Lexical Summary Bohan: Bohan Original Word: בֹּהן Strong's Exhaustive Concordance Bohan An orthographical variation of bohen; thumb, Bohan, an Israelite -- Bohan. see HEBREW bohen NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Originfrom the same as bohen Definition "closing," a desc. of Reuben NASB Translation Bohan (2). Brown-Driver-Briggs בֹּ֫הַן proper name, masculine (closing, covering ?) ׳אֶבֶן בּ בֶּןרְֿאוּבֵן Joshua 15:6; Joshua 18:17, a mark of division between Judah & Benjamin. בהק (Late Hebrew בָּהַק shine, Aramaic בְּהַק, Topical Lexicon Name and Identification Bohan (בֹּהן) is introduced in Scripture as “Bohan son of Reuben,” remembered not for personal exploits but for the prominent landmark that bore his name—“the Stone of Bohan.” His association with the firstborn of Jacob and Leah situates him within the tribe of Reuben, even though the stone itself stood west of the Jordan. Biblical Occurrences 1. Joshua 15:6 – In the description of Judah’s northern border: “The boundary went up to Beth-hoglah and crossed north of Beth-arabah, and it went up to the Stone of Bohan son of Reuben.” The double mention underscores the stone’s strategic use as a shared boundary marker between Judah and Benjamin in the Jordan Valley. Geographic Setting The Stone of Bohan lay in the lower Jordan Rift, north of the Dead Sea and east of the ascent to Adummim. Its proximity to Beth-hoglah and En-shemesh places it within the arid Arabah plain yet near the well-traveled route that climbed toward the central hill country. Although the tribe of Reuben settled east of the Jordan (Joshua 13:15–23), this Western-side memorial points to an earlier, trans-Jordan presence during the conquest or to the tribe’s participation in establishing territorial limits before returning east (cf. Joshua 22:1–4). Historical Significance Memorial stones figure prominently in Joshua’s narrative (Joshua 4:3–9; 24:26–27), serving as tangible witnesses to covenant promises and historical acts of God. The Stone of Bohan functioned in the same tradition: • Witness to allotment fidelity: Each tribe received its inheritance “by lot” under divine oversight (Joshua 18:6–10). A fixed stone testified that borders were not arbitrary but ordained. Symbolic and Theological Themes Covenant permanence: Stones outlast men, illustrating the enduring nature of God’s word (Isaiah 40:8). Identity and memory: A personal name on a public landmark shows how individual faithfulness can bless a wider community, echoing the memorial stones at Gilgal that carried the names of all Israel’s tribes. Boundary and holiness: Just as the camp’s holiness was guarded by physical limits (Numbers 2), Israel’s land was divided with sacred care. Respecting God-decreed boundaries became an act of worship. Lessons for Discipleship and Ministry 1. Establish visible reminders of God’s work. Congregations can mark anniversaries, answered prayers, or mission milestones with memorials that prompt future testimony (Joshua 4:21–24). Thus, the brief mentions of Bohan invite readers to cherish God-given inheritances, to commemorate His faithfulness, and to uphold the boundaries—both literal and spiritual—that He establishes for the good of His people. Forms and Transliterations בֹּ֖הַן בהן bō·han Bohan bōhanLinks Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel TextsEnglishman's Concordance Joshua 15:6 HEB: הַגְּב֔וּל אֶ֥בֶן בֹּ֖הַן בֶּן־ רְאוּבֵֽן׃ NAS: up to the stone of Bohan the son KJV: to the stone of Bohan the son INT: and the border to the stone of Bohan the son of Reuben Joshua 18:17 2 Occurrences |
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