19:11a

It went up westward to Maralah: The clause went up westward to Maralah indicates that the boundary line continued westward from Sarid town. The southern boundary line of Zebulun’s land followed the course of the Kishon River. The Kishon River flows from east to northwest through the Valley of Jezreel and enters the Mediterranean Sea at the port of Haifa.

Maralah: It is not certain where this town was located.

There is an interpretation issue with the term Maralah. Bible scholars divide the Hebrew words in two different ways.

(1) The name of the town is Maralah.

(Berean Standard Bible, New Revised Standard Version, New International Version, New American Standard Bible, Tanakh: The Holy Scriptures, NET Bible, New Living Translation (2004), God’s Word, Revised English Bible, New Jerusalem Bible, Contemporary English Version, King James Version)

(2) The name of the town is Mareal. The Hebrew word “Maralah” should be separated into “Mareal” and “-ah.” The last syllable -ah is a Hebrew directional.

(Revised Standard Version, English Standard Version, New American Bible, Revised Edition, Good News Translation)

It is recommended that you follow option (1). Most English versions and most Bible atlases refer to the name of this town as Maralah.

Here are some other ways to translate this part of the verse:

The border went west to the town of Maralah
-or-
From there the boundary ran on to the town of Maralah

19:11b

reached Dabbesheth: The clause reached Dabbesheth indicates that the southern border continued to the town of Dabbesheth.

Here are some other ways to translate this part of the verse:

then it went on to the town of Dabbesheth
-or-
and continued to the town of Dabbesheth

19:11c

met the brook east of Jokneam: The phrase the brook east of Jokneam refers to a streambed that flowed with water in certain seasons. It was near the town of Jokneam.

east: The Hebrew word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as east is more literally “on the face of.” There are two ways to interpret this word.

(1) It means “near” or “opposite.” For example:

the ravine near Jokneam (New International Version)

(New International Version, NET Bible, New American Standard Bible, God’s Word, Tanakh: The Holy Scriptures, New Jerusalem Bible, New American Bible, Revised Edition, Contemporary English Version, King James Version)

(2) It means “east.” For example:

the stream east of Jokneam (Good News Translation)

(Berean Standard Bible, Good News Translation, Revised Standard Version, English Standard Version, Revised English Bible, New Living Translation (2004))

It is recommended that you follow interpretation (1). We do not know for certain where the brook was in relation to Jokneam town. It is best to translate it using a word that means “near” or “close to.”

Here are some other ways to translate this part of the verse:

The border then went on to the streambed near the town of Jokne-am
-or-
It reached the wadi near the town of Jokne-am

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