The Meaning of Joshua 15:2 Explained

Joshua 15:2

KJV: And their south border was from the shore of the salt sea, from the bay that looketh southward:

YLT: and to them the south border is at the extremity of the salt sea, from the bay which is looking southward;

Darby: And their southern border was from the end of the salt sea, from the tongue that turns southward;

ASV: And their south border was from the uttermost part of the Salt Sea, from the bay that looketh southward;

KJV Reverse Interlinear

And their south  border  was from the shore  of the salt  sea,  from the bay  that looketh  southward: 

What does Joshua 15:2 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 15:2 mean?

And began their border southern at the shore of Sea the Salt from the bay that faces southward
וַיְהִ֤י לָהֶם֙ גְּב֣וּל נֶ֔גֶב מִקְצֵ֖ה יָ֣ם הַמֶּ֑לַח מִן־ הַלָּשֹׁ֖ן הַפֹּנֶ֥ה נֶֽגְבָּה

וַיְהִ֤י  And  began 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: אֶהְיֶה 
Sense: to be, become, come to pass, exist, happen, fall out.
גְּב֣וּל  border 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: גְּבוּל  
Sense: border, territory.
נֶ֔גֶב  southern 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular
Root: נֶגֶב  
Sense: south-country, Nekeb, south.
מִקְצֵ֖ה  at  the  shore 
Parse: Preposition-m, Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: קָצֶה 
Sense: end, extremity.
יָ֣ם  of  Sea 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: יָם  
Sense: sea.
הַמֶּ֑לַח  the  Salt 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: מֶלַח  
Sense: salt.
הַלָּשֹׁ֖ן  the  bay 
Parse: Article, Noun, common singular
Root: לָשֹׁון  
Sense: tongue.
הַפֹּנֶ֥ה  that  faces 
Parse: Article, Verb, Qal, Participle, masculine singular
Root: פֹּונֶה 
Sense: to turn.
נֶֽגְבָּה  southward 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular, third person feminine singular
Root: נֶגֶב  
Sense: south-country, Nekeb, south.