The Meaning of Numbers 34:4 Explained

Numbers 34:4

KJV: And your border shall turn from the south to the ascent of Akrabbim, and pass on to Zin: and the going forth thereof shall be from the south to Kadeshbarnea, and shall go on to Hazaraddar, and pass on to Azmon:

YLT: and the border hath turned round to you from the south to the ascent of Akrabbim, and hath passed on to Zin, and its outgoings have been from the south to Kadesh-Barnea, and it hath gone out at Hazar-Addar, and hath passed on to Azmon;

Darby: and your border shall turn from the south of the ascent of Akrabbim, and pass on to Zin, and shall end southward at Kadesh-barnea, and shall go on to Hazar-Addar, and pass on to Azmon.

ASV: and your border shall turn about southward of the ascent of Akrabbim, and pass along to Zin; and the goings out thereof shall be southward of Kadesh-barnea; and it shall go forth to Hazar-addar, and pass along to Azmon;

KJV Reverse Interlinear

And your border  shall turn  from the south  to the ascent  of Akrabbim,  and pass on  to Zin:  and the going forth  thereof shall be from the south  to Kadeshbarnea,  and shall go on  to Hazaraddar,  and pass on  to Azmon: 

What does Numbers 34:4 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 34:4 mean?

And shall turn your border from the Negev to the Ascent of Akrabbim and continue to Zin and be the going forth to Kadesh Barnea then it shall go on - to Hazar Addar and continue to Azmon
וְנָסַ֣ב לָכֶם֩ הַגְּב֨וּל מִנֶּ֜גֶב לְמַעֲלֵ֤ה עַקְרַבִּים֙ וְעָ֣בַר צִ֔נָה [והיה] (וְהָיוּ֙) תּֽוֹצְאֹתָ֔יו לְקָדֵ֣שׁ בַּרְנֵ֑עַ וְיָצָ֥א חֲצַר־ אַדָּ֖ר וְעָבַ֥ר עַצְמֹֽנָה

וְנָסַ֣ב  And  shall  turn 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Nifal, Conjunctive perfect, third person masculine singular
Root: סָבַב  
Sense: to turn, turn about or around or aside or back or towards, go about or arou nd, surround, encircle, change direction.
לָכֶם֩  your 
Parse: Preposition, second person masculine plural
הַגְּב֨וּל  border 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: גְּבוּל  
Sense: border, territory.
מִנֶּ֜גֶב  from  the  Negev 
Parse: Preposition-m, Proper Noun, feminine singular
Root: נֶגֶב  
Sense: south-country, Nekeb, south.
לְמַעֲלֵ֤ה  to  the  Ascent 
Parse: Preposition-l, Noun, masculine singular construct
עַקְרַבִּים֙  of  Akrabbim 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural
Root: מַעֲלֶה 
Sense: a pass on the southern border of Palestine.
וְעָ֣בַר  and  continue 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Conjunctive perfect, third person masculine singular
Root: עָבַר 
Sense: to pass over or by or through, alienate, bring, carry, do away, take, take away, transgress.
צִ֔נָה  to  Zin 
Parse: Proper Noun, feminine singular, third person 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.
תּֽוֹצְאֹתָ֔יו  the  going  forth 
Parse: Noun, feminine plural construct, third person masculine singular
Root: תֹּוצָאֹות  
Sense: outgoing, border, a going out, extremity, end, source, escape.
בַּרְנֵ֑עַ  Kadesh  Barnea 
Parse: Preposition, Proper Noun, feminine singular
Root: בַּרְנֵעַ 
Sense: a city in the extreme south of Judah.
וְיָצָ֥א  then  it  shall  go  on 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Conjunctive perfect, third person masculine singular
Root: יׄוצֵאת 
Sense: to go out, come out, exit, go forth.
חֲצַר־  - 
Parse:
אַדָּ֖ר  to  Hazar  Addar 
Parse: Proper Noun, feminine singular
Root: חֲצַר־אַדָּר  
Sense: a place on the southern border of Canaan.
וְעָבַ֥ר  and  continue 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Conjunctive perfect, third person masculine singular
Root: עָבַר 
Sense: to pass over or by or through, alienate, bring, carry, do away, take, take away, transgress.
עַצְמֹֽנָה  to  Azmon 
Parse: Proper Noun, feminine singular, third person feminine singular
Root: עַצְמֹון  
Sense: a place on the extreme southern border of Canaan.