Joshua 15:12
And the west border was to the great sea, and the coast thereof. This is the coast of the children of Judah round about according to their families. And the west border was to the great sea, and the coast thereof. This is the coast of the children of Judah round about according to their families.
Joshua stands first among the twelve historical books, which trace the history of the chosen people as a nation from their first occupation of Canaan to the return from the captivity, and it takes its name from Joshua, who wrote part of it. Within that book this verse belongs to the chapters 11 to 21 portion that records the division and settling of the Promised Land among the tribes. More specifically it belongs to the chapters 13 to 22 account of the distribution of the land among the tribes, which rested on written documents in which the property was accurately described.
The great sea named as the west border is the Mediterranean Sea, forming the western boundary of Judah's territory. That western border with its coastline defined the coast of the children of Judah round about, marking out the allotted land assigned to Judah according to its families.
The division of the land thus recorded shows lack of faith and slowness in fully possessing it. Yet it closes with the assurance that God accomplished all He had promised and none of His good promises failed.