The Meaning of Joshua 15:1 Explained

Joshua 15:1

KJV: This then was the lot of the tribe of the children of Judah by their families; even to the border of Edom the wilderness of Zin southward was the uttermost part of the south coast.

YLT: And the lot for the tribe of the sons of Judah, for their families, is unto the border of Edom; the wilderness of Zin southward, at the extremity of the south;

Darby: And the lot of the tribe of the children of Judah according to their families was: to the border of Edom, the wilderness of Zin, southward, in the extreme south.

ASV: And the lot for the tribe of the children of Judah according to their families was unto the border of Edom, even to the wilderness of Zin southward, at the uttermost part of the south.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

[This] then was the lot  of the tribe  of the children  of Judah  by their families;  [even] to the border  of Edom  the wilderness  of Zin  southward  [was] the uttermost part  of the south coast. 

What does Joshua 15:1 Mean?

Chapter Summary: Joshua 15

1  The borders of the lot of Judah
13  Caleb's portion and conquest
16  Othniel, for his valour, marries Achsah, Caleb's daughter
18  She obtains a blessing of her father
21  The cities of Judah
63  The Jebusites unconquered

What do the individual words in Joshua 15:1 mean?

So [this] was the lot of the tribe of the sons of Judah according to their families unto the border of Edom [was] the Wilderness of Zin southward at the extreme southern boundary
וַיְהִ֣י הַגּוֹרָ֗ל לְמַטֵּ֛ה בְּנֵ֥י יְהוּדָ֖ה לְמִשְׁפְּחֹתָ֑ם אֶל־ גְּב֨וּל אֱד֧וֹם מִדְבַּר־ צִ֛ן נֶ֖גְבָּה מִקְצֵ֥ה תֵימָֽן

וַיְהִ֣י  So  [this]  was 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: אֶהְיֶה 
Sense: to be, become, come to pass, exist, happen, fall out.
הַגּוֹרָ֗ל  the  lot 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: גֹּורָל  
Sense: lot.
לְמַטֵּ֛ה  of  the  tribe 
Parse: Preposition-l, Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: מַטֶּה  
Sense: staff, branch, tribe.
בְּנֵ֥י  of  the  sons 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural construct
Root: בֵּן 
Sense: son, grandson, child, member of a group.
יְהוּדָ֖ה  of  Judah 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יְהוּדָה  
Sense: the son of Jacob by Leah.
לְמִשְׁפְּחֹתָ֑ם  according  to  their  families 
Parse: Preposition-l, Noun, feminine plural construct, third person masculine plural
Root: מִשְׁפָּחָה  
Sense: clan, family.
אֶל־  unto 
Parse: Preposition
Root: אֶל  
Sense: to, toward, unto (of motion).
גְּב֨וּל  the  border 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: גְּבוּל  
Sense: border, territory.
אֱד֧וֹם  of  Edom  [was] 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: אֱדֹום 
Sense: Edom.
מִדְבַּר־  the  Wilderness 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: מִדְבָּר 
Sense: wilderness.
צִ֛ן  of  Zin 
Parse: Proper Noun, feminine singular
Root: צִן  
Sense: name given to a portion of the desert tract between the Dead Sea and Arabah on the east in which Kadesh-barnea was located.
נֶ֖גְבָּה  southward 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular, third person feminine singular
Root: נֶגֶב  
Sense: south-country, Nekeb, south.
מִקְצֵ֥ה  at  the  extreme 
Parse: Preposition-m, Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: קָצֶה 
Sense: end, extremity.
תֵימָֽן  southern  boundary 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular
Root: תֵּימָן  
Sense: south, southward, whatever is on the right (so the southern quarter), south wind.