This shall be your northern boundary …: Verses 7-9 describe the northern border of Israel, so they form a distinct paragraph. This border is rather unclear but apparently extends into Syria, well north of Sidon (so Alter, page 856). It largely corresponds with the northern boundary of the tribe of Dan in Ezek 47.15-17 and 48.1 after their migration to the north (see Josh 19.47; so Budd, page 365; Noth, page 249).

From the Great Sea you shall mark out your line to Mount Hor: For the Great Sea, which Good News Translation renders “the Mediterranean,” see verse 6. You shall mark out your line is literally “you shall mark for yourselves [your border].” To eliminate the notion that the people had to literally mark this border for themselves, translators may follow Good News Translation here, which begins verse 7 with “The northern border will follow a line from….” Mount Hor seems to refer to an unknown location in Lebanon; it is not the same mountain where Aaron died, so Contemporary English Version has the following footnote on Mount Hor: “Not the same as in 33.37.”

From Mount Hor you shall mark it out to the entrance of Hamath: For the entrance of Hamath, which Good News Translation renders “Hamath Pass,” see 13.21.

And the end of the boundary shall be at Zedad means the northernmost point of the northern border will be the town of Zedad. This town is also mentioned in Ezek 47.17. Contemporary English Version renders this clause as “and across to Zedad, which is the northern edge of your land.”

Then the boundary shall extend to Ziphron: The exact location of Ziphron is unknown since it is mentioned only here in the Bible. However, it was probably further east than Zedad.

And its end shall be at Hazar-enan means the eastern end of the northern border will be Hazar-enan. Ezek 47.17 locates Hazar-enan as being somewhere near the northern border of the Damascus area (so Ashley, page 641).

This shall be your northern boundary is a summary statement for verses 7-9. Good News Translation omits it, but most other translations keep it.

Quoted with permission from de Regt, Lénart J. and Wendland, Ernst R. A Handbook on Numbers. (UBS Helps for Translators). Miami: UBS, 2016. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .