The Boundary Stone and Monument of Reuben
Many names in Scripture are preserved not because of a grand narrative or personal biography, but because they are physically tied to the geography of the Promised Land, serving as an immutable record of God’s division of the inheritance. Bohan is one such figure, immortalized as a historical landmark that delineated the crucial border between the tribes of Judah and Benjamin.
Bohan in the Distribution of the Land
The name of Bohan appears twice in the Book of Joshua, specifically during the detailed description of the borders assigned to the tribes of Judah and Benjamin after the conquest of Canaan. His lasting memorial is known as The Stone of Bohan the son of Reuben.
- Defining the Boundary of Judah: Bohan’s landmark is first mentioned as a point on the northern border of Judah:
“And the border went up to the valley of the son of Hinnom unto the south side of the Jebusite; the same is Jerusalem: and the border went up to the top of the mountain that lieth before the valley of Hinnom westward, which is at the end of the valley of the giants northward: And the border was drawn from the top of the hill unto the fountain of the water of Nephtoah, and went out to the cities of mount Ephron; and the border was drawn to Baalah, which is Kirjath-jearim: And the border compassed from Baalah westward unto mount Seir, and passed along unto the side of mount Jearim, which is Chesalon, on the north side, and went down to Beth-shemesh, and passed on to Timnah: And the border went out unto the side of Ekron northward; and the border was drawn to Shicron, and passed along to mount Baalah, and went out unto Jabneel; and the goings out of the border were at the sea. This is the border of the tribe of the children of Judah according to their families.” (Joshua 15:8–11, KJV, with the mention of the Stone of Bohan the son of Reuben being slightly earlier in the boundary description for brevity and flow, found in Joshua 15:6)
- Defining the Boundary of Benjamin: The same stone is later used to mark the southern boundary of the tribe of Benjamin:
“And the border went up to the top of the mountain that lieth before the valley of the son of Hinnom, which is in the valley of the giants on the north, and descended to the valley of Hinnom, to the side of Jebusi on the south, and descended to En-rogel, And went down to the valley of Bohan the son of Reuben, and passed along unto the side of Arabah northward, and went down unto Arabah;” (Joshua 18:16–17, KJV)
The location is identified today as the Wadi el-Ghufr, situated east of Jerusalem, near the route descending to the Dead Sea.
The Significance of Bohan the Son of Reuben
The phrase “Bohan the son of Reuben” is crucial because it links the landmark to one of the earliest covenant tribes, Reuben, the firstborn of Jacob.
- Ancient History: Reuben’s tribe, along with Gad and half the tribe of Manasseh, chose to settle east of the Jordan River. Therefore, the existence of a landmark bearing the name of a son of Reuben west of the Jordan suggests that Bohan lived and performed some act of significance before the main tribal division, possibly during the time of Moses, or that his memory was preserved by those who did cross over.
- The Meaning of the Name: The name Bohan is derived from a Hebrew root meaning “thumb” or “sturdy and strong.” This meaning perfectly fits his function as a monument—a fixed, solid point of reference that could not be moved or disputed.
Bohan and the Unchangeable Word
The enduring “Stone of Bohan” is a powerful reminder of the inviolability of God’s decree.
The boundaries set by God through Joshua were not arbitrary; they were sacred and meticulously documented. The presence of a fixed landmark like the Stone of Bohan teaches the believer that the foundational truths of Scripture—the ancient landmarks—are meant to be respected and never removed (Proverbs 22:28, KJV). Just as the tribes relied on Bohan’s stone to secure their property, believers must rely on the unchangeable Word of God to secure their spiritual inheritance and prophetic understanding.