Maaleh-acrabbim
A biblical place-name usually translated “Ascent of Akrabbim” or “Scorpion Pass,” used as a southern boundary marker in Old Testament land descriptions.
At a Glance
A southern boundary marker in biblical land descriptions.
Key Points
- Appears in territorial boundary passages.
- Usually translated “Ascent of Akrabbim” or “Scorpion Pass.”
- Its exact modern location is uncertain.
Description
Maaleh-acrabbim is an Old Testament place-name, commonly rendered “Ascent of Akrabbim” or “Scorpion Pass.” In Scripture it appears in boundary descriptions connected with the southern edge of the land, especially in relation to Judah and to the broader inheritance of Israel. The precise site is not certain today, and interpreters differ on how exactly to correlate it with modern geography, but its function in the text is clear: it helps define the extent of the land in Israel’s territorial records. Because it is a geographic marker rather than a doctrinal term, the entry should remain descriptive and avoid speculative claims beyond what the biblical passages indicate.
Biblical Context
Maaleh-acrabbim is named in Old Testament passages that describe the southern border of the land (Num. 34:4; Josh. 15:3) and in a summary of Judah’s territorial limits (Judg. 1:36). In each case, the point is geographic: the text uses a known landmark to mark a boundary.
Historical Context
The term likely refers to a pass or ascent in the southern region of the land, often associated with the Negev or the desert borderlands. Its exact modern identification is uncertain, but it was evidently a recognizable route or landmark in ancient territorial descriptions.
Jewish and Ancient Context
Ancient readers and translators understood the phrase as a real geographic marker, not as a symbolic or doctrinal term. The traditional rendering “Ascent of Scorpions” reflects the Hebrew sense of a rugged pass associated with scorpions or a similarly named locality.
Primary Key Texts
- Numbers 34:4
- Joshua 15:3
- Judges 1:36
Secondary Key Texts
- No additional clear texts beyond the main boundary passages.
Original Language Note
From Hebrew מַעֲלֵה עַקְרַבִּים (ma‘ăleh ‘aqrabbîm), meaning “Ascent of Scorpions” or “Scorpion Pass.”
Theological Significance
Maaleh-acrabbim is not a doctrinal term, but it does remind readers that Scripture’s land promises and territorial descriptions are grounded in real places and real history.
Philosophical Explanation
As a place-name, the term functions as a spatial and literary marker. Its meaning is descriptive rather than symbolic: it helps locate a border in the geography of the biblical text.
Interpretive Cautions
Do not overstate confidence in the modern location. The biblical meaning is clear enough for interpretation, but the archaeological identification remains uncertain.
Major Views
Most interpreters agree on the basic sense of the term as a southern ascent or pass. The main variation concerns the precise translation and modern location.
Doctrinal Boundaries
This entry should not be treated as teaching doctrine. It is a geographic marker used in boundary descriptions of the land.
Practical Significance
The entry helps readers trace the real-world setting of biblical land boundaries and understand how Scripture anchors historical claims in concrete geography.
Related Entries
- Judah
- Kadesh-barnea
- Wilderness of Zin
- Edom
See Also
- Scorpion Pass
- southern boundary of the land
- land boundaries