Boundaries of the Promised Land

34 The Lord spoke to Moses, “Command the Israelites and say to them: When you enter the land of Canaan, it will be allotted to you as an inheritance[a] with these borders:

Your southern side will be from the Wilderness of Zin along the boundary of Edom. Your southern border on the east will begin at the east end of the Dead Sea. Your border will turn south of the Scorpions’ Ascent,[b] proceed to Zin, and end south of Kadesh-barnea. It will go to Hazar-addar and proceed to Azmon.(A) The border will turn from Azmon(B) to the Brook of Egypt,(C) where it will end at the Mediterranean Sea.

Your western border will be the coastline of the Mediterranean Sea; this will be your western border.

This will be your northern border: From the Mediterranean Sea draw a line to Mount Hor;(D) from Mount Hor draw a line to the entrance of Hamath,[c](E) and the border will reach Zedad.(F) Then the border will go to Ziphron and end at Hazar-enan.(G) This will be your northern border.

10 For your eastern border, draw a line from Hazar-enan to Shepham. 11 The border will go down from Shepham to Riblah east of Ain.(H) It will continue down and reach the eastern slope of the Sea of Chinnereth.[d](I) 12 Then the border will go down to the Jordan and end at the Dead Sea. This will be your land defined by its borders on all sides.”

13 So Moses commanded the Israelites, “This is the land you are to receive by lot as an inheritance, which the Lord commanded to be given to the nine and a half tribes. 14 For the tribe of Reuben’s descendants and the tribe of Gad’s descendants have received their inheritance according to their ancestral families,[e] and half the tribe of Manasseh has received its inheritance. 15 The two and a half tribes have received their inheritance(J) across the Jordan east of Jericho, toward the sunrise.”

Read full chapter

Footnotes

  1. 34:2 Lit inheritance—the land of Canaan
  2. 34:4 Lit of Scorpions; Jos 15:3; Jdg 1:36
  3. 34:8 Or to Lebo-hamath
  4. 34:11 = the Sea of Galilee; Jos 12:3; 13:27; Lk 5:1
  5. 34:14 Lit the house of their fathers

Boundaries of Canaan

34 The Lord said to Moses, “Command the Israelites and say to them: ‘When you enter Canaan,(A) the land that will be allotted to you as an inheritance(B) is to have these boundaries:(C)

“‘Your southern side will include some of the Desert of Zin(D) along the border of Edom. Your southern boundary will start in the east from the southern end of the Dead Sea,(E) cross south of Scorpion Pass,(F) continue on to Zin and go south of Kadesh Barnea.(G) Then it will go to Hazar Addar and over to Azmon,(H) where it will turn, join the Wadi of Egypt(I) and end at the Mediterranean Sea.

“‘Your western boundary will be the coast of the Mediterranean Sea.(J) This will be your boundary on the west.(K)

“‘For your northern boundary,(L) run a line from the Mediterranean Sea to Mount Hor(M) and from Mount Hor to Lebo Hamath.(N) Then the boundary will go to Zedad, continue to Ziphron and end at Hazar Enan. This will be your boundary on the north.

10 “‘For your eastern boundary,(O) run a line from Hazar Enan to Shepham. 11 The boundary will go down from Shepham to Riblah(P) on the east side of Ain(Q) and continue along the slopes east of the Sea of Galilee.[a](R) 12 Then the boundary will go down along the Jordan and end at the Dead Sea.

“‘This will be your land, with its boundaries on every side.’”

13 Moses commanded the Israelites: “Assign this land by lot(S) as an inheritance.(T) The Lord has ordered that it be given to the nine and a half tribes, 14 because the families of the tribe of Reuben, the tribe of Gad and the half-tribe of Manasseh have received their inheritance.(U) 15 These two and a half tribes have received their inheritance east of the Jordan across from Jericho, toward the sunrise.”

Read full chapter

Footnotes

  1. Numbers 34:11 Hebrew Kinnereth