Joshua 16:1 Meaning and Explanation
“And the lot of the children of Joseph fell from Jordan by Jericho, unto the water of Jericho on the east, to the wilderness that goeth up from Jericho throughout mount Bethel,”
King James Version (KJV)
Read this verse in context with translation switching:
Read Full Chapter →The land allotment for the descendants of Joseph begins, its border traced from the Jordan near Jericho up into the hill country toward Bethel.
What Does Joshua 16:1 Mean?
After Judah receives its portion, the survey turns to the house of Joseph. The southern boundary of their inheritance starts at the Jordan beside Jericho, near the very waters where Israel first crossed into the land, and climbs westward through the wilderness toward the heights of Bethel.
Bethel means the house of God, the place where Jacob saw the ladder joining earth to heaven. That a tribe should be planted on ground hallowed by that promise is no accident. The land is not merely soil; it is the fulfillment of a vow God made to the fathers, kept now to their children. What He pledges, He delivers in its season.
Joshua 16:1 in the Original Language
Beth-el (בֵּית־אֵל), 'house of God' -- the site where Jacob met God in a dream and named the place for that encounter.
Frequently Asked Questions About Joshua 16:1
What does Joshua 16:1 mean?
The land allotment for the descendants of Joseph begins, its border traced from the Jordan near Jericho up into the hill country toward Bethel.