(5) Their border in the north quarter.--This can be followed with the Ordnance Survey of Palestine, and is described by Conder in the following way:--"It started from the Jordan mouth, but did not apparently follow the river, as Beth Arabah (unknown) and Beth Hogla ('Ain Hajlah, about two miles west of Jordan--sheet 18) belonged to Benjamin. Passing along the valley of Achor (Wady Kelt), it left Gilgal on the north, and ascended the pass to the going up of Adummim (Tal'at-ed-Dumm), the ancient and modern name 'bloody' being apparently derived from the brick-red marls here found amid a district of white chalk." (It is easy to conjecture other reasons.) A line of Roman road on the map is a very fair guide to the boundary here described, and thus far it lies on sheet 18 En Rogel, the next known point (on sheet 17), close to Zoheleth (Zahweileh, 1 Kings 1:9), was evidently the present spring 'Ain Umm-ed-Deraj, in the Kedron Valley (this may be sought in the separate survey of Jerusalem, which is upon a larger scale). Thence the border ran across the slope (Cataph, Joshua 15:8, "side"), beside the valley of Ben Hinnom (Wady Rababy), south of Jebus, and thus reached the watershed. (Here the boundary-line takes a turn to the northward.) It then apparently passed along the broad vale (Emek, Joshua 15:8) of Rephaim ("valley of the giants"), which Josephus makes to extend towards Bethlehem. This valley is identified with El-Bukeia (sheet 17). The waters of Nephtoah are apparently identical with 'Ain 'Atan, south-west of Bethlehem.
Verse 5. - To the end of Jordan. The spot where it emptied itself into the Dead Sea. The bay of the sea at the uttermost part of Jordan. As in ver. 3, the word here translated bay is tongue in the original. What is meant is that the northern boundary started from the point where the Jordan entered the Dead Sea.
15:1-12 Joshua allotted to Judah, Ephraim, and the half of Manasseh, their inheritances before they left Gilgal. Afterwards removing to Shiloh, another survey was made, and the other tribes had their portion assigned. In due time all God's people are settled.
And the east border was the salt sea, even unto the end of Jordan,.... To the place where Jordan fell into it; so that this border was the whole length of the salt sea, which Josephus says (y) was five hundred eighty furlongs; and, according to Pliny (z), an hundred miles:
and their border in the north quarter was from the bay of the sea,
at the uttermost part of Jordan; this northern border began where the eastern ended, at the bay or creek of the sea, where Jordan fell into it.
(y) De Bello Jud. l. 4. c. 8. sect. 4. (z) Nat. Hist. l. 5. c. 16.
and their border in the north quarter was from the bay of the sea,
at the uttermost part of Jordan; this northern border began where the eastern ended, at the bay or creek of the sea, where Jordan fell into it.
(y) De Bello Jud. l. 4. c. 8. sect. 4. (z) Nat. Hist. l. 5. c. 16.