18:13a

From there the border crossed over to the southern slope of Luz: The Hebrew clause behind this verse is more literally “the boundary passed to Luz, to the shoulder of Luz, to the south.”

There is an interpretation issue in this verse. It concerns the placement of the Hebrew word translated as to the southern slope.

(1) The Hebrew word translated as to the southern slope modifies the mountain ridge. It means that the mountain ridge is south of Luz. For example:

From there it crossed to the south slope of Luz (New International Version)

(Berean Standard Bible, New International Version, New Jerusalem Bible, New American Bible, Revised Edition, NET Bible, God’s Word, New Living Translation (2004), Good News Translation, Contemporary English Version)

(2) The Hebrew word that means “to the south” modifies the boundary line. It means that the boundary line went south to Luz town. For example:

From there the boundary passes along southward in the direction of Luz, to the shoulder of Luz (English Standard Version)

(English Standard Version, Revised Standard Version, Tanakh: The Holy Scriptures)

It is recommended that you follow option (1) along with many English versions and commentaries.

the southern slope of Luz: The southern slope of Luz refers to a mountain ridge that was south of the town of Luz. Compare this with “the northern slope of Jericho” in 18:12b.

Here is another way to translate this part of the verse:

Then border then went along the mountain ridge that was south of Luz town
-or-
From there it went to Luz…The border ran along the ridge south of Luz (Contemporary English Version)

Luz: The town of Luz was mentioned in Joshua 16:2.

18:13b

that is, Bethel: The phrase that is, Bethel indicates that the town of Luz was named Bethel at the time that the book of Joshua was written.

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

It is now called Bethel
-or-
Luz is also called Bethel

18:13c

and went down to Ataroth-addar: The town of Ataroth-addar was lower in elevation than the town of Bethel. It was mentioned in Joshua 16:5.

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

Then the border went down to the town of Ataroth-addar
-or-
Then the border continued down to Ataroth-addar

18:13d

on the hill south of Lower Beth-horon: The town of Lower Beth-horon is mentioned in verse 16:3b in connection with the border of Ephraim.

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

which is on the hill to the south of Lower Beth-horon
-or-
Ataroth-addar is on the hill south of the town of Lower Beth-horon

General Comment on 18:12–13

Verses 12–13 describe the northern border of the clan of Benjamin. This border is the same as the southern border of the clan of Ephraim which was described in chapter 16:1–2. It is recommended that you compare these two passages as you translate them.

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