1
וַיֵּצֵ֞א הַגּוֹרָ֤ל הַשֵּׁנִי֙ לְשִׁמְע֔וֹן לְמַטֵּ֥ה בְנֵֽי שִׁמְע֖וֹן לְמִשְׁפְּחוֹתָ֑ם וַֽיְהִי֙ נַֽחֲלָתָ֔ם בְּת֖וֹךְ נַחֲלַ֥ת בְּנֵֽי יְהוּדָֽה
Then the second lot went out for Simeon, for the tribe of the sons of Simeon according to their families; and their inheritance was in the midst of the inheritance of the sons of Judah.
Opens with the recurring wayyiqtol formula that heads each tribal lot in this chapter (cf. vv. 10, 17, 24, 32, 40). The closing clause flags Simeon's anomaly — enclave territory 'in the midst' of Judah — which v. 9 will explain as compensation for Judah's oversized share.
Word-by-word analysis· 14 words
וַיֵּצֵ֞אand it went outQal wayyiqtol 3ms · יָצָא (H3318)Wayyiqtol of narrative sequence (main verb)→ Wayyiqtol: foregrounded narrative advanceיָצָא (H3318) 'to go out, come forth'; the technical verb for a lot 'coming out' to a tribe — the rubric heading each of the seven lots in this chapter (cf. vv. 10, 17, 24, 32, 40).
הַגּוֹרָ֤לthe lotart + N m sg abs · גּוֹרָל (H1486)Subject of וַיֵּצֵאגּוֹרָל (H1486) 'lot'; the object cast to determine allotment — the same rubric opens each of the seven lots recorded in this chapter.
הַשֵּׁנִי֙the secondart + ordinal adj m sg abs · שֵׁנִי (H8145)Attributive adjective (modifying הַגּוֹרָל)שֵׁנִי (H8145) 'second', ordinal from שָׁנָה 'to repeat, do again'; marks this as the second of the seven post-conquest lots — Judah's (ch. 15) counted as first among the remaining tribes.
לְשִׁמְע֔וֹןfor Simeonprep לְ + proper noun · שִׁמְעוֹן (H8095)Dative/beneficiary prepositional phraseשִׁמְעוֹן (H8095) 'Simeon', Jacob's second son by Leah (Gen 29:33); here the tribe receiving the lot.
לְמַטֵּ֥הfor the tribe ofprep לְ + N m sg constr · מַטֶּה (H4294)Prepositional phrase in apposition (restates לְשִׁמְעוֹן)מַטֶּה (H4294) 'tribe, staff'; in construct governing בְּנֵי שִׁמְעוֹן, the fuller title paired with the personal name.
בְנֵֽיthe sons ofN m pl constr · בֵּן (H1121)Construct noun (governs שִׁמְעוֹן)בֵּן (H1121) 'son'; construct 'sons of' = the tribal collective descended from the eponymous ancestor.
שִׁמְע֖וֹןSimeonproper noun · שִׁמְעוֹן (H8095)Genitive (object of construct בְּנֵי)שִׁמְעוֹן (H8095); see above — eponymous ancestor of the tribe.
לְמִשְׁפְּחוֹתָ֑םaccording to their familiesprep לְ + N f pl constr + 3mp suff · מִשְׁפָּחָה (H4940)Distributive prepositional phraseמִשְׁפָּחָה (H4940) 'clan, family'; the standard formula distributing a tribal lot by clan, repeated for every tribe's allotment notice in chs. 15-19.
וַֽיְהִי֙and it wasQal wayyiqtol 3ms · הָיָה (H1961)Wayyiqtol of narrative sequence (main verb)→ Wayyiqtol: foregrounded narrative advanceהָיָה (H1961) 'to be, become'; introduces the locational statement of Simeon's inheritance relative to Judah's.
נַֽחֲלָתָ֔םtheir inheritanceN f sg constr + 3mp suff · נַחֲלָה (H5159)Subject of וַיְהִינַחֲלָה (H5159) 'inheritance, possession'; the technical term for tribal land allotment throughout Joshua 13-21.
בְּת֖וֹךְin the midst ofprep בְּ + N m sg constr · תָּוֶךְ (H8432)Locative prepositional phrase (predicate)תָּוֶךְ (H8432) 'midst, middle'; the phrase signals Simeon's unusual fate — absorbed as scattered enclaves within Judah rather than given a contiguous block, fulfilling Jacob's oracle that Simeon would be 'divided in Jacob, scattered in Israel' (Gen 49:7).
נַחֲלַ֥תthe inheritance ofN f sg constr · נַחֲלָה (H5159)Genitive (object of construct chain governed by בְּתוֹךְ)נַחֲלָה (H5159); construct governing בְּנֵי יְהוּדָה — Simeon's territory lies inside Judah's.
בְּנֵֽיthe sons ofN m pl constr · בֵּן (H1121)Construct noun (governs יְהוּדָה)בֵּן (H1121) 'son'.
יְהוּדָֽהJudahproper noun · יְהוּדָה (H3063)Genitive (object of construct)יְהוּדָה (H3063); the tribe whose earlier, oversized allotment (ch. 15) is here reduced to make room for Simeon (explained explicitly in v. 9).
2
וַיְהִ֥י לָהֶ֖ם בְּנַֽחֲלָתָ֑ם בְּאֵֽר שֶׁ֥בַע וְשֶׁ֖בַע וּמוֹלָדָֽה
And they had for their inheritance: Beer-sheba, Sheba, and Moladah,
Begins the itemized list of Simeon's towns that runs through v. 6, where a summary tally closes it. Beer-sheba/Sheba likely reflects one town split into two list-entries by scribal duplication (see word note).
Word-by-word analysis· 7 words
וַיְהִ֥יand there wasQal wayyiqtol 3ms · הָיָה (H1961)Wayyiqtol of narrative sequence (main verb)→ Wayyiqtol: foregrounded narrative advanceהָיָה (H1961) 'to be'; introduces the city-list proper — 'and to them belonged, in their inheritance...'
לָהֶ֖םto themprep לְ + 3mp suffix · לְ (H none)Dative complement of וַיְהִיBare preposition לְ with pronominal suffix, 'to/for them'; possessive dative with הָיָה = 'they had, they possessed.'
בְּנַֽחֲלָתָ֑םin their inheritanceprep בְּ + N f sg constr + 3mp suff · נַחֲלָה (H5159)Locative prepositional phraseנַחֲלָה (H5159) 'inheritance'; introduces the itemized list of Simeon's towns that follows through v. 6.
בְּאֵֽרBeer(-sheba)proper noun · בְּאֵר (H884)First item of city list (direct object of implied 'they had')בְּאֵר שֶׁבַע (H884) 'well of seven/well of the oath' (Gen 21:31); the well-known southern town, here written as two juxtaposed words with the next entry — see note on שֶׁבַע for the resulting tally crux.
שֶׁ֥בַעshebaN f sg abs (numeral form) · שֶׁבַע (H884)Second element of the compound name בְּאֵר שֶׁבַעשֶׁבַע (H884) here completes the single place-name 'Beer-sheba' (not a separate town) — but MT then adds a further, distinct וְשֶׁבַע ('and Sheba') as its own list item, producing the chapter's famous count crux: 14 names are listed in vv. 2-6 against the 'thirteen cities' tally of v. 6. Most critics take שֶׁבַע here (without vav) as part of the compound and וְשֶׁבַע below as a scribal duplication or gloss that crept into the list.
וְשֶׁ֖בַעand Shebaconj וְ + N f sg abs (numeral form) · שֶׁבַע (H7652)Second item of city list, coordinate with Beer-shebaשֶׁבַע (H7652), a distinct lemma from H884 though homographic; listed as a separate town from Beer-sheba here. Absent from the parallel Simeon-in-Judah list (Josh 15:26-32) and from 1 Chr 4:28, which supports reading it as a textual duplicate rather than a genuine fourteenth name — the crux behind v. 6's count of 'thirteen.'
וּמוֹלָדָֽהand Moladahconj וְ + proper noun · מוֹלָדָה (H4137)Third item of city listמוֹלָדָה (H4137) 'birth, kindred'; a Negev town also assigned to Judah in 15:26, later resettled after the exile (Neh 11:26).
3
וַחֲצַ֥ר שׁוּעָ֛ל וּבָלָ֖ה וָעָֽצֶם
Hazar-shual, Balah, and Ezem,
Continues the asyndetic-then-copulative chain of town names begun in v. 2; no verb is repeated across the list.
Word-by-word analysis· 4 words
וַחֲצַ֥רand Hazar-shualconj וְ + proper noun · חֲצַר שׁוּעָל (H2705)Fourth item of city listחֲצַר שׁוּעָל (H2705) 'settlement/enclosure of the fox/jackal'; a Negev town, also listed for Judah (15:28) and resettled post-exile (Neh 11:27).
שׁוּעָ֛לShualproper noun · שׁוּעָל (H2705)Second element of the compound name חֲצַר שׁוּעָלשׁוּעָל (H2705) 'fox, jackal'; completes the compound place-name begun by the previous word.
וּבָלָ֖הand Balahconj וְ + proper noun · בָּלָה (H1088)Fifth item of city listבָּלָה (H1088) 'worn out, decayed'; likely equals Bilhah of 1 Chr 4:29 and Baalah/Balah of 15:29 — a small Negev town whose name shifts slightly across the parallel lists.
וָעָֽצֶםand Ezemconj וְ + proper noun · עֶצֶם (H6107)Sixth item of city listעֶצֶם (H6107) 'bone, strength'; another Negev town shared with Judah's list (15:29), otherwise unidentified with certainty.
4
וְאֶלְתּוֹלַ֥ד וּבְת֖וּל וְחָרְמָֽה
and Eltolad, Bethul, and Hormah,
Continues the town-name chain; three names differing in spelling from Judah's parallel list in ch. 15 for the same sites.
Word-by-word analysis· 3 words
וְאֶלְתּוֹלַ֥דand Eltoladconj וְ + proper noun · אֶלְתּוֹלַד (H513)Seventh item of city listאֶלְתּוֹלַד (H513), possibly 'God is [source of] generation'; called Tolad in 1 Chr 4:29 — a Negev town also listed for Judah (15:30).
וּבְת֖וּלand Bethulconj וְ + proper noun · בְּתוּל (H1329)Eighth item of city listבְּתוּל (H1329); called Chesil in 15:30 and Bethuel in 1 Chr 4:30 — the same town under variant spellings across the three lists.
וְחָרְמָֽהand Hormahconj וְ + proper noun · חָרְמָה (H2767)Ninth item of city listחָרְמָה (H2767) 'devotion to destruction', from חרם 'to ban/devote'; the site of Israel's early defeat and Canaanite counter-victory (Num 14:45) later taken and renamed after being placed under the ban (Num 21:3; Judg 1:17) — a name that memorializes the herem itself.
5
וְצִֽקְלַ֥ג וּבֵית הַמַּרְכָּב֖וֹת וַחֲצַ֥ר סוּסָֽה
and Ziklag, Beth-marcaboth, and Hazar-susah,
Two of the three names in this verse (Beth-marcaboth, 'house of chariots,' and Hazar-susah, 'enclosure of the mare') hint at a horse/chariot depot cluster in Simeon's far south.
Word-by-word analysis· 5 words
וְצִֽקְלַ֥גand Ziklagconj וְ + proper noun · צִקְלַג (H6860)Tenth item of city listצִקְלַג (H6860); the Philistine-controlled town Achish gave David as a fugitive base (1 Sam 27:6) and from which he set out to Ziklag's Amalekite raid and eventually to kingship — its listing here under Simeon reflects the boundary's fluid, contested southern edge.
וּבֵיתand Beth-conj וְ + N m sg constr (proper) · בֵּית (H1024)First element of the compound name בֵּית הַמַּרְכָּבוֹת (eleventh item)בַּיִת (H1024, 'house of') in construct, opening the compound place-name completed by the next word.
הַמַּרְכָּב֖וֹתthe Chariotsart + N f pl abs · מַרְכָּבָה (H1024)Second element of the compound name בֵּית הַמַּרְכָּבוֹתמַרְכָּבָה 'chariot'; the full name 'House of the Chariots' likely marks a Simeonite chariot depot or garrison town — unusual specificity for a small tribal list.
וַחֲצַ֥רand Hazar-conj וְ + N m sg constr (proper) · חָצֵר (H2701)First element of the compound name חֲצַר סוּסָה (twelfth item)חָצֵר 'enclosure, settlement', in construct opening the compound completed by the next word.
סוּסָֽהSusahproper noun · סוּסָה (H2701)Second element of the compound name חֲצַר סוּסָהסוּסָה, related to סוּס 'horse'; 'Enclosure of the Mare' — another town-name suggesting cavalry/chariot infrastructure alongside Beth-marcaboth in this same cluster.
6
וּבֵ֥ית לְבָא֖וֹת וְשָֽׁרוּחֶ֑ן עָרִ֥ים שְׁלֹשׁ עֶשְׂרֵ֖ה וְחַצְרֵיהֶֽן
and Beth-lebaoth and Sharuhen — thirteen cities with their villages.
Closes the list opened in v. 2 with the chapter's recurring 'N cities and their villages' formula. The stated 'thirteen' undercounts the fourteen names actually given, the crux most plausibly resolved by treating בְּאֵר שֶׁבַע וְשֶׁבַע (v. 2) as one town split by scribal duplication.
Word-by-word analysis· 7 words
וּבֵ֥יתand Beth-conj וְ + N m sg constr (proper) · בֵּית (H1034)First element of the compound name בֵּית לְבָאוֹת (thirteenth item)בַּיִת 'house of', opening the compound completed by the next word.
לְבָא֖וֹתLebaothproper noun · לְבָאוֹת (H1034)Second element of the compound name בֵּית לְבָאוֹתלְבָאוֹת, plural of לָבִיא 'lioness'; 'House of Lionesses' — called Beth-biri in 1 Chr 4:31. Likely equals Lebaoth of 15:32.
וְשָֽׁרוּחֶ֑ןand Sharuhenconj וְ + proper noun · שָׁרוּחֶן (H8287)Fourteenth (final) item of city listשָׁרוּחֶן (H8287); likely equals Shaaraim (15:36) or Shilhim (15:32) in the parallel lists — an Egyptian-attested southern-Canaan site (cf. the Hyksos-era fortress 'Sharuhen' in Egyptian records).
עָרִ֥יםcitiesN f pl abs · עִיר (H5892)Subject of the tally clause (nominal, verbless)עִיר (H5892) 'city, town'; heads the summary tally that closes each tribe's city sub-list — the standard rubric in this chapter (cf. vv. 7, 15, 22, 30, 38).
שְׁלֹשׁthreecardinal numeral f sg abs · שָׁלוֹשׁ (H7969)Numeral modifying עָרִים (with עֶשְׂרֵה, 'thirteen')שָׁלוֹשׁ (H7969) 'three'; combines with עֶשְׂרֵה 'ten' to give 'thirteen' — the stated tally, one short of the fourteen names actually listed in vv. 2-6 (see crux note at v. 2's שֶׁבַע).
עֶשְׂרֵ֖הtencardinal numeral f sg abs · עֶשְׂרֵה (H6240)Second element of the compound numeral 'thirteen'עֶשְׂרֵה (H6240) 'ten' (feminine teens-form); paired with שָׁלוֹשׁ to yield 'thirteen'.
וְחַצְרֵיהֶֽןand their villagesconj וְ + N c pl constr + 3fp suff · חָצֵר (H2691)Coordinate noun completing the tally formulaחָצֵר (H2691) 'settlement, hamlet'; the standard closing formula 'and their villages' appended to every city tally in this chapter, denoting the unwalled satellite settlements around each listed town.
7
עַ֥יִן רִמּ֖וֹן וָעֶ֣תֶר וְעָשָׁ֑ן עָרִ֥ים אַרְבַּ֖ע וְחַצְרֵיהֶֽן
En-rimmon, Ether, and Ashan — four cities with their villages;
A second, shorter list with its own 'N cities and villages' formula, run immediately after v. 6's closure of the first list — the two tallies (13 + 4) together anticipate the composite reckoning implicit before v. 9's explanation.
Word-by-word analysis· 7 words
עַ֥יִןEn-N m sg constr (proper) · עַיִן (H5871)First element of the compound name עֵין רִמּוֹן (first item of a second, appended city list)עַיִן 'spring, eye', in construct opening the compound completed by the next word — the same element as in Issachar's En-gannim, En-haddah (v. 21) and Naphtali's En-hazor (v. 37).
רִמּ֖וֹןRimmonproper noun · רִמּוֹן (H7417)Second element of the compound name עֵין רִמּוֹןרִמּוֹן 'pomegranate'; 'Spring of the Pomegranate' — a town resettled after the exile (Neh 11:29, as 'En-rimmon'), sometimes equated with Rimmon of 15:32.
וָעֶ֣תֶרand Etherconj וְ + proper noun · עֶתֶר (H6281)Second item of the appended city listעֶתֶר (H6281); called Tochen in the parallel Simeon list of 1 Chr 4:32, a further variant spelling.
וְעָשָׁ֑ןand Ashanconj וְ + proper noun · עָשָׁן (H6228)Third item of the appended city listעָשָׁן (H6228) 'smoke'; a priestly city assigned to the Levites out of Simeon's territory (1 Chr 6:59, there called Ashan), also listed under Judah in 15:42.
עָרִ֥יםcitiesN f pl abs · עִיר (H5892)Subject of the tally clause (nominal, verbless)עִיר (H5892) 'city'; closes this short supplementary list with its own tally, distinct from and additional to the thirteen of v. 6.
אַרְבַּ֖עfourcardinal numeral f sg abs · אַרְבַּע (H702)Numeral modifying עָרִיםאַרְבַּע (H702) 'four'; the tally for this short appended list (En-rimmon, Ether, Ashan) — only three names are given, one short of 'four,' a minor discrepancy paralleling the crux of v. 2/6.
וְחַצְרֵיהֶֽןand their villagesconj וְ + N c pl constr + 3fp suff · חָצֵר (H2691)Coordinate noun completing the tally formulaחָצֵר (H2691); the recurring closing formula, here noting some editions/versions supply a fourth name (e.g., 'Beth-marcaboth' repeated or 'Baalath-beer' — cf. 15:32 and 1 Chr 4:32-33) lost in MT's transmission of this appendix list.
8
וְכָל הַֽחֲצֵרִ֗ים אֲשֶׁ֤ר סְבִיבוֹת֙ הֶֽעָרִ֣ים הָאֵ֔לֶּה עַד בַּֽעֲלַ֥ת בְּאֵ֖ר רָ֣אמַת נֶ֑גֶב זֹ֗את נַחֲלַ֛ת מַטֵּ֥ה בְנֵֽי שִׁמְע֖וֹן לְמִשְׁפְּחֹתָֽם
and all the villages that were around these cities as far as Baalath-beer, Ramah of the Negev. This is the inheritance of the tribe of the sons of Simeon according to their families.
Two moves in one verse: a generalizing 'and all the villages around' clause extending the list beyond named towns, then the standard closing inclusio ('this is the inheritance...') that will recur at the end of every tribal section in this chapter.
Word-by-word analysis· 17 words
וְכָלand allconj וְ + N m sg constr · כֹּל (H3605)Subject of the summary clause (nominal, verbless)כֹּל (H3605) 'all, whole'; opens a summary generalization covering every unnamed settlement around the listed towns.
הַֽחֲצֵרִ֗יםthe villagesart + N c pl abs · חָצֵר (H2691)Genitive/head noun in construct chain (governed by כָּל)חָצֵר (H2691); here generalizing beyond the named towns to their entire satellite-settlement network.
אֲשֶׁ֤רwhichrelative particle · אֲשֶׁר (H834)Relative pronoun introducing a subordinate clauseאֲשֶׁר (H834) invariant relative particle 'who, which, that'.
סְבִיבוֹת֙aroundN c pl constr (used adverbially) · סָבִיב (H5439)Locative complement within the relative clauseסָבִיב (H5439) 'surroundings, circuit'; construct-plural used prepositionally, 'around, surrounding'.
הֶֽעָרִ֣יםthe citiesart + N f pl abs · עִיר (H5892)Genitive (object of סְבִיבוֹת)עִיר (H5892); refers back to all seventeen towns just enumerated in vv. 2-7.
הָאֵ֔לֶּהtheseart + demonstrative pron c pl · אֵלֶּה (H428)Attributive demonstrative (modifying הֶעָרִים)אֵלֶּה (H428) 'these'; points back to the entire preceding list.
עַדas far asprep · עַד (H5704)Terminal prepositional markerעַד (H5704) 'as far as, unto'; marks the outer limit of the enumerated territory.
בַּֽעֲלַ֥תBaalath-proper noun (construct) · בַּעֲלַת (H1192)First element of the compound name בַּעֲלַת בְּאֵר (object of עַד)בַּעֲלַת 'mistress of', in construct opening the compound placename completed by the next word — from the root בעל 'lord, master' (Canaanite deity-name also used generically).
בְּאֵ֖רBeerproper noun · בְּאֵר (H1192)Second element of the compound name בַּעֲלַת בְּאֵרבְּאֵר 'well'; the full name 'Mistress-of-the-Well' identified in the next word (in apposition) with Ramah of the Negev.
רָ֣אמַתRamahproper noun (in apposition) · רָמָה (H7414)Appositive to בַּעֲלַת בְּאֵררָמָה (H7414) 'height'; identifies Baalath-beer as 'Ramah of the Negev' — the same Ramah later cited as one of David's spoil-distribution sites (1 Sam 30:27, 'Ramoth-negev').
נֶ֑גֶבof the NegevN m sg abs (used as genitive qualifier) · נֶגֶב (H5045)Appositive/genitive qualifier of רָמָהנֶגֶב (H5045) 'south, dry land'; distinguishes this Ramah from Ramah of Benjamin and other namesakes.
זֹ֗אתthisdemonstrative pron f sg · זֹאת (H2063)Subject of the closing formula (nominal, verbless)זֹאת (H2063) 'this'; opens the closing tribal-allotment formula repeated at the end of each tribe's section (cf. vv. 16, 23, 31, 39, 48).
נַחֲלַ֛תthe inheritance ofN f sg constr · נַחֲלָה (H5159)Predicate noun, construct (governs מַטֵּה)נַחֲלָה (H5159); heads the closing formula 'this is the inheritance of the tribe of the sons of X.'
מַטֵּ֥הthe tribe ofN m sg constr · מַטֶּה (H4294)Construct noun (governs בְּנֵי)מַטֶּה (H4294) 'tribe'.
בְנֵֽיthe sons ofN m pl constr · בֵּן (H1121)Construct noun (governs שִׁמְעוֹן)בֵּן (H1121) 'son'.
שִׁמְע֖וֹןSimeonproper noun · שִׁמְעוֹן (H8095)Genitive (object of construct)שִׁמְעוֹן (H8095); see v. 1.
לְמִשְׁפְּחֹתָֽםaccording to their familiesprep לְ + N f pl constr + 3mp suff · מִשְׁפָּחָה (H4940)Distributive prepositional phrase closing the formulaמִשְׁפָּחָה (H4940); closes the formula exactly as it opened in v. 1, forming an inclusio around Simeon's section.
9
מֵחֶ֨בֶל֙ בְּנֵ֣י יְהוּדָ֔ה נַחֲלַ֖ת בְּנֵ֣י שִׁמְע֑וֹן כִּֽי הָיָ֞ה חֵ֤לֶק בְּנֵֽי יְהוּדָה֙ רַ֣ב מֵהֶ֔ם וַיִּנְחֲל֥וּ בְנֵֽי שִׁמְע֖וֹן בְּת֥וֹךְ נַחֲלָתָֽם
From the territory of the sons of Judah was the inheritance of the sons of Simeon, for the portion of the sons of Judah was too much for them; so the sons of Simeon inherited within their inheritance.
Closes Simeon's section with the chapter's only explicit rationale clause, explaining the enclave pattern announced in v. 1 — Judah's ch. 15 allotment outran the tribe's actual numbers, so Simeon's cities are carved from the surplus. Fulfills, without naming it, Jacob's oracle that Simeon would be scattered within Israel (Gen 49:7).
Word-by-word analysis· 18 words
מֵחֶ֨בֶל֙from the territory ofprep מִן + N c sg constr · חֶבֶל (H2256)Source prepositional phrase (fronted for emphasis)חֶבֶל (H2256) 'rope, measuring-line, territory'; a surveyor's-line metaphor for allotted land — Simeon's share is carved directly 'from' Judah's own measured portion.
בְּנֵ֣יthe sons ofN m pl constr · בֵּן (H1121)Construct noun (governs יְהוּדָה)בֵּן (H1121) 'son'.
יְהוּדָ֔הJudahproper noun · יְהוּדָה (H3063)Genitive (object of construct)יְהוּדָה (H3063).
נַחֲלַ֖תwas the inheritance ofN f sg constr · נַחֲלָה (H5159)Predicate noun (nominal clause, no copula)נַחֲלָה (H5159); the predicate of the fronted מֵחֶבֶל phrase — 'from Judah's territory came Simeon's inheritance.'
בְּנֵ֣יthe sons ofN m pl constr · בֵּן (H1121)Construct noun (governs שִׁמְעוֹן)בֵּן (H1121) 'son'.
שִׁמְע֑וֹןSimeonproper noun · שִׁמְעוֹן (H8095)Genitive (object of construct)שִׁמְעוֹן (H8095).
כִּֽיforconj · כִּי (H3588)Causal conjunction introducing the explanatory clauseכִּי (H3588) 'for, because'; introduces the chapter's only explicit causal explanation — why Simeon's territory is embedded within Judah's.
הָיָ֞הwasQal perfect 3ms · הָיָה (H1961)Predicate verb (main clause of the כִּי-clause)→ Perfective: a settled, background state of affairsהָיָה (H1961) 'to be'; states the standing fact behind the enclave arrangement.
חֵ֤לֶקthe portion ofN m sg constr · חֵלֶק (H2506)Subject of הָיָהחֵלֶק (H2506) 'portion, share', from חלק 'to divide'; near-synonym of נַחֲלָה used here for variety.
בְּנֵֽיthe sons ofN m pl constr · בֵּן (H1121)Construct noun (governs יְהוּדָה)בֵּן (H1121) 'son'.
יְהוּדָה֙Judahproper noun · יְהוּדָה (H3063)Genitive (object of construct)יְהוּדָה (H3063).
רַ֣בtoo muchadjective m sg abs · רַב (H7227)Predicate adjective (with הָיָה)רַב (H7227) 'much, great'; predicates that Judah's earlier allotment (ch. 15) exceeded what the tribe needed — the stated rationale for Simeon's enclave.
מֵהֶ֔םfor themprep מִן + 3mp suffix · מִן (H4480)Comparative complement of רַב ('too much for/more than them')מִן (H4480) here comparative, 'more than [they needed]'; the tribe of Judah's portion outstripped its numbers, justifying the transfer of southern towns to Simeon.
וַיִּנְחֲל֥וּand they inheritedQal wayyiqtol 3mp · נָחַל (H5157)Wayyiqtol of narrative sequence (main verb, resuming after the כִּי-clause)→ Wayyiqtol: foregrounded narrative advanceנָחַל (H5157) 'to take possession, inherit'; states the outcome — Simeon actually took possession within Judah's territory, closing the explanatory aside.
בְנֵֽיthe sons ofN m pl constr · בֵּן (H1121)Construct noun, subject of וַיִּנְחֲלוּבֵּן (H1121) 'son'.
שִׁמְע֖וֹןSimeonproper noun · שִׁמְעוֹן (H8095)Genitive (object of construct); together subject of וַיִּנְחֲלוּשִׁמְעוֹן (H8095).
בְּת֥וֹךְin the midst ofprep בְּ + N m sg constr · תָּוֶךְ (H8432)Locative prepositional phraseתָּוֶךְ (H8432); echoes v. 1's בְּתוֹךְ, forming a small inclusio confirming the enclave arrangement stated at the outset.
נַחֲלָתָֽםtheir inheritanceN f sg constr + 3mp suff · נַחֲלָה (H5159)Genitive (object of construct governed by בְּתוֹךְ) — referring to Judah's inheritanceנַחֲלָה (H5159); 'their' = Judah's, the antecedent nearest in the clause — confirming Simeon's towns sit inside Judah's own allotted land.
10
וַיַּ֨עַל֙ הַגּוֹרָ֣ל הַשְּׁלִישִׁ֔י לִבְנֵ֥י זְבוּלֻ֖ן לְמִשְׁפְּחֹתָ֑ם וַיְהִ֛י גְּב֥וּל נַחֲלָתָ֖ם עַד שָׂרִֽיד
Then the third lot went up for the sons of Zebulun according to their families; and the border of their inheritance was to Sarid.
Opens Zebulun's section with the recurring lot-formula, then pivots directly into a border-tracing itinerary (vv. 10-14) rather than a city list — the format Zebulun, Asher, and Naphtali share, contrasting with Simeon's, Issachar's, and Dan's city-list format.
Word-by-word analysis· 11 words
וַיַּ֨עַל֙and it went upQal wayyiqtol 3ms · עָלָה (H5927)Wayyiqtol of narrative sequence (main verb)→ Wayyiqtol: foregrounded narrative advanceעָלָה (H5927) 'to go up, come up'; a variant verb for the lot's coming-forth (cf. יָצָא in vv. 1, 17, 24, 32, 40) — 'went up' likely with a sense of being drawn out of the receptacle.
הַגּוֹרָ֣לthe lotart + N m sg abs · גּוֹרָל (H1486)Subject of וַיַּעַלגּוֹרָל (H1486); see v. 1.
הַשְּׁלִישִׁ֔יthe thirdart + ordinal adj m sg abs · שְׁלִישִׁי (H7992)Attributive adjective (modifying הַגּוֹרָל)שְׁלִישִׁי (H7992) 'third'; Zebulun's lot, third among the seven remaining tribes after Judah and Simeon.
לִבְנֵ֥יfor the sons ofprep לְ + N m pl constr · בֵּן (H1121)Dative/beneficiary prepositional phraseבֵּן (H1121) 'son'; here the recipient tribe.
זְבוּלֻ֖ןZebulunproper noun · זְבוּלֻן (H2074)Genitive (object of construct)זְבוּלֻן (H2074) 'dwelling, habitation', from זָבַל 'to exalt/dwell' (Gen 30:20); Jacob's tenth son by Leah, given a landlocked but well-watered inland territory in lower Galilee, blessed in Deut 33:18-19 as prospering by trade 'at the seashore' (approximate access via nearby coastal routes).
לְמִשְׁפְּחֹתָ֑םaccording to their familiesprep לְ + N f pl constr + 3mp suff · מִשְׁפָּחָה (H4940)Distributive prepositional phraseמִשְׁפָּחָה (H4940); the standard distributive formula.
וַיְהִ֛יand it wasQal wayyiqtol 3ms · הָיָה (H1961)Wayyiqtol of narrative sequence (main verb)→ Wayyiqtol: foregrounded narrative advanceהָיָה (H1961); introduces the boundary description that runs through v. 14.
גְּב֥וּלthe border ofN m sg constr · גְּבוּל (H1366)Subject of וַיְהִיגְּבוּל (H1366) 'border, boundary'; the operative term for the detailed border-tracing that follows, distinct from the city-list format used for Simeon.
נַחֲלָתָ֖םtheir inheritanceN f sg constr + 3mp suff · נַחֲלָה (H5159)Genitive (object of construct)נַחֲלָה (H5159).
עַדtoprep · עַד (H5704)Terminal prepositional marker (border point)עַד (H5704) 'as far as, to'; the first of many terminal markers threading the border description through v. 14.
שָׂרִֽידSaridproper noun · שָׂרִיד (H8301)Object of עַדשָׂרִיד (H8301) 'survivor, remnant'; Zebulun's border town, opening point of the itinerary — site otherwise unknown, likely in the Jezreel Valley's northern rim.
11
וְעָלָ֨ה גְבוּלָ֧ם לַיָּ֛מָּה וּמַרְעֲלָ֖ה וּפָגַ֣ע בְּדַבָּ֑שֶׁת וּפָגַע֙ אֶל הַנַּ֔חַל אֲשֶׁ֖ר עַל פְּנֵ֥י יָקְנְעָֽם
And their border went up westward to Maralah and touched Dabbesheth, and touched the wadi that is before Jokneam.
First leg of Zebulun's border description, moving from Sarid westward toward the coastal plain and Jokneam at the Jezreel Valley's edge.
Word-by-word analysis· 13 words
וְעָלָ֨הand it went upQal weqatal 3ms · עָלָה (H5927)Weqatal continuing the descriptive border itinerary→ Weqatal: sequential description carrying the border-line forwardעָלָה (H5927) 'to go up'; the standard verb for tracing a border-line's direction, used repeatedly through v. 14.
גְבוּלָ֧םtheir borderN m sg constr + 3mp suff · גְּבוּל (H1366)Subject of וְעָלָהגְּבוּל (H1366).
לַיָּ֛מָּהwestwardprep לְ + N m sg abs + directional suff ה־ · יָם (H3220)Directional/locative complementיָם (H3220) 'sea'; with the directional heh, 'seaward, westward' — the Mediterranean orients Hebrew's compass terms.
וּמַרְעֲלָ֖הand Maralahconj וְ + proper noun · מַרְעֲלָה (H4831)Coordinate border-pointמַרְעֲלָה (H4831), site unidentified; a border-point named only here, likely in the Jezreel Valley's western reach.
וּפָגַ֣עand it touchedQal weqatal 3ms · פָּגַע (H6293)Weqatal continuing the descriptive border itinerary→ Weqatal: sequential description carrying the border-line forwardפָּגַע (H6293) 'to meet, touch, strike upon'; the recurring verb for a border reaching a point — a spatial rather than hostile sense here.
בְּדַבָּ֑שֶׁתDabbeshethprep בְּ + proper noun · דַּבָּשֶׁת (H1708)Locative complement of וּפָגַעדַּבָּשֶׁת (H1708), related to דְּבַשׁ 'honey'; site unidentified, near the Jezreel Valley's northwest edge.
וּפָגַע֙and it touchedQal weqatal 3ms · פָּגַע (H6293)Weqatal continuing the descriptive border itinerary→ Weqatal: sequential description carrying the border-line forwardפָּגַע (H6293); repeated for the next border-point.
אֶלtoprep · אֶל (H413)Directional prepositional markerאֶל (H413) 'to, toward'.
הַנַּ֔חַלthe brook/wadiart + N m sg abs · נַחַל (H5158)Object of אֶלנַחַל (H5158) 'wadi, seasonal stream'; a natural landmark, here evidently the stream running by Jokneam.
אֲשֶׁ֖רwhichrelative particle · אֲשֶׁר (H834)Relative pronoun introducing a subordinate clause (modifying הַנַּחַל)אֲשֶׁר (H834).
עַלbeforeprep · עַל (H5921)Prepositional head of the idiom עַל־פְּנֵיעַל (H5921) 'upon'; paired with פְּנֵי to form the idiom 'in front of, facing'.
פְּנֵ֥יthe face ofN c pl constr · פָּנִים (H6440)Idiomatic construct completing עַל־פְּנֵי, 'facing'פָּנִים (H6440) 'face'; עַל־פְּנֵי idiomatically means 'in front of, opposite, facing.'
יָקְנְעָֽםJokneamproper noun · יָקְנְעָם (H3362)Genitive (object of construct פְּנֵי)יָקְנְעָם (H3362); a Canaanite royal city defeated by Joshua (12:22) at the western edge of the Jezreel Valley, later assigned as a Levitical city from Zebulun (21:34).
12
וְשָׁ֣ב מִשָּׂרִ֗יד קֵ֚דְמָה מִזְרַ֣ח הַשֶּׁ֔מֶשׁ עַל גְּב֥וּל כִּסְלֹ֖ת תָּבֹ֑ר וְיָצָ֥א אֶל הַדָּֽבְרַ֖ת וְעָלָ֥ה יָפִֽיעַ
Then it turned from Sarid eastward toward the sunrise, to the border of Chisloth-tabor, and went out to Daberath, and went up to Japhia.
The border doubles back from Sarid toward the east, tracing along the Tabor/Jezreel-Valley corridor through Daberath to Japhia near Nazareth.
Word-by-word analysis· 14 words
וְשָׁ֣בand it turned backQal weqatal 3ms · שׁוּב (H7725)Weqatal continuing the descriptive border itinerary→ Weqatal: sequential description carrying the border-line forwardשׁוּב (H7725) 'to turn, return'; marks the border reversing course, here doubling back eastward from Sarid after v. 11's westward leg.
מִשָּׂרִ֗ידfrom Saridprep מִן + proper noun · שָׂרִיד (H8301)Source prepositional phraseשָׂרִיד (H8301); the starting point named in v. 10, now the pivot from which the border reverses direction.
קֵ֚דְמָהeastwardN m sg abs + directional suff ה־ · קֶדֶם (H6924)Directional adverbial complementקֶדֶם (H6924) 'east, front, antiquity'; with directional heh, 'eastward' — reinforced by the following מִזְרַח הַשֶּׁמֶשׁ for emphasis.
מִזְרַ֣חthe rising ofN m sg constr · מִזְרָח (H4217)Construct noun in apposition to קֵדְמָה (governs הַשֶּׁמֶשׁ)מִזְרָח (H4217) 'sunrise, east', from זרח 'to shine forth'; combines with 'sun' for the emphatic full phrase 'toward the sunrise.'
הַשֶּׁ֔מֶשׁthe sunart + N c sg abs · שֶׁמֶשׁ (H8121)Genitive (object of construct מִזְרַח)שֶׁמֶשׁ (H8121) 'sun'; מִזְרַח הַשֶּׁמֶשׁ 'sunrise' is this chapter's fuller compass-idiom for east, alongside the shorter קֵדְמָה.
עַלtoprep · עַל (H5921)Terminal prepositional markerעַל (H5921) here directional, 'up to, toward'.
גְּב֥וּלthe border ofN m sg constr · גְּבוּל (H1366)Genitive (object of עַל, construct governing כִּסְלֹת)גְּבוּל (H1366).
כִּסְלֹ֖תChisloth-proper noun (construct) · כִּסְלֹת (H3696)First element of the compound name כִּסְלֹת תָּבֹרכִּסְלֹת, plausibly 'loins/flanks of', opening the compound completed by the next word — likely equivalent to Chesulloth of v. 18.
תָּבֹ֑רTaborproper noun · תָּבוֹר (H3696)Second element of the compound name כִּסְלֹת תָּבֹרתָּבוֹר (H3696); Mount Tabor's flanks in the eastern Jezreel Valley, later the site of Barak's muster (Judg 4:6) and marking Zebulun's, Issachar's, and Naphtali's converging borders (cf. v. 22, 34).
וְיָצָ֥אand it went outQal weqatal 3ms · יָצָא (H3318)Weqatal continuing the descriptive border itinerary→ Weqatal: sequential description carrying the border-line forwardיָצָא (H3318); the border 'goes out' toward the next point.
אֶלtoprep · אֶל (H413)Directional prepositional markerאֶל (H413).
הַדָּֽבְרַ֖תDaberathart + proper noun · דָּבְרַת (H1705)Object of אֶלדָּבְרַת (H1705) 'pasture, word'; a town on the border of Zebulun and Issachar, later given to the Levites out of Issachar (21:28), near the foot of Mount Tabor.
וְעָלָ֥הand it went upQal weqatal 3ms · עָלָה (H5927)Weqatal continuing the descriptive border itinerary→ Weqatal: sequential description carrying the border-line forwardעָלָה (H5927).
יָפִֽיעַJaphiaproper noun · יָפִיעַ (H3309)Object of וְעָלָהיָפִיעַ (H3309) 'he shines forth'; a border town near Nazareth, its site preserved in the Arabic village name Yafa.
13
וּמִשָּׁ֤ם עָבַר֙ קֵ֣דְמָה מִזְרָ֔חָה גִּתָּ֥ה חֵ֖פֶר עִתָּ֣ה קָצִ֑ין וְיָצָ֛א רִמּ֥וֹן הַמְּתֹאָ֖ר הַנֵּעָֽה
And from there it passed along eastward to Gath-hepher, to Eth-kazin; and it went out to Rimmon, which stretches to Neah.
Threads the border through lower Galilee, naming Gath-hepher — the only place-name in this chapter with an independent biblical narrative attached to it, as Jonah's hometown (2 Kgs 14:25).
Word-by-word analysis· 12 words
וּמִשָּׁ֤םand from thereconj וְ + prep מִן + adverb · שָׁם (H8033)Source adverbial phrase, frontedשָׁם (H8033) 'there'; resumes the itinerary from Japhia, the last-named point.
עָבַר֙it passed alongQal perfect 3ms · עָבַר (H5674)Predicate verb continuing the border itinerary (asyndetic, no conjunction prefix since וּמִשָּׁם already carries the connective)→ Perfective: describes the border's completed course at this pointעָבַר (H5674) 'to pass over, cross'; another verb of border-motion alongside שׁוּב, יָצָא, עָלָה, פָּגַע.
קֵ֣דְמָהeastwardN m sg abs + directional suff ה־ · קֶדֶם (H6924)Directional adverbial complementקֶדֶם (H6924); see v. 12.
מִזְרָ֔חָהto the eastN m sg abs + directional suff ה־ · מִזְרָח (H4217)Directional adverbial complement, reinforcing קֵדְמָהמִזְרָח (H4217); doubled with קֵדְמָה for emphasis, 'eastward, to the east' — the same intensifying pattern as v. 12's compass phrase.
גִּתָּ֥הto Gath-proper noun + directional suff ה־ · גִּתָּה (H1662)First element of the compound name גִּתָּה חֵפֶר (directional object of עָבַר)גַּת 'winepress', with directional heh, opening the compound completed by the next word.
חֵ֖פֶרHepherproper noun · חֵפֶר (H1662)Second element of the compound name גִּתָּה חֵפֶרחֵפֶר (H1662) 'a pit, well'; the town Gath-hepher is famous as the hometown of the prophet Jonah son of Amittai (2 Kgs 14:25) — the sole New-Testament-era-relevant biographical anchor in this whole border list.
עִתָּ֣הEth-proper noun (construct) · עִתָּה (H6278)First element of the compound name עִתָּה קָצִיןעִתָּה 'time, appointed place', opening the compound completed by the next word.
קָצִ֑יןKazinproper noun · קָצִין (H6278)Second element of the compound name עִתָּה קָצִיןקָצִין 'chief, commander'; site unidentified, likely in lower Galilee near Gath-hepher.
וְיָצָ֛אand it went outQal weqatal 3ms · יָצָא (H3318)Weqatal continuing the descriptive border itinerary→ Weqatal: sequential description carrying the border-line forwardיָצָא (H3318).
רִמּ֥וֹןRimmonproper noun · רִמּוֹן (H7417)Object of וְיָצָארִמּוֹן (H7417) 'pomegranate'; a Zebulunite town given to the Levites (1 Chr 6:62, as Rimmono), distinct from Simeon's En-rimmon (v. 7).
הַמְּתֹאָ֖רwhich stretchesart + Pual ptc ms abs · תָּאַר (H8388)Attributive participle (modifying רִמּוֹן, 'Rimmon which is marked out/extends to')→ Stative/durative: describes the border's ongoing extension to the next pointתָּאַר (H8388) 'to mark out, delineate a boundary'; Pual passive sense, 'the [boundary] marked out reaches to Neah' — a technical surveying term appearing almost exclusively in these border lists.
הַנֵּעָֽהto Neahart + proper noun · נֵעָה (H5269)Terminus of the participial clause הַמְּתֹאָרנֵעָה (H5269), site unidentified; marks the terminus of this leg of Zebulun's border.
14
וְנָסַ֤ב אֹתוֹ֙ הַגְּב֔וּל מִצְּפ֖וֹן חַנָּתֹ֑ן וְהָיוּ֙ תֹּֽצְאֹתָ֔יו גֵּ֖י יִפְתַּח אֵֽל
Then the border turned about on the north to Hannathon, and its endpoints were at the valley of Iphtah-el.
Closes the northern leg of Zebulun's border at the valley of Iphtah-el, a landmark shared with Asher's (v. 27) and Naphtali's (v. 33) borders, tying the three northern tribal territories together before the chapter pivots to a closing city tally in v. 15.
Word-by-word analysis· 10 words
וְנָסַ֤בand it turned aboutNiphal weqatal 3ms · סָבַב (H5437)Weqatal continuing the descriptive border itinerary→ Weqatal: sequential description carrying the border-line forwardסָבַב (H5437) 'to turn, go around'; Niphal here reflexive/passive, 'it turned itself around' — the border curves northward toward Hannathon.
אֹתוֹ֙[obj] itobj marker + 3ms suff · אֵת (H853)Direct-object marker (anticipatory, resumed by הַגְּבוּל as its antecedent-subject)אֵת (H853) with suffix; a grammatically loose construction — 'it' anticipates 'the border' named in the next word, an idiom peculiar to this border-survey style rather than a normal transitive object.
הַגְּב֔וּלthe borderart + N m sg abs · גְּבוּל (H1366)Subject of וְנָסַב (resumptive, clarifying אֹתוֹ)גְּבוּל (H1366).
מִצְּפ֖וֹןfrom the north ofprep מִן + N f sg constr · צָפוֹן (H6828)Locative prepositional phrase, construct (governs חַנָּתֹן)צָפוֹן (H6828) 'north'; specifies the border's swing on the northern side of Hannathon.
חַנָּתֹ֑ןHannathonproper noun · חַנָּתֹן (H2615)Genitive (object of construct מִצְּפוֹן)חַנָּתֹן (H2615), from חנן 'to be gracious' or a divine-name compound; likely the Hinnatuni known from Amarna-letter correspondence, marking Zebulun's northern edge.
וְהָיוּ֙and they wereQal weqatal 3cp · הָיָה (H1961)Weqatal, predicate of the border's endpoints→ Weqatal: sequential description, marking the itinerary's terminusהָיָה (H1961), plural agreeing with תֹּצְאֹתָיו; closes this leg of the border description.
תֹּֽצְאֹתָ֔יוits outgoingsN f pl constr + 3ms suff · תּוֹצָאָה (H8444)Subject of וְהָיוּתּוֹצָאָה (H8444) 'outgoing, extremity', from יצא 'to go out'; the technical surveyor's term for a border's terminal points, recurring at each leg's end in this chapter (cf. v. 22, 29, 33, 34).
גֵּ֖יthe valley ofN c sg constr · גַּיְא (H1516)Predicate noun, construct (governs יִפְתַּח אֵל)גַּיְא (H1516) 'valley, ravine'; opens the compound geographic name completed by the next two words.
יִפְתַּחIphtah-proper noun (construct) · יִפְתַּח (H3317)First element of the compound name יִפְתַּח אֵליִפְתַּח 'he opens', same root as the judge Jephthah's name; opens the compound geographic name completed by the next word.
אֵֽלElproper noun · אֵל (H3317)Second element of the compound name יִפְתַּח אֵלאֵל 'God'; 'God opens' — the valley of Iphtah-el marks the shared border of Zebulun, Asher (v. 27), and Naphtali (v. 33), a recurring landmark tying the three border-format tribes together.
15
וְקַטָּ֤ת וְנַֽהֲלָל֙ וְשִׁמְר֔וֹן וְיִדְאֲלָ֖ה וּבֵ֣ית לָ֑חֶם עָרִ֥ים שְׁתֵּים עֶשְׂרֵ֖ה וְחַצְרֵיהֶֽן
and Kattath, Nahalal, Shimron, Idalah, and Bethlehem — twelve cities with their villages.
After the border-itinerary format of vv. 10-14, the section closes with a short city list of its own, in the mode used for Simeon — showing the chapter freely mixes border-description and city-list conventions even within one tribe's section.
Word-by-word analysis· 10 words
וְקַטָּ֤תand Kattathconj וְ + proper noun · קַטָּת (H7005)First item of a closing city listקַטָּת (H7005), site unidentified; possibly equals Kitron of Judg 1:30, one of the towns Zebulun failed to fully dispossess.
וְנַֽהֲלָל֙and Nahalalconj וְ + proper noun · נַהֲלָל (H5096)Second item of the closing city listנַהֲלָל (H5096) 'pasture'; a Canaanite town Zebulun could not fully drive out, per Judg 1:30, later a Levitical city (21:35).
וְשִׁמְר֔וֹןand Shimronconj וְ + proper noun · שִׁמְרוֹן (H8110)Third item of the closing city listשִׁמְרוֹן (H8110) 'watch-post', from שׁמר 'to guard'; the royal Canaanite city whose king joined Jabin's northern coalition against Joshua (11:1; 12:20).
וְיִדְאֲלָ֖הand Idalahconj וְ + proper noun · יִדְאֲלָה (H3030)Fourth item of the closing city listיִדְאֲלָה (H3030), site unidentified; named only here in the biblical text.
וּבֵ֣יתand Beth-conj וְ + N m sg constr (proper) · בֵּית (H1035)First element of the compound name בֵּית לָחֶם (fifth item)בַּיִת 'house of', opening the compound completed by the next word.
לָ֑חֶםLehemproper noun · לֶחֶם (H1035)Second element of the compound name בֵּית לָחֶםלֶחֶם 'bread'; this is the NORTHERN Bethlehem in Zebulun's territory (Judg 12:8-10, Ibzan's hometown), distinct from David's Bethlehem in Judah (15:59 LXX / Ruth 1:1; Mic 5:2) — a namesake easily confused with the more famous southern town.
עָרִ֥יםcitiesN f pl abs · עִיר (H5892)Subject of the tally clause (nominal, verbless)עִיר (H5892); this short list of five towns is added after the border description as Zebulun's total city count.
שְׁתֵּיםtwelvecardinal numeral f dual · שְׁתַּיִם (H8147)Numeral modifying עָרִים (with עֶשְׂרֵה)שְׁתַּיִם (H8147) 'two' (dual form); combines with עֶשְׂרֵה 'ten' for 'twelve' — but only five towns are actually listed in the whole of vv. 10-15, a discrepancy typical of this chapter's summary tallies, likely reflecting an original fuller city list condensed in transmission.
עֶשְׂרֵ֖הtencardinal numeral f sg abs · עֶשְׂרֵה (H6240)Second element of the compound numeral 'twelve'עֶשְׂרֵה (H6240); see v. 6.
וְחַצְרֵיהֶֽןand their villagesconj וְ + N c pl constr + 3fp suff · חָצֵר (H2691)Coordinate noun completing the tally formulaחָצֵר (H2691); the recurring closing formula, see v. 6.
16
זֹ֛את נַחֲלַ֥ת בְּנֵֽי זְבוּלֻ֖ן לְמִשְׁפְּחוֹתָ֑ם הֶֽעָרִ֥ים הָאֵ֖לֶּה וְחַצְרֵיהֶֽן
This is the inheritance of the sons of Zebulun according to their families, these cities and their villages.
Completes Zebulun's section with the standard closing formula, matching Simeon's (v. 8) and anticipating the identical formula for every remaining tribe (vv. 23, 31, 39, 48).
Word-by-word analysis· 8 words
זֹ֛אתthisdemonstrative pron f sg · זֹאת (H2063)Subject of the closing formula (nominal, verbless)זֹאת (H2063); opens the closing tribal-allotment formula, as in v. 8.
נַחֲלַ֥תthe inheritance ofN f sg constr · נַחֲלָה (H5159)Predicate noun, construct (governs בְּנֵי)נַחֲלָה (H5159).
בְּנֵֽיthe sons ofN m pl constr · בֵּן (H1121)Construct noun (governs זְבוּלֻן)בֵּן (H1121) 'son'.
זְבוּלֻ֖ןZebulunproper noun · זְבוּלֻן (H2074)Genitive (object of construct)זְבוּלֻן (H2074); see v. 10.
לְמִשְׁפְּחוֹתָ֑םaccording to their familiesprep לְ + N f pl constr + 3mp suff · מִשְׁפָּחָה (H4940)Distributive prepositional phraseמִשְׁפָּחָה (H4940); closes the formula echoing v. 10's opening, forming an inclusio around Zebulun's section.
הֶֽעָרִ֥יםthe citiesart + N f pl abs · עִיר (H5892)Subject of a second, appended nominal clauseעִיר (H5892); refers back to the five towns of v. 15.
הָאֵ֖לֶּהtheseart + demonstrative pron c pl · אֵלֶּה (H428)Attributive demonstrative (modifying הֶעָרִים)אֵלֶּה (H428) 'these'.
וְחַצְרֵיהֶֽןand their villagesconj וְ + N c pl constr + 3fp suff · חָצֵר (H2691)Coordinate noun completing the formulaחָצֵר (H2691); closes Zebulun's section on the same 'cities and villages' formula used throughout the chapter.
17
לְיִ֨שָּׂשכָ֔ר יָצָ֖א הַגּוֹרָ֣ל הָֽרְבִיעִ֑י לִבְנֵ֥י יִשָּׂשכָ֖ר לְמִשְׁפְּחוֹתָֽם
For Issachar the fourth lot went out, for the sons of Issachar according to their families.
Opens Issachar's section with the lot-formula, here fronting לְיִשָּׂשכָר for topical emphasis before the verb, unlike the verb-initial pattern of vv. 1 and 10.
Word-by-word analysis· 7 words
לְיִ֨שָּׂשכָ֔רfor Issacharprep לְ + proper noun · יִשָּׂשכָר (H3485)Dative/beneficiary prepositional phrase, frontedיִשָּׂשכָר (H3485) 'there is reward/hire', from שָׂכָר 'wage' (Gen 30:18); Jacob's ninth son, receiving the fertile Jezreel-Valley-adjacent territory blessed in Gen 49:14-15 as 'a strong donkey... he saw that rest was good... so he bent his shoulder to bear.'
יָצָ֖אwent outQal perfect 3ms · יָצָא (H3318)Predicate verb (main clause)→ Perfective: a completed, decisive eventיָצָא (H3318); the lot-formula verb, here in plain perfect since לְיִשָּׂשכָר already carries the fronted topic and connective force.
הַגּוֹרָ֣לthe lotart + N m sg abs · גּוֹרָל (H1486)Subject of יָצָאגּוֹרָל (H1486); see v. 1.
הָֽרְבִיעִ֑יthe fourthart + ordinal adj m sg abs · רְבִיעִי (H7243)Attributive adjective (modifying הַגּוֹרָל)רְבִיעִי (H7243) 'fourth'; Issachar's lot, fourth among the remaining tribes.
לִבְנֵ֥יfor the sons ofprep לְ + N m pl constr · בֵּן (H1121)Dative/beneficiary prepositional phrase (resumptive, restating the recipient)בֵּן (H1121) 'son'.
יִשָּׂשכָ֖רIssacharproper noun · יִשָּׂשכָר (H3485)Genitive (object of construct)יִשָּׂשכָר (H3485); see above.
לְמִשְׁפְּחוֹתָֽםaccording to their familiesprep לְ + N f pl constr + 3mp suff · מִשְׁפָּחָה (H4940)Distributive prepositional phraseמִשְׁפָּחָה (H4940); the standard distributive formula.
18
וַיְהִ֖י גְּבוּלָ֑ם יִזְרְעֶ֥אלָה וְהַכְּסוּלֹ֖ת וְשׁוּנֵֽם
And their border/territory was: Jezreel, Chesulloth, and Shunem,
Opens Issachar's town list with the word 'border' (גְּבוּל) but proceeds in city-list form, not itinerary form — the first two names already carry outsized later biblical weight: Jezreel (Ahab, Jehu) and Shunem (Elisha).
Word-by-word analysis· 5 words
וַיְהִ֖יand it wasQal wayyiqtol 3ms · הָיָה (H1961)Wayyiqtol of narrative sequence (main verb)→ Wayyiqtol: foregrounded narrative advanceהָיָה (H1961); introduces Issachar's territory, given as a city list rather than a full border itinerary.
גְּבוּלָ֑םtheir borderN m sg constr + 3mp suff · גְּבוּל (H1366)Subject of וַיְהִיגְּבוּל (H1366); despite the term 'border,' what follows (vv. 18-21) is a straightforward town list, not an itinerary.
יִזְרְעֶ֥אלָהat Jezreelproper noun + directional suff ה־ · יִזְרְעֶאל (H3157)First item of city list (locative, predicate complement of גְּבוּלָם)יִזְרְעֶאל (H3157) 'God sows'; the pivotal city commanding the great valley bearing its name — later Ahab's second capital and Naboth's vineyard (1 Kgs 21), and the site of Jehu's bloody purge of the house of Ahab (2 Kgs 9-10). Its listing here as a mere first item belies the enormous later weight this valley and city would carry in Israel's monarchic history.
וְהַכְּסוּלֹ֖תand Chesullothconj וְ + art + proper noun · כְּסוּלֹת (H3694)Second item of city listכְּסוּלֹת (H3694) 'loins, flanks'; likely equals Chisloth-tabor of v. 12, listed here from Issachar's side of the shared border.
וְשׁוּנֵֽםand Shunemconj וְ + proper noun · שׁוּנֵם (H7766)Third item of city listשׁוּנֵם (H7766); home of the Shunammite woman who hosted Elisha and whose son he raised from death (2 Kgs 4:8-37) — the second town in this brief list to carry major later narrative weight, alongside Jezreel.
19
וַחֲפָרַ֥יִם וְשִׁיאֹ֖ן וַאֲנָחֲרַֽת
and Hapharaim, Shion, and Anaharath,
Three lesser-known towns continuing the asyndetic-then-copulative list format.
Word-by-word analysis· 3 words
וַחֲפָרַ֥יִםand Hapharaimconj וְ + proper noun · חֲפָרַיִם (H2663)Fourth item of city listחֲפָרַיִם (H2663), dual form, possibly 'double pit/well'; site unidentified with certainty, likely in the Jezreel Valley's eastern reach.
וְשִׁיאֹ֖ןand Shionconj וְ + proper noun · שִׁיאֹן (H7866)Fifth item of city listשִׁיאֹן (H7866), site unidentified, named only here.
וַאֲנָחֲרַֽתand Anaharathconj וְ + proper noun · אֲנָחֲרַת (H588)Sixth item of city listאֲנָחֲרַת (H588), possibly attested in Egyptian topographical lists as 'Anaharath'; site debated, likely near Mount Tabor.
20
וְהָֽרַבִּ֥ית וְקִשְׁי֖וֹן וָאָֽבֶץ
and Rabbith, Kishion, and Ebez,
Continues the town-name chain with no further identifying detail available for most entries.
Word-by-word analysis· 3 words
וְהָֽרַבִּ֥יתand Rabbithconj וְ + art + proper noun · רַבִּית (H7245)Seventh item of city listרַבִּית (H7245) 'greatness, multitude'; site unidentified with certainty.
וְקִשְׁי֖וֹןand Kishionconj וְ + proper noun · קִשְׁיוֹן (H7191)Eighth item of city listקִשְׁיוֹן (H7191); later a Levitical city out of Issachar (21:28, spelled Kishon/Kedesh in variant texts).
וָאָֽבֶץand Ebezconj וְ + proper noun · אֶבֶץ (H77)Ninth item of city listאֶבֶץ (H77), site unidentified, named only here.
21
וְרֶ֧מֶת וְעֵין גַּנִּ֛ים וְעֵ֥ין חַדָּ֖ה וּבֵ֥ית פַּצֵּֽץ
and Remeth, En-gannim, En-haddah, and Beth-pazzez,
Continues the town-name chain; En-gannim is plausibly the later Beth-haggan of 2 Kgs 9:27.
Word-by-word analysis· 7 words
וְרֶ֧מֶתand Remethconj וְ + proper noun · רֶמֶת (H7432)Tenth item of city listרֶמֶת (H7432) 'height'; likely equals Ramoth-gilead's namesake pattern or Jarmuth of 21:29 — variant spellings for the same Issachar town given to the Levites.
וְעֵיןand En-conj וְ + N f sg constr (proper) · עַיִן (H5873)First element of the compound name עֵין גַּנִּים (eleventh item)עַיִן 'spring', opening the compound completed by the next word.
גַּנִּ֛יםGannimproper noun · גַּנִּים (H5873)Second element of the compound name עֵין גַּנִּיםגַּנִּים, plural of גַּן 'garden'; 'Spring of Gardens' — a Levitical city out of Issachar (21:29), plausibly the Beth-haggan of 2 Kgs 9:27 near which King Ahaziah was struck down.
וְעֵ֥יןand En-conj וְ + N f sg constr (proper) · עַיִן (H5876)First element of the compound name עֵין חַדָּה (twelfth item)עַיִן 'spring', opening the compound completed by the next word.
חַדָּ֖הHaddahproper noun · חַדָּה (H5876)Second element of the compound name עֵין חַדָּהחַדָּה, possibly 'sharp, new'; site unidentified, named only here.
וּבֵ֥יתand Beth-conj וְ + N m sg constr (proper) · בֵּית (H1048)First element of the compound name בֵּית פַּצֵּץ (thirteenth item)בַּיִת 'house of', opening the compound completed by the next word.
פַּצֵּֽץPazzezproper noun · פַּצֵּץ (H1048)Second element of the compound name בֵּית פַּצֵּץפַּצֵּץ, possibly 'scattering, shattering'; site unidentified, named only here.
22
וּפָגַע֩ הַגְּב֨וּל בְּתָב֤וֹר ושחצומה וְשַׁחֲצִ֨ימָה֙ וּבֵ֣ית שֶׁ֔מֶשׁ וְהָי֛וּ תֹּצְא֥וֹת גְּבוּלָ֖ם הַיַּרְדֵּ֑ן עָרִ֥ים שֵׁשׁ עֶשְׂרֵ֖ה וְחַצְרֵיהֶֽן
And the border touched Tabor, Shahazumah, and Beth-shemesh, and the outgoings of their border were at the Jordan — sixteen cities with their villages.
A brief border-touch note interrupts the city-list format to anchor Issachar's eastern extent at the Jordan, before the tally closes the section — the sixteen count matches the fifteen named towns plus the doubled ketiv/qere Shahazumah counted as one.
Word-by-word analysis· 15 words
וּפָגַע֩and it touchedQal weqatal 3ms · פָּגַע (H6293)Weqatal introducing a brief border note within the city list→ Weqatal: sequential descriptionפָּגַע (H6293); a stray border-touch note (v. 22) breaking into the otherwise city-list format of Issachar's section — one of several signs this chapter blends source material of different genres.
הַגְּב֨וּלthe borderart + N m sg abs · גְּבוּל (H1366)Subject of וּפָגַעגְּבוּל (H1366).
בְּתָב֤וֹרat Taborprep בְּ + proper noun · תָּבוֹר (H8396)Locative complement of וּפָגַעתָּבוֹר (H8396); Mount Tabor again, marking the convergence point of Zebulun (v. 12), Issachar, and Naphtali's territories.
ושחצומהand Shahazumah [ketiv]conj וְ + proper noun (ketiv, unpointed) · שַׁחֲצוּמָה/שַׁחֲצִימָה (H7831)Coordinate border-point (ketiv reading, textually doubled by the qere that follows)This word is the unpointed ketiv spelling ושחצומה, immediately followed in the received text by the pointed qere וְשַׁחֲצִימָה (next word) — a rare case where MT preserves both ketiv and qere forms written out in full rather than marking the qere only in the margin, likely a scribal double-transmission of the same place-name.
וְשַׁחֲצִ֨ימָה֙and Shahazumahconj וְ + proper noun (qere, pointed) · שַׁחֲצִימָה (H7831)Coordinate border-point (the intended reading, duplicating the preceding ketiv)שַׁחֲצִימָה (H7831), meaning uncertain; site unidentified — see the note on the preceding word for the ketiv/qere doubling.
וּבֵ֣יתand Beth-conj וְ + N m sg constr (proper) · בֵּית (H1053)First element of the compound name בֵּית שֶׁמֶשׁבַּיִת 'house of', opening the compound completed by the next word.
שֶׁ֔מֶשׁ-shemeshproper noun · שֶׁמֶשׁ (H1053)Second element of the compound name בֵּית שֶׁמֶשׁשֶׁמֶשׁ 'sun'; 'House of the Sun' — this is Issachar's NORTHERN Beth-shemesh (near the Jordan/Tabor region), distinct from Naphtali's own Beth-shemesh (v. 38) and Judah's famous Philistine-border Beth-shemesh (15:10) — three different towns share this solar name across the tribal allotments.
וְהָי֛וּand they wereQal weqatal 3cp · הָיָה (H1961)Weqatal, predicate of the border's endpoints→ Weqatal: sequential description, marking the itinerary's terminusהָיָה (H1961), agreeing plural with תֹּצְאוֹת.
תֹּצְא֥וֹתthe outgoings ofN f pl constr · תּוֹצָאָה (H8444)Subject of וְהָיוּתּוֹצָאָה (H8444); see v. 14 — the technical term for a border's terminal points.
גְּבוּלָ֖םtheir borderN m sg constr + 3mp suff · גְּבוּל (H1366)Genitive (object of construct תֹּצְאוֹת)גְּבוּל (H1366).
הַיַּרְדֵּ֑ןthe Jordanart + proper noun · יַרְדֵּן (H3383)Predicate complement of תֹּצְאוֹת (locative)יַרְדֵּן (H3383) 'the descender', from ירד 'to go down'; Issachar's eastern boundary reaches the Jordan River.
עָרִ֥יםcitiesN f pl abs · עִיר (H5892)Subject of the tally clause (nominal, verbless)עִיר (H5892); the summary tally for Issachar's whole town list (vv. 18-21).
שֵׁשׁsixcardinal numeral f sg abs · שֵׁשׁ (H8337)Numeral modifying עָרִים (with עֶשְׂרֵה, 'sixteen')שֵׁשׁ (H8337) 'six'; combines with עֶשְׂרֵה for 'sixteen' — matching the actual count of named towns in vv. 18-21 (Jezreel, Chesulloth, Shunem, Hapharaim, Shion, Anaharath, Rabbith, Kishion, Ebez, Remeth, En-gannim, En-haddah, Beth-pazzez, Tabor, Beth-shemesh, plus the ketiv/qere Shahazumah counted once), one of the chapter's few tallies that reconciles cleanly.
עֶשְׂרֵ֖הtencardinal numeral f sg abs · עֶשְׂרֵה (H6240)Second element of the compound numeral 'sixteen'עֶשְׂרֵה (H6240); see v. 6.
וְחַצְרֵיהֶֽןand their villagesconj וְ + N c pl constr + 3fp suff · חָצֵר (H2691)Coordinate noun completing the tally formulaחָצֵר (H2691); the recurring closing formula.
23
זֹ֗את נַחֲלַ֛ת מַטֵּ֥ה בְנֵֽי יִשָּׂשכָ֖ר לְמִשְׁפְּחֹתָ֑ם הֶעָרִ֖ים וְחַצְרֵיהֶֽן
This is the inheritance of the tribe of the sons of Issachar according to their families, the cities and their villages.
Completes Issachar's section with the standard closing formula, matching Simeon's and Zebulun's.
Word-by-word analysis· 8 words
זֹ֗אתthisdemonstrative pron f sg · זֹאת (H2063)Subject of the closing formula (nominal, verbless)זֹאת (H2063); opens the closing tribal-allotment formula, as in vv. 8, 16.
נַחֲלַ֛תthe inheritance ofN f sg constr · נַחֲלָה (H5159)Predicate noun, construct (governs מַטֵּה)נַחֲלָה (H5159).
מַטֵּ֥הthe tribe ofN m sg constr · מַטֶּה (H4294)Construct noun (governs בְּנֵי)מַטֶּה (H4294) 'tribe'.
בְנֵֽיthe sons ofN m pl constr · בֵּן (H1121)Construct noun (governs יִשָּׂשכָר)בֵּן (H1121) 'son'.
יִשָּׂשכָ֖רIssacharproper noun · יִשָּׂשכָר (H3485)Genitive (object of construct)יִשָּׂשכָר (H3485); see v. 17.
לְמִשְׁפְּחֹתָ֑םaccording to their familiesprep לְ + N f pl constr + 3mp suff · מִשְׁפָּחָה (H4940)Distributive prepositional phraseמִשְׁפָּחָה (H4940); closes the formula echoing v. 17's opening.
הֶעָרִ֖יםthe citiesart + N f pl abs · עִיר (H5892)Subject of a second, appended nominal clauseעִיר (H5892); refers back to the sixteen towns just tallied in v. 22.
וְחַצְרֵיהֶֽןand their villagesconj וְ + N c pl constr + 3fp suff · חָצֵר (H2691)Coordinate noun completing the formulaחָצֵר (H2691); closes Issachar's section on the recurring formula (note: no demonstrative הָאֵלֶּה here, unlike vv. 8, 16, 31, 48 — a minor stylistic variation).
24
וַיֵּצֵא֙ הַגּוֹרָ֣ל הַֽחֲמִישִׁ֔י לְמַטֵּ֥ה בְנֵֽי אָשֵׁ֖ר לְמִשְׁפְּחוֹתָֽם
And the fifth lot went out for the tribe of the sons of Asher according to their families.
Opens Asher's section with the recurring lot-formula; Asher's territory description (vv. 24-31) returns to the border-itinerary format of Zebulun's section.
Word-by-word analysis· 7 words
וַיֵּצֵא֙and it went outQal wayyiqtol 3ms · יָצָא (H3318)Wayyiqtol of narrative sequence (main verb)→ Wayyiqtol: foregrounded narrative advanceיָצָא (H3318); the lot-formula verb, see v. 1.
הַגּוֹרָ֣לthe lotart + N m sg abs · גּוֹרָל (H1486)Subject of וַיֵּצֵאגּוֹרָל (H1486); see v. 1.
הַֽחֲמִישִׁ֔יthe fifthart + ordinal adj m sg abs · חֲמִישִׁי (H2549)Attributive adjective (modifying הַגּוֹרָל)חֲמִישִׁי (H2549) 'fifth'; Asher's lot, fifth among the remaining tribes.
לְמַטֵּ֥הfor the tribe ofprep לְ + N m sg constr · מַטֶּה (H4294)Dative/beneficiary prepositional phraseמַטֶּה (H4294) 'tribe'.
בְנֵֽיthe sons ofN m pl constr · בֵּן (H1121)Construct noun (governs אָשֵׁר)בֵּן (H1121) 'son'.
אָשֵׁ֖רAsherproper noun · אָשֵׁר (H836)Genitive (object of construct)אָשֵׁר (H836) 'happy, blessed', from אשׁר 'to go straight, be happy' (Gen 30:13); Jacob's eighth son by Zilpah, receiving the fertile Phoenician-coastal strip praised in Deut 33:24-25 as dipping his foot in oil.
לְמִשְׁפְּחוֹתָֽםaccording to their familiesprep לְ + N f pl constr + 3mp suff · מִשְׁפָּחָה (H4940)Distributive prepositional phraseמִשְׁפָּחָה (H4940); the standard distributive formula.
25
וַיְהִ֖י גְּבוּלָ֑ם חֶלְקַ֥ת וַחֲלִ֖י וָבֶ֥טֶן וְאַכְשָֽׁף
And their border was: Helkath, Hali, Beten, and Achshaph,
Opens Asher's territory description in a hybrid mode — a run of named points introduced as 'border' but delivered list-style, as with Issachar (v. 18).
Word-by-word analysis· 6 words
וַיְהִ֖יand it wasQal wayyiqtol 3ms · הָיָה (H1961)Wayyiqtol of narrative sequence (main verb)→ Wayyiqtol: foregrounded narrative advanceהָיָה (H1961); introduces the border description that runs through v. 30.
גְּבוּלָ֑םtheir borderN m sg constr + 3mp suff · גְּבוּל (H1366)Subject of וַיְהִיגְּבוּל (H1366).
חֶלְקַ֥תHelkathproper noun · חֶלְקַת (H2520)First item of city/border-point list (predicate complement of גְּבוּלָם)חֶלְקַת (H2520) 'portion, plot', from חלק 'to divide'; later a Levitical city out of Asher (21:31).
וַחֲלִ֖יand Haliconj וְ + proper noun · חֲלִי (H2482)Second item of the listחֲלִי (H2482) 'ornament', site unidentified with certainty.
וָבֶ֥טֶןand Betenconj וְ + proper noun · בֶּטֶן (H991)Third item of the listבֶּטֶן (H991) 'belly, womb'; site unidentified with certainty.
וְאַכְשָֽׁףand Achshaphconj וְ + proper noun · אַכְשָׁף (H407)Fourth item of the listאַכְשָׁף (H407); a Canaanite royal city whose king joined Jabin's northern coalition against Joshua (11:1; 12:20), like Shimron (v. 15) — now folded peaceably into Asher's allotment.
26
וְאַֽלַמֶּ֥לֶךְ וְעַמְעָ֖ד וּמִשְׁאָ֑ל וּפָגַ֤ע בְּכַרְמֶל֙ הַיָּ֔מָּה וּבְשִׁיח֖וֹר לִבְנָֽת
and Allammelech, Amad, and Mishal; and it touched Carmel westward, and Shihor-libnath,
The verse pivots from a bare name-list to a border-touch itinerary at Carmel, tracing the coastal edge of Asher's territory south of Phoenicia.
Word-by-word analysis· 8 words
וְאַֽלַמֶּ֥לֶךְand Allammelechconj וְ + proper noun · אַלַמֶּלֶךְ (H487)Fifth item of the listאַלַמֶּלֶךְ (H487) 'oak/terebinth of the king' or 'God is king'; site unidentified, preserved perhaps in the Wadi el-Melek near Megiddo.
וְעַמְעָ֖דand Amadconj וְ + proper noun · עַמְעָד (H6008)Sixth item of the listעַמְעָד (H6008), site unidentified, named only here.
וּמִשְׁאָ֑לand Mishalconj וְ + proper noun · מִשְׁאָל (H4861)Seventh item of the listמִשְׁאָל (H4861), from שׁאל 'to ask'; later a Levitical city out of Asher (21:30, as Mashal).
וּפָגַ֤עand it touchedQal weqatal 3ms · פָּגַע (H6293)Weqatal shifting into border-itinerary mode→ Weqatal: sequential description carrying the border-line forwardפָּגַע (H6293); the list shifts back into itinerary language for the coastal stretch.
בְּכַרְמֶל֙at Carmelprep בְּ + proper noun · כַּרְמֶל (H3760)Locative complement of וּפָגַעכַּרְמֶל (H3760) 'garden-land, orchard'; Mount Carmel, the coastal headland later the site of Elijah's contest with the prophets of Baal (1 Kgs 18) — here simply the western reach of Asher's border.
הַיָּ֔מָּהwestwardart + N m sg abs + directional suff ה־ · יָם (H3220)Directional adverbial complement (modifying כַּרְמֶל)יָם (H3220) 'sea'; specifies the seaward (western) side of Carmel, i.e. the point where the headland meets the Mediterranean.
וּבְשִׁיח֖וֹרand at Shihor-conj וְ + prep בְּ + proper noun (construct) · שִׁיחוֹר (H7884)First element of the compound name שִׁיחוֹר לִבְנָתשִׁיחוֹר, likely 'the black/dark [stream]'; opens the compound completed by the next word — a coastal stream, not the Egyptian Shihor of 13:3.
לִבְנָֽתLibnathproper noun · לִבְנָת (H7884)Second element of the compound name שִׁיחוֹר לִבְנָתלִבְנָת, related to לָבָן 'white'; likely the Nahr ez-Zerqa (Crocodile River) south of Carmel, a marker of Asher's southern coastal limit.
27
וְשָׁ֨ב מִזְרַ֣ח הַשֶּׁמֶשׁ֮ בֵּ֣ית דָּגֹן֒ וּפָגַ֣ע בִּ֠זְבֻלוּן וּבְגֵ֨י יִפְתַּח אֵ֥ל צָפ֛וֹנָה בֵּ֥ית הָעֵ֖מֶק וּנְעִיאֵ֑ל וְיָצָ֥א אֶל כָּב֖וּל מִשְּׂמֹֽאל
And it turned toward the sunrise to Beth-dagon, and touched Zebulun and the valley of Iphtah-el northward, to Beth-emek and Neiel; and it went out to Cabul on the north.
Traces Asher's border inland to meet Zebulun's, sharing the valley of Iphtah-el landmark, before naming Cabul — the town whose name Hiram of Tyre would later turn into a bitter pun (1 Kgs 9:13).
Word-by-word analysis· 18 words
וְשָׁ֨בand it turnedQal weqatal 3ms · שׁוּב (H7725)Weqatal continuing the descriptive border itinerary→ Weqatal: sequential description carrying the border-line forwardשׁוּב (H7725); the border reverses direction again, now heading east/inland from the coast.
מִזְרַ֣חtoward the rising ofN m sg constr · מִזְרָח (H4217)Construct noun forming the compass idiom (governs הַשֶּׁמֶשׁ)מִזְרָח (H4217); see v. 12 — 'sunrise' = east.
הַשֶּׁמֶשׁ֮the sunart + N c sg abs · שֶׁמֶשׁ (H8121)Genitive (object of construct מִזְרַח)שֶׁמֶשׁ (H8121); see v. 12.
בֵּ֣יתBeth-proper noun (construct) · בֵּית (H1016)First element of the compound name בֵּית דָּגֹן (locative, object of the directional 'toward')בַּיִת 'house of', opening the compound completed by the next word.
דָּגֹן֒-dagonproper noun · דָּגוֹן (H1016)Second element of the compound name בֵּית דָּגֹןדָּגוֹן, the Philistine/Canaanite grain-and-fish god (cf. Judg 16:23; 1 Sam 5); this Asherite Beth-dagon is distinct from Judah's town of the same name (15:41), a namesake reflecting the deity's wide Canaanite-period cult.
וּפָגַ֣עand it touchedQal weqatal 3ms · פָּגַע (H6293)Weqatal continuing the descriptive border itinerary→ Weqatal: sequential description carrying the border-line forwardפָּגַע (H6293).
בִּ֠זְבֻלוּןin Zebulunprep בְּ + proper noun · זְבֻלוּן (H2074)Locative complement of וּפָגַעזְבֻלוּן (H2074); Asher's inland border meets Zebulun's territory here, connecting the two coastal-and-inland Galilean lots.
וּבְגֵ֨יand in the valley ofconj וְ + prep בְּ + N c sg constr · גַּיְא (H1516)Locative complement, construct (governs יִפְתַּח אֵל)גַּיְא (H1516); the valley of Iphtah-el reappears here as Asher's border-point, shared with Zebulun (v. 14) and Naphtali (v. 33).
יִפְתַּחIphtah-proper noun (construct) · יִפְתַּח (H3317)First element of the compound name יִפְתַּח אֵליִפְתַּח; see v. 14.
אֵ֥לElproper noun · אֵל (H3317)Second element of the compound name יִפְתַּח אֵלאֵל 'God'; see v. 14.
צָפ֛וֹנָהnorthwardN f sg abs + directional suff ה־ · צָפוֹן (H6828)Directional adverbial complementצָפוֹן (H6828) 'north'; with directional heh, 'northward' — clarifies the border swings north at this point.
בֵּ֥יתBeth-proper noun (construct) · בֵּית (H1025)First element of the compound name בֵּית הָעֵמֶקבַּיִת 'house of', opening the compound completed by the next word.
הָעֵ֖מֶק-emekart + N m sg abs · עֵמֶק (H1025)Second element of the compound name בֵּית הָעֵמֶקעֵמֶק 'valley'; 'House of the Valley' — site unidentified, likely near the Zebulun-Asher frontier.
וּנְעִיאֵ֑לand Neielconj וְ + proper noun · נְעִיאֵל (H5272)Coordinate border-pointנְעִיאֵל (H5272), possibly 'moved/shaken of God'; site unidentified.
וְיָצָ֥אand it went outQal weqatal 3ms · יָצָא (H3318)Weqatal continuing the descriptive border itinerary→ Weqatal: sequential description carrying the border-line forwardיָצָא (H3318).
אֶלtoprep · אֶל (H413)Directional prepositional markerאֶל (H413).
כָּב֖וּלCabulproper noun · כָּבוּל (H3521)Object of אֶלכָּבוּל (H3521), meaning disputed (perhaps 'as nothing, worthless' or from a Phoenician root); the very name later given by Hiram of Tyre — with pointed disdain — to the twenty Galilean towns Solomon ceded him in payment for cedar and gold (1 Kgs 9:11-13), a striking later irony for a town this chapter lists neutrally on Asher's border.
מִשְּׂמֹֽאלon the left/northprep מִן + N m sg abs · שְׂמֹאל (H8040)Locative adverbial complementשְׂמֹאל (H8040) 'left hand'; idiomatically 'north' when facing east — a directional idiom distinct from the compass-word צָפוֹן used elsewhere in this chapter.
28
וְעֶבְרֹ֥ן וּרְחֹ֖ב וְחַמּ֣וֹן וְקָנָ֑ה עַ֖ד צִיד֥וֹן רַבָּֽה
and Ebron, Rehob, Hammon, and Kanah, as far as Great Sidon.
Names four more towns and pushes the described frontier all the way to Sidon — an aspirational maximum extent, since the Phoenician coastal cities were never actually subdued (cf. Judg 1:31).
Word-by-word analysis· 7 words
וְעֶבְרֹ֥ןand Ebronconj וְ + proper noun · עֶבְרֹן (H5683)First item of the closing city listעֶבְרֹן (H5683); likely a variant of Abdon (21:30), a Levitical city out of Asher.
וּרְחֹ֖בand Rehobconj וְ + proper noun · רְחֹב (H7340)Second item of the closing city listרְחֹב (H7340) 'broad place, plaza'; one of the towns Asher failed to fully dispossess (Judg 1:31), later a Levitical city (21:31).
וְחַמּ֣וֹןand Hammonconj וְ + proper noun · חַמּוֹן (H2540)Third item of the closing city listחַמּוֹן (H2540), from חַם 'hot'; likely referencing a hot spring, near the Phoenician coast.
וְקָנָ֑הand Kanahconj וְ + proper noun · קָנָה (H7071)Fourth item of the closing city listקָנָה (H7071) 'reed'; a town on the northern frontier of Asher, near Tyre's territory — its river namesake (קָנָה) also marks Ephraim/Manasseh's border far to the south (16:8), an unrelated homonym.
עַ֖דas far asprep · עַד (H5704)Terminal prepositional markerעַד (H5704) 'as far as'; marks the extreme northern reach of Asher's — and Israel's — territory.
צִיד֥וֹןSidonproper noun · צִידוֹן (H6721)Object of עַדצִידוֹן (H6721) 'fishing, hunting'; the great Phoenician port city, Canaan's firstborn (Gen 10:15) — never actually conquered by Israel; its inclusion here as a mere border-marker for Asher's territory reflects an aspirational northern limit never fully realized (cf. 13:6, 'all the inhabitants of the hill country from Lebanon... I myself will drive out').
רַבָּֽהgreatadjective f sg abs · רַב (H7227)Attributive adjective (modifying צִידוֹן)רַב (H7227); 'Great Sidon' — the standing epithet for the metropolis, distinguishing the mother-city from any of its colonies or satellites (cf. 11:8).
29
וְשָׁ֤ב הַגְּבוּל֙ הָֽרָמָ֔ה וְעַד עִ֖יר מִבְצַר צֹ֑ר וְשָׁ֤ב הַגְּבוּל֙ חֹסָ֔ה ויהיו וְהָי֧וּ תֹצְאֹתָ֛יו הַיָּ֖מָּה מֵחֶ֥בֶל אַכְזִֽיבָה
Then the border turned to Ramah and to the fortified city of Tyre; then the border turned to Hosah, and its outgoings were at the sea, from the territory of Achzib.
The most striking verse of Asher's border description, naming the fortified city of Tyre itself as a marker — territory never actually possessed by Israel, showing this border list records an aspirational or maximal ideal extent alongside realistic settlement notices elsewhere in the chapter. Also preserves a rare full ketiv/qere doublet (ויהיו / וְהָיוּ).
Word-by-word analysis· 16 words
וְשָׁ֤בand it turnedQal weqatal 3ms · שׁוּב (H7725)Weqatal continuing the descriptive border itinerary→ Weqatal: sequential description carrying the border-line forwardשׁוּב (H7725); the border reverses from Sidon back toward the coast.
הַגְּבוּל֙the borderart + N m sg abs · גְּבוּל (H1366)Subject of וְשָׁבגְּבוּל (H1366).
הָֽרָמָ֔הto Ramahart + proper noun · רָמָה (H7414)Directional/locative complement of וְשָׁברָמָה (H7414) 'height'; a fortified coastal town near Tyre, a different Ramah from Simeon's (v. 8) or any of the several other Israelite Ramahs.
וְעַדand toconj וְ + prep · עַד (H5704)Terminal prepositional markerעַד (H5704) 'as far as, to'.
עִ֖ירthe city ofN f sg constr · עִיר (H5892)Object of עַד, construct (governs מִבְצַר)עִיר (H5892) 'city'; opens the compound phrase 'the fortified city of Tyre.'
מִבְצַרthe fortress ofN m sg constr · מִבְצָר (H4013)Construct noun in apposition (governs צֹר)מִבְצָר (H4013) 'fortification, stronghold', from בצר 'to cut off, fortify'; the full phrase עִיר מִבְצַר־צֹר, 'the fortified city of Tyre,' is a striking moment — a famously impregnable Phoenician metropolis named as if it were a mere Israelite border-marker, though (like Sidon in v. 28) it was never actually taken or settled by Israel.
צֹ֑רTyreproper noun · צֹר (H6865)Genitive (object of construct מִבְצַר)צֹר (H6865) 'rock'; the great Phoenician island-and-mainland city, later Hiram's kingdom and Solomon's ally (1 Kgs 5), and the target of prophetic oracles (Ezek 26-28) — its appearance here in a tribal boundary list is a rare, almost incidental biblical mention of Tyre in a purely geographic (not political or prophetic) register.
וְשָׁ֤בand it turnedQal weqatal 3ms · שׁוּב (H7725)Weqatal continuing the descriptive border itinerary→ Weqatal: sequential description carrying the border-line forwardשׁוּב (H7725); the border turns again, now back toward the coast south of Tyre.
הַגְּבוּל֙the borderart + N m sg abs · גְּבוּל (H1366)Subject of וְשָׁבגְּבוּל (H1366).
חֹסָ֔הto Hosahproper noun · חֹסָה (H2621)Directional/locative complement of וְשָׁבחֹסָה (H2621) 'refuge'; a coastal town near Tyre marking the border's southward return toward Achzib.
ויהיוand they will be [ketiv]Qal weyiqtol 3mp (ketiv, unpointed) · יִהְיוּ (H1961)Ketiv reading, immediately doubled by the qere weqatal that follows→ Imperfective (ketiv form): an unresolved textual doubletThis is the unpointed ketiv ויהיו, written imperfect-form in the consonantal text but immediately followed by the qere וְהָיוּ (perfect) — MT here writes out both ketiv and qere in full (as at v. 22's Shahazumah) rather than marking the qere only marginally, a scribal quirk that likely originated in an accidental duplication during copying.
וְהָי֧וּand they were [qere]Qal weqatal 3cp (qere, pointed) · הָיָה (H1961)Weqatal, the intended reading, predicate of the border's endpoints→ Weqatal: sequential description, marking the itinerary's terminusהָיָה (H1961); the qere form actually to be read aloud — see the note on the preceding ketiv word.
תֹצְאֹתָ֛יוits outgoingsN f pl constr + 3ms suff · תּוֹצָאָה (H8444)Subject of וְהָיוּתּוֹצָאָה (H8444); see v. 14 — the border's terminal points.
הַיָּ֖מָּהat the seaart + N m sg abs + directional suff ה־ · יָם (H3220)Predicate complement of תֹצְאֹתָיו (locative)יָם (H3220) 'sea'; Asher's border finally reaches the Mediterranean coast.
מֵחֶ֥בֶלfrom the territory ofprep מִן + N c sg abs · חֶבֶל (H2256)Source prepositional phrase, further specifying the endpointחֶבֶל (H2256); see v. 8 — the 'measuring-line' term for allotted territory.
אַכְזִֽיבָהat Achzibproper noun + directional suff ה־ · אַכְזִיב (H392)Genitive (object of construct מֵחֶבֶל)אַכְזִיב (H392) 'deceptive, dry-in-summer', related to the same root as the wordplay-town Achzib in Judah (Mic 1:14); one of the coastal towns Asher failed to dispossess (Judg 1:31).
30
וְעֻמָ֥ה וַאֲפֵ֖ק וּרְחֹ֑ב עָרִ֛ים עֶשְׂרִ֥ים וּשְׁתַּ֖יִם וְחַצְרֵיהֶֽן
and Ummah, Aphek, and Rehob — twenty-two cities with their villages.
Closes Asher's list with the recurring tally formula, though the twenty-two count does not cleanly match the names actually given across vv. 25-30 — consistent with this chapter's generally loose tally arithmetic outside Issachar's section.
Word-by-word analysis· 7 words
וְעֻמָ֥הand Ummahconj וְ + proper noun · עֻמָּה (H5981)First item of the closing city listעֻמָּה (H5981), site unidentified; some suggest a scribal corruption of עַכּוֹ (Acco), a major coastal city otherwise unmentioned in this list.
וַאֲפֵ֖קand Aphekconj וְ + proper noun · אֲפֵק (H663)Second item of the closing city listאֲפֵק (H663) 'enclosure, fortress'; a common Canaanite town-name (cf. Dan's Aphek, v. 46-region, and the Philistine-battle Aphek of 1 Sam 4) — this one is Asher's, one of the towns Asher could not dispossess (Judg 1:31).
וּרְחֹ֑בand Rehobconj וְ + proper noun · רְחֹב (H7340)Third item of the closing city listרְחֹב (H7340); a second town of this name in Asher (cf. v. 28), also among those Asher could not dispossess (Judg 1:31) — Israelites 'dwelt among the Canaanites' here rather than the reverse.
עָרִ֛יםcitiesN f pl abs · עִיר (H5892)Subject of the tally clause (nominal, verbless)עִיר (H5892); the summary tally for Asher's whole allotment (vv. 24-30).
עֶשְׂרִ֥יםtwentycardinal numeral c pl abs · עֶשְׂרִים (H6242)Numeral modifying עָרִים (with וּשְׁתַּיִם, 'twenty-two')עֶשְׂרִים (H6242) 'twenty'; combines with וּשְׁתַּיִם for 'twenty-two' — the total falls short of the roughly twenty-four names actually listed across vv. 25-30, another instance of this chapter's loose tally-to-list correspondence in border-format sections.
וּשְׁתַּ֖יִםand twoconj וְ + cardinal numeral f dual · שְׁתַּיִם (H8147)Second element of the compound numeral 'twenty-two'שְׁתַּיִם (H8147); see v. 15.
וְחַצְרֵיהֶֽןand their villagesconj וְ + N c pl constr + 3fp suff · חָצֵר (H2691)Coordinate noun completing the tally formulaחָצֵר (H2691); the recurring closing formula.
31
זֹ֗את נַחֲלַ֛ת מַטֵּ֥ה בְנֵֽי אָשֵׁ֖ר לְמִשְׁפְּחֹתָ֑ם הֶעָרִ֥ים הָאֵ֖לֶּה וְחַצְרֵיהֶֽן
This is the inheritance of the tribe of the sons of Asher according to their families — these cities and their villages.
Completes Asher's section with the standard closing formula, matching Simeon's, Zebulun's, and Issachar's.
Word-by-word analysis· 9 words
זֹ֗אתthisdemonstrative pron f sg · זֹאת (H2063)Subject of the closing formula (nominal, verbless)זֹאת (H2063); opens the closing tribal-allotment formula, as in vv. 8, 16, 23.
נַחֲלַ֛תthe inheritance ofN f sg constr · נַחֲלָה (H5159)Predicate noun, construct (governs מַטֵּה)נַחֲלָה (H5159).
מַטֵּ֥הthe tribe ofN m sg constr · מַטֶּה (H4294)Construct noun (governs בְּנֵי)מַטֶּה (H4294) 'tribe'.
בְנֵֽיthe sons ofN m pl constr · בֵּן (H1121)Construct noun (governs אָשֵׁר)בֵּן (H1121) 'son'.
אָשֵׁ֖רAsherproper noun · אָשֵׁר (H836)Genitive (object of construct)אָשֵׁר (H836); see v. 24.
לְמִשְׁפְּחֹתָ֑םaccording to their familiesprep לְ + N f pl constr + 3mp suff · מִשְׁפָּחָה (H4940)Distributive prepositional phraseמִשְׁפָּחָה (H4940); closes the formula echoing v. 24's opening.
הֶעָרִ֥יםthe citiesart + N f pl abs · עִיר (H5892)Subject of a second, appended nominal clauseעִיר (H5892); refers back to the towns tallied in v. 30.
הָאֵ֖לֶּהtheseart + demonstrative pron c pl · אֵלֶּה (H428)Attributive demonstrative (modifying הֶעָרִים)אֵלֶּה (H428) 'these'.
וְחַצְרֵיהֶֽןand their villagesconj וְ + N c pl constr + 3fp suff · חָצֵר (H2691)Coordinate noun completing the formulaחָצֵר (H2691); closes Asher's section on the recurring formula.
32
לִבְנֵ֣י נַפְתָּלִ֔י יָצָ֖א הַגּוֹרָ֣ל הַשִּׁשִּׁ֑י לִבְנֵ֥י נַפְתָּלִ֖י לְמִשְׁפְּחֹתָֽם
For the sons of Naphtali the sixth lot went out, for the sons of Naphtali according to their families.
Opens Naphtali's section, doubling 'for the sons of Naphtali' both before and after the lot-clause — an emphatic repetition unique among the seven opening formulas in this chapter.
Word-by-word analysis· 8 words
לִבְנֵ֣יfor the sons ofprep לְ + N m pl constr · בֵּן (H1121)Dative/beneficiary prepositional phrase, frontedבֵּן (H1121) 'son'.
נַפְתָּלִ֔יNaphtaliproper noun · נַפְתָּלִי (H5321)Genitive (object of construct)נַפְתָּלִי (H5321) 'my wrestling', from פתל 'to twist, wrestle' (Gen 30:8, Rachel's naming-speech via Bilhah); Jacob's sixth son, receiving the northernmost hill-country territory, blessed in Deut 33:23 as 'satisfied with favor, full of the blessing of YHWH.'
יָצָ֖אwent outQal perfect 3ms · יָצָא (H3318)Predicate verb (main clause)→ Perfective: a completed, decisive eventיָצָא (H3318); the lot-formula verb, plain perfect since the fronted dative already carries the topic (as in v. 17).
הַגּוֹרָ֣לthe lotart + N m sg abs · גּוֹרָל (H1486)Subject of יָצָאגּוֹרָל (H1486); see v. 1.
הַשִּׁשִּׁ֑יthe sixthart + ordinal adj m sg abs · שִׁשִּׁי (H8345)Attributive adjective (modifying הַגּוֹרָל)שִׁשִּׁי (H8345) 'sixth'; Naphtali's lot, sixth among the remaining tribes.
לִבְנֵ֥יfor the sons ofprep לְ + N m pl constr · בֵּן (H1121)Dative/beneficiary prepositional phrase (resumptive, restating the recipient)בֵּן (H1121) 'son'.
נַפְתָּלִ֖יNaphtaliproper noun · נַפְתָּלִי (H5321)Genitive (object of construct)נַפְתָּלִי (H5321); see above.
לְמִשְׁפְּחֹתָֽםaccording to their familiesprep לְ + N f pl constr + 3mp suff · מִשְׁפָּחָה (H4940)Distributive prepositional phraseמִשְׁפָּחָה (H4940); the standard distributive formula.
33
וַיְהִ֣י גְבוּלָ֗ם מֵחֵ֨לֶף מֵֽאֵל֜וֹן בְּצַעֲנַנִּ֗ים וַאֲדָמִ֥י הַנֶּ֛קֶב וְיַבְנְאֵ֖ל עַד לַקּ֑וּם וַיְהִ֥י תֹצְאֹתָ֖יו הַיַּרְדֵּֽן
And their border was from Heleph, from the oak in Zaanannim, and Adami-nekeb, and Jabneel, as far as Lakkum; and its outgoings were at the Jordan.
Opens Naphtali's border list. Its second landmark, 'the oak in Zaanannim,' is the very tent-site of Judg 4:11-21 — where Heber the Kenite camped and where Jael later killed the fleeing Canaanite general Sisera, tying this dry survey-notice to one of the most vivid narrative scenes in Judges.
Word-by-word analysis· 13 words
וַיְהִ֣יand it wasQal wayyiqtol 3ms · הָיָה (H1961)Wayyiqtol of narrative sequence (main verb)→ Wayyiqtol: foregrounded narrative advanceהָיָה (H1961); introduces the border description that runs through v. 39.
גְבוּלָ֗םtheir borderN m sg constr + 3mp suff · גְּבוּל (H1366)Subject of וַיְהִיגְּבוּל (H1366).
מֵחֵ֨לֶףfrom Helephprep מִן + proper noun · חֵלֶף (H2501)Source prepositional phrase, opening the border itineraryחֵלֶף (H2501) 'exchange, substitute'; the itinerary's starting point, site unidentified with certainty, likely in lower Galilee.
מֵֽאֵל֜וֹןfrom the oakprep מִן + N m sg abs · אֵלוֹן (H438)Source prepositional phrase, in apposition/parallel to מֵחֵלֶףאֵלוֹן (H438) 'oak, terebinth, large tree'; a sacred or landmark tree, opening the compound landmark completed by the next word — this is Jael's tent-site (see next word's note).
בְּצַעֲנַנִּ֗יםin Zaanannimprep בְּ + proper noun · צַעֲנַנִּים (H6815)Genitive/locative qualifier completing the compound 'the oak in Zaanannim'צַעֲנַנִּים (H6815), from צען 'to wander, migrate' (nomadic-tent connotation); the 'oak/terebinth at Zaanannim near Kedesh' is precisely where, in Judg 4:11, Heber the Kenite had pitched his tent — and where his wife Jael would later drive a tent-peg through Sisera's temple (Judg 4:17-21), making this obscure border landmark the actual physical setting of one of the Bible's most vivid assassination scenes.
וַאֲדָמִ֥יand Adami-conj וְ + proper noun (construct) · אֲדָמִי (H129)First element of the compound name אֲדָמִי הַנֶּקֶבאֲדָמִי, from אֲדָמָה 'ground, earth'; opens the compound completed by the next word.
הַנֶּ֛קֶבthe Nekebart + N m sg abs (proper) · נֶקֶב (H5346)Second element of the compound name אֲדָמִי הַנֶּקֶבנֶקֶב 'perforation, hole, gorge'; 'Adami-the-Gorge' — likely a mountain pass, site unidentified with certainty.
וְיַבְנְאֵ֖לand Jabneelconj וְ + proper noun · יַבְנְאֵל (H2995)Coordinate border-pointיַבְנְאֵל (H2995) 'God causes to build'; a homonym of Judah's coastal Jabneel (15:11) — this one is Naphtali's, inland in Galilee.
עַדas far asprep · עַד (H5704)Terminal prepositional markerעַד (H5704).
לַקּ֑וּםLakkumproper noun · לַקּוּם (H3946)Object of עַדלַקּוּם (H3946), site unidentified, likely near the upper Jordan Valley.
וַיְהִ֥יand it wasQal wayyiqtol 3ms · הָיָה (H1961)Wayyiqtol of narrative sequence (main verb)→ Wayyiqtol: foregrounded narrative advanceהָיָה (H1961); closes this leg of the itinerary at the Jordan.
תֹצְאֹתָ֖יוits outgoingsN f pl constr + 3ms suff · תּוֹצָאָה (H8444)Subject of וַיְהִיתּוֹצָאָה (H8444); see v. 14.
הַיַּרְדֵּֽןthe Jordanart + proper noun · יַרְדֵּן (H3383)Predicate complement of תֹצְאֹתָיו (locative)יַרְדֵּן (H3383); this leg of Naphtali's border reaches its eastern limit at the Jordan.
34
וְשָׁ֨ב הַגְּב֥וּל יָ֨מָּה֙ אַזְנ֣וֹת תָּב֔וֹר וְיָצָ֥א מִשָּׁ֖ם חוּקֹ֑קָה וּפָגַ֨ע בִּזְבֻל֜וּן מִנֶּ֗גֶב וּבְאָשֵׁר֙ פָּגַ֣ע מִיָּ֔ם וּבִ֣יהוּדָ֔ה הַיַּרְדֵּ֖ן מִזְרַ֥ח הַשָּֽׁמֶשׁ
Then the border turned westward to Aznoth-tabor, and went out from there to Hukkok; and it touched Zebulun on the south, and touched Asher on the west, and Judah at the Jordan toward the sunrise.
Closes the itinerary by naming Naphtali's neighbors on three sides — but the fourth, 'Judah... at the Jordan toward the sunrise,' is the chapter's most debated textual difficulty: Judah's own territory lies far to the south, and no solution to this name's presence here has won scholarly consensus.
Word-by-word analysis· 18 words
וְשָׁ֨בand it turnedQal weqatal 3ms · שׁוּב (H7725)Weqatal continuing the descriptive border itinerary→ Weqatal: sequential description carrying the border-line forwardשׁוּב (H7725); the border reverses from the Jordan back westward.
הַגְּב֥וּלthe borderart + N m sg abs · גְּבוּל (H1366)Subject of וְשָׁבגְּבוּל (H1366).
יָ֨מָּה֙westwardN m sg abs + directional suff ה־ · יָם (H3220)Directional adverbial complementיָם (H3220); see v. 11.
אַזְנ֣וֹתAznoth-proper noun (construct) · אַזְנוֹת (H243)First element of the compound name אַזְנוֹת תָּבוֹראַזְנוֹת, plural of אֹזֶן 'ear'; 'Ears of Tabor' — a landmark near Mount Tabor, opening the compound completed by the next word.
תָּב֔וֹרTaborproper noun · תָּבוֹר (H243)Second element of the compound name אַזְנוֹת תָּבוֹרתָּבוֹר; Mount Tabor once more, a landmark shared across Zebulun's (v. 12), Issachar's (v. 22), and now Naphtali's border descriptions.
וְיָצָ֥אand it went outQal weqatal 3ms · יָצָא (H3318)Weqatal continuing the descriptive border itinerary→ Weqatal: sequential description carrying the border-line forwardיָצָא (H3318).
מִשָּׁ֖םfrom thereprep מִן + adverb · שָׁם (H8033)Source adverbial phraseשָׁם (H8033) 'there'; resumes the itinerary from Aznoth-tabor.
חוּקֹ֑קָהto Hukkokproper noun + directional suff ה־ · חוּקֹק (H2712)Directional/locative complement of וְיָצָאחוּקֹק (H2712) 'engraved, decreed'; later a Levitical city out of Naphtali's territory listed as Helkath in 21:31's parallel (a scribal variant of the same root spirit as חלק/חקק).
וּפָגַ֨עand it touchedQal weqatal 3ms · פָּגַע (H6293)Weqatal continuing the descriptive border itinerary→ Weqatal: sequential description carrying the border-line forwardפָּגַע (H6293).
בִּזְבֻל֜וּןin Zebulunprep בְּ + proper noun · זְבֻלוּן (H2074)Locative complement of וּפָגַעזְבֻלוּן (H2074); Naphtali's border meets Zebulun's on the south.
מִנֶּ֗גֶבon the southprep מִן + N m sg abs · נֶגֶב (H5045)Locative adverbial complementנֶגֶב (H5045) 'south'; here directional, marking Zebulun as lying to Naphtali's south.
וּבְאָשֵׁר֙and in Asherconj וְ + prep בְּ + proper noun · אָשֵׁר (H836)Locative complement, fronted before its verb (פָּגַע follows)אָשֵׁר (H836); Naphtali's border also meets Asher's, on the west.
פָּגַ֣עit touchedQal perfect 3ms · פָּגַע (H6293)Predicate verb, plain perfect (fronted object phrase already carries the connective)→ Perfective: a completed border-factפָּגַע (H6293); repeated without a fresh conjunction since וּבְאָשֵׁר already fronts the coordinated element.
מִיָּ֔םon the westprep מִן + N m sg abs · יָם (H3220)Locative adverbial complementיָם (H3220) 'sea'; here directional, 'from the west/seaward side' — marking Asher as lying to Naphtali's west.
וּבִ֣יהוּדָ֔הand in Judahconj וְ + prep בְּ + proper noun · יְהוּדָה (H3063)Locative complement, fronted (governing clause elided/understood)יְהוּדָה (H3063) — the chapter's most debated crux: MT names 'Judah' as bordering Naphtali at the Jordan, hundreds of kilometers north of Judah's actual territory (ch. 15). Proposals include: (1) a scribal corruption of an unknown place-name resembling יהודה; (2) an otherwise-unattested northern town also called Judah; (3) LXX and many modern versions emend to a different reading (e.g., 'and the Jordan is its border on the east,' omitting the name outright) understanding MT's text as corrupt. No solution commands consensus; the honest reading is that the received Hebrew text says 'Judah,' and its meaning here is unresolved.
הַיַּרְדֵּ֖ןthe Jordanart + proper noun · יַרְדֵּן (H3383)Subject or appositive within the crux clause (syntax debated along with the 'Judah' reading)יַרְדֵּן (H3383); the clause's geographic anchor is clear even where 'Judah' is not — Naphtali's eastern limit at the river.
מִזְרַ֥חtoward the rising ofN m sg constr · מִזְרָח (H4217)Construct noun forming the compass idiom (governs הַשָּׁמֶשׁ)מִזְרָח (H4217); 'toward the sunrise' — closes the verse specifying the eastward direction of the Jordan relative to the crux-clause.
הַשָּֽׁמֶשׁthe sunart + N c sg abs · שֶׁמֶשׁ (H8121)Genitive (object of construct מִזְרַח)שֶׁמֶשׁ (H8121); see v. 12.
35
וְעָרֵ֖י מִבְצָ֑ר הַצִּדִּ֣ים צֵ֔ר וְחַמַּ֖ת רַקַּ֥ת וְכִנָּֽרֶת
And the fortified cities: Ziddim, Zer, Hammath, Rakkath, and Chinnereth,
Opens Naphtali's special 'fortified cities' sub-list, including Chinnereth, namesake of the Sea of Galilee, and Hammath, the enduring hot-springs site.
Word-by-word analysis· 7 words
וְעָרֵ֖יand the cities ofconj וְ + N f pl constr · עִיר (H5892)Subject of the list-heading clause (nominal, verbless)עִיר (H5892); introduces a special sub-category, the 'fortified cities,' setting up Naphtali's town list in vv. 35-38.
מִבְצָ֑רfortifiedN m sg abs (used attributively) · מִבְצָר (H4013)Attributive noun (genitive-like modifier of עָרֵי)מִבְצָר (H4013) 'fortification, stronghold'; see v. 29 — 'cities of fortress' = fortified cities, a heading found nowhere else in this chapter's other tribal sections, suggesting Naphtali's northern frontier required special defensive infrastructure.
הַצִּדִּ֣יםZiddimart + proper noun · צִדִּים (H6661)First item of the fortified-city listצִדִּים (H6661), plural, possibly 'sides, flanks'; site unidentified, on the shore of the Sea of Galilee.
צֵ֔רand Zerproper noun (asyndetic) · צֵר (H6863)Second item of the listצֵר (H6863), site unidentified, named only here.
וְחַמַּ֖תand Hammathconj וְ + proper noun · חַמַּת (H2575)Third item of the listחַמַּת (H2575) 'hot spring', from חַם 'hot'; the famous hot springs south of Tiberias, still a thermal-bath site today — a Levitical city out of Naphtali (21:32, as Hammoth-dor).
רַקַּ֥תand Rakkathproper noun (asyndetic) · רַקַּת (H7557)Fourth item of the listרַקַּת (H7557) 'shore, bank'; later rabbinic tradition identifies this site as the location where the city of Tiberias would be built.
וְכִנָּֽרֶתand Chinnerethconj וְ + proper noun · כִּנֶּרֶת (H3672)Fifth item of the listכִּנֶּרֶת (H3672), possibly from כִּנּוֹר 'lyre' (the sea's harp-like shape) or a Canaanite deity-name; this town gives the Sea of Galilee its Hebrew name, 'the Sea of Chinnereth' (Num 34:11; 13:27) — the namesake city underlying one of the Bible's most familiar bodies of water.
36
וַאֲדָמָ֥ה וְהָרָמָ֖ה וְחָצֽוֹר
and Adamah, Ramah, and Hazor,
Continues the list; Hazor here is the great burned Canaanite city of ch. 11, now simply one more town in Naphtali's inheritance.
Word-by-word analysis· 3 words
וַאֲדָמָ֥הand Adamahconj וְ + proper noun · אֲדָמָה (H128)Sixth item of the fortified-city listאֲדָמָה (H128) 'ground, land'; site unidentified, west of the Sea of Galilee.
וְהָרָמָ֖הand Ramahconj וְ + art + proper noun · רָמָה (H7414)Seventh item of the fortified-city listרָמָה (H7414); yet another Ramah — the fourth distinct town of this name in the chapter (Simeon's v. 8, Asher's v. 29, and this one), each 'height' named independently for its own local terrain.
וְחָצֽוֹרand Hazorconj וְ + proper noun · חָצוֹר (H2674)Eighth item of the fortified-city listחָצוֹר (H2674) 'enclosure, settlement'; the great Canaanite royal city Joshua captured and burned as 'the head of all those kingdoms' (11:10-13) — its listing here as simply one town among Naphtali's fortified cities is a quiet coda to that dramatic conquest narrative eight chapters earlier.
37
וְקֶ֥דֶשׁ וְאֶדְרֶ֖עִי וְעֵ֥ין חָצֽוֹר
and Kedesh, Edrei, and En-hazor,
Continues the list; Kedesh here is one of the six cities of refuge (20:7).
Word-by-word analysis· 4 words
וְקֶ֥דֶשׁand Kedeshconj וְ + proper noun · קֶדֶשׁ (H6943)Ninth item of the fortified-city listקֶדֶשׁ (H6943) 'holy, set apart'; one of the six cities of refuge established for the unintentional manslayer (20:7), and later a Levitical city (21:32) — Naphtali's most legally significant town, sitting inconspicuously in this list.
וְאֶדְרֶ֖עִיand Edreiconj וְ + proper noun · אֶדְרֶעִי (H154)Tenth item of the fortified-city listאֶדְרֶעִי (H154) 'strength/might'; a namesake of Og of Bashan's capital (12:4), but this is a distinct, smaller Naphtali town of the same name.
וְעֵ֥יןand En-conj וְ + N f sg constr (proper) · עַיִן (H5877)First element of the compound name עֵין חָצוֹר (eleventh item)עַיִן 'spring', opening the compound completed by the next word.
חָצֽוֹרHazorproper noun · חָצוֹר (H5877)Second element of the compound name עֵין חָצוֹרחָצוֹר; 'Spring of Hazor' — a distinct settlement from the great royal city of v. 36 despite the shared name, likely a smaller satellite site.
38
וְיִרְאוֹן֙ וּמִגְדַּל אֵ֔ל חֳרֵ֥ם וּבֵית עֲנָ֖ת וּבֵ֣ית שָׁ֑מֶשׁ עָרִ֥ים תְּשַֽׁע עֶשְׂרֵ֖ה וְחַצְרֵיהֶֽן
and Iron, Migdal-el, Horem, Beth-anath, and Beth-shemesh — nineteen cities with their villages.
Closes the fortified-city list with the recurring tally formula; Beth-anath preserves a Canaanite goddess-name into Israel's own town-registry, and both it and Beth-shemesh are noted in Judg 1:33 as towns Naphtali never fully dispossessed.
Word-by-word analysis· 12 words
וְיִרְאוֹן֙and Ironconj וְ + proper noun · יִרְאוֹן (H3375)Twelfth item of the fortified-city listיִרְאוֹן (H3375), from ירא 'to fear' or perhaps related to a town name preserved in the modern Yarun; site plausibly identified with modern Yarun in upper Galilee.
וּמִגְדַּלand Migdal-conj וְ + N m sg constr (proper) · מִגְדָּל (H4027)First element of the compound name מִגְדַּל אֵלמִגְדָּל 'tower', opening the compound completed by the next word.
אֵ֔לElproper noun · אֵל (H4027)Second element of the compound name מִגְדַּל אֵלאֵל 'God'; 'Tower of God' — site unidentified, one of several 'El'-compound names in this chapter alongside Iphtah-el (vv. 14, 27, 33).
חֳרֵ֥םand Horemproper noun (asyndetic) · חֹרֵם (H2765)Fourteenth item of the fortified-city listחֹרֵם (H2765), related to חרם 'to devote to destruction' (cf. Hormah, v. 4); site unidentified, named only here.
וּבֵיתand Beth-conj וְ + N m sg constr (proper) · בֵּית (H1043)First element of the compound name בֵּית עֲנָתבַּיִת 'house of', opening the compound completed by the next word.
עֲנָ֖תAnathproper noun · עֲנָת (H1043)Second element of the compound name בֵּית עֲנָתעֲנָת, the Canaanite warrior-goddess Anat's name; 'House of Anath' — a town preserving a pagan cult-name into the Israelite allotment record, one of several Naphtali towns Israel failed to fully dispossess (Judg 1:33).
וּבֵ֣יתand Beth-conj וְ + N m sg constr (proper) · בֵּית (H1053)First element of the compound name בֵּית שֶׁמֶשׁבַּיִת 'house of', opening the compound completed by the next word.
שָׁ֑מֶשׁ-shemeshproper noun · שֶׁמֶשׁ (H1053)Second element of the compound name בֵּית שֶׁמֶשׁשֶׁמֶשׁ 'sun'; this is Naphtali's Beth-shemesh, the third of three same-named towns in this chapter alone (cf. Issachar's, v. 22; Dan's, v. 41) — also a site Naphtali failed to dispossess (Judg 1:33).
עָרִ֥יםcitiesN f pl abs · עִיר (H5892)Subject of the tally clause (nominal, verbless)עִיר (H5892); the summary tally for Naphtali's fortified-city list (vv. 35-38).
תְּשַֽׁעninecardinal numeral f sg abs · תֵּשַׁע (H8672)Numeral modifying עָרִים (with עֶשְׂרֵה, 'nineteen')תֵּשַׁע (H8672) 'nine'; combines with עֶשְׂרֵה for 'nineteen' — the count of named fortified towns in vv. 35-38 (Ziddim, Zer, Hammath, Rakkath, Chinnereth, Adamah, Ramah, Hazor, Kedesh, Edrei, En-hazor, Iron, Migdal-el, Horem, Beth-anath, Beth-shemesh = sixteen names), leaving another small discrepancy typical of this chapter's tallies.
עֶשְׂרֵ֖הtencardinal numeral f sg abs · עֶשְׂרֵה (H6240)Second element of the compound numeral 'nineteen'עֶשְׂרֵה (H6240); see v. 6.
וְחַצְרֵיהֶֽןand their villagesconj וְ + N c pl constr + 3fp suff · חָצֵר (H2691)Coordinate noun completing the tally formulaחָצֵר (H2691); the recurring closing formula.
39
זֹ֗את נַחֲלַ֛ת מַטֵּ֥ה בְנֵֽי נַפְתָּלִ֖י לְמִשְׁפְּחֹתָ֑ם הֶעָרִ֖ים וְחַצְרֵיהֶֽן
This is the inheritance of the tribe of the sons of Naphtali according to their families, the cities and their villages.
Completes Naphtali's section with the standard closing formula, matching Simeon's, Zebulun's, Issachar's, and Asher's.
Word-by-word analysis· 8 words
זֹ֗אתthisdemonstrative pron f sg · זֹאת (H2063)Subject of the closing formula (nominal, verbless)זֹאת (H2063); opens the closing tribal-allotment formula, as in vv. 8, 16, 23, 31.
נַחֲלַ֛תthe inheritance ofN f sg constr · נַחֲלָה (H5159)Predicate noun, construct (governs מַטֵּה)נַחֲלָה (H5159).
מַטֵּ֥הthe tribe ofN m sg constr · מַטֶּה (H4294)Construct noun (governs בְּנֵי)מַטֶּה (H4294) 'tribe'.
בְנֵֽיthe sons ofN m pl constr · בֵּן (H1121)Construct noun (governs נַפְתָּלִי)בֵּן (H1121) 'son'.
נַפְתָּלִ֖יNaphtaliproper noun · נַפְתָּלִי (H5321)Genitive (object of construct)נַפְתָּלִי (H5321); see v. 32.
לְמִשְׁפְּחֹתָ֑םaccording to their familiesprep לְ + N f pl constr + 3mp suff · מִשְׁפָּחָה (H4940)Distributive prepositional phraseמִשְׁפָּחָה (H4940); closes the formula echoing v. 32's opening.
הֶעָרִ֖יםthe citiesart + N f pl abs · עִיר (H5892)Subject of a second, appended nominal clauseעִיר (H5892); refers back to all the towns named through v. 38.
וְחַצְרֵיהֶֽןand their villagesconj וְ + N c pl constr + 3fp suff · חָצֵר (H2691)Coordinate noun completing the formulaחָצֵר (H2691); closes Naphtali's section, without the demonstrative הָאֵלֶּה, matching the same minor variation seen in Issachar's closure (v. 23).
40
לְמַטֵּ֥ה בְנֵי דָ֖ן לְמִשְׁפְּחֹתָ֑ם יָצָ֖א הַגּוֹרָ֥ל הַשְּׁבִיעִֽי
For the tribe of the sons of Dan according to their families, the seventh lot went out.
Opens Dan's section — the last of the seven tribal lots — with the recurring formula, here with the dative phrase fronted before the lot-clause, as in vv. 17 and 32.
Word-by-word analysis· 7 words
לְמַטֵּ֥הfor the tribe ofprep לְ + N m sg constr · מַטֶּה (H4294)Dative/beneficiary prepositional phrase, frontedמַטֶּה (H4294) 'tribe'.
בְנֵיthe sons ofN m pl constr · בֵּן (H1121)Construct noun (governs דָּן)בֵּן (H1121) 'son'.
דָ֖ןDanproper noun · דָּן (H1835)Genitive (object of construct)דָּן (H1835) 'he judged', from דין 'to judge' (Gen 30:6, Rachel's naming-speech via Bilhah); Jacob's fifth son, whose tribe here receives the smallest, most contested territory of all — wedged between Judah, Ephraim, and the Philistine coastal plain — before the migration narrative of v. 47 relocates much of it far to the north.
לְמִשְׁפְּחֹתָ֑םaccording to their familiesprep לְ + N f pl constr + 3mp suff · מִשְׁפָּחָה (H4940)Distributive prepositional phraseמִשְׁפָּחָה (H4940); the standard distributive formula.
יָצָ֖אwent outQal perfect 3ms · יָצָא (H3318)Predicate verb (main clause)→ Perfective: a completed, decisive eventיָצָא (H3318); the lot-formula verb, plain perfect since the fronted phrase already carries the topic (as in vv. 17, 32).
הַגּוֹרָ֥לthe lotart + N m sg abs · גּוֹרָל (H1486)Subject of יָצָאגּוֹרָל (H1486); see v. 1.
הַשְּׁבִיעִֽיthe seventhart + ordinal adj m sg abs · שְׁבִיעִי (H7637)Attributive adjective (modifying הַגּוֹרָל)שְׁבִיעִי (H7637) 'seventh'; Dan's lot, the seventh and last of the tribes receiving territory by lot in this chapter — after this only Joshua's own allotment (vv. 49-50) remains.
41
וַיְהִ֖י גְּב֣וּל נַחֲלָתָ֑ם צָרְעָ֥ה וְאֶשְׁתָּא֖וֹל וְעִ֥יר שָֽׁמֶשׁ
And the border of their inheritance was: Zorah, Eshtaol, and Ir-shemesh,
Opens Dan's town list with Zorah and Eshtaol — the twin towns anchoring the entire Samson narrative cycle of Judges 13-16, immediately signaling that Dan's small allotment sits at the volatile Philistine frontier.
Word-by-word analysis· 7 words
וַיְהִ֖יand it wasQal wayyiqtol 3ms · הָיָה (H1961)Wayyiqtol of narrative sequence (main verb)→ Wayyiqtol: foregrounded narrative advanceהָיָה (H1961); introduces Dan's territory, delivered as a city list rather than a full border itinerary.
גְּב֣וּלthe border ofN m sg constr · גְּבוּל (H1366)Subject of וַיְהִיגְּבוּל (H1366).
נַחֲלָתָ֑םtheir inheritanceN f sg constr + 3mp suff · נַחֲלָה (H5159)Genitive (object of construct)נַחֲלָה (H5159).
צָרְעָ֥הZorahproper noun · צָרְעָה (H6881)First item of city list (predicate complement of גְּבוּל נַחֲלָתָם)צָרְעָה (H6881), from צרע 'to be leprous' or a hornet-name; the hometown of Manoah, father of Samson (Judg 13:2) — the town where the angel first announced Samson's birth and where his early Spirit-stirrings began (Judg 13:25).
וְאֶשְׁתָּא֖וֹלand Eshtaolconj וְ + proper noun · אֶשְׁתָּאוֹל (H847)Second item of the listאֶשְׁתָּאוֹל (H847); paired with Zorah throughout Samson's story as the district where 'the Spirit of YHWH began to stir him' (Judg 13:25) and where he was ultimately buried (Judg 16:31) — Danite country's twin anchor towns for the Samson cycle.
וְעִ֥ירand Ir-conj וְ + N f sg constr (proper) · עִיר (H5905)First element of the compound name עִיר שָׁמֶשׁעִיר 'city of', opening the compound completed by the next word.
שָֽׁמֶשׁ-shemeshproper noun · שֶׁמֶשׁ (H5905)Second element of the compound name עִיר שָׁמֶשׁשֶׁמֶשׁ 'sun'; 'City of the Sun' — likely the same site as Har-heres (Judg 1:35), a Danite town the Amorites originally held.
42
וְשַֽׁעֲלַבִּ֥ין וְאַיָּל֖וֹן וְיִתְלָֽה
and Shaalabbin, Aijalon, and Ithlah,
Continues Dan's list; Aijalon is the moon-valley of Joshua's day-lengthening prayer in 10:12.
Word-by-word analysis· 3 words
וְשַֽׁעֲלַבִּ֥יןand Shaalabbinconj וְ + proper noun · שַׁעֲלַבִּין (H8169)Third item of city listשַׁעֲלַבִּין (H8169), likely 'place of foxes/jackals'; called Shaalbim in Judg 1:35 and 1 Kgs 4:9 — a town the Amorites held against Dan before eventually falling under Israelite (Ephraimite) forced labor.
וְאַיָּל֖וֹןand Aijalonconj וְ + proper noun · אַיָּלוֹן (H357)Fourth item of city listאַיָּלוֹן (H357) 'place of deer/stags'; the valley over which Joshua commanded the moon to stand still during the Gibeon battle, 'Moon, in the Valley of Aijalon' (10:12) — here simply listed as a Danite town, its earlier cosmic-scale narrative moment folded quietly into the register.
וְיִתְלָֽהand Ithlahconj וְ + proper noun · יִתְלָה (H3494)Fifth item of city listיִתְלָה (H3494), site unidentified, named only here.
43
וְאֵיל֥וֹן וְתִמְנָ֖תָה וְעֶקְרֽוֹן
and Elon, Timnah, and Ekron,
Continues the list with Timnah, the setting of Samson's wedding-riddle episode (Judg 14), and Ekron, the nearest of the Philistine pentapolis cities.
Word-by-word analysis· 3 words
וְאֵיל֥וֹןand Elonconj וְ + proper noun · אֵילוֹן (H356)Sixth item of city listאֵילוֹן (H356) 'oak, terebinth'; site unidentified, possibly a variant of Aijalon (v. 42) or a distinct town.
וְתִמְנָ֖תָהand to Timnahconj וְ + proper noun + directional suff ה־ · תִּמְנָה (H8553)Seventh item of city listתִּמְנָה (H8553) 'portion, allotted share'; the town of Samson's first Philistine wife (Judg 14) and the site of the riddle-feast that opened his long conflict with the Philistines — Danite territory's second major Samson-narrative anchor after Zorah/Eshtaol (v. 41).
וְעֶקְרֽוֹןand Ekronconj וְ + proper noun · עֶקְרוֹן (H6138)Eighth item of city listעֶקְרוֹן (H6138); the northernmost of the five Philistine city-states (13:3), listed here at Dan's territorial edge though never actually held by Israel — the coastal Philistine pentapolis remained the chief obstacle to Dan's settlement, ultimately driving part of the tribe north (v. 47).
44
וְאֶלְתְּקֵ֥ה וְגִבְּת֖וֹן וּבַעֲלָֽת
and Eltekeh, Gibbethon, and Baalath,
Continues the list; Eltekeh and Gibbethon both later became Levitical cities (21:23).
Word-by-word analysis· 3 words
וְאֶלְתְּקֵ֥הand Eltekehconj וְ + proper noun · אֶלְתְּקֵה (H514)Ninth item of city listאֶלְתְּקֵה (H514), meaning uncertain; later a Levitical city out of Dan (21:23) — also recorded in Assyrian annals (Sennacherib) as the site of a major battle in 701 BC, a rare extra-biblical attestation for a town in this list.
וְגִבְּת֖וֹןand Gibbethonconj וְ + proper noun · גִּבְּתוֹן (H1405)Tenth item of city listגִּבְּתוֹן (H1405) 'hill, height'; another Levitical city out of Dan (21:23), later fought over between Israel and the Philistines under Nadab and Baasha (1 Kgs 15:27; 16:15-17).
וּבַעֲלָֽתand Baalathconj וְ + proper noun · בַּעֲלָת (H1191)Eleventh item of city listבַּעֲלָת (H1191) 'mistress', a Baal-compound (cf. v. 8's Baalath-beer); later fortified by Solomon (1 Kgs 9:18).
45
וִיהֻ֥ד וּבְנֵֽי בְרַ֖ק וְגַת רִמּֽוֹן
and Jehud, Bene-berak, and Gath-rimmon,
Continues the list; Bene-berak's name survives essentially unchanged in the modern Israeli city of Bnei Brak.
Word-by-word analysis· 5 words
וִיהֻ֥דand Jehudconj וְ + proper noun · יְהֻד (H3055)Twelfth item of city listיְהֻד (H3055), meaning uncertain; site preserved in the modern Israeli town of Yehud near Ben Gurion Airport.
וּבְנֵֽיand Bene-conj וְ + N m pl constr (proper) · בֵּן (H1139)First element of the compound name בְּנֵי בְרַקבֵּן, plural construct 'sons of', opening the compound completed by the next word.
בְרַ֖קBerakproper noun · בְּרַק (H1139)Second element of the compound name בְּנֵי בְרַקבְּרַק 'lightning'; 'Sons of Lightning' — preserved in the modern Israeli city of Bnei Brak, a striking case of an ancient allotment-list name surviving essentially unchanged into the present day.
וְגַתand Gath-conj וְ + N m sg constr (proper) · גַּת (H1667)First element of the compound name גַּת רִמּוֹןגַּת 'winepress', opening the compound completed by the next word — a name shared with Zebulun's Gath-hepher (v. 13) though this is a separate town.
רִמּֽוֹןRimmonproper noun · רִמּוֹן (H1667)Second element of the compound name גַּת רִמּוֹןרִמּוֹן 'pomegranate'; a Levitical city out of Dan (21:24), the fourth distinct 'Rimmon'-compound name in this chapter (cf. Simeon's En-rimmon v. 7, Zebulun's Rimmon v. 13, and this one).
46
וּמֵ֥י הַיַּרְק֖וֹן וְהָֽרַקּ֑וֹן עִֽם הַגְּב֖וּל מ֥וּל יָפֽוֹ
and the waters of Jarkon, and Rakkon, with the border facing Joppa.
Ends Dan's list at the coast near Joppa — notably without the usual numeric tally, perhaps because the territory described was never fully secured, setting up v. 47's displacement notice.
Word-by-word analysis· 7 words
וּמֵ֥יand the waters ofconj וְ + N m pl constr (proper) · מַיִם (H4313)First element of the compound name מֵי הַיַּרְקוֹןמַיִם 'waters', in construct opening the compound completed by the next word — a river-name rather than a town.
הַיַּרְק֖וֹןthe Jarkonart + proper noun · יַרְקוֹן (H4313)Second element of the compound name מֵי הַיַּרְקוֹןיַרְקוֹן, from יָרֹק 'green, yellow-green'; the river forming Dan's boundary near the coast, its name preserved today as the Yarkon River flowing through modern Tel Aviv.
וְהָֽרַקּ֑וֹןand the Rakkonconj וְ + art + proper noun · רַקּוֹן (H7542)Coordinate landmarkרַקּוֹן (H7542), site unidentified, possibly a coastal town or stream near the Yarkon's mouth.
עִֽםwithprep · עִם (H5973)Coordinating prepositional markerעִם (H5973) 'with, together with'; introduces the closing border-notice.
הַגְּב֖וּלthe borderart + N m sg abs · גְּבוּל (H1366)Object of עִםגְּבוּל (H1366).
מ֥וּלfacingprep · מוּל (H4136)Locative prepositional markerמוּל (H4136) 'in front of, opposite'.
יָפֽוֹJoppaproper noun · יָפוֹ (H3305)Object of מוּליָפוֹ (H3305) 'beautiful'; the ancient port city (modern Jaffa), later the point from which Jonah fled by ship (Jonah 1:3) and where Peter received his vision of the sheet of unclean animals (Acts 10) — never actually held by Dan, which had to press up the coast without ever securing this key harbor.
47
וַיֵּצֵ֥א גְבוּל בְּנֵי דָ֖ן מֵהֶ֑ם וַיַּעֲל֣וּ בְנֵֽי דָ֠ן וַיִּלָּחֲמ֨וּ עִם לֶ֜שֶׁם וַיִּלְכְּד֥וּ אוֹתָ֣הּ וַיַּכּ֧וּ אוֹתָ֣הּ לְפִי חֶ֗רֶב וַיִּֽרְשׁ֤וּ אוֹתָהּ֙ וַיֵּ֣שְׁבוּ בָ֔הּ וַיִּקְרְא֤וּ לְלֶ֨שֶׁם֙ דָּ֔ן כְּשֵׁ֖ם דָּ֥ן אֲבִיהֶֽם
And the territory of the sons of Dan was lost to them; so the sons of Dan went up and fought against Leshem, and captured it, and struck it with the edge of the sword, and took possession of it, and dwelt in it; and they called Leshem Dan, after the name of Dan their father.
The chapter's one true narrative episode, compressing the far longer account of Judges 17-18 into a single sentence with a chain of six wayyiqtol verbs. The opening idiom — the border 'going out' from them, i.e. being lost — deliberately echoes the lot-formula verb יָצָא used to open every tribe's allotment in this chapter, turning acquisition-language into loss-language for Dan alone.
Word-by-word analysis· 27 words
וַיֵּצֵ֥אand it went outQal wayyiqtol 3ms · יָצָא (H3318)Wayyiqtol of narrative sequence (main verb)→ Wayyiqtol: foregrounded narrative advanceיָצָא (H3318) here bears the chapter's hardest idiom: 'the border of Dan went out from them' does not mean a border-line was drawn, but that territory 'slipped away, was lost' to the tribe — the same verb used for a lot 'coming out' (v. 1) now describes land going out of Dan's grasp, a bitter wordplay opening this displacement notice.
גְבוּלthe border ofN m sg constr · גְּבוּל (H1366)Subject of וַיֵּצֵאגְּבוּל (H1366); here effectively '[the] territory'.
בְּנֵיthe sons ofN m pl constr · בֵּן (H1121)Construct noun (governs דָּן)בֵּן (H1121) 'son'.
דָ֖ןDanproper noun · דָּן (H1835)Genitive (object of construct)דָּן (H1835); see v. 40.
מֵהֶ֑םfrom themprep מִן + 3mp suffix · מִן (H4480)Source complement of וַיֵּצֵא, completing the idiomמִן (H4480); 'went out from them' = the territory was lost to them, i.e. taken back by the Amorites/Philistines who pressed Dan out of the lowland (cf. Judg 1:34, 'the Amorites forced the sons of Dan into the hill country').
וַיַּעֲל֣וּand they went upQal wayyiqtol 3mp · עָלָה (H5927)Wayyiqtol of narrative sequence (main verb)→ Wayyiqtol: foregrounded narrative advanceעָלָה (H5927); begins the migration narrative compressed into this single verse — the fuller story is told at length in Judges 17-18.
בְנֵֽיthe sons ofN m pl constr · בֵּן (H1121)Construct noun, subject of וַיַּעֲלוּבֵּן (H1121) 'son'.
דָ֠ןDanproper noun · דָּן (H1835)Genitive (object of construct); together subject of וַיַּעֲלוּדָּן (H1835).
וַיִּלָּחֲמ֨וּand they foughtNiphal wayyiqtol 3mp · לָחַם (H3898)Wayyiqtol of narrative sequence (main verb)→ Wayyiqtol: foregrounded narrative advanceלָחַם (H3898) 'to fight, do battle'; Niphal reciprocal, 'engaged in battle' — echoing the fuller Judges 18 account of the Danite scouting party and conquest of Laish.
עִםagainstprep · עִם (H5973)Adversative prepositional marker (object of לָחַם)עִם (H5973) 'with'; with a verb of fighting, 'against.'
לֶ֜שֶׁםLeshemproper noun · לֶשֶׁם (H3959)Object of עִםלֶשֶׁם (H3959), meaning uncertain (also the name of a gemstone, 'jacinth', Exod 28:19); this is the city called Laish in the fuller parallel account (Judg 18:7, 27-29) — the two names for one city, renamed Dan at the close of this very verse.
וַיִּלְכְּד֥וּand they capturedQal wayyiqtol 3mp · לָכַד (H3920)Wayyiqtol of narrative sequence (main verb)→ Wayyiqtol: foregrounded narrative advanceלָכַד (H3920) 'to capture, seize'; the standard conquest-narrative verb (cf. its heavy use in chs. 6-11), here applied to Dan's own late, isolated conquest.
אוֹתָ֣הּ[obj] itobj marker + 3fs suff · אֵת (H853)Direct-object marker (referring to Leshem)אֵת (H853), nota accusativi with pronominal suffix, marking the feminine noun עִיר ('city,' understood) as direct object; untranslated in English.
וַיַּכּ֧וּand they struckHiphil wayyiqtol 3mp · נָכָה (H5221)Wayyiqtol of narrative sequence (main verb)→ Wayyiqtol: foregrounded narrative advanceנָכָה (H5221) 'to strike, smite'; Hiphil, the standard verb for a decisive military blow throughout the conquest narratives.
אוֹתָ֣הּ[obj] itobj marker + 3fs suff · אֵת (H853)Direct-object marker (referring to Leshem)אֵת (H853); untranslated in English.
לְפִיwith the edge ofprep לְ + N m sg constr · פֶּה (H6310)Instrumental prepositional phrase (idiom, governs חֶרֶב)פֶּה (H6310) 'mouth'; לְפִי־חֶרֶב 'to the mouth of the sword' is the standard idiom for total destruction by the sword, used throughout the conquest narratives (cf. 6:21; 8:24; 10:28-39).
חֶ֗רֶבthe swordN f sg abs · חֶרֶב (H2719)Genitive (object of construct פִּי)חֶרֶב (H2719) 'sword'; completes the idiom 'edge of the sword.'
וַיִּֽרְשׁ֤וּand they possessedQal wayyiqtol 3mp · יָרַשׁ (H3423)Wayyiqtol of narrative sequence (main verb)→ Wayyiqtol: foregrounded narrative advanceיָרַשׁ (H3423) 'to take possession of, dispossess'; the same conquest-and-settlement verb used throughout Deuteronomy and Joshua for Israel's occupation of the land — Dan's action here mirrors, on a small scale, the whole book's larger conquest pattern.
אוֹתָהּ֙[obj] itobj marker + 3fs suff · אֵת (H853)Direct-object marker (referring to Leshem)אֵת (H853); untranslated in English.
וַיֵּ֣שְׁבוּand they dweltQal wayyiqtol 3mp · יָשַׁב (H3427)Wayyiqtol of narrative sequence (main verb)→ Wayyiqtol: foregrounded narrative advanceיָשַׁב (H3427) 'to sit, dwell, settle'; the concluding act of the conquest sequence — a chain of six wayyiqtol verbs (fought, captured, struck, possessed, dwelt, called) compresses the whole Judges 18 migration narrative into a single sentence.
בָ֔הּin itprep בְּ + 3fs suffix · בְּ (H none)Locative complement of וַיֵּשְׁבוּBare preposition בְּ with pronominal suffix, 'in it,' referring to the captured city.
וַיִּקְרְא֤וּand they calledQal wayyiqtol 3mp · קָרָא (H7121)Wayyiqtol of narrative sequence (main verb)→ Wayyiqtol: foregrounded narrative advanceקָרָא (H7121) 'to call, name'; the renaming act that gives the far-northern city of Dan its permanent biblical name, later the northern boundary marker of the idiom 'from Dan to Beersheba' (Judg 20:1; 1 Sam 3:20; and often).
לְלֶ֨שֶׁם֙Leshemprep לְ + proper noun · לֶשֶׁם (H3959)Dative complement of קָרָא ('called TO Leshem [the name] Dan')לֶשֶׁם (H3959); see above — the old name, now being replaced.
דָּ֔ןDanproper noun · דָּן (H1835)Direct object/predicate of קָרָא (the new name given)דָּן (H1835); the new name, matching the fuller account in Judg 18:29 ('they named the city Dan, after the name of Dan their father, who was born to Israel; however, the name of the city formerly was Laish').
כְּשֵׁ֖םafter the name ofprep כְּ + N m sg constr · שֵׁם (H8034)Comparative/manner prepositional phrase (governs דָּן)שֵׁם (H8034) 'name'; introduces the etymological explanation closing the verse.
דָּ֥ןDanproper noun · דָּן (H1835)Genitive (object of construct שֵׁם)דָּן (H1835), here referring not to the tribe but to the individual patriarch, Jacob's son.
אֲבִיהֶֽםtheir fatherN m sg constr + 3mp suff · אָב (H1)Appositive to דָּן (their ancestral father)אָב (H1) 'father'; closes the verse identifying Dan the patriarch as ancestor of 'them' — the tribe now settled far from its original allotment, its northern city forever bearing his name.
48
זֹ֗את נַחֲלַ֛ת מַטֵּ֥ה בְנֵי דָ֖ן לְמִשְׁפְּחֹתָ֑ם הֶֽעָרִ֥ים הָאֵ֖לֶּה וְחַצְרֵיהֶֽן
This is the inheritance of the tribe of the sons of Dan according to their families, these cities and their villages.
Completes Dan's section, and with it the last of the seven lots cast in this chapter, using the same standard closing formula as all six preceding tribes.
Word-by-word analysis· 9 words
זֹ֗אתthisdemonstrative pron f sg · זֹאת (H2063)Subject of the closing formula (nominal, verbless)זֹאת (H2063); opens the closing tribal-allotment formula, as in vv. 8, 16, 23, 31, 39 — this is the seventh and final instance.
נַחֲלַ֛תthe inheritance ofN f sg constr · נַחֲלָה (H5159)Predicate noun, construct (governs מַטֵּה)נַחֲלָה (H5159).
מַטֵּ֥הthe tribe ofN m sg constr · מַטֶּה (H4294)Construct noun (governs בְּנֵי)מַטֶּה (H4294) 'tribe'.
בְנֵיthe sons ofN m pl constr · בֵּן (H1121)Construct noun (governs דָּן)בֵּן (H1121) 'son'.
דָ֖ןDanproper noun · דָּן (H1835)Genitive (object of construct)דָּן (H1835); see v. 40.
לְמִשְׁפְּחֹתָ֑םaccording to their familiesprep לְ + N f pl constr + 3mp suff · מִשְׁפָּחָה (H4940)Distributive prepositional phraseמִשְׁפָּחָה (H4940); closes the formula echoing v. 40's opening.
הֶֽעָרִ֥יםthe citiesart + N f pl abs · עִיר (H5892)Subject of a second, appended nominal clauseעִיר (H5892); refers back to Dan's towns listed in vv. 41-46, plus, implicitly, the newly-won Leshem/Dan of v. 47.
הָאֵ֖לֶּהtheseart + demonstrative pron c pl · אֵלֶּה (H428)Attributive demonstrative (modifying הֶעָרִים)אֵלֶּה (H428) 'these'.
וְחַצְרֵיהֶֽןand their villagesconj וְ + N c pl constr + 3fp suff · חָצֵר (H2691)Coordinate noun completing the formulaחָצֵר (H2691); closes Dan's section — and the entire seven-lot allotment cycle of the chapter — on the recurring formula.
49
וַיְכַלּ֥וּ לִנְחֹל אֶת הָאָ֖רֶץ לִגְבֽוּלֹתֶ֑יהָ וַיִּתְּנ֨וּ בְנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵ֧ל נַחֲלָ֛ה לִיהוֹשֻׁ֥עַ בִּן נ֖וּן בְּתוֹכָֽם
When they finished distributing the land by its borders, the sons of Israel gave an inheritance to Joshua son of Nun in their midst.
Opens the chapter's closing coda (vv. 49-51): with the seven lots complete, attention turns at last to Joshua himself. Structurally and thematically, the sequence is deliberate — the one who apportioned everyone else's land is the very last to receive his own, and even then only 'in their midst,' an unremarkable location among the people rather than a privileged one.
Word-by-word analysis· 13 words
וַיְכַלּ֥וּand they finishedPiel wayyiqtol 3mp · כָּלָה (H3615)Wayyiqtol of narrative sequence (main verb, opening the chapter's coda)→ Wayyiqtol: foregrounded narrative advanceכָּלָה (H3615) 'to complete, finish'; Piel intensive, marking the formal end of the entire tribal-allotment process spanning chs. 13-19 — this verb will recur at the very close of the chapter (v. 51) to seal the whole unit.
לִנְחֹלto distributeprep לְ + Qal inf constr · נָחַל (H5157)Complementary infinitive (object of וַיְכַלּוּ)→ Infinitival: the completed action itselfנָחַל (H5157) 'to inherit, take possession, apportion'; here in the sense 'to distribute as an inheritance' — the same root underlying נַחֲלָה used throughout the chapter.
אֶת[obj]obj marker · אֵת (H853)Direct-object marker (definite object)אֵת (H853), nota accusativi marking הָאָרֶץ as the definite direct object; untranslated in English.
הָאָ֖רֶץthe landart + N c sg abs · אֶרֶץ (H776)Direct object of לִנְחֹלאֶרֶץ (H776) 'land, earth'; the whole territory of Canaan west of the Jordan, now fully apportioned.
לִגְבֽוּלֹתֶ֑יהָby its bordersprep לְ + N f pl constr + 3fs suff · גְּבוּלָה (H1367)Manner/distributive prepositional phraseגְּבוּלָה (H1367) 'territory, border', a feminine variant of גְּבוּל used throughout the chapter's border-descriptions; 'according to its [various] borders' summarizes the entire preceding border-and-city work of chs. 13-19.
וַיִּתְּנ֨וּand they gaveQal wayyiqtol 3mp · נָתַן (H5414)Wayyiqtol of narrative sequence (main verb)→ Wayyiqtol: foregrounded narrative advanceנָתַן (H5414) 'to give'; introduces the chapter's emotional coda — the allotment process, having distributed land to every other tribe, now turns at last to Joshua himself.
בְנֵיthe sons ofN m pl constr · בֵּן (H1121)Construct noun, subject of וַיִּתְּנוּבֵּן (H1121) 'son'.
יִשְׂרָאֵ֧לIsraelproper noun · יִשְׂרָאֵל (H3478)Genitive (object of construct); together subject of וַיִּתְּנוּיִשְׂרָאֵל (H3478); the nation as a whole — not the priests or leaders alone — is credited with giving Joshua his inheritance, an act of collective gratitude.
נַחֲלָ֛הan inheritanceN f sg abs · נַחֲלָה (H5159)Direct object of וַיִּתְּנוּנַחֲלָה (H5159); Joshua receives the same technical term of tribal land-grant given to every tribe in this chapter — he who allotted all the inheritances (vv. 1-48) at last receives his own, and pointedly LAST, not first.
לִיהוֹשֻׁ֥עַto Joshuaprep לְ + proper noun · יְהוֹשֻׁעַ (H3091)Indirect object of וַיִּתְּנוּיְהוֹשֻׁעַ (H3091) 'YHWH is salvation'; the book's protagonist and Moses' successor, named here by his full title with patronymic — the leader who has served the whole nation through seven years of conquest and division now, at last, is himself served.
בִּןson ofN m sg constr · בֵּן (H1121)Construct noun in apposition to יְהוֹשֻׁעַ (patronymic)בֵּן (H1121) 'son'; the patronymic 'son of Nun' identifies Joshua throughout the book (cf. 1:1).
נ֖וּןNunproper noun · נוּן (H5126)Genitive (object of construct)נוּן (H5126); Joshua's father, an Ephraimite (Num 13:8), otherwise unmentioned in the narrative beyond this patronymic.
בְּתוֹכָֽםin their midstprep בְּ + N m sg constr + 3mp suff · תָּוֶךְ (H8432)Locative prepositional phraseתָּוֶךְ (H8432) 'midst'; Joshua's inheritance is given 'among them' — he receives no special extra-large or elevated share, but a normal town in the hill country, among the very people he led, a note that pointedly underscores his humility as leader.
50
עַל פִּ֨י יְהוָ֜ה נָ֣תְנוּ ל֗וֹ אֶת הָעִיר֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר שָׁאָ֔ל אֶת תִּמְנַת סֶ֖רַח בְּהַ֣ר אֶפְרָ֑יִם וַיִּבְנֶ֥ה אֶת הָעִ֖יר וַיֵּ֥שֶׁב בָּֽהּ
At the command of YHWH they gave him the city he asked for, Timnath-serah in the hill country of Ephraim; and he built the city and dwelt in it.
Specifies v. 49's general notice with concrete detail — the town's name, its divine sanction, Joshua's own request, and his personal building of it. This is also the town named as his burial site at the book's very end (24:30), quietly linking this chapter's administrative close to Joshua's eventual death.
Word-by-word analysis· 19 words
עַלatprep · עַל (H5921)Prepositional head of the idiom עַל־פִּי, 'at the command of'עַל (H5921) 'upon'; with פִּי, the standing idiom for divine authorization.
פִּ֨יthe mouth ofN m sg constr · פֶּה (H6310)Idiomatic construct completing עַל, 'at the command of' (governs יְהוָה)פֶּה (H6310) 'mouth'; עַל־פִּי idiomatically means 'according to the command/word of.'
יְהוָ֜הYHWHproper noun · יְהוָה (H3068)Genitive (object of construct פִּי)יְהוָה (H3068), the covenant name of Israel's God; the personal, permanent name revealed at the burning bush (Exod 3:14-15) — its presence here roots even the mundane detail of Joshua's town-grant in explicit divine sanction, not mere popular gratitude.
נָ֣תְנוּthey gaveQal perfect 3cp · נָתַן (H5414)Predicate verb (main clause), resuming and specifying v. 49's general notice→ Perfective: a completed, decisive actנָתַן (H5414); repeats and specifies v. 49's giving-verb, now naming the exact place and its divine warrant.
ל֗וֹto himprep לְ + 3ms suffix · לְ (H none)Indirect object of נָתְנוּBare preposition לְ with pronominal suffix, referring to Joshua.
אֶת[obj]obj marker · אֵת (H853)Direct-object marker (definite object)אֵת (H853); untranslated in English.
הָעִיר֙the cityart + N f sg abs · עִיר (H5892)Direct object of נָתְנוּעִיר (H5892); the town Joshua himself requested, named two words later.
אֲשֶׁ֣רwhichrelative particle · אֲשֶׁר (H834)Relative pronoun introducing a subordinate clause (modifying הָעִיר)אֲשֶׁר (H834).
שָׁאָ֔לhe askedQal perfect 3ms · שָׁאַל (H7592)Predicate verb within the relative clause→ Perfective: a completed requestשָׁאַל (H7592) 'to ask, request'; Joshua does not simply receive a leftover parcel but is granted the very town he requested — a small but telling note of personal agency and honor within the collective allotment process.
אֶת[obj]obj marker · אֵת (H853)Direct-object marker, in apposition (renaming הָעִיר)אֵת (H853); marks the town's name in apposition to 'the city' above; untranslated in English.
תִּמְנַתTimnath-proper noun (construct) · תִּמְנַת (H8556)First element of the compound name תִּמְנַת סֶרַחתִּמְנַת 'portion/allotted share of', opening the compound completed by the next word.
סֶ֖רַחserahproper noun · סֶרַח (H8556)Second element of the compound name תִּמְנַת סֶרַחסֶרַח, meaning uncertain (possibly 'excess, remainder', or a scribal transposition of an earlier Timnath-heres, 'portion of the sun', a name preserving a solar cult association); Joshua's own city, later also his burial place — 'they buried him in the territory of his inheritance, in Timnath-serah, in the hill country of Ephraim, north of Mount Gaash' (24:30).
בְּהַ֣רin the hill country ofprep בְּ + N m sg constr · הַר (H2022)Locative prepositional phrase, construct (governs אֶפְרָיִם)הַר (H2022) 'mountain, hill country'; places Joshua's town in the central highlands, Ephraim's tribal territory (16:5-10) — Joshua himself was an Ephraimite (Num 13:8), so he receives his allotment within his own ancestral tribe rather than in some newly-conquered territory reserved for him alone.
אֶפְרָ֑יִםEphraimproper noun · אֶפְרַיִם (H669)Genitive (object of construct)אֶפְרַיִם (H669) 'twice fruitful' (Gen 41:52); Joseph's younger son and Joshua's own tribe, whose allotment (ch. 16) contains this town.
וַיִּבְנֶ֥הand he builtQal wayyiqtol 3ms · בָּנָה (H1129)Wayyiqtol of narrative sequence (main verb)→ Wayyiqtol: foregrounded narrative advanceבָּנָה (H1129) 'to build'; Joshua personally rebuilds/fortifies his town, mirroring Caleb's own initiative in claiming and settling Hebron (14:6-15; 15:13-14) — the two great heroes of the conquest generation each receive and personally develop their own allotment.
אֶת[obj]obj marker · אֵת (H853)Direct-object marker (definite object)אֵת (H853); untranslated in English.
הָעִ֖ירthe cityart + N f sg abs · עִיר (H5892)Direct object of וַיִּבְנֶהעִיר (H5892); the same town named above, now under Joshua's own construction.
וַיֵּ֥שֶׁבand he dweltQal wayyiqtol 3ms · יָשַׁב (H3427)Wayyiqtol of narrative sequence (main verb)→ Wayyiqtol: foregrounded narrative advanceיָשַׁב (H3427) 'to dwell'; the coda's quiet closing act — Joshua, like every tribe before him, settles in his own portion of the promised land.
בָּֽהּin itprep בְּ + 3fs suffix · בְּ (H none)Locative complement of וַיֵּשֶׁבBare preposition בְּ with pronominal suffix, referring to the city — the town he built and would one day be buried in (24:30).
51
אֵ֣לֶּה הַנְּחָלֹ֡ת אֲשֶׁ֣ר נִחֲל֣וּ אֶלְעָזָ֣ר הַכֹּהֵ֣ן וִיהוֹשֻׁ֪עַ בִּן נ֟וּן וְרָאשֵׁ֣י הָֽאָב֣וֹת לְמַטּוֹת֩ בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵ֨ל בְּגוֹרָ֤ל בְּשִׁלֹה֙ לִפְנֵ֣י יְהוָ֔ה פֶּ֖תַח אֹ֣הֶל מוֹעֵ֑ד וַיְכַלּ֕וּ מֵֽחַלֵּ֖ק אֶת הָאָֽרֶץ
These are the inheritances that Eleazar the priest, and Joshua son of Nun, and the heads of the fathers of the tribes of the sons of Israel allotted by lot at Shiloh before YHWH, at the entrance of the tent of meeting. So they finished dividing the land.
The chapter's — and the whole seven-chapter land-division unit's — closing colophon. Names the full authorizing triad (priest, military/civil leader, clan heads), the sacred method (lot), the place (Shiloh, before the tent of meeting), and seals it with the same verb, כִּלָּה 'to finish', that opened the coda in v. 49, producing a strong inclusio: the land is now, formally and completely, divided.
Word-by-word analysis· 25 words
אֵ֣לֶּהthesedemonstrative pron c pl · אֵלֶּה (H428)Subject of the colophon's opening clause (nominal, verbless)אֵלֶּה (H428) 'these'; opens the book's formal colophon closing the entire land-division section (chs. 13-19).
הַנְּחָלֹ֡תthe inheritancesart + N f pl abs · נַחֲלָה (H5159)Predicate noun (nominal clause)נַחֲלָה (H5159), plural — all seven tribal inheritances of this chapter, plus by extension the whole land-division of chs. 13-19, summarized under one closing statement.
אֲשֶׁ֣רwhichrelative particle · אֲשֶׁר (H834)Relative pronoun introducing a subordinate clause (modifying הַנְּחָלֹת)אֲשֶׁר (H834).
נִחֲל֣וּallottedPiel perfect 3cp · נָחַל (H5157)Predicate verb within the relative clause→ Perfective: a completed, official actנָחַל (H5157) 'to inherit' in Qal, but Piel here shifts the meaning to causative 'to give as an inheritance, apportion' — the same root threading through the whole chapter (נַחֲלָה) now names the very act of allotment performed by the leadership triad named next.
אֶלְעָזָ֣רEleazarproper noun · אֶלְעָזָר (H499)Subject of נִחֲלוּאֶלְעָזָר (H499) 'God has helped'; Aaron's third son and successor as high priest (Num 20:28), who together with Joshua presided over the whole land-division as its religious authority (cf. 14:1).
הַכֹּהֵ֣ןthe priestart + N m sg abs · כֹּהֵן (H3548)Appositive to אֶלְעָזָר (title)כֹּהֵן (H3548) 'priest'; Eleazar's title, marking the priestly sanction behind the whole allotment process alongside Joshua's civil/military authority.
וִיהוֹשֻׁ֪עַand Joshuaconj וְ + proper noun · יְהוֹשֻׁעַ (H3091)Coordinate subject of נִחֲלוּיְהוֹשֻׁעַ (H3091); see v. 49.
בִּןson ofN m sg constr · בֵּן (H1121)Construct noun in apposition to יְהוֹשֻׁעַ (patronymic)בֵּן (H1121) 'son'; the patronymic, as in v. 49.
נ֟וּןNunproper noun · נוּן (H5126)Genitive (object of construct)נוּן (H5126); see v. 49.
וְרָאשֵׁ֣יand the heads ofconj וְ + N m pl constr · רֹאשׁ (H7218)Coordinate subject of נִחֲלוּ, construct (governs הָאָבוֹת)רֹאשׁ (H7218) 'head'; the third component of the allotment authority, alongside the priest and the civil leader — the ancestral-house heads representing each tribe (cf. 14:1).
הָֽאָב֣וֹתthe fathersart + N m pl abs · אָב (H1)Genitive (object of construct רָאשֵׁי)אָב (H1) 'father'; 'heads of the fathers' = heads of the ancestral houses, the clan-level leadership beneath the tribal chiefs.
לְמַטּוֹת֩of the tribes ofprep לְ + N m pl constr · מַטֶּה (H4294)Prepositional phrase specifying the scope of the fathers' headshipמַטֶּה (H4294) 'tribe', plural; clarifies that these ancestral-house heads represent all the tribes of Israel collectively.
בְּנֵיthe sons ofN m pl constr · בֵּן (H1121)Construct noun (governs יִשְׂרָאֵל)בֵּן (H1121) 'son'.
יִשְׂרָאֵ֨לIsraelproper noun · יִשְׂרָאֵל (H3478)Genitive (object of construct)יִשְׂרָאֵל (H3478).
בְּגוֹרָ֤לby lotprep בְּ + N m sg abs · גּוֹרָל (H1486)Instrumental prepositional phraseגּוֹרָל (H1486); the same word that opened every tribe's allotment (v. 1 etc.) now closes the whole process, naming the method — sacred lot-casting, not human favoritism — behind every territorial decision in chs. 13-19.
בְּשִׁלֹה֙at Shilohprep בְּ + proper noun · שִׁלֹה (H7887)Locative prepositional phraseשִׁלֹה (H7887); the central sanctuary town in Ephraim's hill country where the tabernacle was set up (18:1) and where this whole chapter's allotments, cast by lot, were formally conducted — Shiloh's importance as Israel's pre-monarchic worship center is anchored right here.
לִפְנֵ֣יbeforeprep לִפְנֵי (constr. of פָּנִים) · פָּנִים (H6440)Locative prepositional phraseפָּנִים (H6440) 'face'; לִפְנֵי idiomatically 'before, in the presence of' — the allotment was performed as an act of worship, in YHWH's presence.
יְהוָ֔הYHWHproper noun · יְהוָה (H3068)Genitive (object of construct לִפְנֵי)יְהוָה (H3068); see v. 49.
פֶּ֖תַחthe entrance ofN m sg constr · פֶּתַח (H6607)Locative noun in apposition, construct (governs אֹהֶל)פֶּתַח (H6607) 'opening, entrance'; specifies the exact cultic location — the tabernacle's doorway, the recognized locus of divine consultation (cf. Lev 1:3; Num 27:2).
אֹ֣הֶלthe tent ofN m sg constr · אֹהֶל (H168)Construct noun (governs מוֹעֵד)אֹהֶל (H168) 'tent'; opens the standard title 'tent of meeting.'
מוֹעֵ֑דof meetingN m sg abs · מוֹעֵד (H4150)Genitive (object of construct אֹהֶל)מוֹעֵד (H4150) 'appointed time/place'; the 'tent of meeting' is the tabernacle's standing title from Exodus onward, here confirming that Shiloh had become its settled resting-place (cf. 18:1).
וַיְכַלּ֕וּand they finishedPiel wayyiqtol 3mp · כָּלָה (H3615)Wayyiqtol of narrative sequence (main verb, final action of the chapter)→ Wayyiqtol: foregrounded narrative advance, closing the whole unitכָּלָה (H3615); the same verb that opened the coda in v. 49 returns to seal the entire chapter — and, with it, the whole land-division section that began at 13:1 — with a formal note of completion.
מֵֽחַלֵּ֖קfrom dividingprep מִן + Piel inf constr · חָלַק (H2505)Complementary infinitive (object of וַיְכַלּוּ)→ Infinitival: the completed action itselfחָלַק (H2505) 'to divide, apportion'; Piel, intensive — 'dividing up' the whole land parcel by parcel, the precise technical description of everything narrated across chs. 13-19.
אֶת[obj]obj marker · אֵת (H853)Direct-object marker (definite object)אֵת (H853); untranslated in English.
הָאָֽרֶץthe landart + N c sg abs · אֶרֶץ (H776)Direct object of מֵחַלֵּקאֶרֶץ (H776); the chapter's, and the whole land-division section's, final word — 'the land,' now completely and formally distributed among all Israel's tribes.