The Meaning of Numbers 34:11 Explained

Numbers 34:11

KJV: And the coast shall go down from Shepham to Riblah, on the east side of Ain; and the border shall descend, and shall reach unto the side of the sea of Chinnereth eastward:

YLT: and the border hath gone down from Shepham to Riblah, on the east of Ain, and the border hath gone down, and hath smitten against the shoulder of the sea of Chinnereth eastward;

Darby: and the border shall go down from Shepham to Riblah, on the east side of Ain; and the border shall descend, and shall strike upon the extremity of the sea of Chinnereth eastward;

ASV: and the border shall go down from Shepham to Riblah, on the east side of Ain; and the border shall go down, and shall reach unto the side of the sea of Chinnereth eastward;

KJV Reverse Interlinear

And the coast  shall go down  from Shepham  to Riblah,  on the east side  of Ain;  and the border  shall descend,  and shall reach  unto the side  of the sea  of Chinnereth  eastward: 

What does Numbers 34:11 Mean?

Context Summary

Numbers 34:1-18 - The Borders Of The Promised Land
Here are set out the borders of the Promised Land, which were never fully reached in the days of Israel's occupation, except perhaps for one brief period in Solomon's glorious reign. God's ideal for His people far exceeded their realization of it. But is it not always so! Does not His peace pass understanding? Is not His joy unspeakable and full of glory? Does not the love of Christ pass knowledge? Jesus Christ is our inheritance; let us possess our possessions. Let us follow on to know the Lord; and remember that there is an allotted space for each of us in Christ, to which no other soul has a right.
It is a great honor to be chosen to divide the lots. Year by year we ought to set forth the believer's rights in Christ, that a divine discontent may urge to higher heights and deeper experiences. [source]

Chapter Summary: Numbers 34

1  The borders of the land
16  The names of the men who shall divide the land

What do the individual words in Numbers 34:11 mean?

and shall go down the border from Shepham to Riblah on the east side of Ain and shall go down the border and reach to the side of the Sea of Chinnereth eastern
וְיָרַ֨ד הַגְּבֻ֧ל מִשְּׁפָ֛ם הָרִבְלָ֖ה מִקֶּ֣דֶם לָעָ֑יִן וְיָרַ֣ד הַגְּב֔וּל וּמָחָ֛ה עַל־ כֶּ֥תֶף יָם־ כִּנֶּ֖רֶת קֵֽדְמָה

וְיָרַ֨ד  and  shall  go  down 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Conjunctive perfect, third person masculine singular
Root: יָרַד  
Sense: to go down, descend, decline, march down, sink down.
הַגְּבֻ֧ל  the  border 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: גְּבוּל  
Sense: border, territory.
מִשְּׁפָ֛ם  from  Shepham 
Parse: Preposition-m, Proper Noun, feminine singular
Root: שְׁפָם  
Sense: a place or region in northeastern Canaan on the eastern border.
הָרִבְלָ֖ה  to  Riblah 
Parse: Article, Proper Noun, feminine singular
Root: רִבְלָה  
Sense: a place on the eastern boundary of Israel.
מִקֶּ֣דֶם  on  the  east  side 
Parse: Preposition-m, Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: קֶדֶם 
Sense: east, antiquity, front, that which is before, aforetime.
לָעָ֑יִן  of  Ain 
Parse: Preposition-l, Proper Noun, feminine singular
Root: עַיִן  
Sense: one of the landmarks on the eastern boundary of Palestine.
וְיָרַ֣ד  and  shall  go  down 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Conjunctive perfect, third person masculine singular
Root: יָרַד  
Sense: to go down, descend, decline, march down, sink down.
הַגְּב֔וּל  the  border 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: גְּבוּל  
Sense: border, territory.
וּמָחָ֛ה  and  reach 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Conjunctive perfect, third person masculine singular
Root: מָחָא 
Sense: to wipe, wipe out.
כֶּ֥תֶף  the  side 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular construct
Root: כָּתֵף  
Sense: shoulder, shoulder-blade, side, slope.
יָם־  of  the  Sea 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: יָם  
Sense: sea.
כִּנֶּ֖רֶת  of  Chinnereth 
Parse: Proper Noun, feminine singular
Root: כִּנְרֹות 
Sense: the early name of the Sea of Galilee.
קֵֽדְמָה  eastern 
Parse: Adverb, third person feminine singular
Root: קֶדֶם 
Sense: east, antiquity, front, that which is before, aforetime.