What is the meaning of Joshua 15:8? From there the border went up the Valley of Ben-hinnom • This clause resumes Judah’s boundary line (see Joshua 15:7) and starts tracing it northward. • The Valley of Ben-hinnom, southwest of Jerusalem, later became infamous for idolatrous child sacrifice (2 Kings 23:10; Jeremiah 7:31–32). Jesus would even use its name, “Gehenna,” when warning of final judgment (Mark 9:43). • Yet here it simply marks real estate God promised to Judah, fulfilling His earlier word that every place Israel’s feet tread would be theirs (Deuteronomy 11:24). along the southern slope of the Jebusites (that is, Jerusalem) • The line skirts the southern face of the Jebusite stronghold—Jerusalem. At this stage the city is still in Canaanite hands (Judges 1:21). • Although included within Judah’s inheritance, Jerusalem was not fully taken until David’s day (2 Samuel 5:6-9; 1 Chronicles 11:4-5). God’s promise never failed; the timing awaited Israel’s obedience. • This notation reminds us that God sees the end from the beginning: the future capital of the nation already lies within the borders He assigns. and ascended to the top of the hill that faces the Valley of Hinnom on the west • The boundary climbs to a ridge overlooking the same valley, highlighting strategic high ground. • Hills and ridges around Jerusalem provided natural defense—one reason David later chose the city (Psalm 125:2 pictures these encircling mountains). • The upward movement echoes God’s pattern of giving His people “cities on the heights” (Deuteronomy 2:36). at the northern end of the Valley of Rephaim • The Valley of Rephaim (“Valley of Giants,” Genesis 14:5) stretches southwest of Jerusalem. Giants once lived here—tangible evidence that enemies could be formidable, yet ultimately defeated (Joshua 11:21-22). • David later fought key battles in this very valley (2 Samuel 5:18, 22; 23:13). Its mention in Judah’s border underscores that God grants territory even where daunting foes once stood. • The point where Hinnom meets Rephaim forms the northwestern corner of this segment, neatly tying Judah’s frontier to recognizable landmarks. summary Joshua 15:8 records a precise, literal section of Judah’s God-given border, running from the Valley of Ben-hinnom, skirting the Jebusite city of Jerusalem, climbing a western ridge, and terminating at the northern tip of the Valley of Rephaim. The verse weaves together geography, future history, and spiritual lessons: God keeps His word in detail, grants inheritance before full possession, and stakes His claim even where idols once ruled and giants once walked. |
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