness of Zin, the arid tract between the Dead Sea/Arabah and Kadesh-barnea in the extreme south, distinct from the wilderness of Sin (H5512). (source id 06Wku)
נֶ֖גְבָּהsouthwardN m sg abs + directional he · נֶגֶב (H5045)Adverbial accusative of directionנֶגֶב (H5045) 'south, Negev'; with the he-locale suffix, 'southward, toward the south/Negev region'. (source id 065xN)
מִקְצֵ֥הfrom the edge ofprep מִן + N c sg constr · קָצֶה (H7097)Prepositional phrase, source/extentקָצֶה (H7097) 'end, edge, extremity'; with מִן, 'from the far end/extremity of', marking the southernmost point of the border description. (source id 06wtE)
תֵימָֽןTemanN f sg abs · תֵּימָן (H8486)Genitive complement of מִקְצֵה (construct chain)תֵּימָן (H8486) 'south, Teman'; here a general term for 'the south/southern region' (parallel to Edomite Teman) rather than the specific Edomite city, marking the southernmost extent of the border. (source id 06g1M)
2
וַיְהִ֤י לָהֶם֙ גְּב֣וּל נֶ֔גֶב מִקְצֵ֖ה יָ֣ם הַמֶּ֑לַח מִן הַלָּשֹׁ֖ן הַפֹּנֶ֥ה נֶֽגְבָּה
Their south border ran from the bay of the Salt Sea, from the tongue that faces southward.
The formula 'and there was to them' (wayehi lahem) restates v.1's introductory formula to launch the itemized border description that continues through v.4; the clause identifies the fixed starting point of the southern line at the Dead Sea's southern bay.
Word-by-word analysis· 11 words
וַיְהִ֤יand there wasQal wayyiqtol 3ms · הָיָה (H1961)Wayyiqtol of narrative sequence, predicate of the border-description clause→ Wayyiqtol: narrative-sequential, continuing the formulaic introduction -- 'and there was to them...'הָיָה (H1961) 'to be'; repeats the verse-1 formula, now specifying 'their border' (לָהֶם) in detail. (source id 06Ja2)
לָהֶם֙to themprep לְ + 3mp suffixDative of possession ('was to them' = 'they had')Preposition לְ + 3mp pronominal suffix, 'to/for them'; idiomatic dative of possession, 'their border was...'. (source id 06sUc)
גְּב֣וּלborderN m sg constr · גְּבוּל (H1366)Subject of וַיְהִי, head of construct chainגְּבוּל (H1366) 'border'; construct before נֶגֶב, 'south border' -- the leading term of the detailed boundary survey beginning here. (source id 06SSP)
נֶ֔גֶבsouthN m sg abs · נֶגֶב (H5045)Genitive complement of גְּבוּל (construct chain, 'south border')נֶגֶב (H5045) 'south, the Negev'; qualifies גְּבוּל as 'the southern border', the section detailed through v.4. (source id 06XF1)
מִקְצֵ֖הfrom the edge ofprep מִן + N c sg constr · קָצֶה (H7097)Prepositional phrase marking the starting point of the borderקָצֶה (H7097) 'end, extremity'; with מִן, marks the precise starting-point of the border description -- the bay/end of the Salt Sea. (source id 06Mig)
יָ֣םsea ofN m sg constr · יָם (H3220)Genitive head, construct chainיָם (H3220) 'sea'; construct before הַמֶּלַח, 'Sea of Salt' = the Dead Sea, the fixed southeastern anchor of Judah's border. (source id 06HwW)
הַמֶּ֑לַחthe Salt (Sea)art + N m sg abs · מֶלַח (H4417)Genitive complement of יָם (construct chain, 'Salt Sea')מֶלַח (H4417) 'salt'; יָם הַמֶּלַח 'the Salt Sea' is the standard OT name for the Dead Sea (cf. Gen 14:3), noted for its extreme salinity. (source id 06YeZ)
מִןfromprep · מִן (H4480)Prepositional phrase marking source pointמִן (H4480) 'from'; resumes/specifies מִקְצֵה, pinpointing the border's start at 'the tongue (bay)' of the sea. (source id 06fwr)
הַלָּשֹׁ֖ןthe tongueart + N c sg abs · לָשׁוֹן (H3956)Object of preposition מִןלָשׁוֹן (H3956) 'tongue'; used geographically for a bay or spit of water shaped like a tongue -- here the southern bay of the Dead Sea (cf. v.5, the northern tongue at the Jordan's mouth). (source id 06suC)
הַפֹּנֶ֥הthat facesart + Qal ptc m sg abs · פָּנָה (H6437)Attributive participle modifying הַלָּשֹׁן→ Participle: durative/descriptive, characterizing the bay's fixed orientation ('facing southward') rather than a discrete eventפָּנָה (H6437) 'to turn, face'; the articular participle functions attributively, 'the tongue that faces south' -- a topographic description, not a narrated action. (source id 06Px1)
נֶֽגְבָּהsouthwardN m sg abs + directional he · נֶגֶב (H5045)Adverbial accusative of direction, complement of הַפֹּנֶהנֶגֶב (H5045) with directional he, 'toward the south'; specifies the orientation of the sea's bay. (source id 06AYP)
3
וְ֠יָצָא אֶל מִנֶּ֜גֶב לְמַעֲלֵ֤ה עַקְרַבִּים֙ וְעָ֣בַר צִ֔נָה וְעָלָ֥ה מִנֶּ֖גֶב לְקָדֵ֣שׁ בַּרְנֵ֑עַ וְעָבַ֤ר חֶצְרוֹן֙ וְעָלָ֣ה אַדָּ֔רָה וְנָסַ֖ב הַקַּרְקָֽעָה
It goes out south of the Ascent of Akrabbim, crosses to Zin, goes up south of Kadesh-barnea, crosses to Hezron, goes up to Addar, and circles around to Karka.
A tight chain of six weqatal verbs (goes out, crosses, goes up, crosses, goes up, circles) traces the southern border's course point by point in fixed survey-report style; grammatically perfect/weqatal forms function as a timeless cartographic description rather than narrated past events.
Word-by-word analysis· 17 words
וְ֠יָצָאand it goes outconj wə + Qal weqatal 3ms · יָצָא (H3318)Weqatal continuing the boundary-survey chain (predicate)→ Weqatal continuing the boundary-survey chain: the fixed line is described as going out -- a customary cartographic present, not a discrete past eventיָצָא (H3318) 'to go out, extend'; the standard verb for a border's outward course in these survey texts. (source id 06DRn)
אֶלtoprep · אֶל (H413)Prepositional phrase of directionאֶל (H413) 'to, toward', introducing the direction of the border's course. (source id 06eu8)
מִנֶּ֜גֶבsouth ofprep מִן + N m sg abs · נֶגֶב (H5045)Prepositional phrase, locative (south side of the ascent)נֶגֶב (H5045) 'south'; with מִן, 'from/at the south of', locating the border's course relative to the ascent of Akrabbim. (source id 06Gvf)
לְמַעֲלֵ֤הto the ascent ofprep לְ + N m sg constr · מַעֲלֶה (H4610)Prepositional phrase, head of construct chain (goal)מַעֲלֶה (H4610) 'ascent, slope'; construct before עַקְרַבִּים, 'the Ascent of Akrabbim' (Scorpions' Ascent), the steep pass at the south end of the Dead Sea leading up toward the Negev-Edom border. (source id 06rUH)
עַקְרַבִּים֙AkrabbimN proper (pl form) · עַקְרַבִּים (H4610)Genitive complement of מַעֲלֵה (construct chain, compound place name)עַקְרַבִּים 'scorpions' (root עַקְרָב, scorpion), forming the place name מַעֲלֵה עַקְרַבִּים 'Ascent of Scorpions/Akrabbim'; the pass is generally located southwest of the Dead Sea on the route from the Arabah up into the Negev. (source id 06Ndd)
וְעָ֣בַרand it crossesconj wə + Qal weqatal 3ms · עָבַר (H5674)Weqatal continuing the boundary-survey chain (predicate)→ Weqatal continuing the boundary-survey chain: the fixed line is described as crossing over -- a customary cartographic present, not a discrete past eventעָבַר (H5674) 'to pass over, cross'; marks the border's course across the wilderness of Zin toward Kadesh-barnea. (source id 06AS3)
צִ֔נָהto ZinN proper + directional he · צִן (H6790)Adverbial accusative of direction (goal of וְעָבַר)צִן (H6790) the wilderness of Zin (cf. v.1); the directional he marks motion 'to/toward Zin'. (source id 06NNB)
וְעָלָ֥הand it goes upconj wə + Qal weqatal 3ms · עָלָה (H5927)Weqatal continuing the boundary-survey chain (predicate)→ Weqatal continuing the boundary-survey chain: the fixed line is described as going up/ascending -- a customary cartographic present, not a discrete past eventעָלָה (H5927) 'to go up, ascend'; tracks the border's rise toward the higher ground south of Kadesh-barnea. (source id 06ooW)
מִנֶּ֖גֶבsouth ofprep מִן + N m sg abs · נֶגֶב (H5045)Prepositional phrase, locativeנֶגֶב (H5045) 'south'; locates the border's course south of Kadesh-barnea. (source id 0644e)
לְקָדֵ֣שׁto Kadesh-prep לְ + N proper · קָדֵשׁ (H6947)Prepositional phrase, goal, first element of the place-name pairקָדֵשׁ (H6947) 'Kadesh', the first element of the compound toponym קָדֵשׁ בַּרְנֵעַ (Kadesh-barnea). (source id 061ML)
בַּרְנֵ֑עַ-barneaN proper · בַּרְנֵעַ (H6947)Second element of the compound place name (apposition to קָדֵשׁ)קָדֵשׁ בַּרְנֵעַ 'Kadesh-barnea', a major oasis/site in the wilderness of Zin (commonly identified with ʿAin Qedeis/ʿAin el-Qudeirat), the staging point of Israel's wilderness spies (Num 13-14) and here the fixed southern anchor of the border. (source id 06Lr5)
וְעָבַ֤רand it crossesconj wə + Qal weqatal 3ms · עָבַר (H5674)Weqatal continuing the boundary-survey chain (predicate)→ Weqatal continuing the boundary-survey chain: the fixed line is described as crossing over to Hezron -- a customary cartographic present, not a discrete past eventעָבַר (H5674) 'to pass over, cross'; the border's course continues on to Hezron. (source id 06V22)
חֶצְרוֹן֙HezronN proper · חֶצְרוֹן (H2696)Adverbial accusative of direction (goal of וְעָבַר)חֶצְרוֹן (H2696) a site on the southern border, of uncertain exact location, likely near Kadesh-barnea/Addar, otherwise unidentified with certainty. (source id 06aa5)
וְעָלָ֣הand it goes upconj wə + Qal weqatal 3ms · עָלָה (H5927)Weqatal continuing the boundary-survey chain (predicate)→ Weqatal continuing the boundary-survey chain: the fixed line is described as going up to Addar -- a customary cartographic present, not a discrete past eventעָלָה (H5927) 'to go up, ascend'; the border's course rises toward Addar. (source id 06Pbw)
אַדָּ֔רָהto AddarN proper + directional he · אַדָּר (H146)Adverbial accusative of direction (goal of וְעָלָה)אַדָּר (H146) a site on Judah's southern border, otherwise unattested; possibly identical with or near Hazar-addar of Num 34:4. Location uncertain. (source id 065M6)
וְנָסַ֖בand it circles aroundconj wə + Niphal weqatal 3ms · סָבַב (H5437)Weqatal continuing the boundary-survey chain (predicate)→ Weqatal continuing the boundary-survey chain: the fixed line is described as circling/turning around to Karka -- a customary cartographic present marking a bend in the border, not a discrete past eventסָבַב (H5437) 'to turn, go around'; Niphal here middle/reflexive sense 'it turns/circles', marking a bend in the border's course toward Karka. (source id 06Fdk)
הַקַּרְקָֽעָהto Karkaart + N proper + directional he · קַרְקַע (H7173)Adverbial accusative of direction (goal of וְנָסַב)קַרְקַע (H7173) a site on the southern border, otherwise unknown; location uncertain, possibly in the vicinity of Kadesh-barnea/Addar. (source id 06Pwi)
4
וְעָבַ֣ר עַצְמ֗וֹנָה וְיָצָא֙ נַ֣חַל מִצְרַ֔יִם והיה וְהָי֛וּ תֹּצְא֥וֹת הַגְּב֖וּל יָ֑מָּה זֶה יִהְיֶ֥ה לָכֶ֖ם גְּב֥וּל נֶֽגֶב
and it crosses to Azmon and goes out to the Brook of Egypt, and the border's endpoints are at the sea. This shall be your south border.
The weqatal chain from v.2 concludes as the border reaches the Mediterranean; a Kethiv/Qere pair (unpointed 'whyh' vs. pointed 'wehayu') marks a number-agreement correction with the plural 'endpoints' (totse'ot), after which the demonstrative summary clause 'this shall be your south border' formally closes the southern-border unit.
Word-by-word analysis· 15 words
וְעָבַ֣רand it crossesconj wə + Qal weqatal 3ms · עָבַר (H5674)Weqatal continuing the boundary-survey chain (predicate)→ Weqatal continuing the boundary-survey chain: the fixed line is described as crossing to Azmon -- a customary cartographic present, not a discrete past eventעָבַר (H5674) 'to pass over, cross'; continues the border's course from Karka on to Azmon. (source id 06kSx)
עַצְמ֗וֹנָהto AzmonN proper + directional he · עַצְמוֹן (H6111)Adverbial accusative of direction (goal of וְעָבַר)עַצְמוֹן (H6111) a site on the southern border near the Brook of Egypt, tentatively located in the ʿAin Qadis/Qoseima region; also listed in Num 34:4-5. (source id 06488)
וְיָצָא֙and it goes outconj wə + Qal weqatal 3ms · יָצָא (H3318)Weqatal continuing the boundary-survey chain (predicate)→ Weqatal continuing the boundary-survey chain: the fixed line is described as going out to the Brook of Egypt -- a customary cartographic present, not a discrete past eventיָצָא (H3318) 'to go out'; the border's final southern-western leg reaches the Wadi of Egypt. (source id 06Mix)
נַ֣חַלthe wadi ofN m sg constr · נַחַל (H5158)Adverbial accusative of direction, head of construct chainנַחַל (H5158) 'wadi, stream, torrent-valley'; construct before מִצְרַיִם, 'Wadi/Brook of Egypt'. (source id 06Nt6)
מִצְרַ֔יִםof EgyptN proper · מִצְרַיִם (H4714)Genitive complement of נַחַל (construct chain)מִצְרַיִם (H4714) 'Egypt'; נַחַל מִצְרַיִם 'the Brook/Wadi of Egypt', generally identified with Wadi el-ʿArish, the traditional southwestern border between Canaan/Israel and Egypt (cf. Num 34:5; 1 Kgs 8:65). (source id 06JC3)
והיה[Kethiv: and it was]Kethiv (unpointed) · Qal weqatal 3ms · הָיָה (H1961) -- consonantal skeleton corrected by the Qere וְהָי֛וּKethiv -- consonantal text underlying the pointed Qere that follows→ Kethiv reading: singular weqatal 'and it was/happened'; superseded in the reading tradition by the plural Qere agreeing with the plural תֹּצְאוֹתKethiv 'whyh' (והיה), the bare consonantal form written by the scribe (root הָיָה, H1961, 3ms weqatal 'and it was'). The Masoretes left it unpointed and supplied the Qere וְהָי֛וּ (3cp 'and they were') in the adjacent word, since the following subject תֹּצְאוֹת הַגְּבוּל 'the boundary's endpoints' is grammatically plural; the Kethiv preserves an older/alternate written tradition treating the boundary-terminus as a collective singular, while the Qere regularizes number agreement. This is a genuine Kethiv/Qere pair, not a scribal duplication error. (source id 06ieh)
וְהָי֛וּand they shall be (Qere)Qere (pointed) · Qal weqatal 3cp · הָיָה (H1961)Weqatal continuing the boundary-survey chain (predicate, Qere reading, agreeing with plural תֹּצְאוֹת)→ Weqatal continuing the boundary-survey chain, read as plural per the Qere: 'and [the endpoints] are/were' -- the customary cartographic present stating the border's terminus at the seaהָיָה (H1961) 'to be, happen'; the Qere pointing וְהָי֛וּ (3cp) is the form actually read aloud, agreeing in number with the plural subject תֹּצְאוֹת הַגְּבוּל that follows -- see the Kethiv note on the preceding word (והיה) for the Kethiv/Qere relationship. (source id 06ASQ)
תֹּצְא֥וֹתthe endpoints ofN f pl constr · תּוֹצָאוֹת (H8444)Subject of וְהָיוּ, head of construct chainתּוֹצָאָה (H8444) 'outgoing, extremity, terminus' (from יָצָא); plural תּוֹצְאוֹת 'the endpoints/limits' -- the technical survey term for where a border's line terminates, occurring repeatedly through the border lists of Josh 15-19. (source id 06NoG)
הַגְּב֖וּלthe borderart + N m sg abs · גְּבוּל (H1366)Genitive complement of תֹּצְאוֹת (construct chain)גְּבוּל (H1366) 'border'; 'the endpoints of the border' = where the southern boundary line terminates, namely at the (Mediterranean) sea. (source id 06CEp)
יָ֑מָּהat the seaN m sg abs + directional he · יָם (H3220)Adverbial accusative of location/direction, predicate complementיָם (H3220) 'sea'; with directional he, 'seaward, at the sea' -- here the Mediterranean (Great Sea), the western terminus of the southern border. (source id 06ngB)
זֶהthisdemonstrative pron m sg · זֶה (H2088)Subject of יִהְיֶה (resumptive/summary demonstrative)זֶה (H2088) demonstrative 'this'; summarizes the preceding border description as a unit, introducing the closing formula 'this shall be your south border'. (source id 06yLn)
יִהְיֶ֥הshall beQal yiqtol 3ms · הָיָה (H1961)Predicate verb of the summary clause→ Yiqtol: modal/prescriptive future -- a fixed legal-descriptive statement closing the southern-border unit ('this shall be/is your border')הָיָה (H1961) 'to be'; the yiqtol here has prescriptive/declarative force typical of boundary-list closing formulas (cf. Num 34, Ezek 47-48). (source id 06akE)
לָכֶ֖םfor youprep לְ + 2mp suffixDative of possession/reference ('your border')Preposition לְ + 2mp suffix, 'to/for you (pl.)'; dative of possession, addressing the tribe of Judah collectively. (source id 06QRH)
גְּב֥וּלborderN m sg constr · גְּבוּל (H1366)Predicate nominative complement of יִהְיֶה, head of construct chainגְּבוּל (H1366) 'border'; construct before נֶגֶב, 'south border' -- closes the summary formula for the entire southern-border unit (vv.2-4). (source id 06G4s)
נֶֽגֶבsouthN m sg abs · נֶגֶב (H5045)Genitive complement of גְּבוּל (construct chain, 'south border')נֶגֶב (H5045) 'south'; qualifies גְּבוּל as specifically the southern border, distinguishing it from the east, north, and west borders described later. (source id 06mzP)
5
וּגְב֥וּל קֵ֨דְמָה֙ יָ֣ם הַמֶּ֔לַח עַד קְצֵ֖ה הַיַּרְדֵּ֑ן וּגְב֞וּל לִפְאַ֤ת צָפ֨וֹנָה֙ מִלְּשׁ֣וֹן הַיָּ֔ם מִקְצֵ֖ה הַיַּרְדֵּֽן
And the east border is the Salt Sea, to the mouth of the Jordan. And the north border runs from the bay of the sea at the mouth of the Jordan.
Two parallel casus-pendens clauses ('and the border...') briefly state the simple east border (the Dead Sea itself) and then pivot to the north border's starting point at the sea's northern bay, setting up the detailed northern survey that begins in v.6.
Word-by-word analysis· 14 words
וּגְב֥וּלand the border ofconj wə + N m sg abs · גְּבוּל (H1366)Casus pendens / subject, opening the next section (east border)גְּבוּל (H1366) 'border'; opens the next section, the east border, in the same catalog style as the south-border unit. (source id 06VHe)
קֵ֨דְמָה֙eastwardN m sg abs + directional he · קֶדֶם (H6924)Adverbial/appositional qualifier of גְּבוּל ('the east border')קֶדֶם (H6924) 'east, front, antiquity'; with directional he, 'eastward' -- qualifies גְּבוּל as the eastern boundary. (source id 066MU)
יָ֣םthe sea ofN m sg constr · יָם (H3220)Predicate nominative (identifying the east border), head of construct chainיָם (H3220) 'sea'; construct before הַמֶּלַח, identifying the entire eastern border simply as 'the Salt Sea' (the Dead Sea). (source id 06DbG)
הַמֶּ֔לַחthe Salt (Sea)art + N m sg abs · מֶלַח (H4417)Genitive complement of יָם (construct chain, 'Salt Sea')מֶלַח (H4417) 'salt'; יָם הַמֶּלַח, the Dead Sea, forming the whole of Judah's simple, uncomplicated eastern border. (source id 06ecu)
עַדas far asprep · עַד (H5704)Prepositional phrase marking terminal extentעַד (H5704) 'until, as far as'; marks the northern limit of the eastern (Dead Sea) border at the Jordan's mouth. (source id 06jQu)
קְצֵ֖הthe mouth ofN c sg constr · קָצֶה (H7097)Object of preposition עַד, head of construct chainקָצֶה (H7097) 'end, edge'; here idiomatically 'the mouth/end of the Jordan', where the river empties into the Dead Sea. (source id 06Bcc)
הַיַּרְדֵּ֑ןthe Jordanart + N proper · יַרְדֵּן (H3383)Genitive complement of קְצֵה (construct chain)יַרְדֵּן (H3383) 'the Jordan', the river flowing into the Dead Sea from the north; its mouth marks the transition point between the east border and the beginning of the north border. (source id 06EVD)
וּגְב֞וּלand the border ofconj wə + N m sg abs · גְּבוּל (H1366)Casus pendens / subject, opening the next section (north border)גְּבוּל (H1366) 'border'; opens the north-border unit, continuing through v.11. (source id 06yJE)
לִפְאַ֤תon the side ofprep לְ + N f sg constr · פֵּאָה (H6285)Prepositional phrase, appositional qualifier of גְּבוּלפֵּאָה (H6285) 'side, edge, corner'; construct before צָפוֹנָה, 'the north side' -- qualifies גְּבוּל as the northern boundary. (source id 06cfw)
צָפ֨וֹנָה֙northwardN f sg abs + directional he · צָפוֹן (H6828)Genitive complement of לִפְאַת (construct chain, 'the north side')צָפוֹן (H6828) 'north'; with directional he, 'northward' -- completes the phrase 'the north border'. (source id 066j8)
מִלְּשׁ֣וֹןfrom the bay ofprep מִן + N c sg constr · לָשׁוֹן (H3956)Prepositional phrase marking the starting point of the north borderלָשׁוֹן (H3956) 'tongue'; here again the geographic sense 'bay, spit' (cf. v.2), now the northern bay of the Dead Sea at the Jordan's mouth -- the starting point of the northern border traced in v.6ff. (source id 06EEK)
הַיָּ֔םthe seaart + N m sg abs · יָם (H3220)Genitive complement of מִלְּשׁוֹן (construct chain)יָם (H3220) 'sea'; here the Dead Sea (Salt Sea) already named in vv.2, 5a, referenced anaphorically with the article. (source id 062ZK)
מִקְצֵ֖הat the mouth ofprep מִן + N c sg constr · קָצֶה (H7097)Prepositional phrase in apposition, further specifying the starting pointקָצֶה (H7097) 'end, mouth'; in apposition to מִלְּשׁוֹן הַיָּם, pinpointing the exact spot as 'at the mouth of the Jordan', matching the east border's terminus in v.5a. (source id 06T4o)
הַיַּרְדֵּֽןthe Jordanart + N proper · יַרְדֵּן (H3383)Genitive complement of מִקְצֵה (construct chain)יַרְדֵּן (H3383) 'the Jordan'; the same landmark named in v.5a now serves as the fixed hinge-point where the east border ends and the north border begins. (source id 06SGX)
6
וְעָלָ֤ה הַגְּבוּל֙ בֵּ֣ית חָגְלָ֔ה וְעָבַ֕ר מִצְּפ֖וֹן לְבֵ֣ית הָעֲרָבָ֑ה וְעָלָ֣ה הַגְּב֔וּל אֶ֥בֶן בֹּ֖הַן בֶּן רְאוּבֵֽן
And the border goes up to Beth-hoglah, and crosses north of Beth-arabah; and the border goes up to the Stone of Bohan son of Reuben.
Three weqatal verbs (goes up, crosses, goes up) trace the north border eastward from the Jordan's mouth through Beth-hoglah and north of Beth-arabah to the Stone of Bohan son of Reuben, a named landmark whose patronymic notes a cross-tribal (Reubenite) association within Judahite territory.
Word-by-word analysis· 14 words
וְעָלָ֤הand it goes upconj wə + Qal weqatal 3ms · עָלָה (H5927)Weqatal continuing the boundary-survey chain (predicate)→ Weqatal continuing the boundary-survey chain: the fixed line is described as going up to Beth-hoglah -- a customary cartographic present, not a discrete past eventעָלָה (H5927) 'to go up, ascend'; opens the detailed tracing of the north border. (source id 06ExA)
הַגְּבוּל֙the borderart + N m sg abs · גְּבוּל (H1366)Subject of וְעָלָהגְּבוּל (H1366) 'border'; explicit subject resuming the גְּבוּל introduced in v.5b, now traced point by point. (source id 06kGa)
בֵּ֣יתBeth-N proper constr · בֵּית (H1031)Adverbial accusative of direction, head of the compound place nameבַּיִת (H1031, construct בֵּית) 'house'; first element of the toponym בֵּית חָגְלָה, 'House/Place of Hoglah' (partridge). (source id 06wwe)
חָגְלָ֔ה-hoglahN proper · חָגְלָה (H1031)Genitive complement of בֵּית (construct chain, compound place name)בֵּית חָגְלָה 'Beth-hoglah' ('house/place of the partridge'), a site near the Jordan just north of the Dead Sea, later assigned within Benjamin's territory (Josh 18:19, 21); commonly identified with ʿAin Hajla. (source id 06ej6)
וְעָבַ֕רand it crossesconj wə + Qal weqatal 3ms · עָבַר (H5674)Weqatal continuing the boundary-survey chain (predicate)→ Weqatal continuing the boundary-survey chain: the fixed line is described as crossing north of Beth-arabah -- a customary cartographic present, not a discrete past eventעָבַר (H5674) 'to pass over, cross'; continues the north border's course past Beth-arabah. (source id 06iJP)
מִצְּפ֖וֹןnorth ofprep מִן + N f sg constr · צָפוֹן (H6828)Prepositional phrase, locative, head of construct chainצָפוֹן (H6828) 'north'; with מִן, 'from the north of' -- the border passes to the north side of Beth-arabah. (source id 06MEP)
לְבֵ֣יתto Beth-prep לְ + N proper constr · בֵּית (H1026)Prepositional phrase, complement of מִצְּפוֹן, head of compound place nameבַּיִת (H1031, construct בֵּית) 'house'; first element of בֵּית הָעֲרָבָה, 'House/Place of the Arabah'. (source id 06BRP)
הָעֲרָבָ֑ה-arabahart + N proper · עֲרָבָה (H1026)Genitive complement of לְבֵית (construct chain, compound place name)בֵּית הָעֲרָבָה 'Beth-arabah' ('house/place of the desert-plain'), a settlement in the Jordan Valley depression (עֲרָבָה) near the Dead Sea, listed both here on Judah's border and among Benjamin's towns (Josh 18:22). (source id 06q73)
וְעָלָ֣הand it goes upconj wə + Qal weqatal 3ms · עָלָה (H5927)Weqatal continuing the boundary-survey chain (predicate)→ Weqatal continuing the boundary-survey chain: the fixed line is described as going up to the Stone of Bohan -- a customary cartographic present, not a discrete past eventעָלָה (H5927) 'to go up, ascend'; the border's course rises to the next fixed marker, the Stone of Bohan. (source id 06SDq)
הַגְּב֔וּלthe borderart + N m sg abs · גְּבוּל (H1366)Subject of וְעָלָהגְּבוּל (H1366) 'border'; subject restated for the second clause of the verse, standard repetition in this survey style. (source id 06kXh)
אֶ֥בֶןthe stone ofN f sg constr · אֶבֶן (H68)Adverbial accusative of direction, head of construct chainאֶבֶן (H68) 'stone'; construct before בֹּהַן, 'the Stone of Bohan' -- a named boundary marker-stone, a fixed physical landmark used to anchor the tribal border. (source id 06URX)
בֹּ֖הַןBohanN proper · בֹּהַן (H932)Genitive complement of אֶבֶן (construct chain)בֹּהַן (H932) proper name, otherwise unknown apart from this notice and Josh 18:17 (where the same stone marks Benjamin's border); possibly related to בֹּהֶן 'thumb' by folk-etymology. (source id 06gMf)
בֶּןson ofN m sg constr · בֵּן (H1121)Construct chain (genitival, further identifying Bohan)בֵּן (H1121) 'son'; identifies Bohan by patronymic, 'son of Reuben' -- the marker stone is named for a member of the Reubenite tribe even though it lies far from Reuben's own Transjordanian territory, an incidental cross-tribal detail reflecting some otherwise-unrecorded tradition involving a Reubenite at this site. (source id 06E6M)
רְאוּבֵֽןReubenN proper · רְאוּבֵן (H7205)Genitive complement of בֶּן (construct chain)רְאוּבֵן (H7205) Jacob's firstborn son and his tribe, whose allotment lay east of the Jordan (Josh 13:15-23); 'Bohan son of Reuben' is a notable cross-tribal detail -- a Reubenite individual apparently commemorated by name at a boundary stone within Judahite (and later Benjaminite, Josh 18:17) territory west of the Jordan. (source id 061A6)
7
וְעָלָ֨ה הַגְּב֥וּל דְּבִרָה֮ מֵעֵ֣מֶק עָכוֹר֒ וְצָפ֜וֹנָה פֹּנֶ֣ה אֶל הַגִּלְגָּ֗ל אֲשֶׁר נֹ֨כַח֙ לְמַעֲלֵ֣ה אֲדֻמִּ֔ים אֲשֶׁ֥ר מִנֶּ֖גֶב לַנָּ֑חַל וְעָבַ֤ר הַגְּבוּל֙ אֶל מֵי עֵ֣ין שֶׁ֔מֶשׁ וְהָי֥וּ תֹצְאֹתָ֖יו אֶל עֵ֥ין רֹגֵֽל
The border went up to Debir from the Valley of Achor, and turned northward toward Gilgal, which faces the ascent of Adummim, which is on the south side of the wadi; the border passed along to the waters of En-shemesh, and its ends were at En-rogel.
Continues the north border of Judah from the Valley of Achor — the site of Achan's judgment, Josh 7 — toward Gilgal and the ascent of Adummim, ending at En-rogel. A chain of weqatal verbs (עָלָה, עָבַר, הָיָה) in the fixed survey-report register describes a permanent boundary line rather than narrated events, each embedded relative clause (אֲשֶׁר) pinning the line to a landmark.
Word-by-word analysis· 27 words
וְעָלָ֨הand [the border] went upconj וְ + Qal perf 3ms · עָלָה (H5927)Predicate verb, weqatal (main clause of the boundary description)→ Weqatal: describing the fixed, permanent course of the boundary in survey-report register — 'the border goes up' as customary/descriptive present, not a one-time narrated eventעָלָה (H5927) 'to go up, ascend'; in this weqatal border-formula it functions as the descriptive present of a boundary survey tracing a line on a map — 'the border goes up.'
הַגְּב֥וּלthe borderart + N m sg abs · גְּבוּל (H1366)Subjectגְּבוּל (H1366) 'border, boundary, territory'; the recurring subject of this border-list, tracing Judah's territorial limit.
דְּבִרָה֮to Debirproper noun + directional ה · דְּבִר (H1688)Adverbial accusative of direction (with directional ה)דְּבִר (H1688) 'Debir', a border town near the Valley of Achor on the Judah-Benjamin frontier; here with directional ה, 'to/toward Debir' — likely a different, otherwise unidentified site from the hill-country Debir conquered in Josh 10:38-39 and allotted in 15:15-17, since that Debir lies far to the southwest.
מֵעֵ֣מֶקfrom the Valley ofprep מִן + N m sg constr · עֵמֶק (H6010)Prepositional phrase, source (construct governing עָכוֹר)עֵמֶק (H6010) 'valley, lowland'; construct governing עָכוֹר, forming 'Valley of Achor.'
עָכוֹר֒Achorproper noun · עָכוֹר (H5911)Genitive (place name completing construct chain)עָכוֹר (H5911) 'Achor', lit. 'trouble, disturbance' (root עכר 'to trouble, bring calamity on'); the valley where Achan was stoned and burned for violating the ḥerem after Jericho (Josh 7:24-26) — the very name of the valley commemorates that judgment ('Valley of Trouble'), later reused as a symbol of hope restored (Hos 2:15).
וְצָפ֜וֹנָהand northwardconj וְ + N f sg abs + directional ה · צָפוֹן (H6828)Adverbial accusative of direction (with directional ה)צָפוֹן (H6828) 'north'; with directional ה, 'northward' — marks the border's turn in direction after Debir.
פֹּנֶ֣הfacingQal act ptc ms abs · פָּנָה (H6437)Participle, attributive/adverbial (describing the boundary's orientation toward Gilgal)→ Participle: durative, describing the ongoing/standing orientation of the boundary line — 'facing' as a fixed geographic relation, not an eventפָּנָה (H6437) Qal 'to face, turn toward'; here a participle describing the border's fixed orientation toward Gilgal.
אֶלtowardprep · אֶל (H413)Prepositional phrase marker (goal)
הַגִּלְגָּ֗לGilgalart + proper noun · גִּלְגָּל (H1537)Object of preposition (goal of orientation)גִּלְגָּל (H1537) 'Gilgal'; not Israel's well-known first camp near Jericho (Josh 4:19-20), but a different, otherwise unidentified Gilgal (or 'Geliloth,' cf. 18:17) near the ascent of Adummim on the Judah-Benjamin border.
אֲשֶׁרwhichrelative particle · אֲשֶׁר (H834)Relative clause marker (introducing a locating clause)אֲשֶׁר (H834), relative particle introducing the clause locating Gilgal, 'which faces the ascent of Adummim.'
נֹ֨כַח֙opposite, facingadverb · נֹכַח (H5227)Adverbial (predicate of the relative clause)נֹכַח (H5227) 'opposite, in front of, facing'; adverbial/prepositional in force, locating Gilgal relative to the ascent of Adummim.
לְמַעֲלֵ֣הthe ascent ofprep לְ + N m sg constr · מַעֲלֶה (H4608)Prepositional phrase, object of נֹכַח (construct governing אֲדֻמִּים)מַעֲלֶה (H4608) 'ascent, climb', from עָלָה 'to go up'; construct with אֲדֻמִּים, 'the ascent of Adummim.'
אֲדֻמִּ֔יםAdummimproper noun · אֲדֻמִּים (H131)Genitive (place name completing construct chain)אֲדֻמִּים (H131) 'Adummim', lit. 'red spots/red places' (from אָדֹם 'red'), a steep pass on the Jerusalem–Jericho road through reddish limestone and marl; the same road later traditionally located as the setting of the Good Samaritan parable (Luke 10:30-37), though that association is later tradition, not part of the biblical text itself.
אֲשֶׁ֥רwhichrelative particle · אֲשֶׁר (H834)Relative clause marker (introducing a locating clause)אֲשֶׁר (H834), relative particle introducing 'which is on the south side of the wadi', further locating the ascent of Adummim.
מִנֶּ֖גֶבon the south sideprep מִן + N m sg abs · נֶגֶב (H5045)Predicate prepositional phrase (locating Adummim relative to the wadi)נֶגֶב (H5045) 'south, Negev'; here simple directional 'south of.'
לַנָּ֑חַלof the wadiprep לְ + art + N m sg abs · נַחַל (H5158)Object of preposition (with article, definite)נַחַל (H5158) 'wadi, stream, ravine' — the seasonal watercourse (likely Wadi Qelt) running south of the ascent of Adummim.
וְעָבַ֤רand [the border] passed alongconj וְ + Qal perf 3ms · עָבַר (H5674)Predicate verb, weqatal (main clause of the boundary description)→ Weqatal: the boundary's crossing-motion continues the fixed-course chain — 'the border crosses/passes along to,' the permanent surveyed line, not a narrated eventעָבַר (H5674) 'to pass over, cross, pass along'; in this border-formula the descriptive present of the survey — the line 'crosses to' the next landmark.
הַגְּבוּל֙the borderart + N m sg abs · גְּבוּל (H1366)Subjectגְּבוּל (H1366), repeated subject of the boundary description.
אֶלtoprep · אֶל (H413)Prepositional phrase marker (goal)
מֵיthe waters ofN m pl constr · מַיִם (H4325)Object of preposition (construct governing עֵין שֶׁמֶשׁ)מַיִם (H4325) 'water(s)'; construct plural, 'waters of', governing the spring-name En-shemesh.
עֵ֣יןEn-proper noun (constr) · עֵין (H5885)Construct (first element of place name)עַיִן 'spring, fountain' functioning as toponym element; first part of עֵין שֶׁמֶשׁ 'Spring of the Sun,' likely modern ʿAin Ḥaud east of Jerusalem near the Jericho road.
שֶׁ֔מֶשׁ-shemesh (Sun)proper noun · שֶׁמֶשׁ (H5885)Genitive (second element of place name, completing construct)שֶׁמֶשׁ 'sun', second element combining with עֵין to form עֵין שֶׁמֶשׁ 'Spring of the Sun' — the pair is tagged under one OSHB lemma (H5885) as a single toponym split across two tokens.
וְהָי֥וּand [its] ends wereconj וְ + Qal perf 3cp · הָיָה (H1961)Predicate verb, weqatal (main clause, resultative)→ Weqatal: the concluding formula of the boundary segment — 'and its extremities are/were at,' marking the fixed terminus of the described lineהָיָה (H1961) 'to be, become'; here with plural subject תֹצְאֹתָיו, 'its ends were/are at.'
תֹצְאֹתָ֖יוits endsN f pl constr + 3ms suff · תּוֹצָאוֹת (H8444)Subject (with 3ms pronominal suffix referring to הַגְּבוּל)תּוֹצָאוֹת (H8444) 'goings out, extremities, ends, outlets', from יָצָא 'to go out'; the technical term in this border-list for the terminal point where a boundary segment ends.
אֶלatprep · אֶל (H413)Prepositional phrase marker (locative)
עֵ֥יןEn-proper noun (constr) · עֵין (H5883)Construct (first element of place name)עַיִן 'spring' as toponym element; first element of עֵין רֹגֵל 'Spring of Rogel' (En-rogel), a spring just south of Jerusalem at the confluence of the Kidron and Hinnom valleys — later the scene of Adonijah's feast (1 Kgs 1:9) and a signal-point for David's spies (2 Sam 17:17).
רֹגֵֽל-rogelproper noun · רֹגֵל (H5883)Genitive (second element of place name, completing construct)רֹגֵל, possibly from רֶגֶל 'foot' (a fuller's spring where cloth was trodden underfoot); combines with עֵין to form 'En-rogel,' completing the northern-border segment of this verse.
8
וְעָלָ֨ה הַגְּב֜וּל גֵּ֣י בֶן הִנֹּ֗ם אֶל כֶּ֤תֶף הַיְבוּסִי֙ מִנֶּ֔גֶב הִ֖יא יְרֽוּשָׁלִָ֑ם וְעָלָ֨ה הַגְּב֜וּל אֶל רֹ֣אשׁ הָהָ֗ר אֲ֠שֶׁר עַל פְּנֵ֤י גֵֽי הִנֹּם֙ יָ֔מָּה אֲשֶׁ֛ר בִּקְצֵ֥ה עֵֽמֶק רְפָאִ֖ים צָפֹֽנָה
The border went up the Valley of Ben-Hinnom to the shoulder of the Jebusite from the south — that is, Jerusalem — and the border went up to the top of the mountain that faces the Valley of Hinnom on the west, at the northern end of the Valley of Rephaim.
The border's ascent along the Ben-Hinnom valley to the Jebusite ridge triggers the book's FIRST NAMING OF JERUSALEM, marked by the narrator's identification formula הִיא יְרוּשָׁלִָם ('that is, Jerusalem') — an editorial gloss updating the old survey description to the name later readers would know, notable because Jerusalem is explicitly still Jebusite territory at this narrative point (cf. 15:63). The verse then continues the ascending boundary to the mountaintop overlooking Hinnom and Rephaim, both sites with later theological resonance (child sacrifice/Gehenna; Rephaim giants and Davidic battles).
Word-by-word analysis· 27 words
וְעָלָ֨הand [the border] went upconj וְ + Qal perf 3ms · עָלָה (H5927)Predicate verb, weqatal (main clause of the boundary description)→ Weqatal: continuing the fixed-course boundary chain — 'the border goes up,' ascending the Hinnom valley in survey-present register, not a narrated eventעָלָה (H5927) 'to go up'; here of the border's course ascending the Ben-Hinnom valley toward the Jebusite ridge.
הַגְּב֜וּלthe borderart + N m sg abs · גְּבוּל (H1366)Subjectגְּבוּל (H1366), repeated subject of the boundary description.
גֵּ֣יthe Valley ofN c sg constr · גַּיְא (H1516)Adverbial accusative of path/direction (construct governing בֶן הִנֹּם)גַּיְא (H1516) 'valley, ravine'; construct governing בֶן הִנֹּם — 'the Valley of Ben-Hinnom,' the ravine on Jerusalem's south/west side.
בֶןson ofN m sg constr · בֵּן (H1121)Construct (second element, part of place name)בֵּן (H1121) 'son'; part of the place-name construct chain גֵּי בֶן־הִנֹּם 'Valley of the son of Hinnom.'
הִנֹּ֗םHinnomproper noun · הִנֹּם (H2011)Genitive (final element completing the construct chain / place name)הִנֹּם (H2011), name of uncertain origin marking this valley south/west of Jerusalem. The site later became infamous for child sacrifice to Molech under Ahaz and Manasseh (2 Kgs 16:3; 23:10; 2 Chr 28:3; 33:6), denounced in Jeremiah's Topheth oracles (Jer 7:31-32; 19:2-6; 32:35); its name (Gê-Hinnom) ultimately gave rise to Greek Γέεννα, 'Gehenna,' as a designation for eschatological judgment (e.g. Matt 5:22).
אֶלtoprep · אֶל (H413)Prepositional phrase marker (goal)
כֶּ֤תֶףthe shoulder ofN f sg constr · כָּתֵף (H3802)Object of preposition (construct governing הַיְבוּסִי)כָּתֵף (H3802) 'shoulder'; used topographically for a ridge or mountain slope — here the ridge/slope of the Jebusite city.
הַיְבוּסִי֙the Jebusiteart + gentilic noun m sg abs · יְבוּסִי (H2983)Genitive (completing construct chain, gentilic with article)יְבוּסִי (H2983) 'Jebusite', the pre-Israelite Canaanite inhabitants of Jerusalem (cf. Josh 15:63; 2 Sam 5:6-9); the gentilic stands for their city/ridge.
מִנֶּ֔גֶבfrom the southprep מִן + N m sg abs · נֶגֶב (H5045)Adverbial prepositional phrase (locating the shoulder relative to the city)נֶגֶב (H5045) 'south'; the border skirts the Jebusite ridge on its south side.
הִ֖יאthat isindependent pron 3fs · הִיא (H1931)Independent personal pronoun functioning as identification-copula (resumptive, 'that is —' formula)הוּא/הִיא (H1931), 3fs independent pronoun used in the fixed identification formula הִיא + place-name, 'that is —': the narrator's own editorial gloss equating an older/functional description ('the shoulder of the Jebusite from the south') with the name every later reader would recognize. This is the FIRST NAMING OF JERUSALEM in the book of Joshua and in the tribal border-list tradition — striking because at this narrative point the city is explicitly NOT Israelite territory; the border simply skirts its edge (cf. 15:63, 'the sons of Judah could not dispossess the Jebusites... so the Jebusites dwell with the sons of Judah in Jerusalem to this day'). The same הִיא-formula recurs at v.9 (Kiriath-jearim) and v.13 (Hebron), marking the editorial hand that updates archaic survey names to living Israelite usage.
יְרֽוּשָׁלִָ֑םJerusalemproper noun · יְרוּשָׁלִַם (H3389)Predicate nominative (complement of the identification formula הִיא)יְרוּשָׁלִַם (H3389) 'Jerusalem', etymology debated (possibly 'foundation of [the god] Shalem' or 'city of peace/Shalem'), attested from at least the Amarna letters (14th c. BC, Urusalim) as a Canaanite city-state. This is the name's first occurrence in the book of Joshua, introduced here as the well-known equivalent of the older topographic description 'the shoulder of the Jebusite from the south' — a city standing at Judah's very border but not yet under Israelite control (15:63).
וְעָלָ֨הand [the border] went upconj וְ + Qal perf 3ms · עָלָה (H5927)Predicate verb, weqatal (main clause of the boundary description)→ Weqatal: resuming the ascending-boundary chain after the parenthetical Jerusalem identification, continuing the survey-present description toward the mountaintopעָלָה (H5927), repeated — the border's course continues upward from the Jebusite ridge to the mountaintop.
הַגְּב֜וּלthe borderart + N m sg abs · גְּבוּל (H1366)Subjectגְּבוּל (H1366), repeated subject.
אֶלtoprep · אֶל (H413)Prepositional phrase marker (goal)
רֹ֣אשׁthe top ofN m sg constr · רֹאשׁ (H7218)Object of preposition (construct governing הָהָר)רֹאשׁ (H7218) 'head, top, summit'; construct with הָהָר, 'the top of the mountain' — the elevated ridge overlooking the Hinnom and Rephaim valleys southwest of Jerusalem.
הָהָ֗רthe mountainart + N m sg abs · הַר (H2022)Genitive (completing construct chain, with article)הַר (H2022) 'mountain, hill'; the elevated ridge overlooking the Hinnom and Rephaim valleys, possibly the height later called Mount Zion/the Temple Mount ridge, or the 'Hill of Evil Counsel' south of the Hinnom valley in some reconstructions.
אֲ֠שֶׁרwhichrelative particle · אֲשֶׁר (H834)Relative clause marker (introducing a locating clause)אֲשֶׁר (H834), relative particle introducing the clause locating the mountain, 'which faces the Valley of Hinnom westward.'
עַלfacingprep · עַל (H5921)Prepositional phrase marker (with פְּנֵי, forming 'facing/opposite')עַל (H5921) 'upon, over, against'; combined with פְּנֵי as the compound preposition עַל־פְּנֵי, 'facing, in front of, opposite.'
פְּנֵ֤יthe face ofN c pl constr · פָּנִים (H6440)Object of preposition (construct forming compound preposition עַל־פְּנֵי, 'facing')פָּנִים (H6440) 'face'; construct plural in the compound preposition עַל־פְּנֵי 'facing, opposite,' governing גֵי הִנֹּם.
גֵֽיthe Valley ofN c sg constr · גַּיְא (H1516)Object of preposition (construct governing הִנֹּם)גַּיְא (H1516), repeated — 'the Valley of Hinnom,' the landmark the mountaintop faces.
הִנֹּם֙Hinnomproper noun · הִנֹּם (H2011)Genitive (completing construct chain)הִנֹּם (H2011), repeated — same valley named in v.8a, the reference point for the mountain's westward orientation.
יָ֔מָּהwestwardN m sg abs + directional ה · יָם (H3220)Adverbial accusative of direction (with directional ה)יָם (H3220) 'sea'; used directionally, 'seaward' = 'westward' (the Mediterranean lying west), with directional ה.
אֲשֶׁ֛רwhichrelative particle · אֲשֶׁר (H834)Relative clause marker (introducing a second locating clause)אֲשֶׁר (H834), relative particle introducing 'which is at the edge of the Valley of Rephaim, northward' — further locating the boundary point.
בִּקְצֵ֥הat the edge ofprep בְּ + N c sg constr · קָצֶה (H7097)Predicate prepositional phrase (construct governing עֵמֶק רְפָאִים)קָצֶה (H7097) 'end, edge, extremity'; construct with עֵמֶק רְפָאִים, 'at the edge of the Valley of Rephaim.'
עֵֽמֶקthe valley ofN m sg constr · עֵמֶק (H6010)Genitive (construct governing רְפָאִים, completing chain)עֵמֶק (H6010), repeated — construct with רְפָאִים forming 'Valley of Rephaim,' the broad valley southwest of Jerusalem (cf. 2 Sam 5:18, 22; 23:13).
רְפָאִ֖יםRephaimproper noun · רְפָאִים (H7497)Genitive (completing construct chain)רְפָאִים (H7497), a name traditionally linked to the pre-Israelite 'Rephaim,' a legendary race of giants/warrior-shades (cf. Deut 2:11, 20; 3:11); here designating the valley (modern el-Baqʿa) southwest of Jerusalem, an agriculturally rich plain later the site of Philistine incursions against David (2 Sam 5:18-22).
צָפֹֽנָהnorthwardN f sg abs + directional ה · צָפוֹן (H6828)Adverbial accusative of direction (with directional ה)צָפוֹן (H6828), repeated — 'northward,' locating the edge of the Rephaim valley relative to the border point (i.e., the border point sits at the valley's north end).
9
וְתָאַ֨ר הַגְּב֜וּל מֵרֹ֣אשׁ הָהָ֗ר אֶל מַעְיַן֙ מֵ֣י נֶפְתּ֔וֹחַ וְיָצָ֖א אֶל עָרֵ֣י הַר עֶפְר֑וֹן וְתָאַ֤ר הַגְּבוּל֙ בַּעֲלָ֔ה הִ֖יא קִרְיַ֥ת יְעָרִֽים
The border curved from the top of the mountain to the spring of the Waters of Nephtoah, and went out to the cities of Mount Ephron; then the border curved to Baalah — that is, Kiriath-jearim.
The border bends from the mountaintop past the spring of Nephtoah and the cities of Mount Ephron to Baalah, which the narrator identifies — הִיא קִרְיַת יְעָרִים, 'that is, Kiriath-jearim' — paralleling the Jerusalem gloss of v.8. This is a second instance of the narrator updating an old Canaanite/cultic name to the name known from Israel's sacred history: Kiriath-jearim, famous as the ark's resting place for two decades (1 Sam 6-7) before David's procession brought it to Jerusalem. The two identification formulas in vv.8-9 thus anchor the border description to the two poles of Israel's later cultic geography — Jerusalem and the ark's temporary home.
Word-by-word analysis· 19 words
וְתָאַ֨רand [the border] curvedconj וְ + Qal perf 3ms · תָּאַר (H8388)Predicate verb, weqatal (main clause of the boundary description)→ Weqatal: describing the boundary's bending course in survey-present register — 'the border curves/bends' as fixed, customary description, not a narrated eventתָּאַר (H8388) Qal 'to mark out, delineate, bend, curve'; a technical border-list verb for the line's turning course, distinct from the straight-motion verbs עָלָה/יָצָא/עָבַר.
הַגְּב֜וּלthe borderart + N m sg abs · גְּבוּל (H1366)Subjectגְּבוּל (H1366), repeated subject.
מֵרֹ֣אשׁfrom the top ofprep מִן + N m sg constr · רֹאשׁ (H7218)Prepositional phrase, source (construct governing הָהָר)רֹאשׁ (H7218), repeated — 'from the top of,' the same mountain-summit reached at the end of v.8.
הָהָ֗רthe mountainart + N m sg abs · הַר (H2022)Genitive (completing construct chain, with article)הַר (H2022), repeated — the mountain named in v.8, the pivot point for this new border segment.
אֶלtoprep · אֶל (H413)Prepositional phrase marker (goal)
מַעְיַן֙the spring ofN m sg constr · מַעְיָן (H4599)Object of preposition (construct governing מֵי נֶפְתּוֹחַ)מַעְיָן (H4599) 'spring, fountain', from עַיִן; construct governing 'the Waters of Nephtoah.'
מֵ֣יthe waters ofN m pl constr · מַיִם (H4325)Genitive (construct, second element of chain, governing נֶפְתּוֹחַ)מַיִם (H4325), repeated — construct plural forming part of the compound toponym 'the Waters of Nephtoah.'
נֶפְתּ֔וֹחַNephtoahproper noun · נֶפְתּוֹחַ (H5318)Genitive (completing construct chain)נֶפְתּוֹחַ (H5318), possibly meaning 'opening' (root פתח 'to open'); commonly identified with modern Lifta/ʿAin Lifta northwest of Jerusalem, a perennial spring on the Judah-Benjamin watershed.
וְיָצָ֖אand [the border] went outconj וְ + Qal perf 3ms · יָצָא (H3318)Predicate verb, weqatal (main clause of the boundary description)→ Weqatal: the border's outward extension to a further landmark, in the fixed survey-present registerיָצָא (H3318) 'to go out, come forth'; in border-lists marks the line extending out to a named point — here to the cities of Mount Ephron.
אֶלtoprep · אֶל (H413)Prepositional phrase marker (goal)
עָרֵ֣יthe cities ofN f pl constr · עִיר (H5892)Object of preposition (construct governing הַר עֶפְרוֹן)עִיר (H5892) 'city, town'; construct plural, 'cities of' — an unusual plural border-point (a cluster of towns rather than a single site), suggesting the border ran along a settled district on Mount Ephron.
הַרMountN m sg constr · הַר (H2022)Genitive (construct, second element governing עֶפְרוֹן)הַר (H2022), repeated — construct governing עֶפְרוֹן.
עֶפְר֑וֹןEphronproper noun · עֶפְרוֹן (H6085)Genitive (completing construct chain)עֶפְרוֹן (H6085) 'Ephron', an otherwise unidentified hill-country ridge northwest of Jerusalem in the Judah-Benjamin border zone; not the Hittite Ephron of Gen 23 nor the town of 2 Chr 13:19.
וְתָאַ֤רand [the border] curvedconj וְ + Qal perf 3ms · תָּאַר (H8388)Predicate verb, weqatal (main clause of the boundary description)→ Weqatal: resuming the bending-boundary description toward Baalah, in the fixed survey-present registerתָּאַר (H8388), repeated — the border bends again, toward Baalah/Kiriath-jearim.
הַגְּבוּל֙the borderart + N m sg abs · גְּבוּל (H1366)Subjectגְּבוּל (H1366), repeated subject.
בַּעֲלָ֔הBaalahproper noun · בַּעֲלָה (H1173)Adverbial accusative of goal/direction (place-name object without preposition)בַּעֲלָה (H1173) 'Baalah', lit. 'mistress, lady' (feminine of בַּעַל 'lord, Baal') — an older Canaanite cultic/place name later equated with Kiriath-jearim; cf. 1 Chr 13:6 'Baalah, that is, Kiriath-jearim.'
הִ֖יאthat isindependent pron 3fs · הִיא (H1931)Independent personal pronoun functioning as identification-copula (resumptive, 'that is —' formula)הוּא/הִיא (H1931), a second instance of the identification formula in this stretch (cf. v.8 on Jerusalem), here equating the archaic/Canaanite name בַּעֲלָה ('the lady/mistress,' probably reflecting Canaanite Baal-worship associations) with the town's better-known name קִרְיַת יְעָרִים. Kiriath-jearim holds major covenant-historical significance as the resting place of the ark of the covenant for twenty years after its return from Philistine territory (1 Sam 6:21-7:2), before David brought it up to Jerusalem (2 Sam 6; 1 Chr 13). The pairing of this identification with v.8's Jerusalem formula frames the chapter's border description with two sites central to Israel's later worship geography — the ark's resting place and the future capital.
קִרְיַ֥תKiriath-proper noun (constr) · קִרְיַת (H7157)Predicate nominative (construct, first element of the complement place name)קִרְיָה/קִרְיַת (H7157 as construct element) 'city, town'; construct first element of קִרְיַת יְעָרִים 'City of Forests/Jearim.'
יְעָרִֽים-jearimproper noun · יְעָרִים (H7157)Genitive (completing construct chain, second element of the place name)יַעַר (H7157 as toponym element) 'forest, wooded height'; plural יְעָרִים 'forests', combining with קִרְיַת to form 'Kiriath-jearim,' a town on the Judah-Benjamin border (modern Deir el-ʿAzar/Abu Ghosh).
10
וְנָסַב֩ הַגְּב֨וּל מִבַּעֲלָ֥ה יָ֨מָּה֙ אֶל הַ֣ר שֵׂעִ֔יר וְעָבַ֕ר אֶל כֶּ֧תֶף הַר יְעָרִ֛ים מִצָּפ֖וֹנָה הִ֣יא כְסָל֑וֹן וְיָרַ֥ד בֵּֽית שֶׁ֖מֶשׁ וְעָבַ֥ר תִּמְנָֽה
The border circled from Baalah westward to Mount Seir, and passed along to the shoulder of Mount Jearim on the north — that is, Chesalon — and went down to Beth-shemesh and passed on to Timnah.
The border sweeps (נָסַב, a stronger 'circling' verb than the usual תָּאַר) westward from Baalah/Kiriath-jearim around Mount Seir — a local hill, not Edom's Seir — to the shoulder of Mount Jearim, identified in a third הִיא-formula matching vv.8-9 as Chesalon, then descends to Beth-shemesh and on to Timnah, the town later notorious as the site of Samson's disastrous Philistine marriage (Judg 14).
Word-by-word analysis· 20 words
וְנָסַב֩and [the border] circledconj וְ + Niphal perf 3ms · סָבַב (H5437)Predicate verb, weqatal Niphal (main clause of the boundary description)→ Weqatal Niphal: the boundary's course curving around a landmark — 'the border circles/turns around,' the fixed survey-present of a sweeping bend rather than a narrated eventסָבַב (H5437) Niphal 'to turn oneself around, circle around'; here of the boundary's broad westward sweep from Baalah around toward Mount Seir — a more pronounced turn than תָּאַר.
הַגְּב֨וּלthe borderart + N m sg abs · גְּבוּל (H1366)Subjectגְּבוּל (H1366), repeated subject.
מִבַּעֲלָ֥הfrom Baalahprep מִן + proper noun · בַּעֲלָה (H1173)Prepositional phrase, sourceבַּעֲלָה (H1173), repeated — the same Baalah/Kiriath-jearim of v.9, now the starting point of this new segment.
יָ֨מָּה֙westwardN m sg abs + directional ה · יָם (H3220)Adverbial accusative of direction (with directional ה)יָם (H3220), repeated — 'seaward/westward,' with directional ה.
אֶלtoprep · אֶל (H413)Prepositional phrase marker (goal)
הַ֣רMountN m sg constr · הַר (H2022)Object of preposition (construct governing שֵׂעִיר)הַר (H2022), repeated — construct, 'Mount' governing שֵׂעִיר.
שֵׂעִ֔ירSeirproper noun · שֵׂעִיר (H8165)Genitive (completing construct chain)שֵׂעִיר (H8165) 'Seir', lit. 'hairy, shaggy' (of rough/wooded terrain); NOT the well-known Seir/Edom southeast of the Dead Sea, but a local hill in the Judah-Benjamin border district, otherwise unidentified — a coincidental reuse of the name.
וְעָבַ֕רand [the border] passed alongconj וְ + Qal perf 3ms · עָבַר (H5674)Predicate verb, weqatal (main clause of the boundary description)→ Weqatal: continuing the crossing-motion boundary chain in survey-present registerעָבַר (H5674), repeated — 'the border passes along to' the shoulder of Mount Jearim.
אֶלtoprep · אֶל (H413)Prepositional phrase marker (goal)
כֶּ֧תֶףthe shoulder ofN f sg constr · כָּתֵף (H3802)Object of preposition (construct governing הַר יְעָרִים)כָּתֵף (H3802), repeated — 'shoulder,' topographic term for a ridge/slope, here of Mount Jearim.
הַרMountN m sg constr · הַר (H2022)Genitive (construct, second element governing יְעָרִים)הַר (H2022), repeated — construct governing יְעָרִים.
יְעָרִ֛יםJearimproper noun · יְעָרִים (H3297)Genitive (completing construct chain)יְעָרִים (H3297) 'forests, wooded heights'; Mount Jearim, the wooded ridge whose 'shoulder' the border follows — likely the source of the town-name Kiriath-jearim ('city of the forests') in v.9.
מִצָּפ֖וֹנָהon the northprep מִן + N f sg abs + directional ה · צָפוֹן (H6828)Adverbial prepositional phrase (locating the shoulder relative to the mountain)צָפוֹן (H6828), repeated — 'from the north side/on the north,' with directional ה and prefixed מִן.
הִ֣יאthat isindependent pron 3fs · הִיא (H1931)Independent personal pronoun functioning as identification-copula (resumptive, 'that is —' formula)הוּא/הִיא (H1931), a third instance of the identification formula in this stretch (cf. vv.8-9), here equating 'the shoulder of Mount Jearim on the north' with the town-name Chesalon — again the narrator updating a topographic description to a known settlement name.
כְסָל֑וֹןChesalonproper noun · כְּסָלוֹן (H3693)Predicate nominative (complement of identification formula הִיא)כְּסָלוֹן (H3693) 'Chesalon', a town on the Judah-Benjamin/Dan border, commonly identified with modern Kesla west of Jerusalem on the ridge of Mount Jearim.
וְיָרַ֥דand [the border] went downconj וְ + Qal perf 3ms · יָרַד (H3381)Predicate verb, weqatal (main clause of the boundary description)→ Weqatal: the boundary's descending course from the hill country toward the Shephelah, in the fixed survey-present registerיָרַד (H3381) 'to go down, descend'; the border drops in elevation from the wooded ridge toward the lower town of Beth-shemesh.
בֵּֽיתBeth-proper noun (constr) · בֵּית (H1053)Adverbial accusative of goal/direction (place-name object without preposition, first element)בַּיִת (H1053 as toponym element) 'house'; construct first element of בֵּית שֶׁמֶשׁ 'House of the Sun,' likely reflecting an earlier solar cult site.
שֶׁ֖מֶשׁ-shemesh (Sun)proper noun · שֶׁמֶשׁ (H1053)Genitive (completing construct chain, second element)שֶׁמֶשׁ 'sun'; combines with בֵּית to form Beth-shemesh, a major town in the Sorek Valley on the Judah-Dan-Philistine frontier (cf. 1 Sam 6:9-20; 2 Kgs 14:11-13), site of the ark's return from Philistia.
וְעָבַ֥רand [the border] passed onconj וְ + Qal perf 3ms · עָבַר (H5674)Predicate verb, weqatal (main clause of the boundary description)→ Weqatal: continuing the crossing-motion chain toward Timnah, survey-present registerעָבַר (H5674), repeated — the border's course crosses on to Timnah.
תִּמְנָֽהTimnahproper noun · תִּמְנָה (H8553)Adverbial accusative of goal/direction (place-name object without preposition)תִּמְנָה (H8553) 'Timnah', a border town in the Sorek Valley between Judah and Dan (cf. Judg 14:1-2), famous as the site of Samson's ill-fated marriage to a Philistine woman there — the episode that precipitated his conflict with the Philistines (Judg 14-15).
11
וְיָצָ֨א הַגְּב֜וּל אֶל כֶּ֣תֶף עֶקְרוֹן֮ צָפוֹנָה֒ וְתָאַ֤ר הַגְּבוּל֙ שִׁכְּר֔וֹנָה וְעָבַ֥ר הַר הַֽבַּעֲלָ֖ה וְיָצָ֣א יַבְנְאֵ֑ל וְהָי֛וּ תֹּצְא֥וֹת הַגְּב֖וּל יָֽמָּה
The border went out to the shoulder of Ekron on the north; then the border curved to Shikkeron, passed along to Mount Baalah, and went out to Jabneel; and the ends of the border were at the sea.
The border runs from Ekron's shoulder through Shikkeron and Mount Baalah to Jabneel, ending at the sea — bringing the long northern border of Judah (begun at the Dead Sea in v.5) to its western terminus and setting up the brief coastal summary of v.12.
Word-by-word analysis· 18 words
וְיָצָ֨אand [the border] went outconj וְ + Qal perf 3ms · יָצָא (H3318)Predicate verb, weqatal (main clause of the boundary description)→ Weqatal: the boundary's outward extension toward Ekron, survey-present registerיָצָא (H3318), repeated — 'the border goes out to' the shoulder of Ekron.
הַגְּב֜וּלthe borderart + N m sg abs · גְּבוּל (H1366)Subjectגְּבוּל (H1366), repeated subject.
אֶלtoprep · אֶל (H413)Prepositional phrase marker (goal)
כֶּ֣תֶףthe shoulder ofN f sg constr · כָּתֵף (H3802)Object of preposition (construct governing עֶקְרוֹן)כָּתֵף (H3802), repeated — 'shoulder,' the ridge/slope of Ekron.
עֶקְרוֹן֮Ekronproper noun · עֶקְרוֹן (H6138)Genitive (completing construct chain)עֶקְרוֹן (H6138) 'Ekron', northernmost of the five Philistine city-states (cf. Josh 13:3), assigned nominally to Judah's border here though never actually possessed by Israel; later a center of Baal-zebub worship (2 Kgs 1:2-3).
צָפוֹנָה֒on the northN f sg abs + directional ה · צָפוֹן (H6828)Adverbial accusative of direction (with directional ה)צָפוֹן (H6828), repeated — 'northward,' locating the shoulder of Ekron relative to the border's approach.
וְתָאַ֤רand [the border] curvedconj וְ + Qal perf 3ms · תָּאַר (H8388)Predicate verb, weqatal (main clause of the boundary description)→ Weqatal: the boundary's bending course toward Shikkeron, survey-present registerתָּאַר (H8388), repeated — the border bends toward Shikkeron.
הַגְּבוּל֙the borderart + N m sg abs · גְּבוּל (H1366)Subjectגְּבוּל (H1366), repeated subject.
שִׁכְּר֔וֹנָהto Shikkeronproper noun + directional ה · שִׁכְּרוֹן (H7942)Adverbial accusative of direction (with directional ה)שִׁכְּרוֹן (H7942) 'Shikkeron', an otherwise unattested border town; its etymology is uncertain (possibly related to שֵׁכָר 'strong drink', though the connection is speculative), commonly located between Ekron and Jabneel in the coastal plain.
וְעָבַ֥רand [the border] passed alongconj וְ + Qal perf 3ms · עָבַר (H5674)Predicate verb, weqatal (main clause of the boundary description)→ Weqatal: continuing the crossing-motion chain toward Mount Baalah, survey-present registerעָבַר (H5674), repeated.
הַרMountN m sg constr · הַר (H2022)Adverbial accusative, object without preposition (construct governing הַבַּעֲלָה)הַר (H2022), repeated — construct, 'Mount' governing הַבַּעֲלָה.
הַֽבַּעֲלָ֖הBaalahart + proper noun · בַּעֲלָה (H1173)Genitive (completing construct chain, with article)בַּעֲלָה (H1173), repeated element ('mistress/lady', a Baal-related name) — here Mount Baalah, evidently distinct from the town Baalah/Kiriath-jearim of vv.9-10, another Canaanite cultic-topographic name in the coastal border district.
וְיָצָ֣אand [the border] went outconj וְ + Qal perf 3ms · יָצָא (H3318)Predicate verb, weqatal (main clause of the boundary description)→ Weqatal: continuing the outward-extension chain toward Jabneel, survey-present registerיָצָא (H3318), repeated.
יַבְנְאֵ֑לJabneelproper noun · יַבְנְאֵל (H2995)Adverbial accusative of goal/direction (place-name object without preposition)יַבְנְאֵל (H2995) 'Jabneel', lit. 'God causes to build' (root בנה 'to build' + אֵל 'God'); a coastal-plain town, later famous as Jabneh/Jamnia, the post-70 AD center of rabbinic Judaism.
וְהָי֛וּand [the ends] wereconj וְ + Qal perf 3cp · הָיָה (H1961)Predicate verb, weqatal (main clause, resultative)→ Weqatal: the concluding formula of the boundary segment, marking its terminus, survey-present registerהָיָה (H1961), repeated — 'were/are,' introducing the border's terminal point.
תֹּצְא֥וֹתthe ends ofN f pl constr · תּוֹצָאוֹת (H8444)Subject (construct governing הַגְּבוּל)תּוֹצָאוֹת (H8444), repeated — 'extremities, outlets,' here construct with הַגְּבוּל.
הַגְּב֖וּלthe borderart + N m sg abs · גְּבוּל (H1366)Genitive (completing construct chain)גְּבוּל (H1366), repeated — 'of the border,' completing the construct 'the ends of the border.'
יָֽמָּהat the seaN m sg abs + directional ה · יָם (H3220)Predicate/adverbial accusative of location (with directional ה, complement of הָיוּ)יָם (H3220), repeated — 'seaward, at the sea,' the Mediterranean marking the terminus of this segment of the border, anticipating v.12's summary.
12
וּגְב֣וּל יָ֔ם הַיָּ֥מָּה הַגָּד֖וֹל וּגְב֑וּל זֶ֠ה גְּב֧וּל בְּנֵֽי יְהוּדָ֛ה סָבִ֖יב לְמִשְׁפְּחֹתָֽם
And the west border was the Great Sea and its coast. This was the border of the sons of Judah on every side, according to their clans.
Verse 12 shifts from the verbal weqatal boundary-chain to a brief nominal (verbless) sentence summarizing the west border simply as the Great Sea and its coast, then closes the entire border description (vv.1-12) with the formula 'this is the border of the sons of Judah all around, by their clans' — a closing inclusio that echoes the chapter's opening (v.1) and matches the standard closing formula used for each tribal allotment throughout Joshua 13-19.
Word-by-word analysis· 11 words
וּגְב֣וּלand the border ofconj וְ + N m sg constr · גְּבוּל (H1366)Subject (construct governing יָם, opening a new nominal clause)גְּבוּל (H1366), repeated — here opening a nominal (verbless) clause, 'and the border of [the] sea/west [is]...' — a shift from the verbal weqatal chain to a summary nominal sentence marking closure.
יָ֔םwest, seaN m sg abs · יָם (H3220)Genitive (completing construct chain, functioning adjectivally 'western')יָם (H3220), repeated — here used adjectivally/appositionally, 'the sea border' = 'the west border,' summarizing the whole western boundary just traced in vv.9-11.
הַיָּ֥מָּה[which is] the Seaart + N m sg abs + directional ה · יָם (H3220)Predicate nominative (apposition/restatement, with article and directional ה)יָם (H3220) with article and directional ה, 'the Sea' — in apposition to the preceding, restating and specifying: the great Sea itself (the Mediterranean) is the border.
הַגָּד֖וֹלthe greatart + Adj m sg abs · גָּדוֹל (H1419)Attributive adjective (modifying הַיָּמָּה)גָּדוֹל (H1419) 'great, large'; the standard epithet for the Mediterranean, הַיָּם הַגָּדוֹל 'the Great Sea' (cf. Num 34:6-7; Josh 1:4).
וּגְב֑וּלand the coastconj וְ + N m sg abs · גְּבוּל (H1366)Subject (second clause, coordinate nominal sentence)גְּבוּל (H1366), repeated — here 'and [its] border/coast,' i.e. the coastline as the tangible edge of the sea-boundary.
זֶ֠הthisdemonstrative pron m sg · זֶה (H2088)Demonstrative pronoun, subject/predicate of the closing nominal clauseזֶה (H2088), masculine singular demonstrative 'this'; opens the chapter's closing summary formula, 'this is the border of the sons of Judah...' — echoing the near-identical closing formulas used for each tribal allotment in Joshua 13-19.
גְּב֧וּלthe border ofN m sg constr · גְּבוּל (H1366)Predicate nominative (construct governing בְּנֵי יְהוּדָה)גְּבוּל (H1366), repeated — construct, 'the border of,' governing the tribe named.
בְּנֵֽיthe sons ofN m pl constr · בֵּן (H1121)Genitive (construct, second element governing יְהוּדָה)בֵּן (H1121), plural construct 'sons of', the standard tribal-designation formula.
יְהוּדָ֛הJudahproper noun · יְהוּדָה (H3063)Genitive (completing construct chain)יְהוּדָה (H3063) 'Judah', the tribe/patriarch whose territorial border this entire chapter delineates — the whole boundary description (vv.1-12) is summarized and closed here.
סָבִ֖יבall aroundN c sg abs · סָבִיב (H5439)Adverbial accusative (manner, summarizing the boundary as encircling)סָבִיב (H5439) 'round about, on every side'; summarizes the full circuit of the border just traced (south, east, north, west) as a complete, encircling boundary line.
לְמִשְׁפְּחֹתָֽםaccording to their clansprep לְ + N f pl constr + 3mp suff · מִשְׁפָּחָה (H4940)Adverbial prepositional phrase (distributive, closing formula matching v.1)מִשְׁפָּחָה (H4940) 'clan, family'; with prep לְ and 3mp suffix, 'according to their clans' — closes the chapter's border description with the same clan-formula that framed its opening in v.1, marking the unit's inclusio.
13
וּלְכָלֵ֣ב בֶּן יְפֻנֶּ֗ה נָ֤תַן חֵ֨לֶק֙ בְּת֣וֹךְ בְּנֵֽי יְהוּדָ֔ה אֶל פִּ֥י יְהוָ֖ה לִֽיהוֹשֻׁ֑עַ אֶת קִרְיַ֥ת אַרְבַּ֛ע אֲבִ֥י הָעֲנָ֖ק הִ֥יא חֶבְרֽוֹן
And to Caleb son of Jephunneh he gave a portion among the sons of Judah, according to the command of the LORD to Joshua: Kiriath-arba — Arba being the father of Anak — that is, Hebron.
Opens the Caleb-Achsah narrative unit (vv.13-19), pulling back from the impersonal register of the border survey into named individual story. The fronted indirect object 'and to Caleb' marks a deliberate contrast: everyone else received tribal land through the lot (goral), but Caleb receives his by direct, named divine command relayed through Joshua — a reward-narrative embedded inside the register.
Word-by-word analysis· 19 words
וּלְכָלֵ֣בand to Calebconj וְ + prep לְ + Np · כָּלֵב (H3612)Indirect object (dative of recipient), fronted for emphasisכָּלֵב (H3612) 'Caleb', son of Jephunneh the Kenizzite (v.17), one of the twelve spies (Num 13) and, with Joshua, one of only two of the exodus generation who entered the land (Num 14:24,30); his named, personal land-grant here (vv.13-19) is the reward for his 'different spirit' of faith.
בֶּןson ofN m sg constr · בֵּן (H1121)Construct noun (patronymic)בֵּן (H1121) 'son'; construct forming the patronymic 'son of Jephunneh'.
יְפֻנֶּ֗הJephunnehN proper · יְפֻנֶּה (H3312)Genitive (patronymic)יְפֻנֶּה (H3312) 'Jephunneh', Caleb's father, a Kenizzite (Num 32:12) — Caleb's clan was incorporated into Judah though of separate, non-Israelite origin.
נָ֤תַןhe gaveQal perf 3ms · נָתַן (H5414)Predicate verb (main clause)→ Perfective: a completed, official act of land-grantנָתַן (H5414) 'to give'; here of the formal, legal allotment of tribal/individual land — subject is Joshua, acting per divine command (see next clauses).
חֵ֨לֶק֙a portionN m sg abs · חֵלֶק (H2506)Direct objectחֵלֶק (H2506) 'portion, share, allotment', from חָלַק 'to divide'; the technical term for an allotted share of land.
בְּת֣וֹךְin the midst ofprep בְּ + N m sg constr · תָּוֶךְ (H8432)Prepositional phrase (locative, compound preposition)תָּוֶךְ (H8432) 'midst, middle'; with בְּ forms the common compound preposition 'in the midst of, among'.
בְּנֵֽיthe sons ofN m pl constr · בֵּן (H1121)Construct chain (genitival)בֵּן (H1121) 'son'; plural construct 'sons of', i.e. the tribal collective.
יְהוּדָ֔הJudahN proper · יְהוּדָה (H3063)Genitive (tribal name)יְהוּדָה (H3063) 'Judah', son of Jacob and Leah; here the tribe named for him.
אֶלaccording toprep · אֶל (H413)Prepositional phrase (standard/norm)אֶל (H413) 'to, toward'; here idiomatic of a governing standard — 'according to the mouth (command) of the LORD'.
פִּ֥יthe mouth ofN m sg constr · פֶּה (H6310)Object of preposition (idiom for 'command')פֶּה (H6310) 'mouth'; construct פִּי as an idiom for 'command, word, instruction' — cf. Num 14:24's oath to Caleb specifically.
יְהוָ֖הthe LORDN proper · יהוה (H3068)Genitive (source of the command)יהוה (H3068), the covenant name of Israel's God; Caleb's grant is explicit divine command, not mere administrative decision — fulfilling Moses' oath in Num 14:24; Deut 1:36.
לִֽיהוֹשֻׁ֑עַto Joshuaprep לְ + N proper · יְהוֹשֻׁעַ (H3091)Indirect objectיְהוֹשֻׁעַ (H3091) 'Joshua'; the mediating agent through whom the divine command to allot Caleb's portion was executed.
אֶת[obj]obj marker · אֵת (H853)Direct-object marker (definite object)אֵת (H853), nota accusativi marking the definite direct object Kiriath-arba that follows; untranslated in English.
קִרְיַ֥תKiriath-N f sg constr · קִרְיָה (H7153)Direct object (construct, first element of place-name)קִרְיַת אַרְבַּע (H7153) 'city of Arba'; construct chain functioning as a single place-name — Hebron's older, pre-conquest name.
אַרְבַּ֛עArbaN proper (numeral form) · אַרְבַּע (H7153)Direct object (second element of place-name, absolute)אַרְבַּע, second element of the place-name קִרְיַת אַרְבַּע (H7153) — spelled identically to the numeral 'four' but here the personal name 'Arba', per the appositional gloss that follows ('the father of Anak').
אֲבִ֥יfather ofN m sg constr · אָב (H1)Apposition (epithet of Arba)אָב (H1) 'father'; construct in the appositional epithet 'Arba, father of Anak' — the eponymous ancestor of the Anakim clan, the giant-people who so frightened the spies (Num 13:33).
הָעֲנָ֖קAnakart + N proper · עֲנָק (H6061)Genitive (object of construct)עֲנָק (H6061) 'Anak', the giant clan whose sons Caleb personally dispossesses in v.14 — direct fulfillment of his own scouting report and courage (Num 13:22,28,33; Deut 9:2).
הִ֥יאthat isindependent pron 3fs · הִיא (H1931)Resumptive/identifying pronoun ('that is —')הִיא (H1931), the feminine independent pronoun used as an identification copula, equating the older name Kiriath-arba with the name familiar to the book's readers.
חֶבְרֽוֹןHebronN proper · חֶבְרוֹן (H2275)Predicate nominative (identification)חֶבְרוֹן (H2275) 'Hebron', perhaps from חבר 'to unite, join'; one of the oldest continuously-named cities in the land, tied to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob's burial (the cave of Machpelah, Gen 23), later David's first royal capital (2 Sam 5:5).
14
וַיֹּ֤רֶשׁ מִשָּׁם֙ כָּלֵ֔ב אֶת שְׁלוֹשָׁ֖ה בְּנֵ֣י הָעֲנָ֑ק אֶת שֵׁשַׁ֤י וְאֶת אֲחִימַן֙ וְאֶת תַּלְמַ֔י יְלִידֵ֖י הָעֲנָֽק
And Caleb drove out from there the three sons of Anak: Sheshai, Ahiman, and Talmai, the offspring of Anak.
The chapter's most vivid narrative wayyiqtol clause: Caleb personally executes what he alone (with Joshua) believed possible forty-five years earlier as a spy (14:6-12) — the giants who terrified Israel (Num 13:33) are individually named and individually driven out.
Word-by-word analysis· 15 words
וַיֹּ֤רֶשׁand he drove outHiphil wayyiqtol 3ms · יָרַשׁ (H3423)Predicate verb (wayyiqtol, narrative mainline)→ Wayyiqtol: foregrounded narrative advance — the decisive military action following the land-grant of v.13יָרַשׁ (H3423) 'to take possession of, dispossess, drive out'; causative Hiphil — Caleb causes the Anakites to be dispossessed. The same verb runs through Joshua/Deuteronomy for Israel's charge to dispossess the land, and is echoed negatively in v.63 ('they were NOT able to dispossess' the Jebusites).
מִשָּׁם֙from thereprep מִן + adv · שָׁם (H8033)Adverbial prepositional phrase (source)שָׁם (H8033) 'there'; with מִן, 'from there' — i.e. from Hebron/Kiriath-arba, just named in v.13.
כָּלֵ֔בCalebN proper · כָּלֵב (H3612)Subjectכָּלֵב (H3612); see v.13 — here the narrative's personal subject, acting where the border-list's impersonal verbs elsewhere describe the terrain itself.
אֶת[obj]obj marker · אֵת (H853)Direct-object marker (definite object)אֵת (H853), marking 'the three sons of Anak' as the direct object of יֹּרֶשׁ.
שְׁלוֹשָׁ֖הthreecardinal number m · שְׁלוֹשָׁה (H7969)Numeral modifying construct chainשָׁלוֹשׁ (H7969) 'three'; counting the sons of Anak about to be named individually.
בְּנֵ֣יthe sons ofN m pl constr · בֵּן (H1121)Construct chain (genitival), direct objectבֵּן (H1121) 'son'; plural construct governing עֲנָק.
הָעֲנָ֑קAnakart + N proper · עֲנָק (H6061)Genitiveעֲנָק (H6061); see v.13 — the eponymous giant-ancestor; his three named sons are the actual targets of Caleb's conquest here.
אֶת[obj]obj marker · אֵת (H853)Direct-object marker (apposition, first name)אֵת (H853) reintroduced before each named son in apposition to 'the three sons of Anak' — a stylistic emphasis naming each individually.
שֵׁשַׁ֤יSheshaiN proper · שֵׁשַׁי (H8344)Direct object (apposition)שֵׁשַׁי (H8344), one of the three Anakite clan-chiefs at Hebron, first named in the spies' report (Num 13:22) and now personally dispossessed.
וְאֶתand [obj]conj וְ + obj marker · אֵת (H853)Conjunction + direct-object markerוְ joins the second named son; אֵת marks אֲחִימָן as object.
אֲחִימַן֙AhimanN proper · אֲחִימַן (H289)Direct object (apposition)אֲחִימַן (H289), second of the three Anakite chiefs (cf. Num 13:22; Judg 1:10 names the same trio at Hebron).
וְאֶתand [obj]conj וְ + obj marker · אֵת (H853)Conjunction + direct-object markerוְ joins the third named son; אֵת marks תַּלְמַי as object.
תַּלְמַ֔יTalmaiN proper · תַּלְמַי (H8526)Direct object (apposition)תַּלְמַי (H8526), third of the three Anakite chiefs; a later Geshurite king bears the same name (2 Sam 3:3), likely an unrelated bearer of a common Semitic name.
יְלִידֵ֖יthe offspring ofN m pl constr · יָלִיד (H3211)Apposition (summarizing the three names)יָלִיד (H3211) 'born one, offspring', from יָלַד 'to bear'; construct summarizing Sheshai-Ahiman-Talmai together as 'the offspring of Anak', restating v.14a's 'sons of Anak' after the individual naming.
הָעֲנָֽקAnakart + N proper · עֲנָק (H6061)Genitiveעֲנָק (H6061); the chapter frames Caleb's feat as personally fulfilling the very fear the spies once voiced (Num 13:33).
15
וַיַּ֣עַל מִשָּׁ֔ם אֶל יֹשְׁבֵ֖י דְּבִ֑ר וְשֵׁם דְּבִ֥ר לְפָנִ֖ים קִרְיַת סֵֽפֶר
And he went up from there against the inhabitants of Debir; now the name of Debir was formerly Kiriath-sepher.
The wayyiqtol continues Caleb's personal campaign (v.14); the clause then breaks into a parenthetical nominal aside ('now the name of Debir was formerly Kiriath-sepher') paralleling the Kiriath-arba/Hebron and Baalah/Kiriath-jearim identification formulas elsewhere (vv.9,13,54,60), and setting up the wordplay-driven contest of vv.16-17.
Word-by-word analysis· 10 words
וַיַּ֣עַלand he went upQal wayyiqtol 3ms · עָלָה (H5927)Predicate verb (wayyiqtol, narrative mainline)→ Wayyiqtol: foregrounded narrative advance — Caleb's personal campaign continues from Hebron to Debirעָלָה (H5927) 'to go up'; here of a military advance, not the border-survey's cartographic sense (contrast vv.3-11) — same verb, different register.
מִשָּׁ֔םfrom thereprep מִן + adv · שָׁם (H8033)Adverbial prepositional phrase (source)שָׁם (H8033); see v.14 — again 'from there', i.e. from Hebron.
אֶלagainstprep · אֶל (H413)Prepositional phrase (hostile goal)אֶל (H413) 'to, against'; here marking the object of a military advance.
יֹשְׁבֵ֖יthe inhabitants ofQal ptc m pl constr · יָשַׁב (H3427)Substantival participle, construct (object of preposition)→ Participle: durative/characteristic — 'those dwelling', a standing designation for a town's populationיָשַׁב (H3427) 'to sit, dwell'; Qal active participle used substantivally, 'inhabitants, those who dwell (in)'.
דְּבִ֑רDebirN proper · דְּבִיר (H1688)Genitive (object of construct)דְּבִיר (H1688) 'Debir', perhaps from דָּבָר 'word' or 'sanctuary, inner shrine' (cf. the דְּבִיר of the Temple, 1 Kgs 6:5); already conquered once under its king in Josh 10:38-39 — this is its second, local subjugation by Caleb personally.
וְשֵׁםand the name ofconj וְ + N m sg constr · שֵׁם (H8034)Subject (of nominal clause)שֵׁם (H8034) 'name'; construct opening a naming/identification aside, paralleling the הִיא-clauses elsewhere in the chapter (vv.8,9,13) but phrased with שֵׁם instead.
דְּבִ֥רDebirN proper · דְּבִיר (H1688)Genitiveדְּבִיר (H1688); see above — repeated to specify whose former name is now given.
לְפָנִ֖יםformerlyprep לְ + N m pl abs · פָּנִים (H6440)Adverbial prepositional phrase (temporal)פָּנִים (H6440) 'face'; with לְ, idiomatically 'formerly, in former times' (lit. 'to the former [times]).
קִרְיַתKiriath-N f sg constr · קִרְיָה (H7158)Predicate nominative (construct, first element of former name)קִרְיַת סֵפֶר (H7158) 'city of the book/scroll'; construct chain, Debir's older name — see v.16's wordplay-driven conquest of it.
סֵֽפֶרbook/scrollN proper · סֵפֶר (H7158)Predicate nominative (second element of former name)סֵפֶר (H7158) 'book, scroll, document'; second element of 'book-town' — an enigmatic name, perhaps indicating an archive or scribal center in the Late Bronze Age Shephelah/hill country.
16
וַיֹּ֣אמֶר כָּלֵ֔ב אֲשֶׁר יַכֶּ֥ה אֶת קִרְיַת סֵ֖פֶר וּלְכָדָ֑הּ וְנָתַ֥תִּי ל֛וֹ אֶת עַכְסָ֥ה בִתִּ֖י לְאִשָּֽׁה
And Caleb said, 'Whoever strikes Kiriath-sepher and captures it, to him I will give my daughter Achsah as a wife.'
Word-by-word analysis· 14 words
וַיֹּ֣אמֶרand he saidQal wayyiqtol 3ms · אָמַר (H559)Predicate verb (wayyiqtol, narrative mainline)→ Wayyiqtol: foregrounded narrative advance — introduces direct speechאָמַר (H559) 'to say'; the standard verb introducing direct discourse.
כָּלֵ֔בCalebN proper · כָּלֵב (H3612)Subjectכָּלֵב (H3612); see v.13.
אֲשֶׁרwhoeverrelative particle · אֲשֶׁר (H834)Relative particle introducing an indefinite relative clauseאֲשֶׁר (H834), the relative particle; here functioning as an indefinite 'whoever' introducing a conditional promise — a rare wooing-by-conquest formula (cf. Saul's offer over Goliath, 1 Sam 17:25).
יַכֶּ֥הstrikesHiphil impf 3ms · נָכָה (H5221)Predicate verb (relative clause, conditional protasis)→ Yiqtol: imperfective/modal — a hypothetical, not-yet-accomplished future act, the condition of the offerנָכָה (H5221) 'to strike, smite'; Hiphil (its regular stem for this sense) 'to strike down, defeat, conquer' — decisive military action.
אֶת[obj]obj marker · אֵת (H853)Direct-object markerאֵת (H853), marking Kiriath-sepher as the object of יַכֶּה.
קִרְיַתKiriath-N f sg constr · קִרְיָה (H7158)Direct object (construct)קִרְיַת סֵפֶר (H7158); see v.15 — Debir's older name, used here in the challenge itself.
סֵ֖פֶרbook/scrollN proper · סֵפֶר (H7158)Direct object (absolute)סֵפֶר (H7158); see v.15.
וּלְכָדָ֑הּand captures itQal weqatal 3ms + 3fs suffix · לָכַד (H3920)Predicate verb (weqatal continuing the conditional protasis)→ Weqatal: continuing the conditional sequence — a second, resultative condition following יַכֶּהלָכַד (H3920) 'to capture, seize'; here with 3fs suffix referring back to the feminine קִרְיַת סֵפֶר — 'and captures/takes it'.
וְנָתַ֥תִּיthen I will giveQal weqatal 1cs · נָתַן (H5414)Predicate verb (weqatal, apodosis of the conditional promise)→ Weqatal: the promised consequence — a first-person volitional pledge contingent on the conquestנָתַן (H5414) 'to give'; 1cs weqatal — Caleb's own personal, binding pledge (contrast v.13's נָתַן of the LORD's allotment).
ל֛וֹto himprep לְ + 3ms suffix · לְIndirect object (recipient)לְ + 3ms suffix, 'to him' — the as-yet-unnamed prospective conqueror.
אֶת[obj]obj marker · אֵת (H853)Direct-object markerאֵת (H853), marking Achsah as the direct object of אֶתֵּן.
עַכְסָ֥הAchsahN proper · עַכְסָה (H5915)Direct objectעַכְסָה (H5915) 'Achsah', Caleb's daughter, perhaps from a root meaning 'anklet, bangle' (cf. עֶכֶס); the prize here, and in vv.18-19 the narrative's true agent — she uses her own initiative to secure a further gift beyond her father's offer.
בִתִּ֖יmy daughterN f sg constr + 1cs suffix · בַּת (H1323)Apposition (identifying the object)בַּת (H1323) 'daughter'; 1cs construct 'my daughter' — Caleb's own voice confirming the relationship.
לְאִשָּֽׁהas a wifeprep לְ + N f sg abs · אִשָּׁה (H802)Predicate complement (result, 'as a wife')אִשָּׁה (H802) 'woman, wife'; with לְ, the standard marriage-giving idiom 'to become a wife (to someone)'.
17
וַֽיִּלְכְּדָ֛הּ עָתְנִיאֵ֥ל בֶּן קְנַ֖ז אֲחִ֣י כָלֵ֑ב וַיִּתֶּן ל֛וֹ אֶת עַכְסָ֥ה בִתּ֖וֹ לְאִשָּֽׁה
And Othniel son of Kenaz, Caleb's brother, captured it; so he gave him his daughter Achsah as a wife.
Word-by-word analysis· 12 words
וַֽיִּלְכְּדָ֛הּand he captured itQal wayyiqtol 3ms + 3fs suffix · לָכַד (H3920)Predicate verb (wayyiqtol, narrative mainline)→ Wayyiqtol: foregrounded narrative advance — the challenge of v.16 is answered and fulfilledלָכַד (H3920) 'to capture, seize'; wayyiqtol with 3fs suffix ('it', referring to Kiriath-sepher/Debir) — Othniel succeeds where the offer was made.
עָתְנִיאֵ֥לOthnielN proper · עָתְנִיאֵל (H6274)Subjectעָתְנִיאֵל (H6274) 'Othniel', perhaps 'lion of God' or 'strength of God'; introduced here almost in passing, but he becomes Israel's first judge-deliverer (Judg 3:9-11) — this marriage to Achsah is his first, formative appearance in the biblical story.
בֶּןson ofN m sg constr · בֵּן (H1121)Construct noun (patronymic)בֵּן (H1121); construct forming the patronymic 'son of Kenaz'.
קְנַ֖זKenazN proper · קְנַז (H7073)Genitive (patronymic)קְנַז (H7073) 'Kenaz', Othniel's father here; per Gen 36:11,15 also an Edomite clan-name. The double designation 'son of Kenaz' plus 'brother of Caleb' (next words) has long puzzled interpreters — most naturally it makes Othniel Caleb's own (younger) brother, both being 'sons of Kenaz' the Kenizzite (cf. v.13; Num 32:12), so Othniel marries his own niece.
אֲחִ֣יthe brother ofN m sg constr · אָח (H251)Apposition (identifying Othniel's relation to Caleb)אָח (H251) 'brother'; construct 'brother of Caleb' — the term can extend to near kinsman in Hebrew usage, but the plain sense makes Othniel Caleb's own brother.
כָלֵ֑בCalebN proper · כָּלֵב (H3612)Genitiveכָּלֵב (H3612); see v.13.
וַיִּתֶּןand he gaveQal wayyiqtol 3ms · נָתַן (H5414)Predicate verb (wayyiqtol, narrative mainline)→ Wayyiqtol: foregrounded narrative advance — Caleb (implied subject) fulfills his own promise from v.16נָתַן (H5414) 'to give'; Caleb, the contextually clear though unstated subject, makes good on his pledge.
ל֛וֹto himprep לְ + 3ms suffix · לְIndirect objectלְ + 3ms suffix, 'to him' — now identified as Othniel.
אֶת[obj]obj marker · אֵת (H853)Direct-object markerאֵת (H853), marking Achsah as the object of וַיִּתֶּן.
עַכְסָ֥הAchsahN proper · עַכְסָה (H5915)Direct objectעַכְסָה (H5915); see v.16 — the marriage is now finalized.
בִתּ֖וֹhis daughterN f sg constr + 3ms suffix · בַּת (H1323)Appositionבַּת (H1323) 'daughter'; 3ms construct 'his daughter' — the narrator's own voice confirming the relationship (contrast v.16's 1cs 'my daughter' inside Caleb's speech).
לְאִשָּֽׁהas a wifeprep לְ + N f sg abs · אִשָּׁה (H802)Predicate complement (result)אִשָּׁה (H802); see v.16 — the marriage-giving formula completed.
18
וַיְהִ֣י בְּבוֹאָ֗הּ וַתְּסִיתֵ֨הוּ֙ לִשְׁא֤וֹל מֵֽאֵת אָבִ֨יהָ֙ שָׂדֶ֔ה וַתִּצְנַ֖ח מֵעַ֣ל הַחֲמ֑וֹר וַיֹּֽאמֶר לָ֥הּ כָּלֵ֖ב מַה לָּֽךְ
And when she came, she urged him to ask her father for a field; and she dismounted from the donkey, and Caleb said to her, 'What do you want?'
Word-by-word analysis· 15 words
וַיְהִ֣יand it happenedQal wayyiqtol 3ms · הָיָה (H1961)Predicate verb (wayyiqtol, formulaic scene-opener)→ Wayyiqtol: foregrounded narrative advance — the standard 'and it came to pass' formula opening a new narrative sceneהָיָה (H1961) 'to be, become, happen'; the standard narrative formula וַיְהִי introducing a new scene or circumstance.
בְּבוֹאָ֗הּwhen she cameprep בְּ + Qal inf constr + 3fs suffix · בּוֹא (H935)Temporal clause (infinitive construct with subject suffix)→ Infinitive construct with בְּ: temporal — 'when/as she came', marking the precise circumstantial momentבּוֹא (H935) 'to come, go, enter'; 3fs suffix as subject of the infinitive, 'her coming' — the terse grammar (coming to Othniel's household, or during the wedding journey?) has generated real interpretive debate, but it sets up her prompt, purposeful action.
וַתְּסִיתֵ֨הוּ֙she urged himHiphil wayyiqtol 3fs + 3ms suffix · סוּת (H5496)Predicate verb (wayyiqtol, narrative mainline)→ Wayyiqtol: foregrounded narrative advance — Achsah becomes the grammatical subject here, not Othniel; she is the scene's true agentסוּת (H5496) 'to incite, urge, persuade'; causative Hiphil, elsewhere used of dangerous incitement (e.g. Job 2:3; 1 Sam 26:19) — here repurposed for Achsah's bold initiative toward her own husband.
לִשְׁא֤וֹלto askprep לְ + Qal inf constr · שָׁאַל (H7592)Purpose/complementary infinitive construct→ Infinitive construct with לְ: purpose — the content of what Achsah urges Othniel to doשָׁאַל (H7592) 'to ask, request'; infinitive expressing the content/purpose of her urging.
מֵֽאֵתfromprep מִן + prep · אֵת (H854)Prepositional phrase (source of the request)אֵת (H854) 'with'; compound מֵאֵת 'from (with)', marking the person petitioned.
אָבִ֨יהָ֙her fatherN m sg constr + 3fs suffix · אָב (H1)Object of prepositionאָב (H1) 'father'; 3fs suffix 'her father' — Caleb, named explicitly two clauses later.
שָׂדֶ֔הa fieldN m sg abs · שָׂדֶה (H7704)Direct object (of the implied request)שָׂדֶה (H7704) 'field, open country'; the object of the request — arable land to complement the dry Negev grant of v.19.
וַתִּצְנַ֖חand she dismountedQal wayyiqtol 3fs · צָנַח (H6795)Predicate verb (wayyiqtol, narrative mainline)→ Wayyiqtol: foregrounded narrative advance — a vivid, almost startling physical actionצָנַח (H6795) 'to dismount, alight, descend suddenly'; a RARE verb (elsewhere only the parallel Judg 1:14) — its precise nuance is debated (a dramatic dismount? a bodily signal to catch her father's attention?), but the rarity itself marks this as a carefully staged moment of Achsah's boldness.
מֵעַ֣לfrom uponprep מִן + prep · עַל (H5921)Prepositional phrase (spatial source)עַל (H5921) 'upon'; compound מֵעַל 'from upon, off of'.
הַחֲמ֑וֹרthe donkeyart + N c sg abs · חֲמוֹר (H2543)Object of prepositionחֲמוֹר (H2543) 'donkey, ass'; the ordinary riding animal — Achsah's dismount happens in the everyday context of a journey, heightening its dramatic surprise.
וַיֹּֽאמֶרand he saidQal wayyiqtol 3ms · אָמַר (H559)Predicate verb (wayyiqtol, narrative mainline)→ Wayyiqtol: foregrounded narrative advanceאָמַר (H559); see v.16 — introduces Caleb's own direct speech in response to Achsah's staged dismount.
לָ֥הּto herprep לְ + 3fs suffix · לְIndirect objectלְ + 3fs suffix, 'to her' — Caleb addresses Achsah directly.
כָּלֵ֖בCalebN proper · כָּלֵב (H3612)Subjectכָּלֵב (H3612); see v.13 — here Achsah's own father is drawn into direct dialogue with her, in contrast to his impersonal public offer in v.16.
מַהwhatinterrogative particle · מַה (H4100)Interrogative particle (predicate of a verbless clause)מַה (H4100) 'what?'; interrogative opening Caleb's terse question.
לָּֽךְdo you wantprep לְ + 2fs suffix · לְPredicate of verbless clause (idiom)לְ + 2fs suffix; idiomatic מַה־לָּךְ 'what is it to/with you? what do you want?' — a stock formula prompting Achsah's request in v.19.
19
וַתֹּ֜אמֶר תְּנָה לִּ֣י בְרָכָ֗ה כִּ֣י אֶ֤רֶץ הַנֶּ֨גֶב֙ נְתַתָּ֔נִי וְנָתַתָּ֥ה לִ֖י גֻּלֹּ֣ת מָ֑יִם וַיִּתֶּן לָ֗הּ אֵ֚ת גֻּלֹּ֣ת עִלִּיּ֔וֹת וְאֵ֖ת גֻּלֹּ֥ת תַּחְתִּיּֽוֹת
And she said, 'Give me a blessing! Since you have given me land of the Negev, give me also springs of water.' So he gave her the upper springs and the lower springs.
Word-by-word analysis· 20 words
וַתֹּ֜אמֶרand she saidQal wayyiqtol 3fs · אָמַר (H559)Predicate verb (wayyiqtol, narrative mainline)→ Wayyiqtol: foregrounded narrative advance — Achsah speaks for herself, completing her bold initiativeאָמַר (H559); see v.16 — now Achsah is the subject of direct speech, not merely its object.
תְּנָהgiveQal impv 2ms + paragogic ה · נָתַן (H5414)Predicate verb (imperative, volitional request)→ Volitional (imperative): a direct, urgent request — the paragogic ה ending intensifies the pleaנָתַן (H5414) 'to give'; Qal imperative with paragogic ה intensifying the request, 'give me!' — echoing her father's own repeated נָתַן throughout the unit (vv.16,17,19), but now spoken by her, to him.
לִּ֣יto meprep לְ + 1cs suffix · לְIndirect objectלְ + 1cs suffix, 'to me' — Achsah names herself as recipient.
בְרָכָ֗הa blessingN f sg abs · בְּרָכָה (H1293)Direct objectבְּרָכָה (H1293) 'blessing, gift, present'; from בָּרַךְ 'to bless' — here a concrete material bonus beyond the land already granted, not merely a verbal benediction; sets up the נֶגֶב/water wordplay of the next clause.
כִּ֣יsinceconj · כִּי (H3588)Causal conjunctionכִּי (H3588) 'that, because, since'; introduces her rationale for the request.
אֶ֤רֶץland ofN c sg constr · אֶרֶץ (H776)Direct object (construct)אֶרֶץ (H776) 'earth, land'; construct with הַנֶּגֶב.
הַנֶּ֨גֶב֙the Negevart + N m sg abs · נֶגֶב (H5045)Genitiveנֶגֶב (H5045) 'south, dry land, Negev'; the wordplay driving the verse — Caleb has given her נֶגֶב, literally 'dry/parched land', so she now requests its complement, water. This is the pivot on which the whole request turns.
נְתַתָּ֔נִיyou have given meQal perf 2ms + 1cs suffix · נָתַן (H5414)Predicate verb (relative/causal clause)→ Perfective: a completed prior act — the given fact grounding her new requestנָתַן (H5414); perfect 2ms with 1cs suffix, 'you have given me' — recalling Caleb's prior land-grant as the premise for what follows.
וְנָתַתָּ֥הthen giveQal weqatal 2ms · נָתַן (H5414)Predicate verb (weqatal, continuing the volitional force)→ Weqatal continuing a volitional/request sequence: 'so give' — the emphatic follow-through of her opening imperativeנָתַן (H5414); weqatal 2ms continuing the force of the initial imperative תְּנָה — repetition of the verb underscores her insistence.
לִ֖יto meprep לְ + 1cs suffix · לְIndirect objectלְ + 1cs suffix, 'to me'; repeated for emphasis.
גֻּלֹּ֣תsprings ofN f pl constr · גֻּלָּה (H1543)Direct object (construct)גֻּלָּה (H1543) 'basin, bowl, spring'; construct plural 'springs of water' — the concrete content of the requested בְּרָכָה.
מָ֑יִםwaterN m pl abs · מַיִם (H4325)Genitiveמַיִם (H4325) 'water'; the vital resource that transforms dry Negev land into usable, fertile territory — the entire point of her request.
וַיִּתֶּןand he gaveQal wayyiqtol 3ms · נָתַן (H5414)Predicate verb (wayyiqtol, narrative mainline)→ Wayyiqtol: foregrounded narrative advance — Caleb grants the request immediately, without objectionנָתַן (H5414); the fourth נָתַן of the unit (vv.16,17,19a,19b) — Caleb's generosity answers Achsah's boldness in full.
לָ֗הּto herprep לְ + 3fs suffix · לְIndirect objectלְ + 3fs suffix, 'to her' — Caleb's response completes the exchange he began in v.16.
אֵ֚ת[obj]obj marker · אֵת (H853)Direct-object markerאֵת (H853), marking the upper springs as object.
גֻּלֹּ֣תsprings ofN f pl abs · גֻּלָּה (H1543)Direct object (construct sense)גֻּלָּה (H1543); see above — the first of the two named spring-sets.
עִלִּיּ֔וֹתthe upperadj f pl abs · עִלִּי (H5942)Attributive adjectiveעִלִּי (H5942) 'upper'; from עָלָה 'to go up' — 'the upper springs', likely referring to actual spring sites near Debir, still tentatively identified today.
וְאֵ֖תand [obj]conj וְ + obj marker · אֵת (H853)Conjunction + direct-object markerוְ joins the second gift; אֵת marks the lower springs as the second object.
גֻּלֹּ֥תsprings ofN f pl abs · גֻּלָּה (H1543)Direct object (construct sense)גֻּלָּה (H1543); see above — the second named spring-set.
תַּחְתִּיּֽוֹתthe loweradj f pl abs · תַּחְתִּי (H8482)Attributive adjectiveתַּחְתִּי (H8482) 'lower'; from תַּחַת 'under, beneath' — 'the lower springs', paired with the upper springs to form a complete, generous water endowment. The story closes on total, overflowing provision: Achsah gets not just water but water in abundance, both upper and lower.
20
זֹ֗את נַחֲלַ֛ת מַטֵּ֥ה בְנֵי יְהוּדָ֖ה לְמִשְׁפְּחֹתָֽם
This is the inheritance of the tribe of the sons of Judah, by their clans.
A resumptive heading (echoing v.1) that pivots from the boundary description (vv.1-12) to the appended city-list (vv.21-62), restating ownership before the Negev register begins.
Word-by-word analysis· 6 words
זֹ֗אתthisDemonstrative pron. fs · זֹאת (H2063)Subject/predicator of nominal clause (fronted deictic)זֹאת (H2063) fem. demonstrative 'this'; opens the verse cataphorically, pointing forward to the inheritance about to be itemized in vv.21-32.
נַחֲלַ֛תthe inheritance ofN f sg constr · נַחֲלָה (H5159)Predicate nominative (construct head)נַחֲלָה (H5159) 'inheritance, possession, allotted portion'; the keyword of Joshua's land-division section (chs. 13-21), the tribal territory as Yahweh's grant.
מַטֵּ֥הthe tribe ofN m sg constr · מַטֶּה (H4294)Construct chain (genitival, dependent on נַחֲלַת)מַטֶּה (H4294) lit. 'staff, rod'; by metonymy the tribal unit that the staff symbolizes.
בְנֵיthe sons ofN m pl constr · בֵּן (H1121)Construct chain (genitival)בֵּן (H1121) 'son'; plural construct 'sons of' = 'the descendants of', identifying the tribe by its eponymous ancestor.
יְהוּדָ֖הJudahProper noun · יְהוּדָה (H3063)Genitive of the construct chain (tribal eponym)יְהוּדָה (H3063), the fourth son of Jacob and Leah, eponymous ancestor of the tribe whose territorial allotment this chapter describes.
לְמִשְׁפְּחֹתָֽםby their clansprep לְ + N f pl constr + 3mp suffix · מִשְׁפָּחָה (H4940)Adverbial prepositional phrase (distributive)מִשְׁפָּחָה (H4940) 'clan, family group', the sub-tribal unit; with distributive לְ, the standard closing formula of Joshua's tribal-territory headings ('according to their clans').
21
וַיִּֽהְי֣וּ הֶעָרִ֗ים מִקְצֵה֙ לְמַטֵּ֣ה בְנֵֽי יְהוּדָ֔ה אֶל גְּב֥וּל אֱד֖וֹם בַּנֶּ֑גְבָּה קַבְצְאֵ֥ל וְעֵ֖דֶר וְיָגֽוּר
And the cities belonging to the tribe of the sons of Judah, at the extremity toward the border of Edom in the Negev, were: Kabzeel, Eder, and Jagur;
The wayyiqtol formally opens the Negev city-register, stating the geographic frame (outer edge of Judah's territory, along the Edomite border) before the bare list of names begins.
Word-by-word analysis· 13 words
וַיִּֽהְי֣וּand they werewayyiqtol 3mp (Qal) · הָיָה (H1961)Wayyiqtol opening the register: introduces the list as the fixed roster of towns→ Wayyiqtol: foregrounded narrative advance, opening the itemized registerהָיָה (H1961) 'to be, become, happen'; the standard wayyiqtol opener that formally launches a city-list section within the tribal-territory reports of Joshua 13-19.
הֶעָרִ֗יםthe citiesart + N f pl abs · עִיר (H5892)Subject of הָיוּעִיר (H5892) 'city, town'; here the collective subject heading the register — 'the cities [belonging to the tribe...were as follows]'.
מִקְצֵה֙from the end ofprep מִן + N constr · קָצֶה (H7097)Adverbial prepositional phrase (spatial extent)קָצֶה (H7097) 'end, edge, extremity'; with מִן, 'from the outer edge of' — situates the list at the furthest reach of the tribal territory.
לְמַטֵּ֣הbelonging to the tribe ofprep לְ + N m sg constr · מַטֶּה (H4294)Construct chain within prepositional phraseמַטֶּה (H4294) 'tribe' (see v.20); prefixed לְ marks possession/belonging, 'for/of the tribe of'.
בְנֵֽיthe sons ofN m pl constr · בֵּן (H1121)Construct chain (genitival)בֵּן (H1121) 'son'; plural construct, 'the descendants of', identifying the tribe.
יְהוּדָ֔הJudahProper noun · יְהוּדָה (H3063)Genitive of the construct chain (tribal eponym)יְהוּדָה (H3063); see v.20 note.
אֶלtowardprep · אֶל (H413)Prepositional phrase marking spatial limitאֶל (H413) 'to, toward, unto'; marks the direction/limit of the territory, 'as far as the border of Edom'.
גְּב֥וּלthe border ofN m sg constr · גְּבוּל (H1366)Construct chain (genitival, object of אֶל)גְּבוּל (H1366) 'border, territory, boundary'; a keyword of the whole boundary-and-allotment section of Joshua 13-19.
אֱד֖וֹםEdomProper noun · אֱדוֹם (H123)Genitive of the construct chainאֱדוֹם (H123), Esau's descendants, whose territory bordered Judah's Negev on the south/east — the geographic outer edge invoked here.
בַּנֶּ֑גְבָּהin the Negevprep בְּ + art + N m sg abs + directional ה · נֶגֶב (H5045)Adverbial prepositional phrase (spatial setting)נֶגֶב (H5045) 'south, dry land, Negev'; the arid steppe region south of the Judean hill country — the geographic heading over the whole town-list that follows.
קַבְצְאֵ֥לKabzeelProper noun · קַבְצְאֵל (H6909)Item in city-list (apposition to הֶעָרִים)קַבְצְאֵל (H6909) 'God has gathered'; a Negev town of Judah, later home of Benaiah (2 Sam 23:20) and renamed Jekabzeel (Neh 11:25); site tentatively located near Tel Ira, not certain.
וְעֵ֖דֶרand Ederconj וְ + proper noun · עֵדֶר (H5740)Coordinate list itemעֵדֶר (H5740); site unidentified — a Negev settlement of Judah's southern clan-territory.
וְיָגֽוּרand Jagurconj וְ + proper noun · יָגוּר (H3017)Coordinate list itemיָגוּר (H3017); site unidentified — a Negev town of Judah.
22
וְקִינָ֥ה וְדִֽימוֹנָ֖ה וְעַדְעָדָֽה
and Kinah, and Dimonah, and Adadah;
Continues the Negev roster, town-name after town-name joined only by vav; no verb is repeated, the list depends on the וַיִּהְיוּ of v.21.
Word-by-word analysis· 3 words
וְקִינָ֥הand Kinahconj וְ + proper noun · קִינָה (H7016)Coordinate list itemקִינָה (H7016); site unidentified, its name recalling the Kenites (קֵינִי), possibly reflecting proximity to Kenite clan territory near the Edomite border.
וְדִֽימוֹנָ֖הand Dimonahconj וְ + proper noun · דִּימוֹנָה (H1776)Coordinate list itemדִּימוֹנָה (H1776); likely a variant of Dibon, cf. Neh 11:25 ('Dibon'); tentatively located near Khirbet Dheib south of Arad, not certain.
וְעַדְעָדָֽהand Adadahconj וְ + proper noun · עַדְעָדָה (H5735)Coordinate list itemעַדְעָדָה (H5735); site unidentified; possibly the same town as Aroer in 1 Sam 30:28, exact location uncertain.
23
וְקֶ֥דֶשׁ וְחָצ֖וֹר וְיִתְנָֽן
and Kedesh, and Hazor, and Ithnan;
Continues the Negev roster with three more towns, asyndetic city-name after city-name.
Word-by-word analysis· 3 words
וְקֶ֥דֶשׁand Kedeshconj וְ + proper noun · קֶדֶשׁ (H6943)Coordinate list itemקֶדֶשׁ (H6943) 'holy place, sanctuary'; this southern Kedesh is distinct from the Naphtali/Galilee towns of the same name; site unidentified.
וְחָצ֖וֹרand Hazorconj וְ + proper noun · חָצוֹר (H2674)Coordinate list itemחָצוֹר (H2674) 'enclosure, settlement' (from חָצֵר); a common Negev toponym, distinct from the great Galilean Hazor of Josh 11; one of several 'Hazor' entries in this list (cf. v.25); site unidentified.
וְיִתְנָֽןand Ithnanconj וְ + proper noun · יִתְנָן (H3497)Coordinate list itemיִתְנָן (H3497); site unidentified.
24
זִ֥יף וָטֶ֖לֶם וּבְעָלֽוֹת
Ziph, and Telem, and Bealoth;
Continues the Negev roster; opens without a conjunction, unlike most entries, a minor stylistic variation within the fixed list.
Word-by-word analysis· 3 words
זִ֥יףZiphProper noun · זִיף (H2128)Item in city-list (apposition)זִיף (H2128); this southern/Negev Ziph is distinct from the Judean hill-country Ziph of v.55, near which David hid from Saul (1 Sam 23); this town's site is unidentified.
וָטֶ֖לֶםand Telemconj וָ + proper noun · טֶלֶם (H2928)Coordinate list itemטֶלֶם (H2928); possibly identified with Tel Milh/Tell el-Milh in the Arad region, though the identification is uncertain.
וּבְעָלֽוֹתand Bealothconj וּ + proper noun (pl.) · בְּעָלוֹת (H1175)Coordinate list itemבְּעָלוֹת (H1175), plural of בַּעֲלָה 'mistresses, ladies'; site unidentified — a Negev town possibly related to the district name in 1 Kgs 4:16.
25
וְחָצ֤וֹר חֲדַתָּה֙ וּקְרִיּ֔וֹת חֶצְר֖וֹן הִ֥יא חָצֽוֹר
and Hazor-hadattah, and Kerioth-hezron (that is, Hazor);
Two compound/double town-names are listed, the second glossed by a resumptive הִיא clause identifying Kerioth-hezron with Hazor — a clear instance of the compound-vs-simple-name complexity that complicates the tally in v.32.
Word-by-word analysis· 6 words
וְחָצ֤וֹרand Hazorconj וְ + proper noun · חָצוֹר (H2675)Coordinate list item (first half of compound name)חָצוֹר (H2675 here); first element of the compound 'Hazor-hadattah' with the next word; site unidentified.
חֲדַתָּה֙HadattahProper noun (Aramaic-form adj.) · חֲדַתָּה (H2675)Item in city-list (apposition, second half of compound name)חֲדַתָּה 'new' (Aramaic-form fem. adj., cognate to Heb. חָדָשׁ); together with the preceding word forms 'Hazor-hadattah,' 'new Hazor,' distinguishing this town from the other Negev Hazors in this list (vv.23, 25b).
וּקְרִיּ֔וֹתand Keriothconj וּ + proper noun (pl.) · קְרִיּוֹת (H7152)Coordinate list item (first half of compound name)קְרִיּוֹת (H7152), plural of קִרְיָה 'town, settlement'; first element of the compound 'Kerioth-hezron' with the next word.
חֶצְר֖וֹןHezronProper noun · חֶצְרוֹן (H2696)Item in city-list (apposition, second half of compound name)חֶצְרוֹן (H2696); with the preceding word forms 'Kerioth-hezron', a double town-name meaning roughly 'the towns of Hezron'.
הִ֥יאthat isIndependent pron. 3fs · הִיא (H1931)Resumptive pronoun of identification (predicate)הִיא (H1931) 'she, it'; here functions as a resumptive copula introducing an editorial gloss, 'that is,' identifying Kerioth-hezron by its alternate/better-known name.
חָצֽוֹרHazorProper noun · חָצוֹר (H2674)Predicate of the identification clause הִיא חָצוֹרחָצוֹר (H2674); yet another Negev 'Hazor' (distinct from vv.23 and 25a), given here as the alternate name of Kerioth-hezron — evidence that Hazor was a common generic settlement-name in this region.
26
אֲמָ֥ם וּשְׁמַ֖ע וּמוֹלָדָֽה
Amam, and Shema, and Moladah;
Continues the Negev roster; the list touches sites that reappear in Simeon's inheritance (Josh 19), reflecting the Simeonite enclave within Judah's territory (cf. Josh 19:1, 9).
Word-by-word analysis· 3 words
אֲמָ֥םAmamProper noun · אֲמָם (H538)Item in city-list (apposition)אֲמָם (H538); site unidentified — a Negev settlement of Judah.
וּשְׁמַ֖עand Shemaconj וּ + proper noun · שְׁמַע (H8090)Coordinate list itemשְׁמַע (H8090); possibly related to Sheba in the parallel Simeon list (Josh 19:2) or the Calebite clan name Shema (1 Chr 2:43-44); site uncertain.
וּמוֹלָדָֽהand Moladahconj וּ + proper noun · מוֹלָדָה (H4137)Coordinate list itemמוֹלָדָה (H4137); probably Tel Malhata/Khirbet el-Waten near Arad; also assigned to Simeon (Josh 19:2; 1 Chr 4:28), reflecting Simeon's enclave within Judah's larger allotment.
27
וַחֲצַ֥ר גַּדָּ֛ה וְחֶשְׁמ֖וֹן וּבֵ֥ית פָּֽלֶט
and Hazar-gaddah, Heshmon, and Beth-pelet,
Continues the Negev roster; Hazar-gaddah's חֲצַר element ('enclosure') marks the settlement type typical of the arid south — fortified enclosure-hamlets rather than true walled cities.
Word-by-word analysis· 5 words
וַחֲצַ֥רand Hazarconj וַ + N constr · חָצֵר (H2693)Coordinate list item (first half of compound name)חָצֵר (H2693 here) construct 'hamlet/enclosure of'; first element of the compound 'Hazar-gaddah' with the next word — see the tally-closer note on חָצֵר at v.32.
גַּדָּ֛הGaddahProper noun · גַּדָּה (H2693)Item in city-list (apposition, second half of compound name)גַּדָּה, perhaps related to גָּד 'fortune' or the tribal name Gad; with the preceding word forms 'Hazar-gaddah'; site unidentified.
וְחֶשְׁמ֖וֹןand Heshmonconj וְ + proper noun · חֶשְׁמוֹן (H2829)Coordinate list itemחֶשְׁמוֹן (H2829); site unidentified.
וּבֵ֥יתand Bethconj וּ + N constr · בַּיִת (H1046)Coordinate list item (first half of compound name)בַּיִת (H1046 here) construct 'house of'; first element of the compound 'Beth-pelet' with the next word.
פָּֽלֶטPeletProper noun · פֶּלֶט (H1046)Item in city-list (apposition, second half of compound name)פֶּלֶט 'escape, deliverance'; with the preceding word forms 'Beth-pelet,' 'house of escape' (cf. Neh 11:26); site possibly near Tell es-Saqati, uncertain.
28
וַחֲצַ֥ר שׁוּעָ֛ל וּבְאֵ֥ר שֶׁ֖בַע וּבִזְיוֹתְיָֽה
and Hazar-shual, and Beer-sheba, and Biziothiah;
Continues the roster; Beer-sheba is the one nationally famous site in this otherwise obscure Negev list, and the final name is textually difficult (see word-level note).
Word-by-word analysis· 5 words
וַחֲצַ֥רand Hazarconj וַ + N constr · חָצֵר (H2705)Coordinate list item (first half of compound name)חָצֵר (H2705 here) construct 'hamlet/enclosure of'; first element of the compound 'Hazar-shual' with the next word.
שׁוּעָ֛לShualProper noun · שׁוּעָל (H2705)Item in city-list (apposition, second half of compound name)שׁוּעָל 'fox, jackal'; with the preceding word forms 'Hazar-shual', also allotted to Simeon (Josh 19:3); site unidentified.
וּבְאֵ֥רand Beerconj וּ + N constr · בְּאֵר (H884)Coordinate list item (first half of compound name)בְּאֵר (H884 here) construct 'well of'; first element of the compound 'Beer-sheba' with the next word.
שֶׁ֖בַעShebaNumeral f sg abs · שֶׁבַע (H884, i.e. H7651 'seven')Item in city-list (apposition, second half of compound name)שֶׁבַע 'seven' / 'oath'; with the preceding word forms בְּאֵר שֶׁבַע 'Beer-sheba,' the great patriarchal sanctuary town (Gen 21:31; 26:33), southernmost major city of Judah ('from Dan to Beersheba'); identified with Tel Beer-Sheva.
וּבִזְיוֹתְיָֽהand Biziothiahconj וּ + proper noun · בִּזְיוֹתְיָה (H964)Coordinate list itemבִּזְיוֹתְיָה, an obscure form (possibly 'contempts of Yah'); some read it not as a proper name but as an appellative ('and her daughter-villages'), a recognized textual difficulty; if a toponym, its site is unidentified.
29
בַּעֲלָ֥ה וְעִיִּ֖ים וָעָֽצֶם
Baalah, Iim, and Ezem;
Word-by-word analysis· 3 words
בַּעֲלָ֥הBaalahProper noun · בַּעֲלָה (H1173)Item in city-list (apposition)בַּעֲלָה 'mistress, lady'; possibly identified with Kiriath-jearim/Baalah of Judah (cf. v.9-10) or a separate Negev site, cf. Bilhah in the parallel Simeon list (1 Chr 4:29); identification debated.
וְעִיִּ֖יםand Iimconj וְ + proper noun (pl.) · עִיִּים (H5864)Coordinate list itemעִיִּים, plural of עִי 'ruin, heap'; site unidentified.
וָעָֽצֶםand Ezemconj וָ + proper noun · עֶצֶם (H6107)Coordinate list itemעֶצֶם 'bone, strength'; also assigned to Simeon under the form Azem (Josh 19:3); site unidentified, possibly near Beersheba.
30
וְאֶלְתּוֹלַ֥ד וּכְסִ֖יל וְחָרְמָֽה
and Eltolad, and Kesil, and Hormah;
Continues the roster; all three names recur in the parallel Simeon list (Josh 19:4), underscoring how thoroughly Simeon's territory was carved out of Judah's southern allotment.
Word-by-word analysis· 3 words
וְאֶלְתּוֹלַ֥דand Eltoladconj וְ + proper noun · אֶלְתּוֹלַד (H513)Coordinate list itemאֶלְתּוֹלַד; also Simeonite, called simply 'Tolad' in the parallel list (1 Chr 4:29; cf. Josh 19:4); site unidentified.
וּכְסִ֖ילand Kesilconj וּ + proper noun · כְּסִיל (H3686)Coordinate list itemכְּסִיל 'fool' (or a constellation-name); appears as 'Bethul'/'Bethuel' in the parallel Simeon lists (Josh 19:4; 1 Chr 4:30), likely a textual variant of the same town; site unidentified.
וְחָרְמָֽהand Hormahconj וְ + proper noun · חָרְמָה (H2767)Coordinate list itemחָרְמָה 'devotion to destruction' (from the root חרם); site of Israel's early defeat and later victory (Num 14:45; 21:3); also Simeonite (Josh 19:4); tentatively linked to Tel Masos or Tel Malhata, not certain.
31
וְצִֽקְלַ֥ג וּמַדְמַנָּ֖ה וְסַנְסַנָּֽה
and Ziklag, Madmannah, and Sansannah,
Continues the Negev roster; Ziklag later becomes David's Philistine-granted base (1 Sam 27:6), the town from which he launched his rise to kingship.
Word-by-word analysis· 3 words
וְצִֽקְלַ֥גand Ziklagconj וְ + proper noun · צִקְלַג (H6860)Coordinate list itemצִקְלַג; later given to Simeon then famously to David by Achish of Gath (1 Sam 27:6); identified with Tell esh-Shariah/Tel Sera or, per a recent proposal, Khirbet al-Ra'i, though the identification remains debated.
וּמַדְמַנָּ֖הand Madmannahconj וּ + proper noun · מַדְמַנָּה (H4089)Coordinate list itemמַדְמַנָּה; possibly identical to Beth-marcaboth of the Simeon list (Josh 19:5; 1 Chr 4:31); site unidentified.
וְסַנְסַנָּֽהand Sansannahconj וְ + proper noun · סַנְסַנָּה (H5578)Coordinate list itemסַנְסַנָּה; likely identical to Hazar-susah/Hazar-susim in the Simeon list (Josh 19:5; 1 Chr 4:31); site unidentified.
32
וּלְבָא֥וֹת וְשִׁלְחִ֖ים וְעַ֣יִן וְרִמּ֑וֹן כָּל עָרִ֛ים עֶשְׂרִ֥ים וָתֵ֖שַׁע וְחַצְרֵיהֶֽן
and Lebaoth, and Shilhim, and Ain, and Rimmon: all the cities, twenty-nine, with their villages.
The roster's final four names lead into the closing count formula. The stated total of 29 does not cleanly match a straightforward count of the individually listed names in vv.21-32 (which run higher when every element is counted separately) — a well-known MT crux. It is generally resolved by taking several two-element sequences as single compound town-names (e.g. Hazor-hadattah, Kerioth-hezron, Hazar-gaddah, Beth-pelet, Hazar-shual, Beer-sheba, and probably Ain-Rimmon) rather than as separate cities; ancient versions (notably LXX) diverge further in both the names and the count, showing the list was already a recognized difficulty in antiquity.
Word-by-word analysis· 9 words
וּלְבָא֥וֹתand Lebaothconj וּ + proper noun (pl.) · לְבָאוֹת (H3822)Coordinate list itemלְבָאוֹת, plural of לָבִיא 'lioness'; = Beth-lebaoth in the Simeon list (Josh 19:6); site unidentified.
וְשִׁלְחִ֖יםand Shilhimconj וְ + proper noun (pl.) · שִׁלְחִים (H7978)Coordinate list itemשִׁלְחִים; probably corresponds to Sharuhen (Josh 19:6) or Shaaraim (1 Chr 4:31) in the parallel Simeon lists — one more instance of the name-variance among these registers; site debated, possibly Tell el-Far'ah South.
וְעַ֣יִןand Ainconj וְ + proper noun · עַיִן (H5871)Coordinate list item (paired with the next name)עַיִן 'spring' (the same word can mean 'eye'); paired with the next town, Rimmon — later the two are fused into the single site En-rimmon (Neh 11:29; Zech 14:10), another instance of the compound/simple-name complexity behind v.32's tally.
וְרִמּ֑וֹןand Rimmonconj וְ + proper noun · רִמּוֹן (H7417)Coordinate list item (paired with the preceding name)רִמּוֹן 'pomegranate'; see note at עַיִן — later combined with it as the single town En-rimmon; tentatively located at Khirbet er-Ramamin near Tel Halif.
כָּלallN m sg constr · כֹּל (H3605)Construct chain (genitival, quantifier of עָרִים)כֹּל (H3605) 'all, the whole'; introduces the summary tally that closes the Negev roster, 'all the cities: [number].'
עָרִ֛יםcitiesN f pl abs · עִיר (H5892)Genitive complement of כֹּל / head noun of the tallyעִיר (H5892) 'city'; the noun being enumerated in the closing tally, 'all the cities: twenty-nine.'
עֶשְׂרִ֥יםtwentyCardinal numeral c pl abs · עֶשְׂרִים (H6242)Numeral in apposition to עָרִים (predicate of the tally)עֶשְׂרִים (H6242) 'twenty'. With the following תֵּשַׁע this yields 'twenty-nine' — but counting the actual names in vv.21-32 does not cleanly total 29; see the note on the following word and the verse discourse note for the well-known crux this creates.
וָתֵ֖שַׁעand nineconj וָ + cardinal numeral f sg abs · תֵּשַׁע (H8672)Numeral in apposition to עָרִים (predicate of the tally)תֵּשַׁע (H8672) 'nine'; completes 'twenty-nine.' This is a classic MT crux: a straightforward count of the names listed in vv.21-32 yields more than 29 discrete entries. The mismatch is commonly resolved by reading several two-word sequences as single compound town-names (e.g. Hazor-hadattah, Kerioth-hezron, Hazar-gaddah, Beth-pelet, Hazar-shual, Beer-sheba, Ain-and-Rimmon) rather than as separate cities, and/or by positing minor scribal loss/gain in transmission; ancient versions (e.g. LXX) show further divergence in both names and totals, confirming the list was already difficult in antiquity.
וְחַצְרֵיהֶֽןand their villagesconj וְ + N c pl constr + 3fp suffix · חָצֵר (H2691)Coordinate summary noun closing the tally formulaחָצֵר (H2691) 'court, enclosure, hamlet'; with 3fp suffix referring back to the feminine plural עָרִים 'cities' — the standard closing formula of a MT city-register: each walled city (עִיר) had satellite unwalled hamlets/villages (חֲצֵרִים) under its administration.
33
בַּשְּׁפֵלָ֑ה אֶשְׁתָּא֥וֹל וְצָרְעָ֖ה וְאַשְׁנָֽה
In the Shephelah: Eshtaol, Zorah, and Ashnah,
Word-by-word analysis· 4 words
בַּשְּׁפֵלָ֑הin the Shephelahprep בְּ + art + N f sg abs · שְׁפֵלָה (H8219)Locative prepositional phrase (fronted heading, district label)שְׁפֵלָה (H8219) 'lowland, Shephelah', from שָׁפֵל 'to be low'; the rolling foothill zone between the coastal plain and the Judean hill country, a contested Judahite-Philistine frontier (source id 06wi9).
אֶשְׁתָּא֥וֹלEshtaolN proper · אֶשְׁתָּאוֹל (H847)List item (place name heading the Shephelah roster)אֶשְׁתָּאוֹל (H847) 'Eshtaol', a Shephelah town paired with Zorah as Samson's home territory (Judg 13:25; 16:31); often located at Ishwa near Zorah (source id 06T67).
וְצָרְעָ֖הand Zorahconj וְ + N proper · צָרְעָה (H6881)Coordinate list itemצָרְעָה (H6881) 'Zorah', Samson's birthplace (Judg 13:2), paired with Eshtaol; identified with modern Sar'a in the Shephelah (source id 06biA).
וְאַשְׁנָֽהand Ashnahconj וְ + N proper · אַשְׁנָה (H823)Coordinate list itemאַשְׁנָה (H823) 'Ashnah', an unlocated Shephelah town (a second, distinct Ashnah recurs in v.43's different district) (source id 06u4V).
34
וְזָנ֨וֹחַ֙ וְעֵ֣ין גַּנִּ֔ים תַּפּ֖וּחַ וְהָעֵינָֽם
and Zanoah, En-gannim, Tappuah, and Enam,
Word-by-word analysis· 5 words
וְזָנ֨וֹחַ֙and Zanoahconj וְ + N proper · זָנוֹחַ (H2182)List item (place name)זָנוֹחַ (H2182) 'Zanoah', a Shephelah town (distinct from a hill-country Zanoah in v.56); unlocated with certainty (source id 06wS9).
וְעֵ֣יןand En-conj וְ + N proper constr (first element) · עֵין (H5873)First element of construct place-name 'En-gannim'עַיִן (H5873) 'spring, eye', construct עֵין; first element of the compound name עֵין גַּנִּים 'spring of gardens' (source id 06rAC).
גַּנִּ֔יםgannimN proper (second element) · גַּנִּים (H5873)Second element of construct place-name 'En-gannim'גַּנִּים 'gardens', plural of גַּן; with עֵין forms 'En-gannim', a town later assigned also to Issachar (19:21) and to the Levites (21:29) — probably a different site of the same name, or an administrative double-listing (source id 06jq8).
תַּפּ֖וּחַTappuahN proper · תַּפּוּחַ (H8599)List item (place name)תַּפּוּחַ (H8599) 'apple/apple-town'; this Judahite Tappuah is distinct from the town on the Ephraim-Manasseh border (17:8); unlocated with confidence, possibly near Beit Nettif (source id 06R4y).
וְהָעֵינָֽםand Enamconj וְ + art + N proper · עֵינָם (H5879)Coordinate list itemעֵינָם (H5879) 'Enam' (with article, 'the En/spring'), an unlocated Shephelah town, perhaps identical with עֵינַיִם of Gen 38:14 (source id 06EfW).
35
יַרְמוּת֙ וַעֲדֻלָּ֔ם שׂוֹכֹ֖ה וַעֲזֵקָֽה
Jarmuth, Adullam, Socoh, and Azekah,
Word-by-word analysis· 4 words
יַרְמוּת֙JarmuthN proper · יַרְמוּת (H3412)List item (place name heading district)יַרְמוּת (H3412) 'Jarmuth', a royal Canaanite city whose king joined the coalition against Gibeon defeated by Joshua (Josh 10:3,5,23); identified with Tel Yarmut (source id 06U9o).
וַעֲדֻלָּ֔םand Adullamconj וְ + N proper · עֲדֻלָּם (H5725)Coordinate list itemעֲדֻלָּם (H5725) 'Adullam', site of the cave where David gathered his band of outcasts (1 Sam 22:1); another royal Canaanite city (Josh 12:15); identified near Khirbet 'Id el-Ma (source id 06VJW).
שׂוֹכֹ֖הSocohN proper · שׂוֹכֹה (H7755)Coordinate list itemשׂוֹכֹה (H7755) 'Socoh', near the Elah Valley where Israel and the Philistines camped before the David-Goliath duel (1 Sam 17:1); identified with Tel Sokho (source id 06c6w).
וַעֲזֵקָֽהand Azekahconj וְ + N proper · עֲזֵקָה (H5825)Coordinate list itemעֲזֵקָה (H5825) 'Azekah', the site to which Israel pursued the five kings after the Gibeon battle (Josh 10:10-11) and near which David faced Goliath (1 Sam 17:1); securely identified with Tell Zakariya (excavated Iron Age fortified city); one of the last Judahite outposts to fall before Jerusalem in 588 BC per Lachish Letter IV (source id 06RJ6).
36
וְשַׁעֲרַ֨יִם֙ וַעֲדִיתַ֔יִם וְהַגְּדֵרָ֖ה וּגְדֵרֹתָ֑יִם עָרִ֥ים אַרְבַּֽע עֶשְׂרֵ֖ה וְחַצְרֵיהֶֽן
and Shaaraim, Adithaim, and Gederah with Gederothaim: fourteen cities with their villages.
Word-by-word analysis· 8 words
וְשַׁעֲרַ֨יִם֙and Shaaraimconj וְ + N proper · שַׁעֲרַיִם (H8189)List item (place name heading district)שַׁעֲרַיִם (H8189) 'Shaaraim' ('two gates', dual form), on the road of Philistine retreat after Goliath's death (1 Sam 17:52); possibly Khirbet Qeiyafa on the Elah Valley ridge, though the identification is debated (source id 06mKe).
וַעֲדִיתַ֔יִםand Adithaimconj וְ + N proper · עֲדִיתַיִם (H5723)Coordinate list itemעֲדִיתַיִם (H5723) 'Adithaim', known only from this list; site unidentified (source id 06Z2i).
וְהַגְּדֵרָ֖הand Gederahconj וְ + art + N proper · גְּדֵרָה (H1449)Coordinate list itemגְּדֵרָה (H1449) 'Gederah' (with article, 'the sheepfold/enclosure'), from גָּדַר 'to wall/fence'; site unidentified, possibly Judeideh (source id 06e3B).
וּגְדֵרֹתָ֑יִםand Gederothaimconj וְ + N proper · גְּדֵרֹתַיִם (H1453)Coordinate list itemגְּדֵרֹתַיִם (H1453) 'Gederothaim' (dual, 'two sheepfolds'), unidentified; some read this as a scribal doublet/gloss on the preceding גְּדֵרָה rather than a distinct fifth town — this would explain why the tally below still totals fourteen though fifteen names are listed (source id 067Pd).
עָרִ֥יםcitiesN f pl abs · עִיר (H5892)Head noun of tally constructעִיר (H5892) 'city, town'; heads the district's formulaic summary tally (source id 06Lgc).
אַרְבַּֽעfournum card f sg abs · אַרְבַּע (H702)Numeral (tens-unit of tally, with עֶשְׂרֵה = fourteen)אַרְבַּע (H702) 'four'; combined with עֶשְׂרֵה to total 'fourteen' — though fifteen town names are actually listed in vv.33-36, likely because Gederah and Gederothaim represent a single scribal doublet (source id 06RLL).
עֶשְׂרֵ֖ה-teennum card f sg abs · עֶשְׂרֵה (H6240)Numeral (teens-suffix, with אַרְבַּע = fourteen)עֶשְׂרֵה (H6240) 'ten' (fem. teens form), the standard suffix combining with unit numerals 11-19 (source id 06XTN).
וְחַצְרֵיהֶֽןand their villagesconj וְ + N c pl constr + 3fp suffix · חָצֵר (H2691)Coordinate direct object closing the tally formulaחָצֵר (H2691) 'court, enclosure, hamlet'; the standard closing formula of a MT city-register — each walled city (עִיר) had satellite unwalled hamlets under its administration (source id 069j9).
37
צְנָ֥ן וַחֲדָשָׁ֖ה וּמִגְדַּל גָּֽד
Zenan, Hadashah, and Migdal-gad,
Word-by-word analysis· 4 words
צְנָ֥ןZenanN proper · צְנָן (H6799)List item (place name heading district)צְנָן (H6799) 'Zenan', unidentified Shephelah town, possibly related to צֶנָן of Mic 1:11 (Zaanan) (source id 06xRk).
וַחֲדָשָׁ֖הand Hadashahconj וְ + N proper · חֲדָשָׁה (H2322)Coordinate list itemחֲדָשָׁה (H2322) 'Hadashah' ('new [town]'), from חָדָשׁ 'new'; site unidentified (source id 06agE).
וּמִגְדַּלand Migdal-conj וְ + N proper constr (first element) · מִגְדַּל (H4028)First element of construct place-name 'Migdal-gad'מִגְדָּל 'tower', construct מִגְדַּל; joined with גָּד to form the compound 'Migdal-gad', 'tower of Gad' (or of the deity of fortune) (source id 0699n).
גָּֽדgadN proper (second element) · גָּד (H4028)Second element of construct place-name 'Migdal-gad'גָּד, second element of the compound Migdal-gad (H4028) — either the tribal-ancestor name or the Canaanite deity of fortune; site unidentified (source id 06SnR).
38
וְדִלְעָ֥ן וְהַמִּצְפֶּ֖ה וְיָקְתְאֵֽל
and Dilean, Mizpeh, and Joktheel,
Word-by-word analysis· 3 words
וְדִלְעָ֥ןand Dileanconj וְ + N proper · דִּלְעָן (H1810)List item (place name heading district)דִּלְעָן (H1810) 'Dilean', unidentified Shephelah town, attested only here (source id 06aw2).
וְהַמִּצְפֶּ֖הand Mizpahconj וְ + art + N proper · מִצְפֶּה (H4708)Coordinate list itemמִצְפֶּה (H4708) 'Mizpah/Mizpeh' ('watchtower, lookout'), from צָפָה 'to watch'; a common place-name element (cf. Mizpah of Benjamin, Gilead) — this Shephelah instance is otherwise unattested and unlocated (source id 06x3j).
וְיָקְתְאֵֽלand Joktheelconj וְ + N proper · יָקְתְאֵל (H3371)Coordinate list itemיָקְתְאֵל (H3371) 'Joktheel', unidentified; possibly to be distinguished from the Edomite Joktheel/Sela renamed by Amaziah (2 Kgs 14:7) (source id 068ZD).
39
לָכִ֥ישׁ וּבָצְקַ֖ת וְעֶגְלֽוֹן
Lachish, Bozkath, and Eglon,
Word-by-word analysis· 3 words
לָכִ֥ישׁLachishN proper · לָכִישׁ (H3923)List item (place name heading district)לָכִישׁ (H3923) 'Lachish', a major fortified royal city whose king joined the anti-Gibeon coalition and was captured (Josh 10:31-32); securely identified with Tel Lachish (Tell ed-Duweir); famously besieged and conquered by Sennacherib in 701 BC, an event depicted in extensive relief carvings in his Nineveh palace and narrated in 2 Kgs 18-19 — among the best-documented sieges of the ancient Near East from both biblical and Assyrian sources (source id 06hyj).
וּבָצְקַ֖תand Bozkathconj וְ + N proper · בָּצְקַת (H1218)Coordinate list itemבָּצְקַת (H1218) 'Bozkath', home region of King Josiah's mother Jedidah (2 Kgs 22:1); site unidentified, in the Lachish region (source id 06ADU).
וְעֶגְלֽוֹןand Eglonconj וְ + N proper · עֶגְלוֹן (H5700)Coordinate list itemעֶגְלוֹן (H5700) 'Eglon', a royal Canaanite city whose king was one of the five captured and executed at Makkedah (Josh 10:3-27); commonly identified with Tell el-Hesi or Tell 'Aitun, though debated (source id 06shc).
40
וְכַבּ֥וֹן וְלַחְמָ֖ס וְכִתְלִֽישׁ
and Cabbon, Lahmas, and Chitlish,
Word-by-word analysis· 3 words
וְכַבּ֥וֹןand Cabbonconj וְ + N proper · כַּבּוֹן (H3522)List item (place name heading district)כַּבּוֹן (H3522) 'Cabbon', unidentified, attested only here (source id 06uS9).
וְלַחְמָ֖סand Lahmasconj וְ + N proper · לַחְמָס (H3903)Coordinate list itemלַחְמָס (H3903) 'Lahmas', unidentified; possibly related to el-Lahm near Beit Jibrin (source id 06bxp).
וְכִתְלִֽישׁand Chitlishconj וְ + N proper · כִּתְלִישׁ (H3798)Coordinate list itemכִּתְלִישׁ (H3798) 'Chitlish', unidentified Shephelah town (source id 06TxD).
41
וּגְדֵר֕וֹת בֵּית דָּג֥וֹן וְנַעֲמָ֖ה וּמַקֵּדָ֑ה עָרִ֥ים שֵׁשׁ עֶשְׂרֵ֖ה וְחַצְרֵיהֶֽן
and Gederoth, Beth-dagon, Naamah, and Makkedah: sixteen cities with their villages.
Word-by-word analysis· 9 words
וּגְדֵר֕וֹתand Gederothconj וְ + N proper · גְּדֵרוֹת (H1450)List item (place name heading district)גְּדֵרוֹת (H1450) 'Gederoth' ('enclosures/sheepfolds', plural), from גָּדַר 'to wall'; later seized by Philistines under Ahaz (2 Chr 28:18); site unidentified (source id 06Txd).
בֵּיתBeth-N proper constr (first element) · בַּיִת (H1016)First element of construct place-name 'Beth-dagon'בַּיִת (H1016) construct בֵּית 'house of'; first element of the compound Beth-dagon, 'house/temple of the god Dagon' — a Philistine deity-name embedded in a Judahite town name (source id 06Zqo).
דָּג֥וֹן-dagonN proper (second element) · דָּגוֹן (H1016)Second element of construct place-name 'Beth-dagon'דָּגוֹן, the Philistine grain/fertility god (cf. Judg 16:23; 1 Sam 5); with בֵּית forms 'Beth-dagon'. A second Beth-dagon lies on the Asher border (19:27); this one's site is unidentified (source id 06eXv).
וְנַעֲמָ֖הand Naamahconj וְ + N proper · נַעֲמָה (H5279)Coordinate list itemנַעֲמָה (H5279) 'Naamah' ('pleasant'); unidentified — possibly, though uncertainly, connected to the Ammonite Naamah, mother of Rehoboam (1 Kgs 14:21) (source id 0674M).
וּמַקֵּדָ֑הand Makkedahconj וְ + N proper · מַקֵּדָה (H4719)Coordinate list itemמַקֵּדָה (H4719) 'Makkedah', site of the cave where the five Amorite kings hid and were executed by Joshua (Josh 10:16-27) and of the city's subsequent conquest (10:28); identification disputed among several Shephelah tells, none certain (source id 06KQd).
עָרִ֥יםcitiesN f pl abs · עִיר (H5892)Head noun of tally constructעִיר (H5892) 'city, town'; heads the district's summary tally, here totaling this whole second Shephelah cluster (source id 06QLn).
שֵׁשׁsixnum card f sg abs · שֵׁשׁ (H8337)Numeral (units of tally, with עֶשְׂרֵה = sixteen)שֵׁשׁ (H8337) 'six'; combined with עֶשְׂרֵה to total 'sixteen' — the sum of the entire second Shephelah cluster (vv.37-41: Zenan through Makkedah), not merely the four towns named in this verse (source id 06Rz1).
עֶשְׂרֵ֖ה-teennum card f sg abs · עֶשְׂרֵה (H6240)Numeral (teens-suffix, with שֵׁשׁ = sixteen)עֶשְׂרֵה (H6240) 'ten' (fem. teens form); suffixed to שֵׁשׁ yields 'sixteen', the total for the cluster of towns from v.37 through this verse (source id 06AR3).
וְחַצְרֵיהֶֽןand their villagesconj וְ + N c pl constr + 3fp suffix · חָצֵר (H2691)Coordinate direct object closing the tally formulaחָצֵר (H2691) 'court, enclosure, hamlet'; the standard closing formula of a MT city-register — each walled city (עִיר) had satellite unwalled hamlets under its administration (source id 066J4).
42
לִבְנָ֥ה וָעֶ֖תֶר וְעָשָֽׁן
Libnah, Ether, and Ashan,
Word-by-word analysis· 3 words
לִבְנָ֥הLibnahN proper · לִבְנָה (H3841)List item (place name heading district)לִבְנָה (H3841) 'Libnah' ('whiteness'), a royal Canaanite city captured by Joshua after Makkedah (Josh 10:29-30); later revolted against Judah under Jehoram (2 Kgs 8:22) and was besieged by Sennacherib after Lachish (2 Kgs 19:8); site debated (source id 067AJ).
וָעֶ֖תֶרand Etherconj וְ + N proper · עֶתֶר (H6281)Coordinate list itemעֶתֶר (H6281) 'Ether', reassigned to Simeon's inheritance within Judah (19:7); site unidentified, possibly Khirbet el-'Ater (source id 06rrT).
וְעָשָֽׁןand Ashanconj וְ + N proper · עָשָׁן (H6228)Coordinate list itemעָשָׁן (H6228) 'Ashan', likewise reassigned to Simeon (19:7) and later a Levitical/priestly town (1 Chr 6:59); site unidentified (source id 06zc1).
43
וְיִפְתָּ֥ח וְאַשְׁנָ֖ה וּנְצִֽיב
and Iphtah, Ashnah, and Nezib,
Word-by-word analysis· 3 words
וְיִפְתָּ֥חand Iphtahconj וְ + N proper · יִפְתָּח (H3316)List item (place name heading district)יִפְתָּח (H3316) 'Iphtah' ('he opens'), unidentified Shephelah town (distinct from the judge Jephthah, same root) (source id 06t1p).
וְאַשְׁנָ֖הand Ashnahconj וְ + N proper · אַשְׁנָה (H823)Coordinate list itemאַשְׁנָה (H823); a second, distinct town of this name from the one in v.33 — the repetition shows the list does not guard against homonyms across districts (source id 06Nsw).
וּנְצִֽיבand Nezibconj וְ + N proper · נְצִיב (H5334)Coordinate list itemנְצִיב (H5334) 'Nezib' ('pillar, garrison'); identified with modern Khirbet Beit Nasib, retaining the ancient name (source id 06H4B).
44
וּקְעִילָ֥ה וְאַכְזִ֖יב וּמָֽרֵאשָׁ֑ה עָרִ֥ים תֵּ֖שַׁע וְחַצְרֵיהֶֽן
and Keilah, Achzib, and Mareshah: nine cities with their villages.
Word-by-word analysis· 6 words
וּקְעִילָ֥הand Keilahconj וְ + N proper · קְעִילָה (H7084)List item (place name heading district)קְעִילָה (H7084) 'Keilah', the walled town David delivered from Philistine raiders and where he briefly took refuge before Saul pursued him (1 Sam 23:1-13); identified with Khirbet Qila (source id 06yhE).
וְאַכְזִ֖יבand Achzibconj וְ + N proper · אַכְזִיב (H392)Coordinate list itemאַכְזִיב (H392) 'Achzib' ('deceptive, dries up'), from כָּזַב 'to lie/fail' — likely a wadi-town whose water source seasonally failed, giving rise to wordplay in Mic 1:14; a separate Achzib lies on the Asher coast (19:29); this one identified near Adullam (source id 06TCJ).
וּמָֽרֵאשָׁ֑הand Mareshahconj וְ + N proper · מָרֵאשָׁה (H4762)Coordinate list itemמָרֵאשָׁה (H4762) 'Mareshah', fortified by Rehoboam (2 Chr 11:8) and site of Asa's victory over Zerah the Cushite (2 Chr 14:9-10); later Hellenistic Marisa; identified with Tell Sandahannah (source id 06HLL).
עָרִ֥יםcitiesN f pl abs · עִיר (H5892)Head noun of tally constructעִיר (H5892) 'city, town'; heads the district's summary tally (source id 06VMR).
תֵּ֖שַׁעninenum card f sg abs · תֵּשַׁע (H8672)Numeral (tally total)תֵּשַׁע (H8672) 'nine'; totals this cluster's towns (Libnah v.42 through Mareshah v.44 = 9), matching the count exactly (source id 06nHt).
וְחַצְרֵיהֶֽןand their villagesconj וְ + N c pl constr + 3fp suffix · חָצֵר (H2691)Coordinate direct object closing the tally formulaחָצֵר (H2691) 'court, enclosure, hamlet'; the standard closing formula of a MT city-register — each walled city (עִיר) had satellite unwalled hamlets under its administration (source id 06uVh).
45
עֶקְר֥וֹן וּבְנֹתֶ֖יהָ וַחֲצֵרֶֽיהָ
Ekron, with its daughter-towns and its villages;
Word-by-word analysis· 3 words
עֶקְר֥וֹןEkronN proper · עֶקְרוֹן (H6138)Head noun (city named), turning from tallied towns to the great Philistine citiesעֶקְרוֹן (H6138) 'Ekron', northernmost of the five Philistine pentapolis cities (cf. 1 Sam 6:17), later a border town contested between Judah/Israel and Philistia; identified with Tel Miqne. Judah's inclusion of Ekron in its town-list reflects an ideal/legal territorial claim rather than sustained historical control — Ekron remained a functioning Philistine city for centuries after Joshua (cf. 1 Sam 5-6; Amos 1:8) (source id 06j46).
וּבְנֹתֶ֖יהָand its daughter-townsconj וְ + N f pl constr + 3fs suffix · בַּת (H1323)Coordinate direct object (dependent settlements)בַּת (H1323) 'daughter', here idiomatically 'daughter-town' — a dependent satellite settlement administratively subordinate to the named major city, distinct from חָצֵר 'hamlet' used elsewhere in this chapter; the pairing בְּנוֹת...חֲצֵרִים ('daughter-towns and villages') marks Ekron/Ashdod/Gaza as larger urban centers with a fuller dependent network than the smaller Shephelah towns (source id 06tWx).
וַחֲצֵרֶֽיהָand its villagesconj וְ + N c pl constr + 3fs suffix · חָצֵר (H2691)Coordinate direct object closing the formulaחָצֵר (H2691) 'court, enclosure, hamlet'; here suffixed for Ekron specifically ('its villages'), completing the daughter-town-and-hamlet formula reserved for the major Philistine cities (source id 063VF).
46
מֵעֶקְר֖וֹן וָיָ֑מָּה כֹּ֛ל אֲשֶׁר עַל יַ֥ד אַשְׁדּ֖וֹד וְחַצְרֵיהֶֽן
from Ekron westward to the sea, all that lay alongside Ashdod, with their villages;
Word-by-word analysis· 8 words
מֵעֶקְר֖וֹןfrom Ekronprep מִן + N proper · עֶקְרוֹן (H6138)Source/spatial prepositional phrase (extent marker, 'from Ekron')Prep מִן 'from' + עֶקְרוֹן (H6138); marks the starting point of the coastal extent clause (source id 06a9R).
וָיָ֑מָּהto the seaconj וְ + N m sg abs + directional ה · יָם (H3220)Coordinate directional adverbial (extent marker, 'to the sea')יָם (H3220) 'sea' with directional ה־ suffix ('seaward, to the sea'); pairs with מֵעֶקְרוֹן to bound the coastal strip 'from Ekron to the sea' near Ashdod (source id 06BUv).
כֹּ֛לallN m sg abs · כֹּל (H3605)Substantive head of the relative clause (quantifier)כֹּל (H3605) 'all, everything'; introduces the comprehensive relative clause 'all that is beside Ashdod' (source id 066Ay).
אֲשֶׁרthat/whichrelative particle · אֲשֶׁר (H834)Relative pronoun (introduces relative clause modifying כֹּל)אֲשֶׁר (H834), the invariable Hebrew relative particle 'who, which, that' (source id 06buH).
עַלbesideprep · עַל (H5921)Prepositional head (spatial, 'beside/at the side of')עַל (H5921) 'upon, over, beside'; with יַד idiomatically 'at the side of, beside' (עַל־יַד) (source id 06s74).
יַ֥דthe side ofN c sg constr · יָד (H3027)Object of preposition עַל, construct (idiom 'beside')יָד (H3027) 'hand', construct יַד; in the idiom עַל־יַד 'at the hand/side of' = 'beside, next to' — a common Hebrew spatial idiom using the body-part metaphor (source id 06Qem).
אַשְׁדּ֖וֹדAshdodN proper · אַשְׁדּוֹד (H795)Object of the idiom עַל יַד ('beside Ashdod')אַשְׁדּוֹד (H795) 'Ashdod', a major Philistine pentapolis city on the coastal plain, home of the Dagon temple where the captured ark was placed (1 Sam 5:1-7); identified with Tel Ashdod. As with Ekron, its inclusion in Judah's border-list reflects an ideal territorial claim, not actual conquest (source id 06okp).
וְחַצְרֵיהֶֽןand their villagesconj וְ + N c pl constr + 3fp suffix · חָצֵר (H2691)Coordinate direct object closing the formulaחָצֵר (H2691) 'court, enclosure, hamlet'; closes the extent clause, applying the standard hamlet-formula to the whole Ekron-to-the-sea coastal strip beside Ashdod (source id 065Q5).
47
אַשְׁדּ֞וֹד בְּנוֹתֶ֣יהָ וַחֲצֵרֶ֗יהָ עַזָּ֥ה בְּנוֹתֶ֥יהָ וַחֲצֵרֶ֖יהָ עַד נַ֣חַל מִצְרָ֑יִם וְהַיָּ֥ם הגבול הַגָּד֖וֹל וּגְבֽוּל
Ashdod, its daughter-towns and its villages; Gaza, its daughter-towns and its villages, as far as the Brook of Egypt and the Great Sea with its coastline.
Word-by-word analysis· 13 words
אַשְׁדּ֞וֹדAshdodN proper · אַשְׁדּוֹד (H795)Head noun (city named), resumed for its own tallyאַשְׁדּוֹד (H795); see v.46 note — resumed here to give its own daughter-town/village formula, distinct from the transit clause of v.46 (source id 06qJK).
בְּנוֹתֶ֣יהָits daughter-townsN f pl constr + 3fs suffix · בַּת (H1323)Coordinate direct object (dependent settlements)בַּת (H1323) 'daughter', idiomatic 'daughter-town' — a dependent satellite settlement, as with Ekron in v.45 (source id 06QZB).
וַחֲצֵרֶ֗יהָand its villagesconj וְ + N c pl constr + 3fs suffix · חָצֵר (H2691)Coordinate direct object closing Ashdod's formulaחָצֵר (H2691) 'court, enclosure, hamlet'; closes Ashdod's daughter-town-and-hamlet formula (source id 06Br9).
עַזָּ֥הGazaN proper · עַזָּה (H5804)Head noun (city named)עַזָּה (H5804) 'Gaza' ('the strong'), southernmost of the Philistine pentapolis, a major crossroads city on the coastal highway to Egypt; identified with modern Gaza City. Like Ekron and Ashdod, its listing here is part of Judah's idealized maximal southwestern border-claim — Gaza remained a leading Philistine/independent city for centuries, never durably subdued by Judah (source id 06CaP).
בְּנוֹתֶ֥יהָits daughter-townsN f pl constr + 3fs suffix · בַּת (H1323)Coordinate direct object (dependent settlements)בַּת (H1323) 'daughter', idiomatic 'daughter-town', as with Ekron and Ashdod above (source id 062Jq).
וַחֲצֵרֶ֖יהָand its villagesconj וְ + N c pl constr + 3fs suffix · חָצֵר (H2691)Coordinate direct object closing Gaza's formulaחָצֵר (H2691) 'court, enclosure, hamlet'; closes Gaza's daughter-town-and-hamlet formula (source id 06UQf).
עַדas far asprep · עַד (H5704)Prepositional head (spatial extent, 'to the Brook of Egypt')עַד (H5704) 'as far as, until'; marks the southern terminus of the border description (source id 06koC).
נַ֣חַלthe brook ofN m sg constr · נַחַל (H5158)Construct noun, object of עַד (head of construct chain)נַחַל (H5158) 'wadi, seasonal stream', construct נַחַל; here the Wadi el-'Arish, the traditional southwestern border marker of the promised land (cf. Num 34:5; 1 Kgs 8:65) (source id 06xyV).
מִצְרָ֑יִםof EgyptN proper · מִצְרַיִם (H4714)Genitive complement completing the construct chainמִצְרַיִם (H4714) 'Egypt'; with נַחַל forms 'Brook/Wadi of Egypt', identified with the Wadi el-'Arish, the recurring biblical marker of Israel/Judah's southwestern border (source id 06Leq).
וְהַיָּ֥םand the [Great] Seaconj וְ + art + N m sg abs · יָם (H3220)Coordinate noun, head of the standing epithet 'the Great Sea' (modified by הַגָּדוֹל; the intervening הגבול is an orthographic anomaly — see next word's lexical note)יָם (H3220) 'sea', with article; anticipates the appositional epithet 'the Great' in הַגָּדוֹל, together naming the Mediterranean — the west border restated, closing the Shephelah/coastal section by returning to the sea boundary already given in v.12 (source id 06RrD).
הגבולthe borderart + N m sg abs (unpointed — see lexical note) · גְּבוּל (H1366)Noun of uncertain syntactic function — orthographically anomalous apparent anticipation/duplication of the verse-final וּגְבוּלגְּבוּל (H1366) 'border, territory, boundary'. Textual note: this occurrence is written הגבול without vowel points or cantillation, unlike its normal pointed form הַגְּבוּל found elsewhere in the MT — an unusual orthographic gap in the Masoretic pointing of this word. It carries no formal Kethiv/Qere marginal note in the Masorah, so it is best read as a scribal/transmission peculiarity (perhaps a partial dittography anticipating the following pointed הַגָּדוֹל 'the great') rather than an intentional textual variant; the consonantal sense 'the border' is not in doubt (source id 06Kv1).
הַגָּד֖וֹלthe greatart + Adj m sg abs · גָּדוֹל (H1419)Attributive adjective modifying הַיָּם ('the Great Sea')גָּדוֹל (H1419) 'great, large'; the standing epithet of the Mediterranean, 'the Great Sea' (הַיָּם הַגָּדוֹל), Israel's conventional name for it (cf. Num 34:6-7; Josh 1:4) (source id 06S8w).
וּגְבֽוּלand borderconj וְ + N m sg abs · גְּבוּל (H1366)Coordinate noun, final term restating the coastal boundaryגְּבוּל (H1366) 'border, territory'; closes the verse (and the whole western-border description) by restating that the Great Sea itself, with its coastline, constitutes the border — echoing the west-border formula already stated in v.12 and framing the chapter's boundary description as complete (source id 06hEe).
48
וּבָהָ֑ר שָׁמִ֥יר וְיַתִּ֖יר וְשׂוֹכֹֽה
And in the hill country: Shamir, Jattir, and Socoh;
Word-by-word analysis· 4 words
וּבָהָ֑רand in the hill countryconj וְ + prep בְּ + art + N m sg abs · הַר (H2022)Locative prepositional phrase (heading)הַר (H2022) 'mountain, hill country'; here with the article as the standard heading for the hill-country district of Judah's town list, marking the definite, known geographic zone. Source id 06PTn.
שָׁמִ֥ירShamirN proper · שָׁמִיר (H8069)Subject complement (list item)שָׁמִיר (H8069), a hill-country town of Judah; site uncertain, possibly Khirbet Somerah south of Hebron; distinct from the Shamir of Ephraim (Judg 10:1). Source id 06T7k.
וְיַתִּ֖ירand Jattirconj וְ + N proper · יַתִּיר (H3492)Coordinate list itemיַתִּיר (H3492), a hill-country town later assigned to the priests (Josh 21:14); commonly identified with Khirbet Attir southwest of Hebron; David sent spoil there (1 Sam 30:27). Source id 06vKW.
וְשׂוֹכֹֽהand Socohconj וְ + N proper · שׂוֹכֹה (H7755)Coordinate list itemשׂוֹכֹה (H7755) 'thorny place, thicket'; a hill-country Socoh distinct from the Shephelah Socoh of v.35 (site of David/Goliath, 1 Sam 17:1) — likely Khirbet Shuweikeh southeast of Hebron. Source id 06quk.
49
וְדַנָּ֥ה וְקִרְיַת סַנָּ֖ה הִ֥יא דְבִֽר
and Dannah, and Kiriath-sannah (that is, Debir),
Word-by-word analysis· 5 words
וְדַנָּ֥הand Dannahconj וְ + N proper · דַּנָּה (H1837)Coordinate list itemדַּנָּה (H1837), a hill-country town of Judah; site unidentified, possibly near Debir; attested only here in the OT. Source id 06Qsp.
וְקִרְיַתand Kiriath-conj וְ + N proper constr (first element) · קִרְיָה (H7158)Construct element (first member of place-name construct chain)קִרְיַת (construct of קִרְיָה, H7158) 'city of'; first element of the compound name קִרְיַת־סַנָּה, functioning as a single toponym (cf. Kiriath-arba v.54, Kiriath-baal v.60). Source id 06q5z.
סַנָּ֖הSannahN proper (second element) · סַנָּה (H7158)Construct element (second member, genitival)סַנָּה (H7158, same entry as קִרְיַת here), meaning uncertain, perhaps 'palm' or a place of thorns; קִרְיַת־סַנָּה 'city of Sannah' is an alternate name for Debir. Source id 06rTe.
הִ֥יאthat isindependent pron 3fs · הִיא (H1931)Resumptive identifying pronoun (equative clause)הִיא (H1931) 3fs independent pronoun, used idiomatically as a copula 'that is / the same as' to gloss an alternate town name, exactly as in vv.54,60 and v.15 (Kiriath-sepher, that is Debir). Source id 06CMT.
דְבִֽרDebirN proper · דְּבִיר (H1688)Predicate complement of identificationדְּבִיר (H1688) 'sanctuary, back room'; a royal Canaanite city taken by Caleb/Othniel (Josh 10:38-39; 15:15-17), here re-identified with its earlier name Kiriath-sannah (cf. Kiriath-sepher v.15) — Judah's town-list preserves both an old and a newer name for the same site. Source id 06npi.
50
וַעֲנָ֥ב וְאֶשְׁתְּמֹ֖ה וְעָנִֽים
Anab, Eshtemoa, and Anim,
Word-by-word analysis· 3 words
וַעֲנָ֥בand Anabconj וְ + N proper · עֲנָב (H6024)Coordinate list itemעֲנָב (H6024) 'grape(s)'; a hill-country town whose Anakim inhabitants Joshua cut off (Josh 11:21); identified with Khirbet Anab es-Saghireh southwest of Hebron. Source id 06f16.
וְאֶשְׁתְּמֹ֖הand Eshtemoaconj וְ + N proper · אֶשְׁתְּמֹעַ (H851)Coordinate list itemאֶשְׁתְּמֹעַ (H851), a Levitical city (Josh 21:14) where David sent spoil (1 Sam 30:28); identified with modern es-Samu south of Hebron. Source id 067Yx.
וְעָנִֽיםand Animconj וְ + N proper · עָנִים (H6044)Coordinate list itemעָנִים (H6044), plural form perhaps 'springs' or related to עֲנָב; site uncertain, possibly Khirbet Ghuwein southeast of Eshtemoa. Source id 064CA.
51
וְגֹ֥שֶׁן וְחֹלֹ֖ן וְגִלֹ֑ה עָרִ֥ים אַֽחַת עֶשְׂרֵ֖ה וְחַצְרֵיהֶֽן
Goshen, Holon, and Giloh — eleven cities, with their villages.
Word-by-word analysis· 7 words
וְגֹ֥שֶׁןand Goshenconj וְ + N proper · גֹּשֶׁן (H1657)Coordinate list itemגֹּשֶׁן (H1657), a Judahite hill-country town, not to be confused with the Egyptian region of Goshen (Gen 45:10) nor the 'land of Goshen' district of Josh 10:41; 11:16. Source id 06bwy.
וְחֹלֹ֖ןand Holonconj וְ + N proper · חֹלֹן (H2473)Coordinate list itemחֹלֹן (H2473) 'sandy place'; a Levitical city (Josh 21:15, called Hilen in 1 Chr 6:58); site unidentified. Source id 06gtP.
וְגִלֹ֑הand Gilohconj וְ + N proper · גִּלֹה (H1542)Coordinate list itemגִּלֹה (H1542), hometown of Ahithophel, David's counselor (2 Sam 15:12); possibly Khirbet Jala south of Hebron. Source id 06QYM.
עָרִ֥יםcitiesN f pl abs · עִיר (H5892)Subject of tally clause (verbless)עִיר (H5892) 'city, town'; head noun of the standard numerical tally closing each district's list. Source id 06NXX.
אַֽחַתonenum card f sg abs · אַחַת (H259)Numeral (units digit of tally)אֶחָד/אַחַת (H259) 'one'; combines with עֶשְׂרֵה to form 'eleven' (lit. 'one-teen'), the standard Hebrew teen-numeral construction. Source id 06JFS.
עֶשְׂרֵ֖ה-teen (eleven)num card f sg abs · עֶשְׂרֵה (H6240)Numeral (teens element of tally)עֶשְׂרֵה (H6240), feminine form of עָשָׂר 'ten', used in teen numerals; אַחַת עֶשְׂרֵה = 'eleven'. Source id 06vz1.
וְחַצְרֵיהֶֽןand their villagesconj וְ + N c pl constr + 3fp suffix · חָצֵר (H2691)Coordinate object of tally (construct + 3fp suffix)חָצֵר (H2691) 'court, enclosure, hamlet'; the standard closing formula of a MT city-register: 'and their villages/hamlets' (unwalled satellite settlements dependent on the listed cities), with 3fp suffix referring back to the feminine עָרִים. Source id 063P6.
52
אֲרַ֥ב וְרוּמָ֖ה וְאֶשְׁעָֽן
Arab, Dumah, and Eshan,
Word-by-word analysis· 3 words
אֲרַ֥בArabN proper · אֲרָב (H694)Subject complement (list item, asyndetic opening)אֲרָב (H694) 'ambush' or related to 'steppe'; opens a new, unlinked sub-list (no initial vav) — site possibly Khirbet er-Rabiyeh near Dumah/Rumah. Source id 068so.
וְרוּמָ֖הand Dumahconj וְ + N proper · דּוּמָה (H1746)Coordinate list itemThe MT here points רוּמָה 'Rumah', but the town is generally identified with דּוּמָה 'Dumah' (most versions and the Onomasticon equate it with Daumeh/ed-Domeh southwest of Hebron); the ר/ד confusion is a classic scribal orthographic slip (ר and ד are graphically near-identical), so the received consonants may reflect an ancient copying error for דּוּמָה. Source id 06YUp.
וְאֶשְׁעָֽןand Eshanconj וְ + N proper · אֶשְׁעָן (H824)Coordinate list itemאֶשְׁעָן (H824), site unidentified; attested only here. Source id 06N5y.
53
וינים וְיָנ֥וּם וּבֵית תַּפּ֖וּחַ וַאֲפֵֽקָה
Janim, Beth-tappuah, and Aphekah,
Word-by-word analysis· 5 words
ויניםand Janim [dittography]conj וְ + N proper (unpointed dittography) · יָנִים (H3241)Coordinate list item (orthographic doublet, likely erroneous)וינים, unpointed in the received text, is graphically almost identical to the immediately following וְיָנוּם and most likely arose as a scribal dittography — the copyist's eye duplicated the town-name once by accident. It is best read as an inadvertent orthographic doublet of the same place-name (יָנוּם/יָנִים 'Janum/Janim') rather than two distinct towns, since the tally in v.54 ('nine cities') only works if these two occurrences are one town, not two. Source id 06G2c.
וְיָנ֥וּםand Janumconj וְ + N proper · יָנוּם (H3241)Coordinate list itemיָנוּם/יָנִים (H3241), the pointed form of the town-name (see note at the preceding word on the probable dittography); site unidentified, in the hill country south of Hebron. Source id 06MUh.
וּבֵיתand Beth-conj וְ + N proper constr (first element) · בַּיִת (H1054)Construct element (first member of place-name construct chain)בֵּית (construct of בַּיִת, H1054) 'house of'; first element of the compound toponym בֵּית תַּפּוּחַ. Source id 06rRV.
תַּפּ֖וּחַTappuahN proper (second element) · תַּפּוּחַ (H1054)Construct element (second member, genitival)תַּפּוּחַ (H1054) 'apple, apricot(?)'; here as part of בֵּית תַּפּוּחַ 'house/place of Tappuah', a hill-country town distinct from the Tappuah of the Ephraim-Manasseh border (Josh 16:8; 17:8). Source id 06y81.
וַאֲפֵֽקָהand Aphekahconj וְ + N proper · אֲפֵקָה (H664)Coordinate list itemאֲפֵקָה (H664) 'fortress, enclosure' (from אָפַק 'to be strong/enclosed'); site unidentified, distinct from the several other Apheks in the OT (e.g. 1 Sam 4:1; 1 Kgs 20:26). Source id 06oA4.
54
וְחֻמְטָ֗ה וְקִרְיַ֥ת אַרְבַּ֛ע הִ֥יא חֶבְר֖וֹן וְצִיעֹ֑ר עָרִ֥ים תֵּ֖שַׁע וְחַצְרֵיהֶֽן
and Humtah, and Kiriath-arba (that is, Hebron), and Zior — nine cities, with their villages.
Word-by-word analysis· 9 words
וְחֻמְטָ֗הand Humtahconj וְ + N proper · חֻמְטָה (H2547)Coordinate list itemחֻמְטָה (H2547), site unidentified; attested only here. Source id 06f9w.
וְקִרְיַ֥תand Kiriath-conj וְ + N proper constr (first element) · קִרְיָה (H7153)Construct element (first member of place-name construct chain)קִרְיַת (construct of קִרְיָה) 'city of'; opens the compound name קִרְיַת אַרְבַּע. Source id 06PwW.
אַרְבַּ֛עArbaadj f sg abs (numeral form used as proper noun, second element) · אַרְבַּע (H7153)Construct element (second member, genitival) — numeral morphology reflects אַרְבַּע 'four' but functions as a proper name hereאַרְבַּע (H7153) is homographic with the numeral 'four' (H702) but here functions as a personal/place name — 'Arba', remembered elsewhere as 'the greatest man among the Anakim' (Josh 14:15); קִרְיַת אַרְבַּע = 'city of Arba'. Source id 06Fkn.
הִ֥יאthat isindependent pron 3fs · הִיא (H1931)Resumptive identifying pronoun (equative clause)הִיא (H1931), the same identification-formula pronoun as vv.49,60, here equating Kiriath-arba with Hebron. Source id 06bpn.
חֶבְר֖וֹןHebronN proper · חֶבְרוֹן (H2275)Predicate complement of identificationחֶבְרוֹן (H2275) 'association, league', from חָבַר 'to unite'; one of the most storied cities in the OT — Abraham's burial place at Machpelah (Gen 23), Caleb's inheritance (Josh 14:13-15), and David's first royal capital before Jerusalem (2 Sam 5:5); its inclusion here, re-identified by its older name Kiriath-arba, anchors this district firmly to patriarchal and Davidic memory. Source id 06ywD.
וְצִיעֹ֑רand Ziorconj וְ + N proper · צִיעֹר (H6730)Coordinate list itemצִיעֹר (H6730), site unidentified, likely near Hebron; attested only here. Source id 06hBi.
עָרִ֥יםcitiesN f pl abs · עִיר (H5892)Subject of tally clause (verbless)עִיר (H5892), head noun of the tally formula (see v.51). Source id 069jd.
תֵּ֖שַׁעninenum card f sg abs · תֵּשַׁע (H8672)Numeral (tally)תֵּשַׁע (H8672) 'nine'; total for this sub-list, Arab through Zior (vv.52-54). Source id 06NGN.
וְחַצְרֵיהֶֽןand their villagesconj וְ + N c pl constr + 3fp suffix · חָצֵר (H2691)Coordinate object of tally (construct + 3fp suffix)חָצֵר (H2691) 'court, enclosure, hamlet'; the standard closing formula of a MT city-register (see full note at v.51). Source id 0631w.
55
מָע֥וֹן כַּרְמֶ֖ל וָזִ֥יף וְיוּטָּֽה
Maon, Carmel, Ziph, and Juttah,
Word-by-word analysis· 4 words
מָע֥וֹןMaonN proper · מָעוֹן (H4584)Subject complement (list item, asyndetic opening)מָעוֹן (H4584) 'dwelling, habitation'; hill-country town near Carmel, associated with Nabal's household (1 Sam 25:2) and the 'wilderness of Maon' where David hid from Saul (1 Sam 23:24-25). Source id 06nHz.
כַּרְמֶ֖לCarmelN proper · כַּרְמֶל (H3760)Coordinate list itemכַּרְמֶל (H3760) 'garden-land, orchard'; the Judahite Carmel (distinct from Mount Carmel in the north) — home territory of Nabal and Abigail (1 Sam 25) and site of Saul's victory monument (1 Sam 15:12); identified with Khirbet el-Kirmil south of Hebron. Source id 06yym.
וָזִ֥יףand Ziphconj וְ + N proper · זִיף (H2128)Coordinate list itemזִיף (H2128), a hill-country town in whose wilderness David twice hid from Saul and was twice betrayed by its inhabitants (1 Sam 23:14-24; 26:1-2); identified with Tell Zif southeast of Hebron. Source id 06yHv.
וְיוּטָּֽהand Juttahconj וְ + N proper · יוּטָּה (H3194)Coordinate list itemיוּטָּה (H3194), a Levitical city (Josh 21:16); identified with Yatta south of Hebron. Source id 06D9G.
56
וְיִזְרְעֶ֥אל וְיָקְדְעָ֖ם וְזָנֽוֹחַ
Jezreel, Jokdeam, and Zanoah,
Word-by-word analysis· 3 words
וְיִזְרְעֶ֥אלand Jezreelconj וְ + N proper · יִזְרְעֶאל (H3157)Coordinate list itemיִזְרְעֶאל (H3157) 'God sows'; this is the Judahite Jezreel (David's wife Ahinoam came from here, 1 Sam 25:43), not the far better-known Jezreel of the northern valley/Ahab's palace (1 Kgs 21) — a homonym trap for the unwary reader. Source id 06ZkS.
וְיָקְדְעָ֖םand Jokdeamconj וְ + N proper · יָקְדְעָם (H3347)Coordinate list itemיָקְדְעָם (H3347), site unidentified; attested only here (1 Chr 2:44 lists a similar-sounding name, יָרְקְעָם, possibly a corruption of the same town). Source id 067eY.
וְזָנֽוֹחַand Zanoahconj וְ + N proper · זָנוֹחַ (H2182)Coordinate list itemזָנוֹחַ (H2182) 'rejected/malodorous place'; a hill-country Zanoah distinct from the Shephelah Zanoah of v.34; resettled after the exile (Neh 11:30). Source id 065KS.
57
הַקַּ֖יִן גִּבְעָ֣ה וְתִמְנָ֑ה עָרִ֥ים עֶ֖שֶׂר וְחַצְרֵיהֶֽן
Kain, Gibeah, and Timnah — ten cities, with their villages.
Word-by-word analysis· 6 words
הַקַּ֖יִןKainart + N proper · קַיִן (H7014)Subject complement (list item, with article)קַיִן (H7014) 'smith, spear' (cognate to the personal name Cain); here with the definite article as a place-name — site unidentified, perhaps associated with Kenite settlement in Judah (Judg 1:16). Source id 06QMc.
גִּבְעָ֣הGibeahN proper · גִּבְעָה (H1390)Coordinate list itemגִּבְעָה (H1390) 'hill'; this Judahite Gibeah is distinct from the notorious Benjaminite Gibeah of Judg 19-20 and from Saul's Gibeah — a very common toponym (Hebrew גִּבְעָה simply means 'hill'). Source id 06vNk.
וְתִמְנָ֑הand Timnahconj וְ + N proper · תִּמְנָה (H8553)Coordinate list itemתִּמְנָה (H8553), likely the same Timnah of Samson's Philistine wife (Judg 14) and Judah/Tamar's sheep-shearing (Gen 38:12-14), here reckoned within Judah's hill country rather than the Shephelah border list of v.10. Source id 06Rs6.
עָרִ֥יםcitiesN f pl abs · עִיר (H5892)Subject of tally clause (verbless)עִיר (H5892), head noun of the tally formula (see v.51). Source id 06aq4.
עֶ֖שֶׂרtennum card f sg abs · עֶשֶׂר (H6235)Numeral (tally)עֶשֶׂר (H6235) 'ten'; total for this third sub-list, Maon through Timnah (vv.55-57). Source id 06yyt.
וְחַצְרֵיהֶֽןand their villagesconj וְ + N c pl constr + 3fp suffix · חָצֵר (H2691)Coordinate object of tally (construct + 3fp suffix)חָצֵר (H2691) 'court, enclosure, hamlet'; the standard closing formula of a MT city-register (see full note at v.51). Source id 06J2d.
58
חַלְח֥וּל בֵּֽית צ֖וּר וּגְדֽוֹר
Halhul, Beth-zur, and Gedor,
Word-by-word analysis· 4 words
חַלְח֥וּלHalhulN proper · חַלְחוּל (H2478)Subject complement (list item, asyndetic opening)חַלְחוּל (H2478), reduplicated form perhaps 'writhing/trembling'; identified with modern Halhul just north of Hebron, one of the few town-names in this list that survives essentially unchanged to the present day. Source id 06CqT.
בֵּֽיתBeth-N proper constr (first element) · בַּיִת (H1049)Construct element (first member of place-name construct chain)בֵּית (construct of בַּיִת) 'house of'; first element of בֵּית צוּר. Source id 06MTY.
צ֖וּרZurN proper (second element) · צוּר (H1049)Construct element (second member, genitival)צוּר 'rock'; בֵּית־צוּר, a key fortress town guarding the road south of Jerusalem/Bethlehem toward Hebron, later fortified by Rehoboam (2 Chr 11:7) and a major Hasmonean-era strongpoint contested repeatedly in the Maccabean wars (1 Macc 4:29, 61; 6:7,26,31,49-50) — its strategic value already latent in this bare list entry. Source id 06VoC.
וּגְדֽוֹרand Gedorconj וְ + N proper · גְּדוֹר (H1446)Coordinate list itemגְּדוֹר (H1446) 'wall, enclosure'; a common fortification-toponym (cf. 1 Chr 4:4,18), identified with Khirbet Jedur north of Hebron. Source id 06Vpi.
59
וּמַעֲרָ֥ת וּבֵית עֲנ֖וֹת וְאֶלְתְּקֹ֑ן עָרִ֥ים שֵׁ֖שׁ וְחַצְרֵיהֶֽן
and Maarath, and Beth-anoth, and Eltekon — six cities, with their villages.
Word-by-word analysis· 7 words
וּמַעֲרָ֥תand Maarathconj וְ + N proper · מַעֲרָת (H4638)Coordinate list itemמַעֲרָת (H4638) 'bare place, treeless spot'; site unidentified, possibly near Beth-anoth. Source id 06PBT.
וּבֵיתand Beth-conj וְ + N proper constr (first element) · בַּיִת (H1042)Construct element (first member of place-name construct chain)בֵּית (construct of בַּיִת) 'house of'; opens בֵּית עֲנוֹת. Source id 06HGR.
עֲנ֖וֹתAnothN proper (second element) · עֲנוֹת (H1042)Construct element (second member, genitival)עֲנוֹת (H1042), plausibly related to עָנָה 'to answer/sing'; בֵּית עֲנוֹת = 'house of Anoth', site unidentified near Halhul. Source id 066sk.
וְאֶלְתְּקֹ֑ןand Eltekonconj וְ + N proper · אֶלְתְּקֹן (H515)Coordinate list itemאֶלְתְּקֹן (H515) 'God is straight/upright'; site unidentified, distinct from Eltekeh of Dan (Josh 19:44). Source id 06k8E.
עָרִ֥יםcitiesN f pl abs · עִיר (H5892)Subject of tally clause (verbless)עִיר (H5892), head noun of the tally formula (see v.51). Source id 062HU.
שֵׁ֖שׁsixnum card f sg abs · שֵׁשׁ (H8337)Numeral (tally)שֵׁשׁ (H8337) 'six'; total for this fourth sub-list, Halhul through Eltekon (vv.58-59). Source id 06ULv.
וְחַצְרֵיהֶֽןand their villagesconj וְ + N c pl constr + 3fp suffix · חָצֵר (H2691)Coordinate object of tally (construct + 3fp suffix)חָצֵר (H2691) 'court, enclosure, hamlet'; the standard closing formula of a MT city-register (see full note at v.51). Source id 06eXZ.
60
קִרְיַת בַּ֗עַל הִ֛יא קִרְיַ֥ת יְעָרִ֖ים וְהָֽרַבָּ֑ה עָרִ֥ים שְׁתַּ֖יִם וְחַצְרֵיהֶֽן
Kiriath-baal (that is, Kiriath-jearim), and Rabbah — two cities, with their villages.
Word-by-word analysis· 9 words
קִרְיַתKiriath-N proper constr (first element) · קִרְיָה (H7154)Construct element (first member of place-name construct chain)קִרְיַת (construct of קִרְיָה) 'city of'; opens the compound name קִרְיַת בַּעַל. Source id 06pUs.
בַּ֗עַלBaalN proper (second element) · בַּעַל (H7154)Construct element (second member, genitival)בַּעַל 'lord, master'; קִרְיַת בַּעַל 'city of Baal', an alternate name reflecting a Canaanite cultic association at the site before/alongside Israelite occupation. Source id 0692R.
הִ֛יאthat isindependent pron 3fs · הִיא (H1931)Resumptive identifying pronoun (equative clause)הִיא (H1931), the identification-formula pronoun, as in vv.49,54, here equating Kiriath-baal with Kiriath-jearim. Source id 06M7V.
קִרְיַ֥תKiriath-N proper constr (first element) · קִרְיָה (H7157)Construct element (first member of place-name construct chain)קִרְיַת (construct of קִרְיָה) 'city of'; opens קִרְיַת יְעָרִים. Source id 06N33.
יְעָרִ֖יםJearimN proper (second element) · יְעָרִים (H7157)Construct element (second member, genitival)יְעָרִים 'forests, thickets'; קִרְיַת יְעָרִים 'city of forests' was one of the four Gibeonite cities that made a treaty with Israel (Josh 9:17) and, most famously, the resting place of the ark of the covenant for twenty years before David brought it to Jerusalem (1 Sam 7:1-2; 2 Sam 6:2-3) — named already on Judah's border in v.9 and again here in the town tally. Source id 06wN2.
וְהָֽרַבָּ֑הand Rabbahconj וְ + art + N proper · רַבָּה (H7237)Coordinate list item (with article)רַבָּה (H7237) 'great (city)', with the article; this Judahite Rabbah is distinct from the far better-known Rabbah of the Ammonites (2 Sam 12:26); site unidentified. Source id 0668n.
עָרִ֥יםcitiesN f pl abs · עִיר (H5892)Subject of tally clause (verbless)עִיר (H5892), head noun of the tally formula (see v.51). Source id 06GAD.
שְׁתַּ֖יִםtwonum card f dual abs · שְׁתַּיִם (H8147)Numeral (tally, dual form)שְׁתַּיִם (H8147) 'two', dual form of the feminine numeral; total for this final, very short sub-list. Source id 061ee.
וְחַצְרֵיהֶֽןand their villagesconj וְ + N c pl constr + 3fp suffix · חָצֵר (H2691)Coordinate object of tally (construct + 3fp suffix)חָצֵר (H2691) 'court, enclosure, hamlet'; the standard closing formula of a MT city-register (see full note at v.51). Source id 06dZh.
61
בַּמִּדְבָּ֑ר בֵּ֚ית הָעֲרָבָ֔ה מִדִּ֖ין וּסְכָכָֽה
In the wilderness: Beth-arabah, Middin, and Secacah,
Word-by-word analysis· 5 words
בַּמִּדְבָּ֑רIn the wildernessprep בְּ + art + N m sg abs · מִדְבָּר (H4057)Locative prepositional phrase (heading)מִדְבָּר (H4057) 'wilderness, wasteland'; with the article, the standard heading for the fifth and final geographic district of Judah's list — the arid Judean desert descending toward the Dead Sea. Source id 06cKU.
בֵּ֚יתBeth-N proper constr (first element) · בַּיִת (H1026)Construct element (first member of place-name construct chain)בֵּית (construct of בַּיִת) 'house of'; opens בֵּית הָעֲרָבָה. Source id 06bSE.
הָעֲרָבָ֔הthe ArabahN proper (second element) · עֲרָבָה (H1026)Construct element (second member, genitival)עֲרָבָה (H6160) 'desert plain, steppe'; בֵּית הָעֲרָבָה 'house of the Arabah', a border town already named on Judah's northern boundary in v.6 and on Benjamin's southern boundary in Josh 18:22 — this wilderness district borders both tribes. Source id 06EWA.
מִדִּ֖יןMiddinN proper · מִדִּין (H4081)Coordinate list itemמִדִּין (H4081), site unidentified, likely in the region near the Dead Sea; attested only here. Source id 06zWo.
וּסְכָכָֽהand Secacahconj וְ + N proper · סְכָכָה (H5527)Coordinate list itemסְכָכָה (H5527) 'thicket, covering'; possibly identified with a site near Qumran; attested only here. Source id 06djv.
62
וְהַנִּבְשָׁ֥ן וְעִיר הַמֶּ֖לַח וְעֵ֣ין גֶּ֑דִי עָרִ֥ים שֵׁ֖שׁ וְחַצְרֵיהֶֽן
and Nibshan, and the City of Salt, and En-gedi — six cities, with their villages.
Word-by-word analysis· 8 words
וְהַנִּבְשָׁ֥ןand Nibshanconj וְ + art + N proper · נִבְשָׁן (H5044)Coordinate list item (with article)נִבְשָׁן (H5044), with the article; site unidentified, likely another small Dead Sea-region settlement; attested only here. Source id 06Ukr.
וְעִירand the City ofconj וְ + N f sg constr (first element) · עִיר (H5898)Construct element (first member of place-name construct chain)עִיר (construct, part of the compound toponym here) 'city of'; opens the descriptive place-name עִיר הַמֶּלַח. Source id 06UM1.
הַמֶּ֖לַחSaltart + N m sg abs (second element) · מֶלַח (H5898)Construct element (second member, genitival, with article)מֶלַח (H4417) 'salt', with the article; עִיר הַמֶּלַח 'the City of Salt' — an unidentified settlement, possibly near the salt flats at the southern end of the Dead Sea; the identification remains conjectural. Source id 06Ubd.
וְעֵ֣יןand En-conj וְ + N proper constr (first element) · עַיִן (H5872)Construct element (first member of place-name construct chain)עֵין (construct of עַיִן, 'spring') 'spring of'; opens עֵין גֶּדִי. Source id 06oqY.
גֶּ֑דִיGediN proper (second element) · גְּדִי (H5872)Construct element (second member, genitival)גְּדִי 'young goat, kid'; עֵין גֶּדִי 'spring of the kid/gazelle' — the famous freshwater oasis on the western shore of the Dead Sea, where David hid from Saul among its rocky crags ('the strongholds of En-gedi', 1 Sam 24:1-2) and which later lends its vineyards a simile in Song 1:14. Source id 06HYy.
עָרִ֥יםcitiesN f pl abs · עִיר (H5892)Subject of tally clause (verbless)עִיר (H5892), head noun of the tally formula (see v.51). Source id 06dH2.
שֵׁ֖שׁsixnum card f sg abs · שֵׁשׁ (H8337)Numeral (tally)שֵׁשׁ (H8337) 'six'; total for the wilderness district, Beth-arabah through En-gedi (vv.61-62). Source id 06SSn.
וְחַצְרֵיהֶֽןand their villagesconj וְ + N c pl constr + 3fp suffix · חָצֵר (H2691)Coordinate object of tally (construct + 3fp suffix)חָצֵר (H2691) 'court, enclosure, hamlet'; the standard closing formula of a MT city-register (see full note at v.51); this is the final tally-formula of the whole town-register before the chapter's closing Jebusite notice in v.63. Source id 069WF.
63
וְאֶת הַיְבוּסִי֙ יוֹשְׁבֵ֣י יְרֽוּשָׁלִַ֔ם לֹֽא יוכלו יָכְל֥וּ בְנֵֽי יְהוּדָ֖ה לְהֽוֹרִישָׁ֑ם וַיֵּ֨שֶׁב הַיְבוּסִ֜י אֶת בְּנֵ֤י יְהוּדָה֙ בִּיר֣וּשָׁלִַ֔ם עַ֖ד הַיּ֥וֹם הַזֶּֽה
But as for the Jebusites, the inhabitants of Jerusalem — the sons of Judah were not able to dispossess them; so the Jebusite dwells with the sons of Judah in Jerusalem to this day.
Word-by-word analysis· 19 words
וְאֶתand [obj]conj וְ + obj marker · אֵת (H853)Conjunction + direct-object marker (fronted object, casus pendens)אֵת (H853), nota accusativi; here the object הַיְבוּסִי is fronted before the negated verb for emphasis/topicalization — 'But as for the Jebusites...' — a device highlighting the one people group Judah failed to dispossess. Source id 06Ddt.
הַיְבוּסִי֙the Jebusitesart + gentilic noun m sg abs · יְבוּסִי (H2983)Fronted direct object (casus pendens)יְבוּסִי (H2983), gentilic 'Jebusite', from יְבוּס, the pre-Israelite name of Jerusalem (Judg 19:10-11); one of the Canaanite peoples listed in the standard nations-formulas (e.g. Gen 15:21) who held the strategic hill city until David's conquest. Source id 06xK2.
יוֹשְׁבֵ֣יthe inhabitants ofQal ptc m pl constr · יָשַׁב (H3427)Substantival participle in apposition to הַיְבוּסִי (construct with following genitive)→ Participle: a durative, characterizing state — 'those dwelling/inhabiting', describing the Jebusites by their ongoing occupationיָשַׁב (H3427) 'to sit, dwell, inhabit'; the Qal active participle construct here functions substantivally, 'inhabitants of', in apposition to 'the Jebusites', identifying them precisely as Jerusalem's resident population — the same root that returns as the verse's closing verb וַיֵּשֶׁב. Source id 06DPi.
יְרֽוּשָׁלִַ֔םJerusalemN proper · יְרוּשָׁלַםִ (H3389)Genitive complement of construct יוֹשְׁבֵייְרוּשָׁלַםִ (H3389), the city named on Judah's boundary already in v.8 as the Jebusite border-town, and again here as the city Judah could not actually take — the chapter's geography and its historical honesty converge in this verse. Source id 06D8e.
לֹֽאnotnegative particle · לֹא (H3808)Negative particle negating the following verbלֹא (H3808), the standard Hebrew negative; negates יָכְלוּ, producing the blunt admission 'were NOT able'. Source id 06Sx9.
יוכלוwere able [Kethiv]Kethiv (unpointed): Qal impf 3mp · יכל (H3201)Kethiv reading (defective/unpointed consonantal text), superseded in reading by the Qere→ Kethiv: the written consonants, left unpointed by the Masoretes as a signal to read the following Qere form insteadיכל (H3201) 'to be able, prevail'; the Kethiv (written) form here, left without vowel points — a formal Kethiv/Qere pair with the following יָכְלוּ. Same verb, same root, same meaning ('were able'); the Masoretic apparatus directs the reader to voice only the pointed Qere form that follows, while preserving the alternate consonantal tradition unpointed in the received text. Source id 06im8.
יָכְל֥וּwere able [Qere]Qal perf 3cp (qere) · יָכֹל (H3201)Qere reading — Predicate verb (main clause), negated by לֹא→ Perfective (the reading actually voiced): a completed state — Judah's sons never managed, and never came to manage, the dispossessionיָכֹל (H3201) 'to be able, prevail, overcome'; the Qere (the form actually read aloud), Qal perfect 3cp, functioning together with the preceding לֹא as the verse's key negated predicate: 'were not able'. This Kethiv/Qere doublet is textually well attested and does not affect meaning, only orthography, but its presence at the chapter's climactic admission of failure has invited comment from ancient and modern readers alike. Source id 06Enx.
בְנֵֽיthe sons ofN m pl constr · בֵּן (H1121)Subject (construct, genitival chain) of יָכְלוּבֵּן (H1121) 'son'; construct plural 'sons of', heading the subject phrase בְּנֵי יְהוּדָה 'the sons/people of Judah', the tribe whose incomplete conquest this verse reports. Source id 063mF.
יְהוּדָ֖הJudahN proper · יְהוּדָה (H3063)Genitive complement of construct בְנֵי (tribal identification)יְהוּדָה (H3063), the tribe whose territorial allotment this entire chapter has surveyed; the verse's grammatical subject of failure — a striking close to a chapter that has otherwise catalogued success after success. Source id 06Lmj.
לְהֽוֹרִישָׁ֑םto dispossess themprep לְ + Hiphil inf constr + 3mp suffix · יָרַשׁ (H3423)Hiphil infinitive construct with prep לְ (purpose/result clause) and 3mp suffix, complementing יָכְלוּ→ Infinitive of purpose/result: the unrealized goal of the negated main verb — what Judah was not able to accomplishיָרַשׁ (H3423) 'to take possession of, inherit, dispossess'; Hiphil (causative) 'to cause to be dispossessed, drive out'; the same verb that runs throughout Joshua's conquest theology (e.g. 'drive out the inhabitants,' 13:6; 17:12-13) — its failure here, framed as an infinitive of purpose Judah could not reach, is the verse's central admission. Source id 06Wuy.
וַיֵּ֨שֶׁבso he dweltconj וְ + Qal wayyiqtol 3ms · יָשַׁב (H3427)Wayyiqtol, main-line narrative predicate (result clause: consequence of the preceding failure)→ Wayyiqtol of narrative conclusion: the ongoing, unresolved state of Jebusite co-occupation reported as the chapter's final narrated fact.יָשַׁב (H3427) 'to sit, dwell, remain'; the wayyiqtol form narrates the direct consequence of Judah's failed dispossession — the Jebusite simply stays put; the same root as יוֹשְׁבֵי earlier in the verse, forming an inclusio around the verse's central admission ('the ones DWELLING in Jerusalem... so the Jebusite continued DWELLING'). Source id 06SLZ.
הַיְבוּסִ֜יthe Jebusiteart + gentilic noun m sg abs · יְבוּסִי (H2983)Subject of וַיֵּשֶׁביְבוּסִי (H2983), see note above; now singular collective, subject of the closing narrative verb. Source id 06ooD.
אֶתwithprep · אֵת (H854)Preposition governing the following comitative phraseאֵת/אֶת (H854) 'with, together with' — a genuinely distinct lexeme and Strong's entry from the object-marker אֵת (H853) that opens this same verse, though identically spelled; here it is a true preposition of accompaniment, expressing the Jebusite's continued cohabitation alongside Judah rather than marking a direct object. Source id 06wcw.
בְּנֵ֤יthe sons ofN m pl constr · בֵּן (H1121)Genitive complement of preposition אֶת (construct chain)בֵּן (H1121), construct plural, heading בְּנֵי יְהוּדָה, the comitative complement of אֶת. Source id 06c32.
יְהוּדָה֙JudahN proper · יְהוּדָה (H3063)Genitive complement of construct בְּנֵייְהוּדָה (H3063); Judah named a second time in this verse, now as the people the Jebusite lives alongside rather than the failed conquering agent. Source id 06Xsg.
בִּיר֣וּשָׁלִַ֔םin Jerusalemprep בְּ + N proper · יְרוּשָׁלַםִ (H3389)Locative prepositional phrase modifying וַיֵּשֶׁביְרוּשָׁלַםִ (H3389), named a second time in this verse — first as the city the Jebusites inhabit (v.63a), now as the site of their continued, unresolved residence alongside Judah. Source id 06sZv.
עַ֖דuntilprep · עַד (H5704)Preposition heading a temporal phrase (extent 'up to')עַד (H5704) 'as far as, until'; here temporal, introducing the standard 'to this day' formula that marks a state of affairs still true at the time of writing. Source id 06S9x.
הַיּ֥וֹםthe dayart + N m sg abs · יוֹם (H3117)Object of preposition עַד (temporal)יוֹם (H3117) 'day', with the article; part of the fixed idiom עַד הַיּוֹם הַזֶּה 'to this day', used throughout the Deuteronomistic History to flag an enduring state of affairs from the narrator's own vantage point (cf. Josh 4:9; 7:26; 8:28-29; 13:13). Source id 06CfQ.
הַזֶּֽהthisart + demonstrative m sg · זֶה (H2088)Demonstrative adjective modifying הַיּוֹםזֶה (H2088), demonstrative 'this', with the article agreeing with הַיּוֹם; closes the chapter with the narrator's own standing vantage point — the Jebusite presence in Jerusalem was not a momentary lapse but a persisting fact known 'to this day', a candid admission that punctures any triumphalist reading of the conquest and sets up 2 Sam 5:6-9, where David finally takes the city. Source id 06ZGT.