What is the meaning of Joshua 18:16? Foot of the hill that faces the Valley of Ben-hinnom • “Then it went down to the foot of the hill that faces the Valley of Ben-hinnom” (Joshua 18:16) marks the shift from elevated ground west of Jerusalem into the steep ravine south of the city. • This identifies a literal topographical marker for Benjamin’s southern border, echoing the same physical feature described earlier for Judah (Joshua 15:8). • The “Valley of Ben-hinnom” later becomes infamous for idolatrous child sacrifice (2 Kings 23:10; Jeremiah 7:31). At this stage, however, it is simply a fixed, God-ordained boundary line, underscoring that geography itself belongs to the Lord (Psalm 24:1). Northern end of the Valley of Rephaim • The border touches “the northern end of the Valley of Rephaim,” a fertile plain southwest of Jerusalem (2 Samuel 5:18). • Rephaim means “giants,” reminding readers of earlier battles where God gave victory over formidable foes (Deuteronomy 2:10-11). • Positioning Benjamin’s territory just north of this valley places the tribe strategically between Judah to the south and Ephraim to the north, fulfilling God’s orderly allotment promised in Numbers 34:13. Down the Valley of Hinnom toward the southern slope of the Jebusites • “And ran down the Valley of Hinnom toward the southern slope of the Jebusites.” The Jebusites controlled Jerusalem until David captured it (Judges 1:21; 2 Samuel 5:6-7). • The mention of their “southern slope” shows that, although the city itself lay just outside Benjamin’s inheritance, the tribe bordered it closely, giving Benjamin partial oversight of key approaches to Jerusalem. • The double reference to Hinnom (Ben-hinnom/Hinnom) in this verse highlights a continuous descent, emphasizing how the land’s contours naturally guided the boundary. Downward to En-rogel • The line ends “downward to En-rogel,” a perennial spring southeast of Jerusalem (2 Samuel 17:17). • En-rogel served as a gathering point during several pivotal events, including Adonijah’s attempted coronation (1 Kings 1:9), showing its importance as a landmark. • Its inclusion fixes the southernmost tip of Benjamin’s border before the line turns east toward the Jordan (Joshua 18:17), demonstrating God’s precise care in assigning heritage to every tribe. summary Joshua 18:16 traces the southern border of Benjamin in four descending stages—from a hill west of Jerusalem, past the notorious Valley of Ben-hinnom, skirting the northern edge of Rephaim, sliding along the Jebusite slope, and finally reaching the spring of En-rogel. Each landmark is literal, confirming Scripture’s historical accuracy, and each reminds us that God sovereignly parcels out land, positions His people, and weaves future redemptive events into present geography. |
    |