Verses 5-12 give the eastern border, which was the Dead Sea (verse 5a); the northern border (verses 5b-11); and the western border, which was the Mediterranean Sea (verses 11b, 12a).

At this point it may be useful to repeat that the eastern border referred to is that of the tribe of Judah: “The eastern border of the tribe of Judah was the Dead Sea. This eastern border extended as far north as the place where the Jordan River empties into the Dead Sea.” Or the sentence may be restructured in a slightly different manner: “The Dead Sea formed the eastern border for the tribe of Judah.”

The northern border began there, though representing the Hebrew “And the boundary on the north side runs from” (Revised Standard Version), may be somewhat misleading. That is, although Beth Hoglah (verse 6) is north of the Dead Sea, it is also the point from which the account moves generally in a westwardly direction. There is no way that a reader can be expected to grasp the account fully without looking at a map, but it will be helpful in translation if it is noted that the description of the northern border moves from east (the mouth of the Jordan River) toward the Mediterranean Sea in the west.

Quoted with permission from Bratcher, Robert G. and Newman, Barclay M. A Handbook on Joshua. (UBS Helps for Translators). New York: UBS, 1983. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .