The Meaning of Joshua 16:3 Explained

Joshua 16:3

KJV: And goeth down westward to the coast of Japhleti, unto the coast of Bethhoron the nether, and to Gezer: and the goings out thereof are at the sea.

YLT: and gone down westward unto the border of Japhleti, unto the border of Beth-Horon the lower, and unto Gezer, and its outgoings have been at the sea.

Darby: and went down westward to the border of the Japhletites, as far as the border of the lower Beth-horon, and to Gezer; and ended at the sea.

ASV: and it went down westward to the border of the Japhletites, unto the border of Beth-horon the nether, even unto Gezer; and the goings out thereof were at the sea.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

And goeth down  westward  to the coast  of Japhleti,  unto the coast  of Bethhoron  the nether,  and to Gezer:  and the goings out  thereof are at the sea. 

What does Joshua 16:3 Mean?

Chapter Summary: Joshua 16

1  The general borders of the sons of Joseph
5  The border of the inheritance of Ephraim
10  The Canaanites of Gezer not conquered

What do the individual words in Joshua 16:3 mean?

and went down westward to the boundary of the Japhletites as far as of Beth Horon Lower and to Gezer and - it ended at the sea
וְיָֽרַד־ יָ֜מָּה אֶל־ גְּב֣וּל הַיַּפְלֵטִ֗י עַ֣ד בֵּית־ חוֹרֹ֛ן תַּחְתּ֖וֹן וְעַד־ גָּ֑זֶר וְהָי֥וּ [תצאתו] (תֹצְאֹתָ֖יו) יָֽמָּה

וְיָֽרַד־  and  went  down 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Conjunctive perfect, third person masculine singular
Root: יָרַד  
Sense: to go down, descend, decline, march down, sink down.
יָ֜מָּה  westward 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular, third person feminine singular
Root: יָם  
Sense: sea.
גְּב֣וּל  the  boundary 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: גְּבוּל  
Sense: border, territory.
הַיַּפְלֵטִ֗י  of  the  Japhletites 
Parse: Article, Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יַפְלֵטִי  
Sense: descendants of Asher of the family of Japhlet who lived on the southwest border of Ephraim.
עַ֣ד  as  far  as 
Parse: Preposition
Root: עַד  
Sense: as far as, even to, until, up to, while, as far as.
חוֹרֹ֛ן  Beth  Horon 
Parse: Proper Noun, feminine singular
Root: בֵּית־חֹורֹון 
Sense: two towns in Ephraim.
תַּחְתּ֖וֹן  Lower 
Parse: Adjective, masculine singular
Root: תַּחְתֹּון  
Sense: lower, lowest, nether.
וְעַד־  and  to 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Preposition
Root: עַד  
Sense: as far as, even to, until, up to, while, as far as.
גָּ֑זֶר  Gezer 
Parse: Proper Noun, feminine singular
Root: גֶּזֶר  
Sense: a Levitical city on the border of Ephraim.
[תצאתו]  - 
Parse: Noun, feminine plural construct, third person masculine singular
(תֹצְאֹתָ֖יו)  it  ended 
Parse: Noun, feminine plural construct, third person masculine singular
Root: תֹּוצָאֹות  
Sense: outgoing, border, a going out, extremity, end, source, escape.
יָֽמָּה  at  the  sea 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular, third person feminine singular
Root: יָם  
Sense: sea.