Along the Side of Bethhoglah - Joshua 18:19

In the book of Joshua, we learned how, “the lot of the tribe of the children of Benjamin came up according to their families” which included how “the border came down to the end of the mountain that lies before the valley of the son of Hinnom, and which is in the valley of the giants on the north, and descended to the valley of Hinnom, to the side of Jebusi on the south, and descended to Enrogel. And was drawn from the north, and went forth to Enshemesh, and went forth toward Geliloth, which is over against the going up of Adummim, and descended to the stone of Bohan the son of Reuben. And passed along toward the side over against Arabah northward, and went down unto Arabah”, and in chapter eighteen and verse nineteen of Joshua we learn how the border, “passed along toward the side over of Bethhoglah northward” where we read,

And the border passed along to the side of Bethhoglah northward: and the outgoings of the border were at the north bay of the salt sea at the south end of Jordan: this was the south coast.

The verse reads, “And the border passed along to the side of Bethhoglah northward:” Joshua or the writer began with the words, “and the border” which means “and the edge, circuit and boundary” “and passed along” or “and crossed, traversed and marched over” “to the side of Bethhoglan northward” which means “to the edge belonging to Bethhoglan whose name means ‘house of the partridge or place of partridge’ and was a place in Benjamin on the border of Judah in a northern direction”. Joshua or the writer shared how the boundary of the land given to the “tribe of Benjamin” also traversed the edge of “Bethhoglan” in a northern direction. 

 

The verse continues, “… and the outgoings of the border were at the north bay of the salt sea at the south end of Jordan: this was the south coast.” Joshua or the writer added the words, “and the outgoings of the border” which means “and the ends and extremities belonging to the edge, circuit or boundary” “were at the north bay” or “existed as the tongue shaped cove of water in the northern direction” “of the salt sea” which means “belonging to the large body of water filled with salt or the Dead Sea” “at the south end of Jordan” or “at the southern extremity belonging to the Jordan whose name means ‘descender’ and was the river of Palestine running from the roots of Anti-Lebanon to the Dead Sea a distance of approximately 200 miles (320 km)”: “this was the south coast” or “this existed as the southern boundary, territory or region”  . Joshua or the writer shared how the extremities of the boundary existed a the tongue shaped cove in the northern area pertaining to the large body of water filled with “salt” known as the Dead Sea at the southern end of the “Jordan River” which existed as the southern border.  

When we meditate upon the words in this verse, we discover more of the boundaries that surrounded the land given to the people of “Benjamin”. From the edge of “Bethhoglah” in the northern direction, and the extremities at the northern cove shaped like a tongue as well as the northern area belonging to the large body of water known as the “Salt” or “Dead Sea” at the southern extremity belonging to the “Jordan River” which was the southern boundary. All of these areas were important for the people of “Benjamin” and all of “Israel”. God gave this territory to the “tribe of Benjamin”, and because He loves us, He will give us His salvation from sins and death caused by sin when we yield to His Son Jesus who died on the cross for the sins of all mankind and was raised from the dead after three days. When we submit to Him, as our “Savior and Lord”, He will forgive our sins, grant us everlasting life and give us His Holy Spirit who will guide us into all truth and equip us to live according to that truth in a manner that is pleasing to Him. (See John 3:16; 16:13; Acts 1:8; Revelation 4:11)

Next time learn how, “Jordan was the border of it on the east side”, so read ahead, and we shall join together then.

Until tomorrow…there is more…

See more devotionals on the website "thewordfortodaywithray.com" or look for the daily devotional book “Equipped for Battle – From Generation to Generation”, the marriage book “So, You Want to Be Married”, “One Year in the Sermon on the Mount” and the new poetry book "Random Mushrooms Volumes I and II" and the new novel "Elizabeth County" in all major bookstore sites, http://www.amazon.com ; http://www.barnesandnobles.com ; download to e-books, and find it locally at www.mrzlc.com/bookstore. All references are from "Strongs Concordance".