continue to Ziphron
Ziphron is mentioned as a boundary point in the delineation of the land allotted to the Israelites. The exact location of Ziphron is not definitively known today, but it is believed to be in the northern region of Canaan. This area was significant as it marked the extent of the Promised Land to the north. The mention of Ziphron highlights the precision with which God instructed the Israelites to divide the land, emphasizing His sovereignty and the fulfillment of His promises to Abraham regarding the land (Genesis 15:18-21). The boundaries set by God were not arbitrary but were meant to establish a distinct nation set apart for His purposes.

and end at Hazar-enan
Hazar-enan is another boundary marker in the northern part of the land. The name "Hazar-enan" can be translated to mean "village of springs," suggesting a location with water sources, which would have been crucial for settlement and agriculture. The precise location is uncertain, but it is thought to be near the northeastern border of ancient Israel. This boundary point underscores the completeness of God's provision for His people, ensuring they had a land that was both fertile and defensible. The setting of boundaries also served to distinguish Israel from surrounding nations, reinforcing their identity as God's chosen people.

This will be your boundary on the north.
The northern boundary of the Promised Land was significant in defining the extent of the territory that God had promised to the descendants of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. This demarcation was not only a physical boundary but also a spiritual one, symbolizing the separation of God's people from the pagan nations around them. The establishment of boundaries was a common practice in ancient times, serving both practical and symbolic purposes. In a broader biblical context, boundaries can be seen as a type of God's order and protection, reflecting His desire for His people to live within the parameters of His covenant. This northern boundary, along with the others, was a tangible reminder of God's faithfulness and the fulfillment of His covenant promises.

1. Ziphron
A location mentioned as part of the northern boundary of the land allotted to the Israelites. Its exact historical location is uncertain, but it is significant as a marker in defining the Promised Land.

2. Hazar-enan
Another geographical marker on the northern boundary. The name suggests a settlement or village ("Hazar") near a spring or fountain ("Enan"), indicating a place of sustenance and life.

3. The Israelites
The people of God, descendants of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, who are receiving their inheritance in the Promised Land as promised by God.

4. The Promised Land
The land of Canaan, promised by God to the descendants of Abraham. This passage details the specific boundaries of this land.

5. Moses
The leader of the Israelites who is conveying God's instructions regarding the boundaries of the land.God's Faithfulness in Promises
The detailed boundaries in Numbers 34:9 remind us of God's faithfulness in fulfilling His promises. Just as He promised the land to Abraham's descendants, He is faithful to His promises to us today.

The Importance of Boundaries
Boundaries are essential for order and identity. In our spiritual lives, setting boundaries helps us maintain our identity in Christ and live according to His will.

Trust in God's Provision
The land described is a gift from God, a place of provision and blessing. We are called to trust in God's provision for our needs, both physical and spiritual.

Obedience to God's Instructions
The Israelites were to follow God's instructions precisely. This teaches us the importance of obedience to God's Word in our lives.Verse 9. - Ziphron. A town called Sibraim is mentioned by Ezekiel (Ezekiel 47:16) as lying on the boundary between Damascus and Hamath, and there is a modern village of Zifran about forty miles north-east of Damascus, but there is no probable ground for supposing that either of these are the Ziphron of this verse. Hazar-enan, i.e., "fountain court." There are of course many places in and about the Lebanon and anti-Lebanon ranges to which such a name would be suitable, but we have no means of identifying it with any one of them. It must be confessed that this "north border" of Israel is extremely obscure, because we are not told whence it started, nor can we fix, except by conjecture, one single point upon it. A certain amount of light is thrown upon the subject by the description of the tribal boundaries and possessions as given in Joshua 19, and by the enumeration of places left unconquered in Joshua 13 and Judges 3. The most northerly of the tribes were Asher and Naphtali, and it does not appear that their allotted territory extended beyond the lower valley of the Leontes where it makes its sharp turn towards the west. It is true that a portion of the tribe of Dan afterwards occupied a district further north, but Dan-Laish itself, which was the extreme of Jewish settlement in this direction, as Beersheba in the other, was southward of Mount Hermon. The passage in Joshua 13:4-6 does indeed go to prove that the Israelites never occupied all their intended territory in this direction, but as far as we can tell the line of promised conquest did not extend further north than alden and Mount Hermon. "All Lebanon toward the sunrising" cannot well mean the whole range from south to north, but all the mountain country lying to the east of Zidon. One other passage promises to throw additional light upon the question, viz., the ideal delimitation of the Holy Land in Ezekiel 47; and here it is true that we find a northern frontier (verses 15-17) apparently far beyond the line of actual settlement, and yet containing two names at least (Zedad and Hazar-enan) which appear in the present list. It is, however, quite uncertain whether the prophet is describing any possible boundary line at all, or whether he is only mentioning(humanly speaking at random)certain points in the far north; his very object would seem to be to picture an enlarged Canaan extending beyond its utmost historical limits. Even if it should be thought that these passages require a frontier further to the north than the one advocated above, it will yet be impossible to carry it to the northern end of the valley between Lebanon and anti-Lebanon. For in that case the northern frontier will not be a northern frontier at all, but will actually descend from the "entrance of Hamath" in a southerly or south-westerly direction, and distinctly form part of the eastern boundary.

Parallel Commentaries ...


continuing
וְיָצָ֤א (wə·yā·ṣā)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 3318: To go, bring, out, direct and proxim

to Ziphron,
זִפְרֹ֔נָה (zip̄·rō·nāh)
Noun - proper - feminine singular | third person feminine singular
Strong's 2202: Ziphron -- a place on northern boundary of the promised land

and ending
וְהָי֥וּ (wə·hā·yū)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - third person common plural
Strong's 1961: To fall out, come to pass, become, be

at Hazar-enan.
עֵינָ֑ן (‘ê·nān)
Noun - proper - feminine singular
Strong's 2704: Hazar-enan -- a place on the southeast border of Canaan

This
זֶֽה־ (zeh-)
Pronoun - masculine singular
Strong's 2088: This, that

will be
יִהְיֶ֥ה (yih·yeh)
Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 1961: To fall out, come to pass, become, be

your
לָכֶ֖ם (lā·ḵem)
Preposition | second person masculine plural
Strong's Hebrew

boundary
גְּב֥וּל (gə·ḇūl)
Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's 1366: A cord, a boundary, the territory inclosed

on the north.
צָפֽוֹן׃ (ṣā·p̄ō·wn)
Noun - feminine singular
Strong's 6828: Hidden, dark, the north as a, quarter


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OT Law: Numbers 34:9 And the border shall go forth (Nu Num.)