Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Joshua 15:2
And their south border was from the shore of the salt sea, from the bay that looketh southward:
2. And their south border ] The general account of the position of the tribe of Judah is followed by a more particular description of its boundaries. And first the southern boundary is described.
from the shore ] The southern border of Canaan has already been described in Num 34:3-5. It is here given in still greater detail. It commenced ( a) from the “shore (or end) of the Salt Sea,” or more exactly, the tongue which turneth southward (see margin), “fro the tonge of it that biholdith to the south,” Wyclif. By this “tongue” is meant the southern portion of the Dead Sea reaching from the peninsula, which runs at a great distance from the Sea on the west of Karah, and extends quite to the south point at the so-called Salt-hill and Salt-Marsh.” Keil. “We were now in the most desolate and dreary corner of that desolate shore, without one trace of vegetable life, not even a stray salsola, or salicornia, to relieve the flat sand beds. The sand and loam of the shore was deep and heavy; our horses sank at each step above the fetlocks, and not until we were wet through, could we return to the Salt Mountains on our right. The whole ridge (of the mountain) is of pure rock-salt, perhaps 200 feet high, and covered by a layer of chalky marl and natron, about 50 or 60 feet thick. The salt deposit is similar in its nature and geological position to the salt rocks of Cheshire, and the new red sandstone of England.” Tristram’s Land of Moab, pp. 39, 40, 41.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
Verse 2. From the bay that looketh southward] These were the southern limits of the tribe of Judah, which commenced at the extremity of the lake Asphaltites or Dead Sea, and terminated at Sihor or the river of Egypt, and Mediterranean Sea; though some think it extended to the Nile.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
The bay, Heb. the tongue; by which he understands either a creek or arm of that sea; or a promontory, which by learned authors is sometimes called a tongue; it is not material to know which of these it was.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
2. the bayHebrew,“tongue.” It pushes its waters out in this form to a greatdistance [ROBINSON].
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
And their south border was from the shore of the salt sea,…. Sometimes called the dead sea, the sea of Sodom, and the lake Asphaltites, which, as Jarchi observes, was southeast of the land of Israel:
from the bay that looketh southward; or the “tongue”, as the Hebrew, which the Targum and Kimchi interpret of a rock or promontory, the point that ran out into the sea, looking to the southeast.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
(2) Their south border.The southern boundary of Judah is thus described by Conder (Bible Handbook, p. 257):The south boundary of Judah is described from east to west, and became afterwards that of Simeon (see Jos. 19:1). Although the points mentioned along the border are not all certainly known, there is no doubt that the great mountain wall which extends from the Dead Sea to the water-shed south of Rehoboth (Er-Ruheibeh) formed the natural and recognised boundary of Palestine, while the river of Egypt (Jos. 15:4) is generally supposed to be the present Wdy-el-Arish, the northern boundary between Syria and Egypt. The north branch of this valley ( Wdy-el-Abiad) rises near Abdeh (Ebodah), south of Rehoboth, and thus carries on the boundary from the mountain rampart. A new identification of importance may be here mentioned, namely, Hezron (Jos. 15:3), the next point to Kadesh-barnea on the west side. Kadesh has been shown to lie probably in the neighbourhood of Wdy-el-Yemen, and immediately west of that valley is the mountain called Hadreh, a name radically identical with Hezron.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
2. Their south border seems to have fetched a curve or semicircle from the south end of the Dead Sea, sweeping far round by the wilderness of Zin, and thence northwesterly to the Mediterranean.
Salt sea Now commonly called the Dead Sea, and supposed to cover the ancient vale of Siddim and the destroyed cities of Sodom and Gomorrah. See on Gen 14:3; Gen 19:25.
The bay that looketh southward Literally, the tongue that turneth southward. The southernmost portion of the Dead Sea somewhat resembles a tongue in shape. Compare Isa 11:15.]
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
The particularity of Judah’s lot in the statement of his boundaries, renders it unnecessary to explain it by a comment. If the Reader be fond of tracing the geographical situation of Judah’s province, here is ample space left him for that purpose. I only desire him while doing this, not to overlook the several spiritual things to the contemplation of which it leads. As our Lord after the flesh sprang out of Judah, we find here that Judah’s lot hath the precedency. And when we behold the great extent of territory Judah had assigned him, it may serve to remind us of the Lord of Judah, whose dominion was to be from sea to sea, and from the river unto the ends of the earth. Psa 72:8 . The Reader will do well to look at the Patriarch Jacob’s blessing concerning Judah’s lot, while reading the accomplishment of it in this place. And if he leads the Father’s prophecy with the spiritual illustration of it in the Lord Jesus, he will find this scripture not to be without its sweetness. Let the Reader recollect that our Lord sprang out of Judah; was born after the flesh in those regions, and then let him consider concerning the sceptre and the lawgiver, the Shiloh and the gathering of the people to him, the redness of his eyes with wine, and his teeth white with milk, and compare with it what the church saith of him whose love is better than wine, and whose eyes are as the eyes of doves washed with milk, and he will not need any comment from me if the Holy Ghost be his teacher, to discover the sweet application of the Father’s prophecy fulfilled in the person of our Lord Jesus. See Solomon ‘ s Son 5:12Son 5:12 .
Fuente: Hawker’s Poor Man’s Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
Jos 15:2 And their south border was from the shore of the salt sea, from the bay that looketh southward:
Ver. 2. And their south border. ] See Num 34:2 . Where God doth, as it were, draw a map of Canaan, and showeth the bounds of it on every side.
From the bay that looketh southward.
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
the salt sea: Jos 3:16, Gen 14:3, Num 34:3, Eze 47:8, Eze 47:18
bay: Heb. tongue, Isa 11:15
Reciprocal: Deu 3:17 – the sea Jos 12:3 – the sea Jos 18:19 – bay Jdg 1:36 – from the going
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Jos 15:2. The bay that looketh southward Hebrew, the tongue; either a creek or arm of that sea, or a promontory, which by learned authors is sometimes called a tongue. Every sea is salt, but this had an extraordinary saltness, the effect of that fire and brimstone which destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah.
Fuente: Joseph Bensons Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
15:2 And their south border was from the shore of the salt sea, from the {a} bay that looketh southward:
(a) The Hebrew word signifies tongue, by which it means either the arm of the sea that comes into the land, or a rock, or cape that goes into the sea.