On the south side: This verse describes the southern border of the land.

It shall run from Tamar as far as the waters of Meribath-Kadesh indicates that the southern borders will go in a southwest direction from Tamar (see verse 18) to Meribath-kadesh, which is also known as Kadesh-barnea, “Kadesh Meribah” (Good News Translation), “Meribah Kadesh” (New International Version, New International Reader’s Version, New Century Version), and “Meribah at/by/in Kadesh” (New Living Translation, Revised English Bible, Jerusalem Bible/New Jerusalem Bible, Christian Community Bible). This place was about 80 kilometers (50 miles) south of Beersheba in the Negeb desert. This was the place where Moses caused water to come out of a rock when the people of Israel rebelled against God during the Exodus (see Num 20.1-13). It was also the southernmost place that Joshua conquered after the people entered into Canaan (see Josh 15.3). Meribath-kadesh was an “oasis” (Good News Translation), which is a green fertile place in the middle of a desert where there is a constant supply of water (compare Contemporary English Version “springs”).

Thence along the Brook of Egypt to the Great Sea: From Meribath-kadesh the southern border will go beside the Brook of Egypt, that is, Wadi el-Arish, to the Great Sea, that is, “the Mediterranean Sea” (Good News Translation). Wadi el-Arish begins in the central Sinai Peninsula and empties into the Mediterranean Sea; it must not be confused with the Nile River. A wadi is a dry riverbed that floods after rain. When it rains heavily, torrents of water flow down the riverbed and carve out steep cliffs on the banks of the river, so Contemporary English Version renders the Brook of Egypt as “the Egyptian Gorge.”

This shall be the south side changes the Hebrew text, which is literally “and the south side southward.” It is better to follow Revised Standard Version here (see the comments on verse 17).

A model for this verse is:

• “The southern boundary will go from Tamar to the oasis of Meribath-kadesh [or, to the town of Meribath-kadesh where there are springs of water]. From there it will follow the dry riverbed that leads to the Mediterranean Sea. This will be the southern boundary of the land.

Quoted with permission from Gross, Carl & Stine, Philip C. A Handbook on Ezekiel. (UBS Helps for Translators). Miami: UBS, 2016. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .