What is the context?
South of the special district come Benjamin, Simeon, Issachar, Zebulun and Gad, each with a portion running from east to west.
Gad’s southern boundary follows the route from Tamar through Meribath-kadesh and the Brook of Egypt to the Great Sea. The Lord closes the list by identifying this as the inheritance assigned to Israel’s tribes.
Together with the seven northern portions, these five complete the twelve tribal shares. The holy district stands within a land in which the people themselves have a place.
How is this passage commonly understood?
Henry treats the chapter as a description of the tribes’ several portions, and Cambridge places the special district between the northern allotments and the remaining tribes.
The arrangement completes the inheritance already announced. It does not explain each tribe’s position through an individual spiritual ranking.
What is our position?
We don't have a position on this passage yet. When our study reaches a conclusion the text supports, it will appear here.