Stone of B'iflun] This must have l>cen some remarkable place, probably like the stone qf Jacob, which aftenvards became liclh-cl, but where it was situated, is uncertain.
Verse 7. The ratlty of /iciior] Debir mentioned in this verse is unknown. The -alley of Aelior had its name from the punishment of Aehan. See the account, chap. vii. 24-, &c.
En-shemesit] 7 he fountain of the sun; it was eastward of Jerusalem, on the confines of Judah and Benjamin.
Verse 8, The ralley of the son of llinnom] \\'ho Hinnom was is not known; nor why this wa.s called his vailev. It was situated on the cast of Jerusalem; and is often mc'ntioncd in.Scripture. The image of the idol Moloch appears to have been set up there: and there, the idolatrous Israelites caused their sons and daughters to pass through the fire, in honour of that (Ucmon, 2 Kings xxiii. 10. It was also called Topht, see Jer. vii. 32. When king Josiab removed ihe image of this idol from tbis valley, it appears to have been held in such universal execration, that it became the general receptacle of all the filth and impnnlirs winch were carried out of.lerusalem: and it is sllppo^<d, that coniiwal fire* were iherc kept up, lo consume those impurities, and prevent infection. From tlie Hebrew words n\n {3 N'j -ret ben llinnom, the valley of the son of Uinnotn, and by contraction 0 c 2
Caleb promises his daughter to tliat lictli before the valley of Hinnoin westward, wiiich 25 at the end * of the valley of the giants northward:
JOSHUA Jiim -icho should take Kitjath-sepher.
12 And the v.est border arw ^ to the great sea, and the coast thereof. Tliis is the coast of the children of Judah round about accordin"- to tlieir
9 And the border was drawn from the top of |i families, the hill unto "the fountain of the water of|' 13 «[ "And unto Caleb, the son of Jephun
Nephtoah, and went out to the cities of mount Ephron;. and the boi'der was di'awn " to Eaalah, which /.'.• "^ Kiijath-jearim:
10 And the border compassed from Baalah westward unto mount Seir, and passed along unto the side of mount Jearim, which is Chesaton, on thtj north side, and went down to Bethshemesh, and passed on to ' Timnah:
neh, he gave a ])art among the cliildreu of Judah, according to the commandment of the Lord to Joshua, even ' the " city of Arba, the father of Anak, which citif is Hebron.
14 Aud Caleb drove thence ' the three sons of Anak, ™ Sheshai, and Ahiman, and Talmai, the childi-en of Anak.
15 And " he went up thence to the inhabitants
11 And tlie border went out unto the side of; of Debir: and the name of Debir before isjas ' Ekron iiortliward: and the border was drawn Kirjath-sepher. to Sliicron, and passed along to mount Baalah, ~
and went out unto Jabneel; and the goings out of the border were at the sea.
lo him who should take a city, kill an enemy, &c. So Saul Cyn N'J i;d hiimom, the vnUei/ of Hinnom, came the Tsswa Gehenna of the Now Testament, called also Tecvvu tou Trupo^, the Gehenna of fire, which is the emblem of hell, or the place of the damned. See Matt. v. 22, 29, 30. x. 18. xviii.
The same is Jeru!:(dem'] This city was formerly called Jebus,;i part of it was in the tribe of Benjamin; Sion, called its citaiiel, was in the tribe of Judah.
On this subject, a very intelligent clergyman favours me with his opinion in the following terms.
" The boundary between.ludah and Benjamin went up from the valley of Hinnom on the east, to the top of the hill southward, leaving.Icbusi (or Jerusalem) to the northwest adjoining to Benjamin. This mount (Jebusi) lay between the two tribes; which the Jebusites possessed till the time of David. At the 63rd verse here, it is said Judah could not drive out these people: and in Judges i. 21. the same is said of the Benjamites. Each tribe might have attacked them at various times. There were various mounts or tops to these hills. Mount Zion, and Moriah, where the temple stood, was in the tribe of Judah: (Psal. Ixxviii. 68, 69. Ixxsvii. 2.)
" In Deut. xxxiii. 12. it is said of Benjamin, the Lord shall dwell In) him; i. e. near him, or beside his borders: between his shoulders: the line might be circular between the two hills or tops,.so as in part to encompass mount Zion in the tnbe of Ju<lah, on which the temple stood. Benjamin's gate (mentioned Jerem. xxxvii. 12, 13. and x.xxviii. 7.) was ilie gate leading out of the city, into the tribe of Benjamin. So the gate of Ephraim (2 Kings xiv. 13.) was a gate which
16 ^ "And Caleb said. He that smiteth Kirjath-sepher, and takcth it, to him will I give Achsah my daughter to wife.
led towards the tribe of Ephraiin. We give names to roads, &c. in the same way now.
" Mount Calvary (which was on the outside of the gate)- seems to have been in the tribe of Benjamin. Quere. Whether Calvary or Golgotha, was so called from skulls beingscattered about there (as say some) or rather from the figure of the rock being shaped like a man's skull, with one face of it nearly perpendicular.'' I incline to this latter opinion. I believe the.Tews did not suffer human bones, even of malefactors, to lie about." — J. C.
Verse 9. Baalah, which is Kifjath-Jcarim'] This place was rendered famous in Scripture, in consequence of its beinj^ the residence of the ark, for 20 years, after it was sent back by the Philistines; see 1 Sam. v. vi. and vii. 1, 2.
Verse 10. Belh-shanesh] The house or temple of the sun. It is evident that the sun was an object of adoration amongthe Canaanites; and hence fountains, hills, &c. were dedicated to him. Beth-shemesh is remarkable for the slaugliter oP its inhabitants, in consequence of their prying curiously, if not impiously, into the ark of the Lord, when sent back by the Philistines. See 1 Sam. vii.
Verse 15. Kirjath-sepher.] The cily of the book: Why so named, is uncertain. It was also called Debir, and Kirjath-sunnah. See ver. 49.
Verse 16. Will I give Achsah v>y daugh it r] In ancient times fathers assumed an absolute right over their children, especially in disposing of them in marriage: and it was customary for a king or great man, to promise his daughter in marriage, to him who should take a cttv, kill an enemy, t<c. So S^ttl
18 "^ And it canjc to pass, as sho came imto \ '27 And Jlazar-gaddah, and Ile^hmon, and //////, that sill' inovc-d him to ask (jf her fiitlirr a IJi'th-palt-!,
'JO Tiiis is tiie iniieritanee of tiie trii)e ol' the ':'/2 And Lt>l)aotli, and.Siiilhim, and Aiii, and chilihen of Jiidaii, according to their timiihes. llinnnon: ail the cities arc twenty and nine
21 % And the uttermost cities of tiie tribe witii their villages: of the children of.ludah, towarti the coast of.'3,'3 ylnd in tlie valley, ^ Eshtaol, and Zoreah Edoni southward, were Kabzecl, and Edur, and and Ashnah, Jagur, I,'54 And Zanoah, and En-ganniin, Tappuah, promised his daughter in marriage to him who should kill Goliiih, 1 Sam. xvii. 25. and Caleb ofTcrs his on tiiis occasion, to him who should take Kiijath-sephcr. Profane writers furnish many similar examples.
Verse 18. As she caui'] As she was now departing from the house of her father, to go to that of htr hiishiind.
She >itoz-cd him] Othniel, to nskqf/icy faiher a field, one on which slie had stt her heart, as contiguous to the patrimony already granted.
.S7/tf lighted off her ass] rji'i"M I'atitsnach, she hastily, suddenly alighted, as if she had forgotten something, or was al)out to return to her father's house. A\'liich bcinif perceived by her fatlicr, he said. What u;ouldest thou? ^\'llat is the matter.' What dost thou waul?
Verse 19. frive iiie a blessing] Do me an act of kindness. Grant me a particular rcq\iest.
T/iou hast girai me a south land] ^V'hich was probably dry, or very ill walered.
dive me also springs of tvater.] Let me have.ionic fields in which there are brooks, or uells already digged.
The upper springs, and the nether springs.] He gave her even more than she requested: he gave her a district among the mountains, and another in the plains wrll situated, and well watered. Tlierc are several dilliciilties in this account, with which I shall not trouble the Reader. A\'liat is men- ' tioned above, appears to lie the sense. |
Verse 24. C//>//] I'liere were two cities of this name, in I the tribe of Judali: that mei\tiontd here, and another, ver. I 55. One of these two is noted for the refuge of David, i when persecuted by.Saul; and the attempts made by its in- I liabitants to deliver him into the lunds of his jwrsecutor. See 1 SaiH. xxiii. 1 1 — 2 t.!
nesi.s, as the re.-idence of the patriarchs Abraliam and Jacob,
31. It lay on the way between Canaan and Egypt, about
' forty miles from Jerusalem.
Verse 31. Ziklng] The Philistines seem f^ave kept possession of this city, tdl the lime of David;;-l>Iio received it from Achish, king of Gath, 1.Sam. \x\\l.fr,. after which time, it remained in the possession of iheiiini"! of Judah.
Verse 3 i All the cities are l\i:enty and nine, \,ilh their tillages] r^ut on a careful examination, we shall find thirty, eight; but it is supposed, that nine of these;ire excepttd, viz. Beer-shcba, Moludah. Jluzar-shiial, btialah, Azem, Ilormah, Zihkig, Ain, and Rimmon, which were afterwards "iven to the tribe of Simeon. This may appear satisfactorj-, but perhaps the truth w ill be found to be tliis:.Several cities in the promised land are expressed by compound terms; not knowing the places, dilllrcnt translations combine what should beseparated; and in many cises separate wlmt ihoidd be combined. Through tins, we have cities formed out of epithets. On this ground, we have thirty-eight cities as tlic sum here instead of twenty-nine.
Verse 33. h'jhtaol, and Zoreah] Here Samson was burie<). it being the burial place of Iris fatliers, see Jiid'^es xvi. 31^ These places, though first given to Judah, afterwards fell t<> the lot of Dan: chap. xix. 41.
Adullam] See the note on chap. xii. 15.
Socoh] It was near this place, tlmt David fout'hl with
The cities "whidiji:!! to fourteen cities with their villages: • 37 Zenan, and Hadashah,
41 And Gederoth, Beth-dagon, and Naamah, and Makkedali; sixteen cities with their villages:.
44 And Keilah, aj^d Achzib, and Mareshah j nine cities with their villages:
45 Ekron, with her towns and her villages:
46 From Ekron, even unto the sea, all that lai/ ' near Ashdod, with their villages:
47 Ashdod with her towns and her villages, and slew Goliah, the champion of the Philistines:
Fourteen cities] Well reckoned, we shall find fifteen cities li re: but probably Gederah and Gederothaim, ver. 36. are the same. See the note on ver. 32.
Verse 41. Beth-dagon] The house ot tcnipk of Dagon. This is a well known idol of the Philistines, and probably the place mentioned h«re, was in some part of their territories: but the situation, at present, is unknown.,
Ether] From chap. xi.v. 1. we learn, that this city was i^r terwards given to the tribe of Simeon.
Ver.^e 44. KeUuh] This town was near Hebron, and is said to have been the burying place of the prophet Habakkuk. David obliged the Philistines to raise the siege of it see 1 Sam. xxiii. 1 — 13. but finding that its inhabitants had purposed to deliver him into the hands of Saul, who was coming in pursuit of him, he made his escape. See this remarkable case explained in the note on Deut. xxxii.
Mareshah] Called aho Muresheth and Marasi/u; it was the birih-place of the prophet Micah. Near this place was the famous battle between Asa, king of Judah, and Zcrah, king of Cush or Ethiopia, who was at the head of one thousand thousand men, and three hundnd chariots. Asa <!efeattd this immense hosr, and took much spoils; 2 Chron. xiy. y — 15.
Verse 46. Ekron] One of the five Philistine lordships: see the note on chap. xiii. 3.
JOSHUA. tJie lot of the tribe of Judah.
Gaza with her to\ras and her villages, unto " the river of Egypt, and " the great sea, and the border therccf:
48 And in the mountains, Shamir, and Jattir, and Socoh,
49 And Dannah, and Kirjath-sannah, which is Debir,
51 ^ And Goshen, and Holon, and Giloh; eleven cities with their villages: ^
54 And Hunitah, and " Kirjath-arba, which is Hebron, and Zior; nine cities with their villages i
Unto the river of Egypt] The Pelusiac branch of the Nile, or Sihor. But see on ver. 4.
Verse 53. Beth-tappuah] The lioiise of the apple, or citron tree. Probably a place where these giew in great abundance and perfection.
Aphekah] See tlic note on chap xii. 18.
Verse S5. Maon] In a desart to which this town gave name, David took refuge for a considerable time, from the persecution of Saul. And in this place, Nabal the Carmelite had gTt-at possessions. See I Sam. xxiii. 24, 25. xxv. 2.
Carmel] Not the celebrated mount of that name, but a village, the residence of Nabal. See 1 Sam. xxv, 2. It was near Maon, mentioned above, and was about ten miles castward of Hebron. It is the same place where Saul erected a, trophy to himself, after the defeat of the Amakkites, se,e. 1 Sarp. XV. 12.
Verse 57. Timnah] A frontier town of the Philistines: it was in this place that Samson got his wife, tee Judg. xiv. and XV.
Verse 58. Gedor] See the note on chap. xii. 13. In this place, the Alexandrian M.S. of the Septuap;int, and the Codex Vatitanus, add the eUrrn fi)llQwing towns: Theca, and Ephrutha, {that is, Bethlehem) and J'hagor, and Elan, and
The Jcbusltcft conthiiunl amoii^ jcariiii, and llahl)ah; two cities with their vii- liahitants of Jerusalem, "the children of Jiidah lap;cs: conid not drive them out: 'but the Jcbusites
()1 In the wilderness, Hetli-arainih, Midilin, (Iweil with the ciiildren of Judah at Jerusalem and SccHcali, ■ unto this day.
Kidon, and Taiam, and Thebes, and Knram, and Outam, and Tlicllier, and Manoclio; eleven cities ami tlicir bitlii'^es. Si..Icruiii, on Mic. V. I. nicntiuns tlicin, fo tiiuC we I'lnil tliey were in tiic copies he used. Dr. Kennicott conlenJs tliat they.should be restored to the text, and accounts thus for iXuwt oniission. "The same word |rmSHl •echatsaio/hen, And their villiii^cs, occurring; iinnndiatcly before lliis |)as,s;igc, and at the end of it, the transcriber's eye passed from out to tlie olhcr by niist;il;e. A similar accident lias caused the omission of two whole verses, tlic 3jtli and CJCith of cliaj). x.\i." i^ec tlie note there.
Verse 62. The citj/ of Salt] Or of Melach. This city was somewhere in the vicinity of the lake Af.phultitii, the waters of which ai"c the snltest, perhaps in the world. The whole country al)ounds wilh suit: see tiie note on Gen. xix. 25. Some su))pose tlial it is llic same as Zoar, the place to which Lot escaped, after the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah.
En-gcdi^ The ■sx.-ell of the kid: it was situated between Jericho and the lake of Sodom, or Dead sea.
Verse 63. The Jebusiles dtvelt — at Jerusalem unto this dtiy.] The whole hi.story of Jerusalem, ]>reviously to the time of David, js encumbered wilh many difticullics. Sometimes it is alti-ibutcd to Judah, sometimes to lienjnmin; and it is probable, that bein[j on the frontiers of both those tribes, each pos.sx'ssed a pari of il. If the Jebusiles were ever driven out betbre llie lin\e of David, it is ccrlam they recovered it again.
or at kasl a part of it, what is callfd the cKsdtl, or stmthold of Zion, sec li Sam. \.l. which he took from ' alter which the cily fell wholly into ihe hands of the i itC8. "^Ihis verse is an additional proof that the book of Joshua was not written after the tiajcs of the Jcwi»h kin!»s, a* some have endeavoured to prove — for, when thin verse wa* written, the Jebusiles dwelt with the children of Judah, which they did not, after the days of David; therefore lh« book was written bifore there were any kings in Judca.
Il is very likely, that many cities have, by the lapse of time, not only changed their names or have been totally destroyed, see the note on ver. 1. but that the names of those in the preccdinnj catalogue have been changed also;.several of ihem repeated that should have been mentioned but once, and nol a few confounded wilh the terms by winch they are described. But we must not supposi-, that every re|)cliliun of the same is through the carelessness of cop\i..>Ls; for there.ire often two ])laccs which bear the same name, which is frequently the case in England. But besides this, villages are mentioned, as being apparently in the tribe of Judah, which afterwards appear to have been in another tribe. The rcasoir appears to be this: many towns are mentioned which were frontier towns, and when the limits of a tribe are pointed out, such places must necessardy be mentioned, though allotted to a diflerent tribe. This consideration will serve to remove several diflicuUies, which occur in the reading of tins and the following chapters.
liorders of tlie children of Joseph, 1- 4.
The Canaanites dwell tribtitary
AND the lot of the ciiildren of Joseph ' fell from Jordan by Jericho, unto the water of Jericho on the east, to the wilderness that
KOTES ON CH.AP. XVt. Verse 1. The children of Joseph'] Ephraim and Manasscs, and thiir descendants. The limits of the tribe of Kpliraini goeth up from Jericho mount Beth-cl,
2 And goeth out from to '' Luz, and passeth
extended along the borders of Benjamin and Dan, from Jordan on the east, to the Mediterranean on the •_■«/.
the bortlers of Archi to Ataroth, 3 And goeth down westward to the coast of Japhleti, ' unto the coast of Beth-horon the nether, and to ^ Gezer: and the gohigs out tiiereof" are at the sea.
4 sSo the children of Joseph, Manasseh and Ephraim, took their inlieritance.
5 % And the border of t!-.j chiUlren of Ephraun according to their faniihes was tints: even the border of their inlieritance on the east side was " Ataroth-addar, ^ unto Beth-horon the upper;
ii And the border went out toward the sea to ^ Michmethali on the north side; and the border went about eastward unto Taanathshiloh, and passed by it on the east to Janohah;
7 And it went down from Janoliah to Ataroth, ^ and to Naarath, and came to Jericho, and went out at Jordan.
8 The border went out from Tappuah west-
ward unto the " river Kanah; and tlie
]out thereof were at the sea. This is the mlic- ] ritance of tlie tribe of the children of Ephraim by their families.
9 And ' the separate cities for the children of Ephraim ~LVcre among the inheritance of tlie children of Manasseh, all the cities with their villages.
10 ^ *■ And they drave not out the Canaanites that dwelt in Gezer: but the Canaanites dwell among the Ephraimites unto this day, and serve under tribute.
appears, that the place whicli Jacob called Beth-el, was foi— inerly called Diz; see the note there: but here, they seem to be two distinct places. It is very likely, tkat the place wViere Jacob had the vision was not in Luz, but in some place within a small distance of that city or village: see the note on Gen. xxviii. 12. that sometimes the whole place was called Beth-el, fit other times Luz, and sometimes, as in the case above, the two places were distinguished. As we find the term London, comprizes not only London, but also the city of IVestminster 'and the horoagh o( SouthvMik; though at other times, all three are distinctly mentioned.
Archi to Ataroth'] Archi was the country of Hushai, the j •friend of David, 2 Sam. xv. 32. who is called Hushui the Archi le. Ataroth, called Ataroth-addur, Ataroth the illustrious, ver. 5. and simply Ataroth, ver. 7. i^ supposed to have been about fifteen miles from Jerusalem.
Verse 3. Beth-horon the nether] This city was about twelve miles from Jerusalem, on the side of Nicopolis, formerly Em- 7>iaus. CaLMET. See the note on cbap. x. 10. Verse 5. Ataroth-addar] See the note on ver. 2. Belh-horon the upper] The situation of this town is little known. It was eastward of Beth-horon the nether, and consequently not far from it.
Verse 8. Tuppuah] This was a city in the tribe of Manasseh, and gave name to a certain district, called the land of Tuppuah. See chap. xvii. 8.
The sea] The Mediterranean, as before.
Vei-se 9. And the separate cities] That is, the cities that were separated from the tribe of Manasseh, to be given to Ephraim; see chap. xvii. 9.
Verse 10. The Canaanites that dwell in Gezer] It appears that the Canaanites were not ex[jelled from tliis city till the (lays of Solomon, when it was taken by the king of Egypt, his father-in-law, who made it a present to his daughter,.Solomon's queen. See 1 Kings ix. 16. And see the note on Jo>li. X. 33. The K))hrainiites, however, had so far succeeded in subjecting these people, as to oblige them to pay tribute, though they could not, or at least did not, totally expel them.
Of the 7iames and places in this chapter, we may say the same as of others already mentioned..See the note on chap. XV. 1. Many of those towns were small, and we may rationally conclude, slightly builded; and consequently have jierished perhaps more than a thousand years ago. It would be therefore useless to look for such places notv. Several of the towns in Knghmd, a land not ex()o>td to such revolutions as that of Palestine lias ever been, nunlioned by Ctcsar and other ancient writers, are no longer discernible. Several have changed their names, and not a few their situation. Tradition states, that the city of Norwich anciently stood.some miles from its present situation; and we have the fullest proof that this was the case with the city of Salisbury. Such changes do aol affect the truth of the ancient geogrnpliy i>f our own country; nor can tliey impeach that of the sucrc<l historian before us.
The lot of the halj' tribe ojMdnn.ssch.
The case of ZeLphcJiad' s daughlerj.
The lot of llic li(ilj'-liil)c of Mauar.-iclt, I, '2. Vtiic of tlir. Hmigliten of Zclnphehad, 4 — fl. Tlic hordfrt of Matwsseli (Icscrilntl, 7 — II. Tin' ('niinttiiilv dicell ninoiig lliem, but are Inid under trihnle, \1, KJ. The cliildrcn of Josvjth lompliiiii if tliv friiutiiins of Ihcir lot, 14 — 1(3. Joshua authorizes them In pouen the mountainous Jiood tnuiilri/ of the J'lrizzilcs, and /,'/;« iheni encouragement to expel them, though thry uerc I'rong and had chariots of iron, 17, 18.
4 And they came near before '' EJc-:izar tlic |)i iest, and l)efbre Joshua tlie
I oi.vm,,.(i6r, j;^,. I. M.j^.i,i,.^ ^\^^^ first-born of Ma- ]| saying, ' The Lord commande<l Mo tiasseli, the IIuIut of CJiilcad: because he was a i.ses to ffivc us an iniieritance among our brethnian ol" war, therefore lie liad "^Gileadand IJa- i rcn. Tiierefbre, according to tiie comniand- •shan.;! incnt of tlie Loud, he gave them an inlieritancc
'1 There was also a lot for " ihc rest of the! among the brethren of their lather. <luldien of Manasseh by their liunihes; ' lor; 5 And there lell ten portions to Manasseh, beihe children of ^ Abiczer, and for the children ' side the land of Gilead and IJashan, which uxre ol" Heick, ''and for the ehihiieii of" Asriel, iind on the other side Jordan;
lor the children of.Shechein, "and for tlie child- t> Because the daughters of Manasseh had an ren of IIei)hcr, and tor the children of Shenii- inheritance among his sons: and the rest of da: these xvcrc the male children of Manasseh, '' Manasseh's sons had the land of Gilead. the son of Joseph, by their iluiiilies. [< 7 ^ And the coast of Manasseh was fiom
:i % IJut 'Zelophehad, the son of Hepher, the I Asher to "' Michmcthah, that lielh before Sheson of Gilead, the son of" Macliir, the son of" chem; and the border went along on the right Manasseii, had no.sons, but tlaughters: anil hand unto the inhabitants of En-tappuah. llicsc are the names of" his daughters, Mahlah, i| 8 Xon' Manasseh had the land of Tappuah: and Noah, Iloglah, Milcah, and Tirzah. ], but "Tappuah, on the border of ^Manasseh, i'lir.tliicltir — iMVaiifc lie zviis a man of kvd] It is not likclv, thni Macliir himself v.as now alive; if he were, he must have been nearly;.'00 years oKl. It is ihcrdbre ])robable, that what is siMikcn here, is spoken of his cliililren, who now ])osses>cii the lot that was orisjinally Jesn;iK'(l for their father; wiio, it apiwars, hail ^i^iializeii himself as a man of skill and valour, ill some of the foriiier wars, llu)ii;;h the circumstances are not maikeil. Ills ilescendr.iits bcin^ of a warlike intrepid Kpirit, were well qualified to defend a frontier country, which V. ouUl be naturally exposed to invasion.
\'i'rse '2. The rest of the children of ^lanaveh] That is, bis enxiul-cMIJren; for it is contended, that ^Ianao«eh had no other son than Machtr: and these were very probably the chilitfii of Gitcad, the son of Machir.
Verse '.i. Ttloplichtd — had no sons, but dauqliter!:'\ See thU case considcrtd, at larjjc, in the iiolts on Numb, xxvii. 1 — 7. and xxxvi. 1, &c.
Verse 5. Thtre fell ten portions to Manasseh] The Hebrew word ■hzn clicbcUy, tthich we tran-late portions, signifies lilerally cords, or cabks; and intimates, that by means of a cord, cable, or wlial wc cM a chain, the land was divided. We have but little account of the arts and scitncts of ihe Hebivws; yet from the sketclie'! which we find in dilli.rent parts of the Old Testament, it appears, that their iniiid* were, in many respects, well cultivated: nor could the division, which is mentioned in this book, have been made witlioiit siicb a measure of geographical knowledgf, as we find it diflficuit t« grant them. Suppose even in this case, the land was not measured with the chain, which, in some coies, Tvould have been impracticable; because the ancient inhabitants.etii! occupied the places which we iv allotted to certain tribes, or families: yet, the allusion to this mode of measurement >hews, that it was well known among then;.
As there were sii son* aiKl _firc daughters, amoD'^ whom tliiii division was to be made, there should be r.'<Tti portion* •
The extent of the lot (yf Manasseh.
bclori'^ed to tlie children
Anno nnte l.Oljiiip.ttir.
9 And the coast descended ' nnto the '' river Kanah, southward of tlie
The ehildren of Joseph cowplain.
diive out the i}ihabifa7its of those cities; but tlie Caiiaanites would dwell in that land. 1 3 Yet it came to pass, when the
river: " these cities of Ephraim are among; the ■ cliildren of Israel were waxen strong, that they cities of Manasseh: the coast of Manasseh also! put the Caiiaanites to ^ tribute j but did not uris on the north side of the river, and the out- '; utterly drive them out.
goings of it were at the sea:; 14 % " And the children of Josejih spake unto
10 Southward?V K<2.9Ephraim's5 and northward I Joshua, saying. Why hast thou given me but it icas Manasseh's, and the sea is his border; and ' one lot and one portion to inherit, seeing I am
they met together in Asher on the north, and in Issachar on the east.
II "^ And ]\Ianassch had in Issachar and in Aslier ' Beth-shean and her towns, and Ibleam and her towns, and the inhabitants of Dor and her towns, and the inhabitants of En-dor and her towns, and the inhabitants of Taanach and her towns, and the inhabitants of Megiddo and her towns, even three countries.
a great people, forasmuch as the Lord hath blessed me hitherto?
15 And Josliua aiLswered tliem. If thou ic a great people, then get thee up to the wood comitry, and cut down for thyself there in the land of the Perizzites and of the ' giants, if mount
I Ephraim he too narrow for thee.
16 And the children of Jo.seph said, The hill I is not enough for us: and all the Canaanitcs
12 ^ Yet ' the chddren of Manasseh could not that dwell in the land of the valley have "' cha- b-it Zfclophehail, son of Hepher, having; left five daunfhters in h 3 place, neillier he nor Heplier are reckoned. The lot of ZVlanasseh therefore was diviilcd into ten parts; five for the five sons of Gilead, who wei-e Abiezer, Helek, Asriel, Shechem, and Shemidah: and five for the five daughters of Zslophehud, viz. Mahlah, Noali, Iloglah, Milcah, and Tirzah. C.AI.MET.
TdUe^ of the Ktcds. Translated by the Vulgate, vallis arundi- ncti. The tribe of.Manasseh appears to have been boinuled on the north by this lonen! or valley; and on the south, by the
Verse 10. Tliey met tn<^ether in Asher on tie north. "] The tribe of Asher extended from the Mediterranean sea to mount Carinel, chap. xix. 26. and the tribe of Manasseh extended to D'lr and her towns, (see the following verse) which were in the vicinity of C'arniel; and thus it appears that these two tribes formed a junction at the Mediterranean sea. This may.serve to remove the difficulties in this verse-^but still it does appear tiiat in several cases, the tribes were intermingled; for ninmsseh had several towns, both in Issachar and xn Asher, see ver. II. In like manner, Juduh bad towns in Dan and Simeon; and Simeon had towns in Judah ■' — and what is spoken of the boundaries of the tribes, may be sometimes understood of those {.runs which certain tribes had within the limits ofolhers. For m several casts, towns seem to be interchanged or purchased, by mutual consent, so that in some instances, tlie possessions were intermingled, without any confusion of the tribes or fan)ilies.
city of the Scythians, or Cuthites — those ^v\lo were sent into ditlLrf-nt Samaritan cities by the kin;js of Assyria.
Dor] On the.Mediterranean sea, about eight miles from Caesarea, on the road to Tyre.
En-Dor] The well or fountain of Dor, the place where Saul went to consult the witch. 1 Sam. xxviii. 1, &c.
Verse 12. Could not drive out, &c ] They had neither grace v.ot couras^c to go against their enemies; and chose rather to share their territories with those whom the justice of God had ]iroscribed, than exert themselves to expel them. But some commentators give a different turn to this expression, and translate the passage thus: But the children of JIanasseh could not (resolve) to destroy those cities, but the Canaanitcs consented to dviell in the land. And as they were willing to pay tribute, and the others chose to tolerate them on those terms, they agreed to dwell together: but this paying of tribute, seems not to have taken j)lace till some lime after — xi-hen ike children of Israel were ivaien strong, &c.
Verse 15. (f thou he a great people].loshua takes them at their own word: they said, ver. 14. that they were a great people — then said he, if thou be a frreat people, or seeing t/tou art a great people, ^o to tite vcood-country, and clear aiiny for thyself. Jo.shua would not reverse the decision of the lot, but as there was much ^vo()dland country, he gave them permission to clear away as much of it as they found necessary, to extend themselves as f.tr as they))lcased.
Verse 16. The hilt is not enough for us] The mountain of Gilboa being that whieli had fallen lo them by lot.
Chariots of iron] We cannot possess the plain country, because that is occupied- by the Canaaniles; arid we cannot
Tlirj/ ore pcrmltlcd lo clear (nva:/ lor it in a wood, and thou shait cut it An.K.-.i iir
1 7 And.losluia spake unto the lioiise of Joseph, even to l^phiaim and to Manasseli, > the Canaanites, "• thongh they have iioii cluiaayin;;. Thou url a ^neal people, and hasL great |, riots, and though they be strong. power: lliou shall iiol have unc lot unlij:
conquer thorn, bocaii-u- IIk-v liiivc chariots of iron, that js, very fclronj; chanols, and united uith xci/thes, n^ is >r<n<Tally sii|)|)<)scd. Verse I 8. Tlic nulgoin^x nf it shiill be tliinc] Clrar away tlie wood, occupy the moiintnin, and you hhall soon lie able to comniand all the vallics; ami (lossessni^; all the d< tiles of the fountry, you shall drive out the (Janaaniles, thougli they have chariots of iron — your.situation will he advanlaKCous, your nunihtrs very respectable, and the hand of Cod wdl be upon you for good.
1. I'Vom the whole history of the Israelites, we find that it was diflkull to please them: they had a di>salisfied mind; and hence were rarely contented. I'roin the above account we learn, that the children of Joseph were inucii inclined to quarrel with Joshua, because they had not such a lot as they wished; thou;;h they could not he igjnorant that their lot, as th.it of the others, had been determined by the especial Providence of Cod.
2. Johliua treats them with (jrcal firtnncii* — ^lie would not attenii)t to alter the api>oiiitiiunt of (iod; and he saw no reason lo reverse or chang;e the f^rant already made. 'Ihry were both numerous and stron:;, and if they put forth their slren;;tli, iiniUr the direction of even the ordinary J'rovidence of God, they had evrry reaxjii to expect success.
3. Slotlif'uliiess is natural to man — it ref|uires much trainini; to induce him to laliour for hit daily bread: if God should miraculously send it, ' he will •j.ondcr and em it; and that i* the whole. Sirite to enter in at the strait guir, is an un(»ra. cicjlis word to many — they profess to trust in GodV merry. but labour not to enter into that rest — God will not reverse bis purpose, to meet Iheir sloilifuhess: they alone who overcome, shall sit with Jesus u|>on his throne. Header, lake unto tlite the uholc armour of God, that thou mityst be able lo stand in the evil day, and having done aU — to STANl). And remember, that he only whoendures to the end, shall be.saved.
The luhcrnach is set up at Sliiloli, 1. Seien of the tribes hiving iiol i/ct rccciicd their inheritance, 2. Joshua orders three 7IICII frcm each Iri/ie lo he ehoseii, mid sent lo examine the Iniid awl divide it into seven parts, nhich should he distributed among them by lot,?> — 7- The men go and do as eommnmled, and rettiru to Joshua, 8, 9- Joshua easts lots for them, 10. The lot of Benjumin, liorc situated, 11. Its nunhern boiiudaries, \-i — 14. 7/i southern boundaries,]') — If). /^- eastern 6oH»«/n;;j/, '.20. 7/5 ei tics, CI — C8.
AiuKxod. isV. r\ the children of'Israel assembled ■ the chiUlren of Israel seven tribes, Aii.Kx.Ki.i:r.
• Annonntc together ' at Shiloh, and ^ set up the which had not vet received theirin- Ammime i.oj>m,,.<i(i7. tai,e,.nacle of the congregation tiiere.: heritanee, ' loumpr^. And the land was subdued before them.
3 And Joshua said unto the children of Israel,
maincd one hundred and thirty years, as is generally supposed, hcin{j the most conveniently situated for access to the pears lo have been a considerable town, about fifteen miles j dilTeient tribes, and fiT safety, the Israclilei havin" possession from Jerusalem, in the tribe of Kphraim, and nearly in the i' of the land on all sides, for it is here added, the land Xios suljccntre of the whole land. To ibis place, both the cAmp of I' (/Hc-ii be/ure than — the Canaanites were so completely sub- Israel, and the ark of the Lord, were removed from Gil^l, j dued, that there \Vas no longer any general resistance to the afier a resident' there of ia-oi years. Here the tabernacle re- j! Israelilish aruis.
Tliree men out of each tribe appointed JOSHUA. to divide tlie land into seven parts,
' How long are ye f5]ack to go tollance boyond Jordan on the east, possess the land, which the Lord God) which Moses the servant of the Lord
of your fathers hath given vou? 4 Give out from amon"- vou three men for each tribe: and I will send them, and they shall rise, and go tlirough tlie land, and describe it according to the inlieritance of them; and they shall come again to me.
5 And they shall divide it into seven parts: '' Judah shall abide in their coast on the south, and " the house of Joseph shall abide in their coasts on the north.
6 Ye shall therefore describe the land into seven parts, and bring tfie description liither to me, " that I may cast lots for you here before the Lord our God.
7 ^ But the Levites have no part among you; for the priesthood of the Lord is their inheritance: ' and Gad, and Reuben, and half the ti'ibe ofManasseh, have received tkeir inherit-
Verse 3. IToxv hnt^ are;i/e slack lo rj-o to possess the Ltitd^ We finil an unaccountablu backuardiiess in this people, tu enter on the inheritance which God had given theui! They had so long been supported l)y miracle, without any exertions of their own, that lliey fouiul it ihflicuit to shake ihem.selves from their iiiucthitj/. ^V"hen it was necessary that all the people should go out to battle, they vent with a raea>ure of confidence, e.xpecting- miraculous help from God, and confiding in their numbers — but when each tribe found it necessary to fight for itselt', in order to its eslablishintnt, and the extension of its borders, it was discouraged, and chose rather a life of inglorious ease, than the possession of an inheritance \yliich ■would cost it much labour to conquer.
Verse 4. Tiiree men. for each (ribe^ Probably meaning only three from each of tlie scicn tribes, who had not yet received their inheritance. It r= likely that these twenty-one men, were accompanied by a military guard, for without thi.s, they might have been easily cut utli by straggling parties of the Can^anites.
Thej/ shall — describe iij It is likely they were persons well acquainted with geography and mensuration, without which, it would have been imposi ibte for thein lo have dividetl the land, j/i the way iietessary, on lliis occa-slon, ^m^*^^ Verse 5. Judah ihall abide — on the soulh, and the hoiifc of.Insepk—ort the north.^ Jo'-hiia docs not mean that the tribe of Judali occupied the soulh, and the tribe of Ephraim and I\lana«sch the north of the Promised Land — this was not the fact: but bcmg now at Shiloh, a considerable way in the territory of Kpiiraim, and not far from that of Judah, he speaks of them in relation to thep'.iicein lohieh he thenxuus. Calinet considers tim as thas addressing the deputies: " Go and examine the
8 •[ Antl the men arose and went
away: and Joshua charged them that went to describe the land, saying, Go and walk through the lain!, and describe it, and come again to me, that I may here cast lots for you before the Lord in Shiloh.
9 And the men went and passed through the:land, and described it by cities into seven parts
in a book, and came again to Joshua to the host at Shiloh.
10 % And Joshua cast lots for them in Shiloh before the Lord: and there Joshua divided the land unto the children of Israel according to their divisions.
11 ^And the lot of the tribe of the children j of Benjamin came up according to their families:
and the coast of their lot came forth between the
whole of the country which remains yet to be posse.ssed: do not take into consideration the tribe of Judah, which is on the south, nor the tribe of Ephraim, wliich is on the north of where we now are; but carefully divide the remaining land which is not occupied by the.se Iribes, into seven equal parts." Tiiis makes a very good sense, and frees the place from embarrassment.
Verse 7. TIte priesthood of the Lord is their inheritance^ We have already seen, that the priests and Levites had the sacrifices, oblations, tythes, first-fruils, redemption-money of the first-born, &c. for their inheritance, they had no landed possessions in Lrael: the LoUD was their portion.
Verse 9. And described it — in a book] This, as far as I can recollect, is the first act of sunej/ing, oo record. These men and their work differed widely from those who had searelied the land in the time of Closes: tkey went only to discover IIh; nature of the (ountvy, and the.state of its mhabitants; but these went to tiUse an actual geographical surtej/ of it, in Older to divide it amoni; the tribes, which had not yet received their portions. U'e may suppose that the country was exactly described in a book, that is, a naip, pointing out the face oftlie country, accompanied with descriptions of each part.
Verse I I. And the lot — of Benjamin came up'] On the manner of casting the lot, see on chap. xiv. 2. and Num. xxxvi. 55. There were probably two urns, one of which contained the names of the seven tribes, and the oilier, that of the seven portions. Tliey therefore took out one name out of the first urn, and one portion out of the second 3 and thus the portion was adjudged to that tribe. * cliildrcn of Jiidiili and llit- cliildicii llie syulli, of'.fc>sc])li. ^ I'o^'t;!,
Ainml.i.fr \'2. •' And their border on the nortli went up to the side ol'.Iericlio on the north side,
17 And was drawn fiom the nortli, AmM.^.fo
wentlbrtii toward (lehioth, whicli /> over against and went np through the mountains westward;" the goini^ up of Aihniunini, and descended ta
:uul the goings out thereof were at the wilder-! '' the stone of Bohan the son of iteubcn, ne.-^s of 15elli-aven. ji!» And passeil along toward the side over
13 And the border went over from thence to- against ' Arabah ''northward, and went dow!i ward Luz, to tlie side of Luz, '' whieh is Ik'th-el, unto Arabah:
southward; antl the border (h?scended to Atu- ' VJ And the border passed along to the side roth-adar, near tlie hill that iiclh ou the south of Deth-hoglah northward: and the outgoings side ' of the nether Beth-horon. i of the border were at the north' bay of tfie
14 Anil tlie border wa-^ drawn thciicY, and salt sea at the south end of Jordan: this «-a.« the conipasseil the corner of the sea southward, south coast.
from the hill that //c7// before Beth-horon south- jr 'iO And Jordan was the border of it on tlie ward; and the goings out thereof were at || cast side. This «•«.? the inheritance of the chil- •* Kiijath-baal, which i.s Kirjath-jearim, a city of j' drcn of Benjamin, by the coasts thereof round the children of Judah: this teas the west about, aceonling to their fmiilies. quarter. || '-il ^ Now the cities of the tribe of the children
15 And the south quarter Xi'os from the end ' of Benjamin according to their families were Joof Kirjath-jearim, and the border went out on richo, and Beth-hoglah, and the valley of Keziz, the west, and went out to " the well of waters of j '^2 And Beth-arabah, and Zemaraim, anil Nephtoah
IG And the border came down to the end of the moniitain that //( /// before ' the valley of the son of Hinnom, a/ul whieh /'.v in the valley of the giants on the north, and descended to j the valley of lliiuiom, to the side of Jebusi on
Verse 12. The iviUx-rmis q/" Bet/i-uzun.'] This wm tbi: same as l!ctl:-El; but this name «as not given fi> it. till Jproliu.i 111 lia<lfixt(l one ofliisgolilcn c ilvfs ttierc. Its first tiume signifies the hnuse of God; \\s second t'le house nfintqutiy.
Verse 16. To the side of Jebiisi] Tiie mountain ol Zion, tliat was near Ji-riisulaii — ibr J^iiust or Jcbus, was the ancient Bume of this city.
Verse IT. F.n-slicmeslil The fountain of the sun — a proof of the idolatrous nature of the ancient inliabitauls of thi.s land.
Gcliloih] As the word.-iignifies bontirs or li.niu, it is probably not the proper name of a place. And •jxnt forth lo'^-ards the UOU DtiiS -j-luch fire oier against the nsctnt to Aduutmim.
Verse 19. The north b<ij) of the.f<ilt.'c-a] As the word pyS leshon, signifies liie (o«ci/c, it may here refer lo the point of the dead or salt sea. Of these ton;^-ucs or points, it had i\^o, one on the tutrth, and tlie other on the south.
Vei-se -\. No\\i the cities] Some of these citus have been mentioned before, and described: of others we know nothing but the name.
Verse 'J 4. And Gahal Supposed to be the same as Gibeah ^ Saul, a place famous for having given birth to the first king
Gaba; twelve cities with their villages: '15 Cribt-on, and Kamah, and Beeroth, 26 And Mizpehj and Chcpliir;th, and Mozah» ofl.-rael — and inf-imous for the sliockino' act towards ihe Levite's Wife, mentioned Juii^. xix. uiiich was the cau>e of a war in which the tribe of Benjamin was nearly exterminated.
Verse 25. Qibeon"] See before, chap. x. This place is famous for the confederacy of ilie five king;s apainst Israel, and tlieir lUixaculous defeat. Rumuh, a place about tix or ei-dit miles rwrth of Jerusalem. Becroth—,i:e/ls, one of the four cities whicli belonged to the Gibeonites, who made peace witli the Israelites by stratagem. See chap. ix.
Verse;^». And iHizpeh] This place is celebrated in the oacicd wr-trng":. Here the j^ieopk were accustomed to assemble often in lh« presmce of the Lord — as in the dchberation concerojng the puiuslmient to be inflicted on the men of Gibeah, for the abuse of tlie Levite's wife. Judg. xs. 1 — 3. SaDiU'-i assembled Uie people here to exhort them to rrnoume t.heir idolatry. 1 Sam. vii. 5, 6. In this same place, Scul \Las chaen to be kin;^. 1 S;im. x. 17. It was deemed a sabred place among the Israelites: for v»e find, from I Maccab. lii. 46. that the Jews a-'scmbled here to seek God, when their enemies were ir\ possession of the temple.
The limits and cities 27 And
JOSHUA. of the tribe of Simeon
Kirjath; fourteen cities with their villages. This /s the inheritance of the children of Benjamin according to their families.
Ver.se 2.^. And Zctrih] This was the burying place of Sanl, Jonathan, and the family f)fA7A.';. See 2 Sam. xxi. 14. 1
Jebiisi, xiliick is Jfi-usalem] We often meet with thi.s name, atid it is evident that it was the ancient name of Jerusalem, which was also called Salem: and was probably the place in j which IVIelchizedek reigned in the days of Abraham; though some think a different place is meant; for, tliat tliere was another place of the same name, is evident, from John iii. 23. TJiis place called Salim, by the Evangelist, is said to be near to
Enon, and there John baptized, because there was much water in the place. This, however, must not be confounded with the Salem mentioned above; for, that this was a name of Jerusalem is evident, from Psal. Ixxvi. 1, 2. In JuJ/ili is God knoKn: his name is great ia Israel. In Salem also is liis tabernacle, and his dii:elling place in Zion. This must refer to Jensalem, where the temple was situated. \\'litll]er Jehus or Jebusi had its name from the Jebusi tes, or the Jihusites from it, cannot be ascertained.
AND the second lot came forth i to Simeon, even for the tribe of the children of Simeon according to their families: * and their inheritance was within the inheritance of the children of Judah.
2 And '' they had in their inheritance Bcersheba, Sheba, and Moladah,
6 And Beth-lobaoth, and Sharuhen; thirteen cities and their villages:
NOTFS ON CHAP. XIX. Verse 1. The second lot came forth to Simeoii] In this appojntment, the providence of God may be especially remarked: for the iniquitous ooiuhict of Simeon and Levi in ihe massacre of the innocent Shechemites, Gen. xxxiv. Jacob, in the spirit of prophecy, furelfjld that they should be divided in Jacob, and yciitlcred in Israel. (Jen. xlix. 1. And this was jnost literally fulfiUeil, in the manner in which God di.^posed of lK)tli these tnb( -• afterwards. Levi was scullcred througli all Palestine, not liaving r«;cived any inheritance, only cities to /Iwell in, in diffi rent parli? of the land: antl Simeon was disiiersed in Judah, with what could scarcely be said to be their liii-n, or a peculiar \o\.. Sec the note on Gen. xlix. 7.
7 Ain, Remmon, and Ether, and Ashan; four cities and their villages:
8 And all the villages that were round about these cities to Baalathbeer, Ramath ofthe south. This is the inheritance of the tribe of the children of Simeon according to their families.
9 Out of the portion of the children of Judah xcas the inheritance of the children of Simeon: for the part of the children of Judah was too mtich for them: ' therefore the children of Simeon liad their inheritance within the inheritance of them.
10 % And the third lot came up for the chil-
Verse 2. Beer-shcba] The well of the oath. See the note on Gen. xxi. " 1.
Verse 3. llnzar-fbiat] For this and several of the following places, see the notes on chap. xv.
Verse 5. Iieth-marcabnth'\ The house or cily of chariots. Probably a place where tlicir war-chariots and cavalry were laid up.
Verse G. Belh-tebaoth] The house or ci'y of Honesses. Probably so called from the numbers of ttiosc animals which bred there.
Verso 8. liaalath-heer] The ivell of the mistresses. Probably so called from some superstitious or impure wofship set up there.
Tfic limits and cities of tin: Iriln's rj Zehuluii and Issacliar.
Aniu.liiii.^ hcrifancc was milo Sariil: i.^ijM..pj^r. J, > ^„j j^|,^.ji. i,or(lci- went np toward the;.ca, and Maralali, and readied to l")al)l)aslieth, and reaelicd to the river tliat is ^ l)oforc Jokneani;
\'l And tinned from Sarid eastward loward the snnrisiii^ nnto tlie Ijorder of C"liisiolIi-tal)or, and tiien gocth out to Daberalli, and t^oetli np to Japliia,
13 And from tliencc passcth on aloiio; cm the oast to (iittali-Iiepher, to Iltah-kazin, and goeth ont to llennnon-ljinethoar to Neali;
I't And tlie border eom|)assctli it on the north siile to Ilannathon: and the outgoings thereof are in the valley of Jiphlhaii-el:
15 And Kattath, aiul Nahallal, and Shimron, and Idaluh, ami IJetli-lehem: twelve cities with their villages.
IG This is the inheritance of the children of Zchuiini according to their families, these cities with their villages.
17 ^ And tiu! fourth lot came out to Issachar,
K>r the children of Issachar according f, ■■ -, to their fiiinilies. a.i, i
2'J And the coast rcacheth to Tabor, and.Shahazimah, and lieth-sheme.sh; and the outgoings of their border were at Jordan: sixteen cities with their villages.
! 2;} This is the inheritance of the tribe of the children of Issachar according to their lamilies,
pthe cities and their villages.
j 2-1. % And the filth lotVame ont for the tribe of
1 tlie children of Asher according to their lamilic'-.
I 2,> And their border was Helkath, and Hal:, j 26 And Alaninielcch,and Amad,and Mivheai; and rcacheth to Carmel westward, and to Shihor-
27 And turneth toward the sunrising to Beth*
Bclli-lcltriii] The liouse oC bread; a diircrcnt place from that in whicli nnr Lord «asl)i)rn.
Verse n. 'I'lic fiiuith lot atiiic out to Is^itchar] It is remaikatile, lliat llioiiiili Issacliar was ilie citlcr brotlier, yet the lot of Zcbuhin was tlraun before his lot — and this is ilie order in whicli Jarob himself mentions them. Gen. xli.\. 13, 14. ihoiiRh no reason ajipears i.iiher here or in ihc place above, why this piel'eivnce should be yivcn to the yoiingir, but that the apixirtntly fortiiiloiis lot should have dislingnishcd them just as the prophetic.laeob did, is peculiarly remarkable. Known unto (jod, are all his wurks, frnui the bcp;uining — He has reasons for his conduct, which, in many eases, are too great for any of his creatures to comprehend: but lie works all thin-is alter the council of his own will, whicli is ever riirhl and sjood: and in this case, his injhtence may be as easily seen ill the ilccisinii by the lot, as on the viiiul of the Patriarch" Jacob, when he prcrf/cvcrf what.diouIJ bcfal his children in the latter days — and his proviJciux continued to ripen, and bring forward what h\iju(lgiiicnt had deemed right to be done.
situated in an open country, having the town of lic^ioii on Uie wevt; Uiihslian on the east; on the south the moiinlains of
Oilhoa, and on the north those of Ileniion.
J^uuKiii] This city was rendered famous by being the oc- casional abode of the prophet Eli-hah; and the place where lie ire>toied the son of a pious woman to life. Kin:^s iv. S. It was the place where the Philistines were encamped on that
I ruinous day in which the Inaelites were totally routed at
I Gilboa, and Saul and his son«.lonathan, Abinidab, and Mal-
Verse 22. Bet Its ht mesh] The bouse or temple of ibe sun — there were several cities or towns of this name in Palestine, an ample proof that the worship of this celestial luminary, had generally prevailed in that idolatrous countr\-.
VeniC 26. Oirinel] The vineyard of God — a place -TtatU celebrated in.Scrijiture — and especially for the miracles of Elijah, see 1 Kings xviii. The mountain of CarmcI was so very IVuitful as to pass into a proverb. There was another CarmcI in the tribe of Judah, s<e chap. xv. 55. but this, in the tribe o{ Ashcr, was situated about one hundred and twenty furlongs south from Ptolemais, on the edge of lite Mediterranean sea. Calmet obsenes that there was, in tlie time of Vespasian, a temple on this mountain, dedicated to a god of the same name. There was a convent, and a relio^ious order known by the name of Canne.'ilcs, established on this mountain m honour o( Elijah: tlie time of the foundation of this order is greatly disputed. — Some pretend that it was eUablished bv Elijah himself; while others with more probability, fix it in A.D. 1180 or 1181, under tlie pontificate of pope Alexander III.
\enc 27. To CabMl. on the left kand\ That is, to the dagon, and reaclietli to Zebulun, and I 31 This is the iulicntance of the i\- f J- '"'■''.V to the valley of Jlphthali-el toward j' tribe of the children of Asher accord- An. i;'«o(i. it-. the north side of Beth-emek, and \ ing to their families, these cities with Amm anic
Neiel, and goeth out to Cabal on the ':'. their villages. i. ijmp.rciT-.
left hand, j: 32 % The sixth lot came out to the cliildren
23 And Hebron, and Rehob, and Hammon,; of Naphtali, even for the children of Naphtaii and Kanah, " <?-'ctz unto great Zidon; j according to their families.
29 And tl.'cn the coast turueth to Ramah, and jj S3 And their coast was from Helcph, from to the strong city ''Tyre; and tiie coast turneth Allon to Zaanannim, and Adanii, Nckeb, and to Ilosah; and the outgoings thereof are at the: Jabneel, unto Lakum; and the outgoings tlicrcsca from the coast to "^ Aclizib: i of v/ere at Jordan:
SO Ummah also, and Aphek, and Rehob: ' 34 And l/ien ''the coast turneth westward twenty and two cities with their villages.
Wi: must not coril'oiind tins;ov:n of Cabul, witli the twenty cities given by Solumon to Hiram, villi which he was di.*- pleased, and which in contem[)t, he called tlie land of Cabul, the rfi/(j/ or pull ly land, 1 'Kings iix. 1 1 — IS. there was evi- <lent!y a town of this name, widely diflerent from the land so called, long before the liin? of.Solomon, and therefore this cannot be adduced as an argument that the book ol' Jojhiia was written after the days of David. The town in question is supposed to be the same which JosepluH, in his Life, calls X4)3oa^£•J Cfioboulo, and v. Iiich he says was situated by the sea side, an<l ni^h to Ptoleniais. Dc Bell. Jud. lib. iii. c. 4.
Verse 28. Unto great Zidon] The city of Sidon and the Sidonians arc celebrated from the remotest antiquity. — They are frequently mentioned by Homer. — -See tlie note on chap, xi. ver. 8.
Verse 20. The strong city Tyre] I suspect this to be an improper translation. I'erhaps the words of the original shoutil be retained: and the coast turneth to Uamuh and to tlie city, Ti fiyo mihtsar nor. Our translators have here left the Hebrew, and followed the Septuagint and Vulgate; a fault of which they are.<omt times guilty. The former render the j)lace Ei'5 ff'oXESi.'; oxv^^^i^aTog Tiiv T:/pi:;v: unto the fortified cilij of the Tyrians. The Vnl^Mle is ne:irly the same; ad civitatein munitissiiiKini Tynan, to ihe well forlificMl city Tyre: but lliis must be incorrect; for the famous city of I'yre was not known till about A.M. 'JToO, ab.mt two hundred years nfler the days of Josliua. Homer, who frequently mentions Sidon and the Sidonians, never Hientions Tyre; a proof that this, afterwards very eminent city, was not then 'kno\^n. Homer is allowed bv some to have flouri>hed in the lime of.Joshua; though other make him contemporary with the Israc lili~Ii.(udi,a'S.
The word TJ tsor, or tsar, which we tr:m>late. or change into Tyre, signifies a rod: or strong place: and as'there were many rocks in the laid of.ludea, that wuii a litile art, w'fre formeii into strong pi ices ol defence, hence several places niigiit liavr tlie name of Tsar or Tyre. The ancient and cclt'brated Tyre, so much spoken of both in sacred and profane history, was a rock or small island in the sea, about six or seven hundr< d to Aznoth-tabor, and goeth out fiom theiice paces from the main land. In order to reduce this city, Alexander the Great was obliged to f;ll up the channel between it and the main land; and alter all, took it with iiuich difficulty. It is generally supposed that a town on llie main land, opposite to this fortified rock, went by the same name; one being called old Tyre, the other nc-u I'yre: it was out of the ruins of the old Tyre, or that which was situated on the main land, that Alexander is said to have filled up (he channel between it and the new city. Of this city, Isaiah chap, kkiii. and Kzek. chap, xxvii. and xxviii. have given a very grai <I description, and also predicted its irreparable ruin, which prof)heciesha\e been most literally fulfilled. —.See more on ths above places.
Achzib] Called afterwards Ecdippc, and now called Zib, it is about nine miles distance from Ptoleniais, towards Ture.
Verse 30. T^ienty and t:t:o citiet] There are nearlv thirty cities in the above enumeration, instead of tKenfy-tii-o, but jirobably several are mentioned that were hut frontier towns, and that did not belong to this tribe, their border only pa.ss. ing by such cities; and on this account, though they are named, yet they do not enter into the enumeration in this place. Perhaps some of the ri//n^'«are named, as well as the cities.
Verse t54. jind to.Tndah upon Jordan] It is certain that the tribe of Naphlah did not border on the Kast upon Jiidali, for there were several tribes betwixt them. Some think that as these two tribes were bounded by Jordan on the Kast, thev might be considered as in some sort conjoined, because of the easy passage to each other by means of the river; but this might be said of several other tribes as well as ofthe.ee. There is considerable difficulty in the text as it now stands; but if with the Septuagint, we omit Judah, the difliculty vanishes, and the passage is plain: but this omission is supported by no MS. hitherto discovered. It is however very probable that some change has taken place in the words ot' the text, jTlTl rmn'^l ubihiidah hayarden, " and by Jiul:(h upon Jordan." Hoithigant, who terms them, verba sine re ac sen lent iu, words without sense or meaning, propo.ses, instead of them, to read, 'p'\'T\ r\nj31 ubegiddoth /tnyarden, " and by the banks of Jordan," a word which is used, cliaj). iii. 15. and which her* makes a very good sense.
The hi of /lie tribe of Dan. CHAP
^•')! fi';V to Iliikkoli, and roaclieth to Zcbiiliin! AiiKimii.r.,jii tlio soiitli siik', aiul reaclic'tli to |
39 Tiiis i,v tljc inlieritancc oC the tribe of the diihlipn ofXaphtali according to their faniihes, the cities and their villages.
40 ^ And the se\ent]i lot came out for the tribe of the children of Dan according to their iinnilies, i
41 And the coast of their inheritance was Zorah, and Kshtaol, and Ir-shenicsii,
Vetse 38. Nineteen ciiie.i'] But if lliese cities be sep.irately enumerated,' tliey amount to twenty-tliree; iliis is, probably, i)Cfasioniil by rfckoninii frontier citie.s belonging; to ottier trilK's, wbicb arc only intntioiicJ here as ibe iou;i(i«nes of Lbe tribe. — Sec on vcr. 30.
Ir-shcmcsli.] The city of the smi — anotjur pr<H>l' of llie ulolatry of the Canaaiutes. Some tbiiik Uiis was the.same as Bctlt-shcmvsli.
Verse 42. Shnalabhin] The foxes. Of this city the Amorites keptconsiaiit |Hissession. — See.luilijes i. 33.
/Ijalon] 'J'lierc wa* a place of this name about two miles fi-oni Nicopolis or Kmniaus, on the road to.Itrusalcm. — Oihiut.
Ekroit] A welt known city of the Philistines, and the Ynetropolis of one of tbcir.rt:f dynasties.
Verse 4(5. Jupho.] The plaie since called.Toppa, lying on the Mediterranean, and the chief sea-port iuthe |<osse!sion of the twelve- tribes.— See the -Miip.
Ver.se 4T. tVcnt out too little y<»' thcnil Tiiis is certainly the ineaninjj of the passat^e; but our translators have been obliged to add the words foo tittle, to make this sense apparent
47 And "^ the coast of the children of Dan went ont too little for tlieni: tliercfbre tlie cliil- (hen of Dan went up to fight against Lcsliem, and took it, and smote it wilii the edge of the swortl, and pos.sessed it, and dwelt therein, and called Lesheni, ' Dan, after the name of Dan their father.
4S 'J'his is the inheritance of the tribe of tlic cliihhen of l")an according to their families, these cities with their viJIatjes.
49 % W'iien they had made an end of dividing the hind for inheritance by tlieir coasLs, the chiUhen of Israel gave an inheritance to Joshua the son of Nnn among them:
50 According to the word of the Lord they gave him the city which he asked, cicn ' Timiiath-^serah in mount Ephraim: and he built the city, and dwell therein.
51 '' Tlie.se are the inheritances, wJiich Elcazai
IT<mlpi<;;mt contends tliiif an ancicr.t copyist, meetin" frequi iitly jvith tlic WDaJs, bGjn XV^ vj/utse lhtr;cbul, iji the prcccdm;; hi.story, became.-o taindiarized to them, that he wrote tbcftt here instead of Sujn J'X^ vntinats hat^ebut, and the border (f the children of Dun ■ans AVU.KIV for t/icm; and it was on this account, that Ihty were obliged to go and figUl against Lesbcm, and take and |X)>sess it; their former inbenlance btinu; too strait for then- eiicreasing ]>opu!ation.
^nd called IxJiem, JDnn] This cily was situated near the orijijin of Jordan, at the utmost northern estremily of tiiepromised land, as Dccr-sheba was at tiiat of the south; and as, after its capture by the Danites, it was called Dan, hence arose the expression, from Dan even to Beer-sheba; which always simplified the whole extent of the promised land,."^ome supjiose that I^-f!iem was the same with Cinarea Fhilippi; but othci's with reason reject this opinion. It must be granted that the wirole account (.nrcn in this verse, refers indisputably to a fact which did not take place till after the death of Joshua. It is another of the marginal or expUcative notes which were added by some later hand. The whole account of this cx])edition of the I)anitc.», as^ainst Leshem, is circumjianlially given in the xviii. chap, of the book of Jud^; and to that chajitcr the Reader is referred.
Verse 50. Timnath-serah] Called Tinma'h-peres in JaA". ii. 9. where we find that the mountain on which it was builded was called Guash. It is generally allowed to have been a barren sjiot in a baiTcn country.
cities of refuge are appointed the piiest, and Joshua the son of Nun, and the hevds of the fathers of the tribes of the children of Israel, " divided ibr an inheritance by
JOSHUA. on each side oj" Jordan.
lot '' in Shiloh before the Lord, at the door of the tabernacle of the congregation. So they made an end of dividing the country.
ances were detennint d by lot! and tliis lot was cast before the Lord; evcrj' thing was done in his immediate presence, asunderbis eye — heme there was no murmuring, each having^ received his inheritance, as from the hand of God Ijimself.
On the subject of dividing the land, and ascertaining the true position of the different cities and places mentioned in this book, enough has already been said; soe on chap. xv. 1. Tlie Reader must consul: the map, ior gaicral information, on the situation of the land, and the position of its chief places — more than this cannot be give. i; and more, on such a subject, should not be expected.
Joshua is commanded to appoint cities of refuge, 1,2. T/ie purpose of their inslilntion, S — 6. ajypoiiitcd ill the promised land, 7, and three on the east side of Jo/dmi, 8, Q.
rr^HE Lord also spake unto Joshua, X saying,
2 Speak to the children of Israel, saying, ^ Appoint out for you cities of refuge, whereof I spake unto you by the hand of Moses:
3 That the slayer that killetli am/ person unawares a7ul unwittingly, may flee thither: and they shall be your refuge from the avenger of blood.
4 And when he that doth flee unto one of those cities, shall stand at the entering of '' the gate of the city, and shall declare his cause in tiie ears of the elders of that city, they shall take him into the city unto them, and give him a place, that he may dwell among them.
NOTES OX CHAP. XX. Verse 2. Cities of refuse"] An institution of this kind ■was essentially necessary wherever the Patriarchal law, relative to the riglit of redemption, and the avenging of blood, was in force — we haye already seen, that the nearest of /cin, to a deceased person, had not only the righl. of redeeming.in inheritance that had been forfeited or alienated, but ha<l also authority to shiy on the spot, the jH-Tson who had slam his relative. Now, as a man might cauialty kill another, agaiost whom he had no ill will, and with whom he had no <]uarrel, and migiii have his Ijle taken away by hira, who was called the avenger of Hood, though he liad not forfeited liii:
5 ' And if the avenger of blood piu'- sue after him, then they shall not deliver the slayer up into his hand; because he smote his neighboiu' imwittingly, and liated him not beforetime.
6 And he shall dwell in that city, '' until he stand before the congregation for judgment, and until the death of the high priest that shall be in those days: then shall the slayer return, and come unto his own city, and unto his own house, unto the city from v/hence he fled.
7 % And they " appointed ^ Kedesh in Galilee in mount Na])htali, and ^ Shechem in mount Eplu'aim, and '' Kirjath-arba, which is Hebron, in the 'mountain of Judah.
8 And on the other side Jordan by Jericho
life to the law; therefore, these privileged cities were appointed, where the person might have protection till the cause had been fully heard by the magi.strates, who certainly had authority to deliver him up to the avenger, if they found, oa examination, that he was not entitled to this protection. On this suhject, sec the notes on Num. x.\xv. 1 1. to the end.
Verse 7. 'J'/iej/ iippainled Kcde!:k in Galilee] The cities of refuge were disiributi'd ilirougli the land, at proper distances (Voni each ot'ier, that they might be convenient to every part of the land; and it is said they were situated on ctninences, tliat they might be easily seen at a distance>; the roads leading to thrui, being broad, even, and always kept in good repair.
caslwaid, tlnv assimicti " Bezcr in I (Ik; wildciiifvi ii])Oii tliu plain out oi tin; lril)C (jl' llcMiben, anci " Kauiotli in (jiload oiil ol the triljL' ot Gad, and ' (jolan in IJat.lian out of llic lril)t' of
Manasscli. 9 ''These were tiie Lilies appointed lor all till' thiklrcn of Israel, and for the fjr''f^V hlranger that soj(»iirn(;lli among thcni, Ai..Kiod.Ur. that who.socvcT kiilctli
In tlie concluilinu note on Num. xxxv. it has licen nlatcd that these citicM were a U|it" nl u'.ir Mciscd Lord; ami tliat the ajuxtlc n I'crs to thtiii a> Mjcli, 1 lcl>. vi. 17, 18. llcncc their nanios ha\c lici'ii cuiislilrit'd as tlfscriplivc <»l' some cliararler or oflTice of Christ. I.shall ijivc each, and its sj^nifiiation, and leave the applicatiuii to others.
1. Kp.DICSII Clp, t'rotn kitJaah, to separate or set apart, beranso it impliis ilie rimsrcraljoii ol'.i ptr.ion or lliin;^ lo the «orsliip or service of God alone; hence \.o make, or he lioly: Hid hence Kcdc-sli, li.jliiiess, l\w full consecration of a person tv Ood.
2. SlIF.CME.M azv, from shacnm, to he readj, forxuard. and diti'^cnt; litnce Shecem tile shoulder, because of its readiness to bear burdens, prnp up, sustain, &c. and from this ideal meaning, it has the metaphorical one of GOVEIIN- MKNT.
fritndh/ association, or with the diminutive^ mm, the tittle fellowship or association.
4. Hf.ZF.R, 1S3 from Im'sar, to restrain, inclose, shut up, or encompass with a xi'all; and hence the goods or treasure thus secured: and hence a./br^/'/Ict/ place, a fortress.
A person of the spirit and turn of Origen, could preach the whole Ciospel fronj these particulars.
Kede«h aed Hebron were at the two extremities of the promised laud — one was in Galilee, the other in the tribe of at unawares,- might iU:c thidicr, and '■"''"':.**''': not die by the hand of the avenger of blood, 'until lie slood liefbre the ct/ngrcgation.
Judah; both in moimtainouH comitrirs; and Sliechem was in the tribe of Kphraim, nearly in llie middle, between both.— See Caliiiet.
Bezer was on the cast side of Jordan, in tlie |jlain, opposite to Jericho.
Jiamolh was about the midst of llie coinlry occupied by tb? two tribes and lialf; about the middle of the mountaini of Gilead.
Oolaa was the capital of a district called Guulonitis, in the land of I5ashan, towards tiie.soutiiern extremity of the lot of Maiiasseli.
Verse 9. For all the children of Israel, and for the '!ran::^r] As these typified the great provision wliitli God was making for the salvation of both Jews and Gentiles, hence the stranger as well as the Israelite, had the same rijjiil to the benefiU of Ihe.ie cities of refu'^^e. Is IIE the God of the Jeus only? U H K not also the God of tlve Gentiles?
Until tie stood before the congregation.] The jndgfi and eldei-s of the people, in trying civil and criminal causeu, always fa/; the persons who came for judgment, or who were tried, always stood: hence the exprea>fons so frequent iu Scripture, STANDING before the Lord — the Judges — the Elders, &:c.
It is worthy of remark th.at the cities of refuse were jlvvn to the Levites, see the fojlowinij chapter. — The tacrificial system alone aft'irded rtfuge — and while the su-pccted person was excluded from his family, fsc. he had the advanta>^ oi' being with those whose business it was to instnict the ignorant, and comfort the disconsolate. Thus he had the means constantly at hand, by a careful use of which he migiit (jrow wiser and better; secure tlie favour of his God, and a Jot of blessedness in a better world. How wise, equal, and bentficcnt, are all the institutions of God!
The Lcvitcs applj/ to V.lcnar, Joshua, nnd l/iv elders for t/ie cities to direll in, nhich Moses had promised, 1,2. Their request is o,aiitcd, 3. Tlie priests receive thirteen cities out of the trilics of Judah, Simeon anil Benjamin, 4. The Lcvilcs receive ten cities out of the trite of Ephntiin, Dun, and the half tribe of Manasseh, 5; and Jhirlecn out of the other half trihe of Mnuasseh, and the tribes of Issachar, Asher and yaphlali, -6. The children -of Merari had twelve cities out oftheiribes of Reuben, Gad, and Zebulun, 7. The names of the citicsgiven oiU of the tribes of Judith mid Simeon, 8~-lS. Those granted out if the tribe of Benjamin, 17—10. Out nf Ephraim^
The Lev'Ues apply for JOSHUA. cities to dwell in.
20 — 22. Those out of Dan, 23,24. Those out of both the halves of the tribe of Manasseh, 2.j — 27. Those out of the tribe of Issachar, 18, '2g. Those out of wisher, 30,31. Those out of Naphtali, 32. These zcere the cities of this- Gershonites, S3. The cities of the Merarites, 34 — 40. The sum of the cities given to the Levites fortyeight, 41,42. The exact falflmeiit of all God's promises, 43 — 4.5.
THEN came near the heads of the fathers of the Levites unto 'Eleazar the priest, and unto Joshua the son of Nun, and unto the heads of the fathers of the tribes of the children of Israel •,
2 And they spake unto them at '' Shiloh, in the land of Canaan, saying, ' The Lord commanded, by the hand of Moses, to give us cities to dwell in, with the suburbs thereof for our cattle.
3 And the children of Israel gave unto the Levites out of their inheritance at the command-
KOTES ON CHAP. XXI. Verse 1. The heads of the fathers of the Levitesi The Leviles were composed oi three grand families, the Gershonites, Kolmthiies, and Merarites, independantly of the family of Aaron, v.lio might be said to form a fourth. To none of tliese had God assigned any portion in the division of the land. But in this general division it must have been evidently intended, that the different tribes were to furnish them with habitalinns; and this was according to a positive command of God, Num. XXXV. 2, &c. Finding now that each tribe had its inheritance appointed to if, the heads of the Levites came before Eleazar, Joshua, and the chiefs of the tribes, who had been employed in dividing the land, and requested that cities 'and suburbs should be granted them according to the Divine command.
Verse 3. And the children of Israel gare unto the Levites] They chearfully obeyed the Divine command; and cities for habitations were appointed to them out of the different tribes, by lot, tlial it might as fully appear that God designed them their habiiations, as he de^lgned the others their inheritances.
Verse 4. Out of the tribe of Judith — Simeon, and — Benjamin, thirteen cities.] These tribes furnished more habitations to the Levites in proportion, than any of the other tribes; because they possessed a more extensive inheritance; and Moses had commanded. Num. xxxv. 8. From them that have tnany, ye sludl giie many; and from tiiem that have/euj, ye sliall give fizu: every one shall give of his cities unto the Levites, according to his inlteritance. It is worthy of remark, that the principal part of this tribe, whose business was to Biini'ter at the sanctuary, which sanctuary was afterwards to be estal)lishcd in Jerusalem, had their appointment nearest to that city: so that they were always within reach of the Sacred Work which God had ap[;ointed them.
ment of the Lord, these cities and their suburbs.
4 And the lot came out for the families of the Kohathites: and ''the children of Aaron tlie priest, idiidi were of the Levites, ' had by lot out of the tiibe of Judah, and out of the tribe of Simeon, and out of the tribe of Benjamin, tliirteen cities.
5 And ^ the rest of the children of Kohath had by lot out of the families of the tribe of Ephraim, and out of the tribe of Dan, and out of the half tribe of Manasseh, ten cities.
6 And ^ the children of Gershon Jiad by lot
the remaining part of that family that were not priests — for those who were priests, had tlieir lot in tiie preceding tribes. Tiiose, therefore, of the family of Kohath, who were simply Levites, and not of the priest's or Aaron's familj', see ver. 10. had their habitations in Ephraim, Dan, and the half tribe of J'lanasseh.
It has been asked in what sense did the Levites possess those cities, seeing they had no inheritance? To which it may be answered, that it is not likely the Levites had the exclusive property of the cities in which they dwelt; for it is evident that the other Israelites dwelt among them. We know, says Calmet, by history, tliat the cities of the Levites were almost entirely filled with Israelites of other tribes. For instance, Gibeah of Benjamin, which is here given to the Levites, ver. If. \vas always peopled by the Benjamiies, as appears from the history of the Levite, whose wife was so horribly abused by them. Judges xix. Saul and all his family dwelt in the same city: and David and his court spent the fnvt years of his reign at Hebron, which was also a city of the Levites, ver. 10. It appears, therefore, that they had no other property in those cities, than merely the right to certain houses, whicii they might sell, but always with the rij;ht of perpetual redemption; for they could finally alienate nothing; and if the possessor of such a house, having sold it, did not redeem it at the year of jubilee,, it reverted to the Levites. And as to their lands for their cattle, which extended two thousand cubits without the city, these they were not permitted to sell — they were considered as the Lord's property. See Levil. xxv. 32 — 34. and the notes there. It is therefore very likely that, in the first instance, the Levites had simply the right to clioose, in all the cities assigned them, the houses in which they were to dwell; and that those of the tribe to which the city belonged, occupied all the other dwellings. There is also reason to believe, that in process of tune, when the fauiilits of the Levites encreascd, they had out ol" the fainilios of the tribe of'| Issacliar, ami out ol' tlio triho o( 1
Ann...ii>i. A.sluT, auil out of tlic tHbc ofNapli-
JManasseh in IkiNliau, tliiilccu cities. \
7 "The children ol' Mciari hy ihcir l;iinilics| had on{. of tiiu tnl)c of Ilciihcu, and out ol'tiic! tribe of (jad, and out of tiio tribe of Zebuhui, twelve cities.
8 ** And the ciiiithvn of Israel f^a\e by lot unto the Levites these cities with their suljurbs,! 'as the Loitu cuinniuniled hv the h.unl of Moses.
9 ^ And tliev na\e out of the tribe of the chihlreu of.Iiulah, and out of the tribe of the chihlren of Simeon, these cities which are lure '^ mentioned by name.
10 " Which the children of Aaron, being of the families of the Koliathites, Xilio •were of the cliildren of Levi, had: lor theirs was the first lot.
11 'And they gave tliem ^ the city of Arba the father of "Anak, which citij is Hebron, 'in the hill coiintri/ of Judah, with tlic suburbs thereof round about it.
12 But "the fields of the city, and the villages thereof, gave they to Caleb the son of Jephunneh lor his possession.
13 Thus 'they gave to the children of Aaron tlie priest "" Hebron with her suburbs, /o be a city of refuge lor the slayer; "and Libnah with lier suburbs.
more dwellings assigned to llum, whicli were, probably, buiUJed at the public expense.
Wc may also observe, that the Levites were not absolutely bound to live in these and no oliicr eitics; lor wlicn tlie tabernacle was at Nob, priests and, Levites dwelled there, see 1 Sam. xxi. 1, &c. and when the worship of God was established at Jerusalem, uiultitudcs, both of priests and Levites dwelled there, though it was no Lcvilical city; as did the couiscs of priests ailerwards at Jcrieho. This was a circumstance whicli IMoses had fores«'en, and for which he had provided. — See Deut. xviii. <">, &c.
Verse 12. Thejields of the ciu/ — ijarc tlicy to CuUb"] Tliis was an exclusive privilege to him. and his family, with wUicL and Ivshtenioa with her.sulmrhs, AlKimi.u.
1.5 And '' Holon with her suburbs, Ar.,«.'.,..r 'and Debir with her suburbs, i.oi,,„p.„,r.
Mi And ■■ Ain v.ith her std)urbs, ' and Juttah with her suburbs, and " IJcth-.sheme.sh with her suburbs; nine cities out of those two tribes.
17 And out of the tribe of Ucnjamin, *Gibeon with her stibinbs, * Cjeba with her suburbs,
18 Anathoth with her suburbs, and * Almon with her suburbs; four cities.
ID All the cities of the children of Aaron, the pnests, uere thirteen cities with their suburbs.
'20 f "And the fiimilies of the children of Koliath, the Levites which remained of the children of Kohath, even they had the cities of their lot out of the tribe of Kphraini.
21 For they gave them '"'' Shechem with her suburbs in mount Ephraim, to be a city of refuge for the slayer; and (iezer with her subinbs,
22 And Kibzaim with her suburbs, and Bethhoron with her suburbs; lour cities.
23 And out of the tribe of Dan, Eltekeh with her suburljs, (libbethon with her subiubs,
24 Aijalon with her suburb.s, Gath-rimmon with her suburbs; lour cities.
2,5 And out of the half tribe of Mana-sseh, Tanach with her suburbs, and Gath-iunnioii with her suburbs; two cities.
the grant to the Levites did not interfere. —.See the notes on chap. xiv. 4-.
Verse 18. Aimthotfi.] Celebrated as the birth-place of.lercniiali, about three miles norllnvard of Jerusalem, according to St..lerom.
Verse 19. Thirteen cities uilh their suburb.i.] At the time mentioned here, certainly thirteen cities was t'-o large a proportion for the priests, as they and their families ainoiftited to a very small number — but this ample provision \va» made in reference to their great incri-a<e in alter times, vhen they formed twcnty-tijur courses, as m the day^ of David.
Verso 22. lieili-horon] There were two citifs of thisname, the upp^r and the iieihi.r — but which is inleaded here,, cannot be ascertained.
26 All the citi«s "were ten witli their subiirhs for tlie families of the children of Kohath that remained.
27 % ^ And unto the children of
Gershon, of the families of the Levites, out of the other half tribe of Manasseh they gave ^ Golan in Bashan with lier suburbs, to be a city of refiige for the slayer; and Beeshterah with her suburbs; two cities.
28 And out of the tribe of Issacliar, Kishon with her suburbs, Dabareh with her suburbs,
29 Jarmuth with her suburbs, En-gannim with her suburbs; four cities.
SO And out of the tribe of Asher, Mishal with her siil)urbs, Abdon with her suburbs,
31 Helkath with her suburbs, and Rchob, with her suburbs; four<;ities.
32 And out of the tribe of Naphtali, " Kedesh in Galilee with her suburbs, to be a city of refuge for the slayer; and Hammothdor with her suburbs, and Kartan witli hci- suburbs; three cities.
33 All the cities of the Gershonites according
Yerse 21. G-cUm in Baflian] On this and the other cities of refuge inentinricd here, seethe note on eliaji. xx. ver. 7.
Verse 35. D/niiiiil, i-.ilh her suhiirhx, &.c.] It is well known to every Hebrew scholar, tliat this and the followinp^ verse are wholly omitted by.the!\lasora; and are left out in some of tiie most correct and authentic Hebrew bibles. Between critics there is no small controversy relative to the authenticity of these verses — and those who wisli to see th^ arfruments at large on both sides, must consult the Varici: Lcclioncs of Dc Rossi, on ihis place. Dr. KennicoU, v\ho is a strenuous advocate for their authenticity, argues thus in their behalf: " Verses 41 and -Vi of this chapter tell us that the I.evitical cities were forty-eiu:lit, and that they had bien all as such described; so that they must have been all specitied in this chapter: whereas now, in all the Hebrew copies ijiriuted in full obedience to the Masora, which excludes iwo ver.ses, contdiiiinu four of ihese cities, the number amountg only to forty- four.
" 'I'he cities are first mentioned, in the ^enerdl, as 'bcin^ thirteen and ten, with tliirleen and Ixi'eli-J, which are certauily foriy-.tight. And yet when they are p;>rti« idarly named, vcrs^es i'i to l!» <^\vc thirteen cities; ver.ses 20 to 26 give (en cities; verses 21 to 'i'i 'f\\e. tlurleen; verses 34 and.'55 give four cities^ and then verses 35, 3(i, give/our more; all whiih can make h\itifurlti-J'our. And vvhat.still increases the wonder is, tint verse 40 infers from the verses iiimiediately preceding, that the cities,?.l)nwed to the iSIcrarites were tiuehc, though lliey here make c:,^.'it only, unless we admit the fuur other cities expressed in thujc tivo verses, which have been licj'-cled to their fami]it^s icere thirteen with their subur!)s.
34 ^ ""And unto the families of the children of Merari, the rest of the Levites, out ot' the tribe of Zebultm, JoknearH with her sulnirbs, and Kartah with her suburbs,
35 Dimiiah with her suburbs, Nahalal with her suburbs; four cities.
36 And out of the tribe of Reuben, "Bezer with her suburbs, and Jahazaji with her suburbs,
37 Kedemoth with her suburbs, and Mephaath with her suburbs; four cities,
38 And out of the tribe of Gad, ^ Ramoth in Gilead with her suburbs, to be a city of refuge for the slayer; and Mabanaim with her suburbs,
39 Heshbon v.ith her suburbs, Jazcr with her suburbs; four cities in all.
40 So all the cities for the children of Merari by tlveir families, which were I'emaining of the families of tlie Levites, were bi/ their lot twelve cities.
41 ^ All the cities of the Levites witliin the
by that blind guide, the Masora. In defiance of this autliurily, these ft^o verses, thus absolutely v;eocssary. were in'iened in the most early ediiions of the Hebrew text, and are fo\ind in Walton's I'oljglott, as well as in our English Bdde. I5ut they have scaite ever been as yet printed completely; thus — And out of the tribe of Reuhen, A CITY OF REFUGK rOR THE Sl..\Yf.R, Bezer, IN THR WILDKIt.Nf.SS, ii:ith Iter suburbs; and Jiihitz/ih, with tier suburbs; Kedemoth with her suburbs; and 31ephaath xviih her suburbs: four cities': See on this place my edition of the Hebrew Bible: where no le.ss than one hundred and for/j/-nine copies are described, which happily preserve these verses, most clearly e.-.sential to the truth and consistency of this chapter. See also General Discourse, p. 19, 26, 54."
Though this reasoning of Dr. Kennicott appears very conclusive, 3-et there are so many and im)) rtant variations among the M8.S. that retain, and those that reject these verses, as to render th* rjuo-tinu of tiieir autlienticity, very dift'icult to be determined. To Dr. Kennie<itt's one hundred and forty-nine MK.S. which have these two verses, may be added upwards of forty, collated by l)e Rossi. Those who fleny their authenticity, say they h.-i.e bi en iuserled here liom 1 <'liron. vi. TB, 79. uliere tlu.y arc found, it is true, in general, but liot exactly as they stand here, and in Dr. Kennicotl's Hebrew Bible.
Verse 41. I'ortj^ and ei'^ht cities] At the last Census of the Hebrew people, related Num..\xxvi. vvc find from ver. 62. that the tribe of Levi amounted only to 23,000; and it
The punctual fiiljibncnt of
Hrml i)()ss(vssi<)ii (if the cliililren of Israc-I Aii.r.»iMi.i»r. •K-crc fortv and ci-ilit cities witli llicir
AiMio iiiil'' Mll)(ll'i)S.
].()ij.n|..<.or..j.^, 'riicsL. (iiics wrrc every one with their siihiubs roiiiul al)uut llieiu: thus Xierc all liiesc cities.
4;J if And llie Loan pave unto Israel 'all the land which lie swaro to give nnto their fathers; and they possessed it, and dwell tlicrein.
i.s sii))pi>sfil that /or/y-c/^/// (•<(/« were Ino proal a proportion for lliis tribe, tlic other triUrs have s{i very lew. lint I. All tlif: cities ol the oilier Irilx's are nut rniiiiicralrd. 2. 'I'liey liiul tlie rireimij.rent roiinlry a> w( II as the iili< s. 3. 'I'lie l.evitch lia<l no other cities than tlios<j cniniieraled. 4. They liatl no eoiiiitry anncxeil lo their cities, the 2,000 enbits lor their caitle, &.e. excepted. 6. Citic'S in those aneieut times vere very small, as ino.'^t lillu^cs went uniliT tlii^ appcllalion. 6. The Levites had now the apimintnient that was Miitc'l lo their consequent increase. 'I'lie other tribes might enlar<;e their bonlers and make conquests; hut this was not suitable to the iiK-re servants of G<id: besides, had llicy made conquests, they would i)av<' become proprietors of the conquf rcd land; and God de:erminc<l that they should liave no inheritance in Israel, Cod himself being their /)or//on.
Verse 4'i. And tin Lord gave — ui't the land iihich he sware] All was now divided by lot unto them — and their tnemies were so coinplitily discnnifiltd, that there was not a siiinie army of ihe C'anaanites reniaininj to make head against them; and those which were left in the land, served under tribute; and the tribute lli.nt they pai<l, was the amplest proof of their complete siilijuijation. Add to this, thfy had as much of the land in actual po^se,s8ion as ihey could occupy; and as they encreascd, God enabled them to drive out the rest of the ancient inhabitants; but in consequence of the rounil about, according to ail that he.swarc unto their fatheis: and Ar "liieic stood not a man of all their ■*: _ enemies helbrc them; the Loni> delivered all their enemies into their hand.
An " There Hilled not ought f>f any gofjd lliiiifj^ which the Loiti) had spoken unto the hou->e of Israel: ail came to pass.
infidelity of the Israelites, God permitted tlicir enemies nfitn to straiten them, and sometimes to prevail a;rnin»t flicin. It should,d<o be reiiKinbercd, that God never promistid to jjivc I hem the land, or to maintain them in it, but on condition i)( obedience: aiul so punctually did In; fultll tliii intention, that there is not a!>int;le instance on record, in which they were either straitened or sulyugaleii while obedient and faithful lo their God.
The eavil i< as foolish as it is unprincipled, which ftate* " The Israelites never did po>s(-s« the whole of the land which was promised to ihem, — and therclore that promiw? could not come by Divine Hevelation." — ^\ itli as iniu!i reason niii^lit it be nr<jed, that Great Hrilain has not subdued the French West India inlands, and liatavia, (February 1812,) because the ancient inhabitanu still remain in tlicin; but is not their seiTin^ under tribute, an absolute prwif that they are conquered, and under the liritish Dominion? So was the whole land of Canaan conquered, and its inhabitants subdued, thou^di the whole of the ground was not f)f cupitd by the Israelites till the days of David and Solomon. In the most correct and literal sense it mi;;lit l>o said, Tlitrc failed not aught of any good thing uhich the Lord had spoken unto the house of Israel; all cfirtie to pass. Nor shall one word of hi«, ever fail to any of bis followers, while the sun and tuooii endure.
Joshua usscmhles, commeiiils, blc^nes, ami then ilismissen the (so tribes of Reuben ami Gnd, and the half tribe of Maiiasseh, 1 — 8. Thiy return and build an altar bi/ the side of Jordan, Q, 10. The rest of the Israelites hearing of this, and suspecting that tliey had built the altar for idolatrous purposes, or to make a schisin in the national li'orsJtip, prepare to go to nar rcith them, II, I'J; but first send a deputation to knjTT the Init/i, 13, 14. They arrive and expostulate Tvith their brethren, 15 — CO. The licubenites, Gadites, and half tribe (f Manassch, make a noble defence, and slicrc that their altar xras builded as a monument onlj/, to pretent iuo'ain/, 21 — '!<). The deputation are satisfied, and return to the ten tribes and make thtir report, 30 — 32. The people rejoice and praise God, 3:1; and the lieubenites and Gadites call the altar theif had raised, Ed, that it might be considered a witness bel:csen thcni and their brethren on the other side Jordan, S4.
The tdoo tribes and half are
THEN Joshua called tlie Reubenites, and the Gadites, and the half tribe of Manasseh,
2 And said unto them. Ye have
that Moses the servant of the Lord
•" and have obeyed my voice in all that I commanded you
3 Ye have not left your brethren these many days unto this day, but ha\'e kept the charge of the commandment of the Lord your God.
4 And now the Lord your God hath given rest unto your brethren, as he promised them: therefore now return ye, and get you unto your tents, and unto the land of your possession, 'which jVIoses the servant of the Lord gave you on the other side Jordan.
5 But '^ take diligent heed to do the commandment and the law, \vhich Moses the servant of the Lord charcced vou, ^ to love the Lord
G So Joshua 'blessed them, and sent them away: and they went unto their tents.
7 Now to the one half of the tribe of
Manasseh Moses had given possession in Ba- i shan ^: but unto the other half thereof gave
Joshua among their brethren on this side Jordan
westward. And when Jo.sluia sent them away
■ also unto their tents, then he blessed them. j 8 And he spake unto them, saying, Ileturn
witli much riches unto your tents, and with! very much cattle, with silver, and with gold, and 'with brass, and with iron, and with very much
raiment: " divide the spoil of your enemies with
■ your brethren. 9 And the children of Reuben and the children of Gad and the half tribe of Manasseh returned, and departed from the children of Israel
outofShiloh, which is in the land of Canaan, to jour God, and to walk in all his ways, and to go unto ' the country of Gilead, to the land of keep his commandments, and to cleave unto their possession, whereof they were possessed, him, and to serve him with all your heart and according to the word of the Lord by the hand
NOTES ON CIIAV. XXII. Verse 1. Then Joshua culled the Reubeniie'!, Sec] V,'e liave already fecn that 40,000 men of the tribes of Keubcn and Gad, and the half tribe of Manasscli, liad passed over Jordan armtd, with their brethren, according to their stipulation with Moses. The war bcinjf now concluded, Jo.'^hiia Tisscnibles the.^e warriors; and with commendations for their services and fidehty, he dismisses them, having first given them the most pious and suitable advices. They had now been about seven years absent from their respective famihes: and though there was only the river Jordan between the camp at Gilgal, and tlieir own inheritance, yet it does- not ap|5ear that they had, during that time, ever revisited their own home, wiiicii they might have done any time in the year, the huiTest excepted, as at all other times that river was easily fordable.
Verse 3. But- take diHi^ent heed, &c.] Let us exajTiine the force of thjs excellent itdvice; they must ever consider tliat their prosperity and continued possession of the land, depended on tin ir fidelity and obedience to God; to this they must take diligent heed.
Do the coiiimtii.dment] They must pay the strictest regard to every moral precept.
/iud the lav:] They must observe all the rites and ceremonial of their holy rehgioti.
Loze the lard your Gud'\ Without an allectionate filial attachment to their Alaker, duty would be irksome, grievous and impossible.
Walk in all his ways'] Tiiey must no' only believe and lore, but obey: w alk not in your own ways, but walk in those which God has pointed out.
Keep hiscomma>idmeiils]T\\ey must love him with all their heart, soul, mind, and strength; and their neighbour as themselves.
(7cY/:f vnlo him] They mu~t be cemented to him in a union that should never be dis.—o!ved.
Serve him] They must considt r him as their.Mus/er, having an absolute right to appoint ihem iihen, where, how, and in what measure they.should do his work.
With all your heart] Having all their afrcctions and passions sanctified, and united to him.
jiud uilh all your s^ul.] Giving up their whole life to him, and employing their understanding, judgment, and wil! in the contcmjilalion and adoration of his perfections; that their love and obeiliencc might cncrtase, in pvoportioii to the cultivation and improvement of their tiudei-slantliiig^
Verse 1. Then he blessed them.] Spoke respeetfidty of their fidelity and exertions — wished them every spiritual and temporal good — prayed to God to protect and save them; and probably gave.some i:ifts to those leaders among tiiem, that had most distinguished themselves in this seven years war. In all the above senses, the word bless, is frequently taken in Scripture.
Verse 8. Heturn vjith mxich riches] It appears they hail tlieir full proportion of the spoils that were taken from the Canaanites; and that these spoils consisted in cattle, silver, gold, brass, iron, and raiment.
The Israelites hear of l/ic ulhir ImUl
Aii./Cxort.Kr. hordiTs orjoidiiii, tliat arc in tlio liiiul
AiuK. iihir ol' Canaan, flie rliildrcn of Itcnhcn tribe of Manassth binlt tliuic an allar by.Ionian, j a f^ivat altar 1<).wi: to.
II % And till' cbildivn of Israel ' litanl say, IK'Iiold, the cliildrun of Jienbtn and tlie children ofCiadand the half tribo of Manasseh have bnilt an altar over n;;ainsl the lanJ of C'anaan, in tlioj borders of.Jordan, at tlic passaj^c of the ciiildreii of Israel. I
\'l Anil when the cliildreu of Israel heard o/ //, '■ the whole con^rejjation of the children of Israel gathered themselves together at.Sliiloh, toga up to war against them.
1.'} And the children of Israel " sent unto the cliildreii of Keuben, and to the children of (Jad, and to the half tribe of Manasseh, into the land ' of Ciilead, '' Phinelias the son of Kleazar the priest,
14 And with him ten princes, of each ' chief house a))rince throughout all the tribes of Israel; and ^ each one tiv/.v a head of the house ot' their fiithers among the thousands of Israel.
15 And they came unto tlie children of Rcu-
Divide the spoil — •^itk ynuv brclhrcn.'] It was richt lliat ttio.se xvlio staid at lifHiic ti> dtfiiul tlie families of those wlio,' liail l)etn in iIm: wars, and lo cultivate llic ground,.slioiilil have |; a |ir(i|)(r |>riijnirtioii of tlif spoils taken fioin tlic enemy: li'r> li.iil tilt y nut acicd as tin y did, tlie others could not have.safety j left their families.
Vcr.sc 10. 7/(t borders of Jvrdun, thai are in — Canaan^ \ This vrrse can never mean that they builde<l the altar on the! west.side of Jordan, for this was not in their territories — nor li could it be a place t'l'r the purpose of public worship to their I own))eople, if builded on the op()<isite side of Jordan: Usides, i the next v«Tst says, it was built over nt;.tiiist tlic luiul of CuniKin. i' It appears, that when tliij- came to the river, they formed tlie purpose of buildiiio; the altar; and when they had crossed il, they executed their pur()ose.
jl f^rcat altar in sc\- lo.^ A vast mass of earth, stone*, &c. elevated to a >;rtat height, to serve as a memorial of the tratt'sartioiis that had already taken place. l'rol>al>ly it uas intended also to sene as a kind of waleli tower, being of a stupendous heiji lit, allure iiilimttr mai^niludinif, an altar of an imm« nse size, as the Vulgate terms it.
Wise 1-. To i^o up to U'«r usiainst //aw.] Supposinix that they had budded this altar in oppositio^i to that which Mo.ses, ' by the command of God, had erected, and vitre consequently;
bell, and to the children of Cad, and f,;?' T"^' to the half tiibe of Manasseh, unto A" ' - the l.ind oi" (iileatl, and they spake \u,iuiu<\f Willi tiieni, saying, i_l_
IG Thus saitli liie whole congregation of tlie LoKi), \\ hat tifspass is this that _\e have committed against the (iod of Israel, to turn away this day liom (bllowingthe houu, in that yeha\c biiildecl you an altar, '• that ye might rebel this day against the Loiiu?
17 Is the iniquity '' of I'enr too little for u>, from which we are not cleansed until this d-,i\, although there was a plague in the congregation of the Loiti),
IS Hut that ve must turn away this day from following the Loito.' and it will be, seeing \v rebel to ilay against the I.oiti), that to morrow ' he will be wroth with the whole congregation of Israel.
19 Notwithstanding, if the land of your pos. session /;(' unclean, l//cn pass ye over tiNto the land of the posi^ession of the Lokd, ' wherein the Lord's tabernacle dwellcth, and take possession among us: but rebel not against the Loud, nor rebel against us, in building you an altar beside the altar of the Loud our God.
lieconie rebels atrainst Gof), and the Israeliti.sh constitution; and should \te treated as sueh. Tlieir ^cat concern for the;;lory of GimI, led ihtm to take this step, which, at tir<t view, iiii;.;la appear prteipitate; but that they mi^lit do nothing ra'lily, tiny first sent IMnnehas and ten prince-, one out of each tribe, to retjuire an explanation of their motives in ercctin<; this altar.
^'e^s<• n. \» the iniquity nf Peor too lillle] See this histoid-. Num. XXV. 3, &c. and the notes there. Phinelias takinff it for granted that this altar wa.s litiilded in opposition to the altar of God erected by Moses, and that iIkv intended to have a separate s«'rvice, priestlKXHl, &c. whieli would be rebellion against (rod,.nnd bring ilown)iis eurse on them and their posterity; and inord<r to shew that God is jealous of bis glory, he relers to tlie business of IJaal Pcor, which took place m that very country tl>ey were now about to possess; the destnictivc ronscqueiiccs ofMhicli, Ae, through bis zeal for the glory of God, was the means of preventing.
Verse 19. It' the laitd of your pmreayini be uncleari] The gx'nerous mind of Phinelias, led linn to form this excuse for tli.-ni. If ye sup|x>s»' that this land is inip-jre, as not liavmor l>een oi i'^-m.nlly included in the covenant, and ye think that ve cannot exjxHl the Llesiing of God, unless ye have an altar, sacrifices, &c. tlien pass ye errer unto the land of the possession (^
The Reuhenitcs, c^r. vhuVicak their conduct hi hu'ddin<^ the altar.
20 ^ Did not Aclian tlie son of: Zerah commit a trespass in tlie ac- 1 cursed thing-, and wratli fell on all the congregation of Israel? and that man perished not alone in his iniquity. i
21 % Then the children of Reuben and the children of Gad and the half tribe of Manasseh, answered, and said unlo the heads of the thousands of Israel,
22 The Loud ^ God of gods, the Lord God of gods, he " knoweth, and Israel he shall know; if /Y be in rebellion, or if in transgression against the Lord, (save us not this day,)
23 That we have built us an altar to turn from following the Lord, or if to oftijr thereon burnt otiering or meat offering, or if to offer peace offerings thereon, let the Lord himself '' require
24 And if we have not rather done it for fear of this thing, saying, " In time to come your
the Lord, uhereia the Lord's tubernack dxcelleth, the only legitimate place where sacrifices and offerings can be made. \Ve V ill divide this land with you, and rather straiten ourielves, than that you. should conceive your.selves to be under any necessity oF erecting a new altar, besides the altar of the Lord our God.
Verse 20. Did not Achan the son of Zeridt] Your sin will not be merely against yourselves: your transgressions will bring down the wrath of God upon all the people; this was the case in the transgression of Achan; he alcMie sinned, and yet God,. on that account, turned his face against tlie whole congregation, so that they fell before their enemies. We cannot therefore be uncom erned spectators of your transgre;;- sion, we may all be implicated in its criminahly; let this, and the dishonour which we apprehend is done to our God, plead our excuse, and vindicate the necessity of the present warlike appearance which we make before you. See the history of Achan referred to here, chap. vii. and ihe notes there.