9 And Mosee sware on that day, sayins, ' Surely the land " whereon thy feet have trodden shall be thine inheritance, and thy cbfldren's for ever, because thou hast wholly followed the LoBD my God.
10 And now, behold, the Lord hath Icept me alive, ' as he said, these forty and five Vears, even since the Lord spake this word unto Moses, while the children of Israel * wandered in the wilderness: and now, lo, I am this day fourscore and five years old.
11 ' As yet I ant Of strong this day as / wtu in the day that Moses sent me; as my streoglh wa» then, even bo is my strength now, for war, both ' to go out and to come in.
YeiK I. Eleazar the priett, &c,] Eleaear, as being the minUler of God in aacred thingB, is mentioned Jirat. Jmhda, u having the gupreme commaDd in all things civil^ is mentionea twf. And the Heads or Pnmcss of Ihe twelve tribes, who in all things acted under Joshua, are mentioned la*t. These heads or princes were twelve, Joshua and Elee2ar included: and the reader may ftod their names in Numb, aixiiv. 19 — 28, Ii is worthy of remark, ihat DO prince was taken from the tribes of Rmbm and Oad, because these had already received their inheritanoe on the other side of Jordan, and therefore could not be interested in this diviirion.
Verso 2. By lot was their inheritance] Concerning the meaning and use of the lot, see the note on Numb, xxxvi. 65. and concerning the manner of casting loU in the case of the scapegoat^ see the note on Leviu xvi. 8, 9.
On this subject, Dr. Dodd has selected some good observations from Calmei and MoMitia, which I here borrow. "Though Ood had sufficiently pomted out, by the predictions of Jacob when dying, and these of Moses, what portions he designed for ea^ tribe; we readily discern an admirable proof of his wisdom, in the orders he gave to decide them by lot. By this means, the false interpretations which might have been given to the words of Jacob and Moses, were prevented: and by strilclns at the root of whatever might occa.iion jeatmuUt and disputes among the trib^ he evidently secured tlie honesty of these who were to be appointed to distribute to thetu the conquered countries in the land of Canaan. Besides, the success of this method gave a freah proof of the divinity of the Jewiih retigiSn, and the truth of its oraeUg. Each tribe finding itself placed btf lot, exactly in the spot which Jacob and Moses bad foretold, it was evident that Providence had equally directed both those m-edietunu and that loL The event justified the truth of the promises. The more lingular it was, the more clearly we discern the finger of Ood in it l^e portion, eays Afasius, fell to each tribe just as Jacob bou declared, two buiKhed and fil^ ye«ra fiefore, in the last moments of his liii^ and Moses immediately befbre his death; for to the tnbe of Jvdah fell a country abounding in vineyanU and paature*; to Zbsu- LCN and IssAcuAs, ata eoaett: in that of Abhsk was plenty of oiL vktat, and mttalsi that of Beh jahik, near to the tempo, was, in a manner, beimen the ahouldcra qf *f&c Deitj/. EruRAui and Mahasbsh wem distinguiahed with a territory blest in a peculiar manner by Heaven. The land of Napbtau extended from the west to the aouth oi the tribe of Judah. Since, therefore^ the lot so well corresponded to these predictions, would it not be insolence and Btupodity in tlie highest degree, not to acknowledge the inapiralioti of Ood in the mrd of Jacob and Moses; Ihe directum of his Hand in the lot, and his jtmidmee in the eveiU 7"
How the tat was east in (hia case, cannot be particularly determined. It ia probable, 1. That the land was geographiiadlv divided iuto ten partions. 2. That eadi portioB wascalledjiyaparticalarnaine. 3. That the name of each portion was written on a separate slip of parchment, wood, &c. 4. That the names of the claimanu were also written on so many slips. 6. The tuunes of the portions, oaj of the tribes, were put into separate vessels. 6. Joshos, for exaniple, put his hand into the vessel orotaiiiiog tbt names of the tribes, and took out one slipt ^^hile Clswiir took out one from dte-other vessel, in wmch the namea of tlie portions were put. 7. Hie name drawn, and jfas per- Hon drawn, being read, it was immediately disearmdirial the district was which God bad dea^aed for snob a triie. This appears to be the moat eaty vmy to dsMinilK ndi a business.
Terse 4. TJu duJdreh qf Joaenh were two tribes] TUi was ascertained by the prophetic declaratioa of their giaa^ father Jacob, Oen. xlviii. S, 6. and as Ijtvi waa tatran oat of the tribes for the service of the sanctuary, one of tbec sons of Joseph came in bis place; and Joe^>b waa ireatBd as the first-born of Jacob, in the place of Reuben, who bad forfeited his right of primogeniture.
With their suburba for their caitte] For the meamv of this passage, the readu is referred to the noie«QNaa£ XXXV. 5.
Verse 5. TTuy divided the^la7^di This work was begun some time before at Ctilgat; and was finished bobk tim after at Shilok. Itmusthave required a very coesidetaUc time to mi>ke all the geographical arrangemenla that wen necessary for this purpose.
Verse 6. Caieb the son qf JevhuntiA &e Kenante] la the note on the parallel place, Numb, xzzii. 12. it is mad, Eenez was probably the^ofher of Jcfhanath, and that Jcphuoneh, not Calebs waa the Kenezite: but still, aUowiag this to be perfectly correct, Caleb miglit also be called ibe Kenexite, as it tmpoars to have been ttfamify name; for Othniel, uis nephew and son-in-law, is called the ■on «f Kenex, chap. xv. 17. Judg. i. 13. and 1 Chron. tv. IS-snda grandson oi Ca]d> is Uso called the eon of Kenex, \ Quol IV. 16. In 1 Chron. ii. 18. Calebis called the son nAm^ but thia is only to be understood of his having Hezron tv one of his aneestors; and son here, may be coaaaklend same as descendant; for Hezron, of the tribe of Judaic having come into Egypt one hundred and seventy-sax yews befbre the birth ef Cal^ it is not at all likely dut he eaakt be called his father, in the jttoper sense of the term. Besides, the suppoaitioa above makes a very good sense; and is coaaistent widi the use of the ttrmajiiker, aaatj sod brother, in different parts of the Sacred Wriiinn.
Thou knoaest ihe thing that the Lord a£ij In the place to which Caleb seenu to refer, vix. Nonih. xiv. "M. there is notaword concerning a promise of JMrentollUB and hia posteriiv: nor in the place (pent. i. 36.) wfaera Moses repeats wnat had been dime at SadeA-barnM, B« it may be induded in what is there spoken. God promisea because he had another spirit vith Aim, and had MisMS Ood fully, therefore he should enter into the kad whminto he came, and his seed should possess il Probably das relates to H«frron, -and waa eo understood by all parties st that time. Htia aeenu tolendily evident, from the poimd reference made by Caleb to diie fcamactioo.
18 Now therefore etve me this mountain, whereof the t.oRD spake in that day; for thou heardest in that day how ■ the Anakims teerc there, and that the cites were great ami fenced: ■if 80 be the Lord will be with me, then I shall be able to drive them out, as the Lord Bsid.
13 And Joshua ' blesaed him, and ffave unto Caleb the aon of Jephunneh, Hebron for an inheritance.
14 * Hebron therefore became the inheriuunce of Caleb the son of Jephunneh the Kenezite unto this day, because that he ' wholly followed the Lord God of Israel.
15 And ( the name of Hebron before wat
Vene 7. Ai it warn in nunc }uart] Neither /ear nor;^wowr influenced bim on the occaiioni tratoldwhsthafaelievcd to be the truth, the whole tnuh, and noihing hit the irmh.
VeraeO. TUUmdiABnon&y/cet have trodden] This iwobftbly refers to Bt^ron: which waa no doubt mentioned on this oocaiion.
Veree 1 1. Keen ao is my strength noa\ I do not ask dde place because I wish to sit down now, and take my «Me; on the contrary^ I know I must fight to drive out the Aaekim, and I tun As Able Afid vtltni^ to do it^ I wfts to^five jtm Ago, when Motes pent ne to apy out the
Verae 12L / ^nail bt abU to drivt them out] He cAnnbt Hehron merely, for that had been taken before by Joshua: but in the request of Calc^ doubtleaa all the cirtumjaemt eouiUry was comprised, in many parts of which the Anakim were atill in coasideniUe force. It has been enqeetured that Hdiron itaelT had again fallen under the jxnrer of its former possessors who, taking the advantage of the absence of the laraeUtish army, who were employed in other ports of ttie oouotry, re-entered the city, ukI re- ■tored their ancient domination. But the first opinion seems beat founded.
Terse 13. JiuAua blaaed km] As the word bUta often •ignifiea to nifak good, er 10^ 0/ 01 to any person, (see the note on Gen. lu S.) hera it may mean the praioe beslow«d on Caleb's iniKjndity and faithfulness, by Joshua; as well OS a prayer to God, that he might have prosperity in all things; and especially that the Lord might be wUh &in^ as himself had expreucd in the preceding verae.
Terse 14. Hebrtm Ourtfore became the inheriJanoe qf CaUb\ Joshua adnutted his claim, recognized his right, aitd made a fiill conveyance of Hebron and its depen&Qcics t« Caleb and lua posterity: and thia being doiu in tlie sight of all the elden of Israel, the right was publicly acknowledged, and eonaequently this portion was excepted from the generrd determination by lot: Qod having, long before, mode the cessibn of this place to him and his de- •eeodanta.
Terse IS. AitdAenameqf Hebron beforeiooM Kirjalharba\ "niat is, the city of Arbaj or rather, the city ^ Hufavrj tot thus n-np HrytUli mrMj may be Uunmlly tmdalated. It is very likely loot this oity had in name frm four Aoakim, gigantic or powerfii) men, probably frrotters, who built or conquered it. Thia conjecture reeeivea consideiable strength from chop. xv. U. where it is aaid that Caleb drove from HAron. the Otree mma qf AnoA, Siu^taL ^inian, and TUmftif now it is quite possible that Hebron bad its former name, Kirii^k-arha, die c>fy ^ HU^r, from these lAres sons and than* JUnar, wh& Being men of unoommon stature or obiliUea, had rendered tfaemselvea famous by aets proportioned to dteir strength and influence in the cmintry. It appears however, from chap. XV. 13. that Jtrba waa aproper name, oa there he is eeilled the father i^f Ajtak. llie Septuagint call Hebron metropolie ^ Ae Enakim, fmrperoXit r*ur Eran^ It was probably the seat of government, being the re«*d«Rea of Aw tfbove ehtefa, from whose eonjetel autbort^ and power itmight have been called ivonebfrren, astbeword ^an efto&ar, literally signifies to aetoelata, to join in fd- IffueM^; and appeon to be used, Job xli. 6. for "ocso. etaUdvurehanti, or mmrhant^ companMrna, who travelled in dM some caravan." Beth thcoe names are expressive, and serve to confirm the above conjecture. No notiea nwid be taken of the tradition that tfiis city was ealled Um aHy ^ Iho /mr, beeaoN it m U» borial-plaoa of Adam, Aorakam, Intie, and Jaeob. BaxAi tradiiions eonfiMe
Kirjath-artra; vikidi Arte wo* a great mon among the Amkiroa. ■> And the lacu had rest from war.
rRIS then was the lot of the tribe ^ ^ of the children of Judah by their Anna MM families; 1 even to the border of Edom, '■ '^''^"pthe * wildernesfl of Zin southward mu the uttermost part of the eouth coast. 2 And tfadr Bonth border was from the shore general wars; tbe inhabitants of Canaan, collectively, could make no longer any head, and when their confedeney was broken by the conquests of Joshua, he thought proper to divide the land, and let each tribe expel the ancient inhabttania that might atill remain in its own territories. Hence the wars after this time were particular wars — there were no more general campaigns, as it was no longn- necessary for the tcAo^e Israelitish body to act ogahist on enemy now dt^ointed and broken, lliia apnears to be the most rational meaning of Ae words, Ttu land had reel from war.
Thk Jewish economy furnishea not only a history of God's revelations to man; but also a history of hia providence; and an omnle, moel luminous and glorious comment on that providence. Is is possible that any man can seriously and considerately sit down to the reading even of this book, widiout rising up a wiser and a better man 1 This ia the true history which every where exhibits God as the jSr«< mover and prime agent and men only as subordinate aeton. What a miracle of God's power, wisdom, grace, justice, and i»ovidence, are the people of Israel, in every period of their history, and in every land of their disperBions! If thnr faU occasioned the salvation of the Gentile world, what shall their restoration produce! Their future iTiheritanr^ is not left to what men would call the fortuiioua decision of a lot: like Caleb's possessioi^ it ia confirmed by dte oalh of the Lord j and when the end shall be, this pettftle shall stand in their lot at the end of the days; anil aoall again be great to the ends of the earth.
Verse 1. TItis then inaa the lot of the tribe <if— Judah} The geography of the Sacred Wriimgs presents many difficulUea, occasioned by the changes which the civil slate of the promised land lua underwent, especially for the lost two thousand years. Many of the ancient towns and village* have had their nomei so totally changed, tltat their former mellatioDs aie no longer disoemibb-HKveral lie buried tmaer their own niiius and others have been so longf destroyed, that not one vestige of them remains. On these accounts it is very difficult to ascertain the situation of many of the places mentioned in this and the following chaitteri. But, h6wever thii mur embarrass the commentator, it cannot ofieot the truth 01 die narrative. Some of the principal oities in the univerae, cities that were tlie aeats of die most powerful empire^ ore not oidy reduced ta ntfns, but so completely blotted out of the map of the world, that their situation cannot be ascertained. Where is Biunfion, where is Nineveh, Carthage, Thebea, 7\fre, Baatbee, Palmyra, and the so far-famed, and greotly-celehratedTaofl Of the former and the latter, so renowned by hieloriane and poete, scarcely a vestige, properly speoking, remains t nor can the learned agree on the epol once occupied by the buildings of thoae celebrated cities I Should this eircumstaDce invalidate the whole history of the ancient world, in which they made so conspicuous a figure? And can die aulhentici^ of otir sacred historian be impaired, because several of the places he mentions no longer exist? Surely, no; nor con it be called in questioa, but by die headiest and tuperfcitU, or the decidedly profane. iUthough some of the cities of the holy land arc destroyed, and it would be difficult to aseeriain the geography of several, yet enow remain, either imder their ancient names, or with such decisive characteristics, that, through iheir new names, their ancient appellatives are readily discernible. On the general information we have, the map occomnyuig this book is constructed.
It is natural to suppose, that the division mentioned, here, waa mode after an accurate mirvey of the land, which might have been node by proper penons accompanying the conquering army of (be Israelttes. Nine tribes and a ftotf* wcK yettobeaceonunodatadt and tbe land must be dinikd into nine parte and aAoIf. This waa no doubt
3 And it went out to the south side *" to " Maalch-acrabbim, nnd paKsed along Ut Zin, and ascended up on the f-oiiLli side unto Kadcuhbaroea, and pasueii alon^ to liezron, and went up to Adar, and fetches a compass to Korkaa:
4 From thcncr. it passed ■ toward Aznion, and went out unto the river of Egypt; and tlie goinfs out of that coast were at the eea: this Mtalfbe your south coaxt.
5 And the east border was the Salt sea^ eten unto the end of Jordan. And their border in the north quarter wa^from the bay of the sea at the utturmost part of Jordan:
6 And the border went up to p Beth-hogia, waA passed a)ong- by th&,north of Bcth-arabah; and the border went up "^lothc stone of Bohan, the son of Reuben:
7 And iho border "went up toward Debir from ' the valley of Achor> and bo northward.
done with the utmost judgment and discretion: the advantages and disadvtuitA^ of each division being carefully balanoed. These were the portions which wer« divided by lot; and it appears that Judoh drew the first lot: and because of die importance and pre-eminence of this trib^ thta lot ii first described.
By ttctr familteai It it auppoaed, that the family tUvMmw were not detepmined lot. These were left to the pmdcnce and jud^ent of Joshua, Gleazar, and the ten princes, who appointed to each family a district, in propoHion to its number, dbc. the general division being that atone which was determined by the lot.
Ou border ({f Edom\ The tribe of Judah occupied the most southerly part of the land of Canaan. Its limits extended from the extremity of the Dead tea wathwvd along Idumea, possibly by tlie desert of Sin, axA proceeding from cost to west to the Mediterranean sea, and the most eastern branch of the river Nile; or to what is called the river of E^ypL Calmel venr properly remarks, that Jothua is particular in ^ving the limits of this tribe, as being the first, the most numerous, most important, that whton was to furnish the kit^ga of Judea — that in which pure TiiigUM was to be preserve)^ and that from iriueh the Meatnah was to spring.
Verse 2. From the bay that looketh soutAiraniJ "Hieee were the southern limits of the tribe of Judat^ which commenced at the extremity of the lake Aspbaltitei or Dead aea, and terminated at SUutr, or the river of Egypt, and Heditmanean sea; though some think it extended to the Nile.
Verse 3. Maalth-aeriUiHm^ TBie aaoent of the mount of Scorpions, probably so called from the multitude of those animals found in that place.
Kadeth-bamcal This place was called En-mUkjxU, Gen. xiv. 7. It was on the edge of the wilderness of Paran, and about twenty-four miles from Hebron. Here Miriiun, the lister of Moses and Aaron, died; and here Moses and Aaron rebelled against the Lord; hence the place was c*lled Meribah-flMdeth, or Ot£ eonientum qf Kade^ lite river of Es^ypt] The most eastern branch of the river Nile. See on chap. xiii. 3. But there is much reason to doubt, whether any branch of the Nile be meant, and whether tlie promiwd land extended to that river. On this subject it irimpossible to decide either way.
Verse 6. The east border was the Salt aea] The Salt sea is the same as the Dead sea, lake Asphaltites, &c. And here it is intimated, that die eastern border of the tribe of Judah extended along llie Dead sea, from ila lowest extremity to the end if Jordan, i. e, to the plan When J<m> don foils into this sea.
Verse 6. Beth'hogla'\ A place between Jericho and the Dead sea, belonging to the tribe of BenjanriiL chap, xviii. 3L though here serving as a frontier to the tnbe of Judoh.
SSlonc Bohan] This must have been aome remariiable ptaee, probably like the stone of Jatob, which afterward became Beih-el, but where it was situated, is tm- (ertain.
Verse 7. TTu vaUaiof At^or] Debir mentioned in this wse is unknown. Ttit vatlty «f Aehor Imd ita oum
looking toward Gilcal, that tr before the saiag up to Adummin, which if on the south sue of the river: and the border passed toward the
S And the border wont up^ by the valley of the son of Hinnom unio the south side of the <■ Jebusite; the same is Jerusalem: and the border went up to the top of the mountain that Ueth befiire the valley of Hinnom westward, which is at the end ' of the valley of the giant* northward:
"9 And the border was drawn from the top of the hill unto " the fountain of the water of Nephtoah, aiid went out to the cities of mount Epnron; and the border was drawn " to BaaJah, which ia y Kirjath-iearim:
10 And the border compassed from Baalah westward unto mount Setr, and passed alone unto the side of mount Jearhn, which is Chesalon, on the north side, and went down to Bethahemesh, and passed on to ■ Thnnoh:
£n-sAemesA] The fountain of the tun; it was eastward of Jerusalem, on uie confines of Judah and Beoiania.
Verse 8. Thevailt3qf&uaonnfirinnom\ Who Hjnnom was is not known: nor why this was called bit valley. It was timatedon the east of Jerusalem t and iaoAea mentioned in Scriptnie. The image of the idol Ifaloeb appears to have been set up there; and there the id<riBtn)u» Israelites caused their sons and daughters to pass tbroui^ the fire, in honour of that demon, 2 Kings xxiii. 10. It was also called Tophet, see Jer^ vii. 32. Wheu king Joaiah removed the image of this idol Erom this valley, it appears to have been held in such nnireraal execnuioi^ that >t became the general receptacle of all the filth and impurilie* which earned out of Jemsakm: and it is stqiposect that continual JSra were there kept up, to coiMuroe those impurities, ana prevent infection. Prom tfae Hebrew words min p kv get ben Hinnom, the vaUeyof ike sm ^ Hinnom, and by contraction ir> get Hin»om, tbs valiey of Hinnom, came the TUmm, Gehenna, at the New Testament, called also Tfaiva tm npt, the Gehemm ^ Are, which is the emblem of heO, or the place of tbs danmed. See Matt. v. 22, 29, 3a x. 18. xvili. 9, Ac
The tame is JmuaUm] lUs dtf was formerly caJled Jebus, a part of it was in the tribe Benjamin; Skm, called its citadel, was in the tribe of Judak.
On this subieet, a venr inlelligeot clergyman btvoan ae mth his opinion in thsniHowing terms.
"Ute boundary between Jndab and Benjamin went ap from the valley oi Hinnom on the east, to the top of dia hill Bouihwara, leaving Jebust (or Jerusalem) to the nonhwest adjoining to Benjamin, lliis mount (Jrausi) lay I tween the two tribes; which the Jebusites poaseasea till the time of David. At th« 63d verae here, it ia said Judih could not drive out the« people; and in judges i. 2L lha same is said of dw Bei^ainilesL Each tribe might has* BUack«d them st various times. 'Oiero were varioos mcxots or tops to dtess hills. Mount ZioiLand Mbriah, ^ritm tlie temple stood, was in the tribe of Jadaht pMLIxxviit. 69, 69. fxxrvii. 2.)
"In Deut xxxiii. 12. it is said of Benjam^l^ the Lm4 shall dv>eU bv him; i. e. near him, or bende bis borden: belueenkiaJiouldeint the line might be eiicnlar bttaein the two hills or Vm,ao as in part to rinnrim|wsi ■mil Zion in the tribe da Judah, on whit^ the tenmie stood. Benjamin's Gate (mentions Jerem. xxxvii. 12, 13. aid zxxviii. 7.) was the gate leading out of the oity inlo ibr tribe of Benjamin, so Um nte of Bphraim (2 Kiacs xiv. 13.) was a gale i^ich leatowatd the tribe of d^nnrnk We give names to roads, Ac. in the same way now.
" Mount Calvary (iritieh was on the outaide of ifae gMe) seens to have been in the tribe of Beoiamin. ttoora. Whether Calvary or Giolgodw, was so called firom akvUs being scattered about there, (as say some,) or rather fcoaa the figure of the rock being ihuied like a man's sktiU, wid) me fbee of it nearly per^wndieuJai 7 I incIiDs co this latter opinion. I believe the Jews did not suffer humsB bones, even of malehctors, to lie aboat." — J. C.
Verse 9. Baalah, vhiek is Ktrjaih-jaarim} Thi» {Oms yttm reodoced bntooa' in SariptaR^ i» cimasjiiwiee of iis
11 And the border went out unto the side dr •Ekron northward: and the border was drawn to ShicTon, and passed along to mount Baatah. and went out unto Jabneel; and the soinga out ofthe border were at the sea.
12 And the west border was ^ to the great eea, and the coast tkeratf. This ia tlie coast of the children of Judah round about accordmg to their families.
13 TI ' And unto Calob, the son or Jephunneh, he "ave a part amaog the children of Judah, acf^ordin? to the commandment of the Lord to Joshua, ewen ** the • city of Arba, the fkther of Anak, which city is Hebron.
14 And Caleb drove thence / the three sons of Anak, f Shcehai, and Ahiman, and Talmai, the children orAnak.
15 And he went up thence to the inhabitants of Dehir: and the name of Debir before was Kirjath-sepher.
16 11 I And Caleb said, He that smiteth Kfrjath-sepher, and taketh it, to him will I give Achsah my dauehter to wife.
17 And *Othniei, the ' son of Kena?, the brother of Caleb, took it: and he gave him Achsah his daughter to wife.
18 " And it came to_ pass, as she came unto him, that she moved him to ask of her father a field: and she lighted off her ass; and Celeb said unto her, What wouldest thou?
19 Who answered, Give me a * blensing; for thou hast given me a south land; give me also springs of water. And he gave ner the upper springs and the nether springs.
20 This ie the inheritance of the tribe of the children of Judah, according to their families.
Verae 10. Belh-^ume^ Ilie haute or tempU of Uu am. It is evident tliat the nm wa* an object of adoration aaumg the Canaanitea; and heace fonntaina, kUh, &c. vere dedicated to him. Beih-sheituah!■ remorkabU for tha alaii^htar of iti inhabitants, in eoosequence of their pirii^ curiotufy, d not impimuly into tbe ark of the Loid, mon sent back by the Philietinea. See 1 Sam. vii. ■ Verae 12. ITu greai aea] Tbe Mediterranean.
YmeXii. Kirjaih'tepherlTba city of thA book. Wliy ao oaiaed is unoertain. It waa also called Debir, and ^Hathfwnnak. See ver. 49.
Verae 16. mu I give AchMoh my dauber] In ancient timea fiuhen aaaumedanabeohite nghtorar their children, aapeeially in diapoaingof then in marriage.- and it was (nutomary for a king, or great man, to promiae hia <lBiigh(er m invriagvto him Ttrho should take a ciCf, kill aa enemy, &«. So Saul promised hia daughter in marriwe to mm who riunhl kill Ooliafa, 1 Sam. xrii. 26. and C!«Mb ofhn hia, on thii oocMkm, to him who riiould take Kirjath-e^har. Profine writora Sinudi many umilar examines.
Vme 18. AMi^mne} Aa ahe waa now departing firom the bouae of her father, to eo to duu of her buaband.
Aa moved him] CMiniel, lo oak 4/* htr fathwr a JUid, 000 on which she had set her heart, as OontigucMa to the patrimony already grantsd.
Ste Hghted off her oaa] n»rr< VatiUrut^ ahe hattUy, jtirfdufy alighted, aa if ahe had forgotten aomelhinf^ or waa kbdin to retora to her bther'a house. Which bnng pMceiTed by her AiAbk he Mid. wouldaaf that?
Vene 19. Give ma a Usaafng] Do meanact of kindnaea. Grant me a parttcalar requeat,
€Kve me ctUo apringe of lauter.] Let ma ban eome flrtds in whid) there an hwnb, or vetb already digged.
T7tiitipptp»pHng»taad tta luUur apringa.} He gave her mn more dian ahe remieatad; he gave ner a diatriet among the mountaine, and another in tbe piaina, well ■itaeaed, and welt watered. There are aeveral difficultiea in tlua aeoeunt wiib which I diall not trouble tbe reader. What ia — ilioaed whan, igpeare lo U the aaoae.
2 1 Tf And the nttermoBt cities of the trfbe of the children of Judah, toward the coast of Kdom southward, were Kabzeel, and Ednr, and
32 And Lebaoth, and Shiihim, and Atn, and Rimmon: all the cities are twenty and nine, with their villages:
36 And Shnraim. and Adithaim, and Glederah, 'and Oederothaim; fourteen cities witfi their villages:
41 And Gederoth, Beth-dagon, and Naamah, and Makkedah; sixteen cities with their villages:
Verae 24. Zipk^ There were two citiea of thia name in the tribe of Judah: that mentioned here, and anothei^ ver. 65. One of these twt> is noted for the refuge of Ihf vid, when persecuted 1^ Saul: and the atlampta nude ^ ita inhabitants to deliver him into the haoda of hia peraecutac. See 1 Sam. xxiiu 14—24.
Verse 28. Beer-riulia\ A city famous io the book of Genesis, as the reeidenoe of the patriarchs Abraham and. Jfacob, chap. xxii. 19. xxviii. 10. xlvi. 1. See the note on Oen. xxi. 31. It lay on the way between Canaan and Egypt, about forty miles from Jerusalem.
Verae 30. Hormah^ A place rendered famous by tbe defeat of the Hebrews by the Canaaniies. See Numb. xiv. 45. Deut i. 44.
Verae 31. Ziklag'] The Philistines seem to have kept possession of this city,' till the time of David; who received itfrom Achish, king of Oath, I Sam. xxvii. 6. after whic^ time it remained in the possession of the kings of
Verse 32. Atl the citieeare twenty and nine, itiUi their villages^ But, on a careful examination, we shall find thiriy-e*fhi; bat it ia supposed, diat nine of these are excited, VIZ. Beer-ahdta, Moladah, Haxar-whuoL Baaiah, Axem, Hormah, Ziklag, Ain, and Rimmon, \niich wera afterward given to the tribe of Simeon. Thia mity appear aaiiaractoiy, but [terhapa the truth will be found lobe thiai eeverd eitiea in the promiaed land are expressed by eomjmtnd terms; not knowing tbe places, dt&rent tnaelations combine what ^ould be separated; and in many casea aeparate whatihould be combined. Through this, we have cUxea formed out of tpiiheU, On this ground, we have tkirty-eMI cities aa the sum here, instead of lieetUy-ntxa.
Verso 33. Eehlaol, and Zoreah') Here Somaon was buried, it beng the burial place of hia btbar^ see Judges zvLSl. These pkoea, thmigh first grren to Judah, aittrward fell to the k>t of Dan ( chap. xiz. 41.
Verae 36. Jarmuth] See the note on chap. x. 3.
Adullam] See the note on chap. xii. 16.
Soeok] It wax near thia place that David fought with aad slewGoliah, the champion of the Philistinea; 1 Sank, xvii. 1.
fburtean Otiea] Well reckoned, we ifaall find Jtflaan cities here: but probably Oedetah and Gedenthaiia, ver. 36. are the aanw. S«B na noie on ver. 32.
44 And Keilah, and Aclizib, and Maresbah; nine cities with their villiigcs:
46 From Bkron, even unto the eea, all that laij * near Ashdod, with their vilhiges:
47 Ashdod with her towns and her viilagee, Qaza with her towns and her vdiages, unto * the river of Egypt, and * the ^eat sea, and the border thereof:
49 And Danoah, and Kirjath-sannah, which is Debir,
51 'And Goshen, and Holon, and Gdoh; eleven citiea with their viHoses;
54 And Humtah, and ' Kirjath-arba, which i* Hebron, and Zior; nine citiea with their villages:
Tiiia it a well knovn idol of the PhiliBlines, and probably place losntioned here mw in lome part of their temtonea j but the ailuacion, at present, ia unknowR.
EUur] Prom chap. xix. 9. we learn, that ihi» atj vma afterward givea to the tribe of Simeon.
Verae 4-1. Keilah] This town was near Hebron, and is said to have been the burying place of the prophet Habakkuk. David obliged, the PliiliaiiDea lo raise the aie^ of it, Be« 1 Sam. xxiii. 1 — 13. but finding that ila inhabitanta had purpoaed to deliver him into the hands of Saul, who waa coming in purauit of him, he made hia eacape. See this remarkable oaae ezpluiwd in tha biM« on Daut xxxii. 1&.
Marethah] Called b1#o MtrtAeth and Mar<ulhi; it was the birUi-placs of the prophet Mkah. Near thia plaea waa the famoua battle between Am, king of Judah, and Zerah, kinrofCueh or Ethiopia, who waa at the head of one thouaanathoosand men, and three hundred chariou. Aaa defeated this inamenae ho«, and took much apoila! 2 Chron. xiv. 9—16.
Vena 46. Citron] One of the five PhiliaUae lardahipa; •ee the note on chap. xiii. 3.
Yarae 47. A^tdod] Called hImi AMtiu, Acta viu. 40. Sea the forgoing note.
OntotheriMTof Egypi\ The Pdiuaie brandi of the Nit^orS^'W- witmonver.4.
Terse 49. KirJatk-aoKnak] See the note on ver. 16.
Gitok} The coiuttry of the traitor Akuoph^ 2 Bam.
Verae 63. BtOtrtappuah) The fteuM i^ tlu oppU, or ettroM free. ProbaUjr a pmee where dteee grew m great Abundance and perfection.
MkeJcah} See the note on chap. xii. 18.
Terse M. Kirjalh-arba] See the note on diap. xiv. ]6.
Terse 66. Mion] In a deaart to whit^ this town gave Basie, David tooE refuge for a conaiderable time, from the paneeotioa of Said. And in this plaoe, Nabal the Carmelite had great poaiBaaioDS. See 1 San. xiiii, 34, Sfi. x«v. 2.
Cormsl] Not die celebrated mount of that name, but a village, the reaidence of. Nabal. See 1 Sam. xxv. 2. It was near Maon, mentioned above, and was about ten railaa ewtward of Hebron. It ia tha aame pkrCa where Saul erected a trmluf to himael^ after the defeat of the AmaldriM aee 1 Sam. xv. 12.
Terae St. T\mnah] A frontier town of the PhUtetinea: it waa in thia ptaee that Samaoa got hia wife, see Judg. xiv. and xv.
57 Cain, QOieah, and Thnnfth; ten citiM with
60 'Kirjath-baal, which w Kirjath-jearim, and Rabbah; two cities with their villages:
62 And N^Bfaan, and the citr of Salt, and En-eedi; six citiea with their viilaeea.
63 1[ As for the Jebusitea, the iiihabitants a( Jeruealem, *-the children of Judah could not drive them out: ^but the Jebusitea dwell with the children of Jndah at Jeruaalein unto thii
AND the lot of the children of Jo- >• ae)^ 'fell from Jordan by Jericho. ^ a « unto the water of Jericho on the east, to the wilderneRs that goeth up from Jericho throughout mount Beth-el, 2 And ^oeth out from Beth-el to 'Lax, and mentiona them, w> that we find the; were in dte copies he need. Dr. Kennioott conteoda that Htcj should be festowd to die text, and accounts thui for their omianoiL " The same word |rr<i>rn Ttofiaisareykm, And their vUlagtM, occuhng immediately before thia paeaage, and at the end of it, die transcriber'a ejre passed from one to ibe other bf mistake. A similar aeeideot haa caused the omiaaiaii tc two whole verses, the ^th and 36lh of chap. xxL" Sea.the note there.
Verse 62. 7%e eUy ((f SaU\ Or of Mdadi. TYm titf waa some^ere in toe vicinity of the lake AepftaltUo, the waters of which are die nitnt, perhaps, in the workL lYie whole country abounds widi »aU: see the note on Gen. xix. 25. Some mj^oK that it is the same as Zoar, the place to which Lot eaoaped, after the deauuctian af Sodom and Oomorrah.
En-g«U] veil of the kid 1 it waa ntuaied faenreca Jericho ana die lake of Sodom, or Dead sea.
Verse 63. T%e JtAuMttet dweU—at JeroMUm- mis Ais day] The whole history of Jeruealem previoosly to the time of David, is incumbered with many diSeoUta. Sometimea it ia attributed to Judali, aometimea to Hnj*- mini BnditiaBrofaaUa,diat,beuwontfae&ontieraafbath dwaetribefceadtpaaaaaaedaparurf iL If the Jebo^ were ever driven D«t befcwe tlie lime (rf David, it ia eealsa they recovered it again, or at least a part ot it, what ia called the citadel, or strong hold qf ZW, aee 3 Sam. t. 7. which he took from them; after which the ctly Ul wholly into the hands of the Isratiiteo. This vase is aa additional proof that the.bocdc of Joafaua waa not wiitaai q/ter the timee of the Jewiah kinga, ae aome have mdm voared to prove tor, when thia vena waa vritlsn, dn JdmaiteB dwelt with the dtildren of 'Joddi, vUdi diey did not after the days of David: iherefbro the book waa written before there were any ItingM in Judea.
It ia very likely that many citiea have, by the lap* of time, not only changed their naaoea, ar have been totally deatroved, aee the mte on vtr. 1. bat that the naiaia of duM in tne preceding ouahcuehavtf been chaagedaiaat several of them are repeated d»t sboald have been bsbbtioned but onee^ and not a few eonlbuaded widi d>» lenH by which diey are described. But w« rauat not mmmt, that every repetition of the wexae is throuflh the camaM. nen of copyists; for there are tAm two pbcea whaah bear the aame name, which is frequently ihocase in Saglud. But, besidea this, villages are meatiOMd as beia^ appaKDtly in die tribe of Judah. whiefa afleraaid appaw to have been in Biwtber tribe. The rcaaoa affon to h» ttiie: many to^u are Biantiomd whidi n« fraaOaeT towns, ana w^en the limits of a tribe are pointed out, audi ^aoea must neeesauily be memioBed, diot^ allotted «•« diffimnt tribe. 'Riia MNuidetatioa will serve to naam BevamldifEealiieawUclk •entriadia nadiBg «CIUa and the foUowing ohaptera.
NOTES ON CHAPTER XVL Verael. 7!U dUUrea «r JbMA] BfkaimtadWt naaaeh, and dwir daaoniaMi. llMlkMarihe mseeth along aato the borders of Archi to Alaroth,
3 And goetU dowQ westward to the coast of Japhleti, ^uato the coast of Beth-boron tlie nether, and to >Gezer: and the goin^a.out thereof are at the sea.
4 >* So the children of Joseph, Mauasseh and Ephraim, took their inheritance.
5 1[ And the border of the children of Ephraim, according to their families, was thus: even the border of their inheritance on the east side was 1 Ataroth-oddnr, ^ unto Beth-horon the upper:
6 And the border went out toward the sea to) Michmethah on Uie o«rth side; and the border went id>out eastward unto Taanath-shiloh, and passed by it on the east toJanohah;
7 And it went down from Jonohah to Ataroth, " and to Naarath, and came to Jericho, and went out at Jordan.
8 The border went out from Tappuah westward unto the ■ river Kanah: and the eoiogs out thereof were at the sea. This ia the inneritance of the tribe of the childrea of Ephraim hy their famiUes.
9 And " the separate cities for the children of £))hraim were among the inheritaace of the children of Manasseh, all the cities widi their Tillages.
10 IT f 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.
A«.e»>d.i>.K rpHERE was also a lot for the vl^i^m. tribe of Manasseh; for he was the 1 first-born of Joseph j to wit, for
Efdiniiin,. extended aloi^ the bonkip of BsBjaauB and Dan, from Jbrdon on the eoe^ to die.AMflnrsiuait «n
Vem 2. Prom BeHi-dt9lJuz\ Pram Gen. zxviii. 19. it ^pecuv, that th v place 'whidi Jacob ca] tod Belh'tt, wsa fermerly called Lux; wen the note there; but here, they aeem to be two diatmct placea. It ia very likely, that thie slaoe where Jacob had the vision wae not in Lau:, but m tome place within a naall distance of that city or viltace: sea the note on Gen. xxriii. 12. that eooietiinei the ^ole place was ealled Belh-d, at other times Lmx, and ■ometimea, as ki the case above, the two places were distiiwuiehad. As we find the tenn London, eowiHisea sot only London, but also the tity ot WttlmiH^4r and the borough of Souikwark; thou|^ at odtw timea all three are diaiinctly mentioned.
.AreftfieAbirottl Arduwaadiseaaiin^ of Huahai,dte friend of David, 3 Sam. xt. 32. who it ealled HuAat Ika ArAUt. Ataroth, called Atarotk-addar, Ataroth the!!• Iiutrioua, ver. 6. and simply Alanth. ver. 7. is supposed to hava been about fifteen miles from Jerusalem.
Verse 3. BtA-horon, ih* nettsr] This ei^ waa about tvelva miles from Jerusalem, on the side of NicapolU, tdtmaly Emwuuu, Causvt. See tbeiioleoaotuw.z. 10.
Balh^rm the upper] The situatioa of this town it little known. It was eastward of Beth-konm the nUiur, ■nd coiuequently not br from iL
Verse B. Tappuah] This was a city in the tribe nS Hanaaseh, and ga.n name to a eeriaio dist^ie^ oalM tba Land of Trnmiah. See chap. zvii. 8.
Veraa 9. And At uparate oftss] lliat h, the eitias that wen oeparaled frmn the tribe of Manaaaefa, to be given to Ephmim: see ehap. zvii. 9.
Verse 10. T^Ae CanaanUta Aat dwtU in Gtxer] It appears that the Canaanites were not expelled from this ei^ till the days of Solomon, when it was taken by the kiag of Egypt, his lather-in-Iaw, irito made it a proaoM to hisoadghier, Solomon'a queen. See 1 Kings ix. 16. And m» the noteon Josb. x. 33. Tlie ^^mimites, however,, had BO fiv susDseded hi ankjeetiiig tnese paoplei as to ob-
' Msjchir. the first-bora of Manasseh, the fhther of Gilcaa: bcc iiise he was a man of war, therefore he hod * Uilead and Bashan.
2 There was also a lot for ' the reel of the children of Manaweliby their families; " for the children of ' Abiezer, and for the children of HeleJt, * and tor the children of Asriei, and for the chudren of Shechem, * and for the children ofHepher, and for the children of Shemida: these were the male children of Manasseh, the son of Joseph, by their families.
3 1 Bat y Zelophehad, the son of Hepher, the son of Gileod, the son of Macbir, the son of Manasseh, had no sons, but daugnters: and these are the names of his daughters, Mahlab, and Noah, Hoglah, Milcah. auTTirzah.
Erieet, and before Joshua the son of Nun, and efore the princes, saying, ■ The Loan commanded Moses to give us an inheritance among onr brethren. Therefore, according to the commandment of the Lonn, he gave them an inheritance among the brethren of their father.
5 And there Tell ten portions to Manasseh, beside the land of Qilead and Boshan, which were on the other side Jordan;
6 Because the daughters of Manaaeeh had an inheritance among his sons: and the rest of Manasseh's sons had the land of Gilead.
7 ^ And the coast of Manasseh was from Asber to ^ Micmethah, that lielh before Shechem } and the border went along on the right hand unto the inhabitants of En-tappQah.
8 Now Manasseh had the land of Tappuah: hut » Tappuah, on the border of Manasseh, belonged to the children of Ephraim:
9 And the coast descended ' unto the * river Kanah, southward of the river: 'these cities of Ephraim are among the cities of Manasseh: the coast of Manasseh also waa on the north
luK them to pay trihuie, though tliey could no^oratleast did not, totally expel them.
Or the namts and viaet» ia this chapter, we may say the ■erne as of othera already menlioned. See the note on chap. XV. 1. Many of ihoee towns were small, and we may rationally conclude, ali^tly builded; and consequently have perislied perhaps more than a thousand years ago. It would be therefore useless to look for audi pncee rw^ Several of the towns in England, a land not exposed lo such revolutions as that of I^lestine has ever been, mentioned by Cesar and other ancient writers, are no longer discernible. Several have changed their names, and aot a few their situation. Tradition states, lliat the city of Norwich anciently stood some miles from its present situatioa; and we have the fullest proof that this was the case with the city of Salisbury. Such changes do not a&st the truth of the ancient geography of our own eounlryi nor can ihey impeach that of the saerad historian bafbre us.
Verse I. Hiert teat aUo a lot for the tribe qf Manao- *e&] It was necessMry to mark tliis, because Jacob, in his blesnng, Oen. xWiii. 19, SO. did, in a certain sensfc set Efteaim before Hanaseeh, though die latter waa the nisibwn: bat the place here shows, that dtis praferenoe did not mSket ibe nghu of the primogaailure.
F\>r Madiir-~ieeauM he vos a man ^ war] It ia not likely that Hadiir himself was now alivet if he were, no must have been nearly 200 years old. It is therefore probalda^ that what is spoken here, is spoken of his chitdno, who DOW possessed the lot that was wiginally designed (dt their faihar i who, it appear% had sigiialtsM himsatf aa a man of skill and valour, in acmta %/l dw ftarmer war^ ihou^ tlie circumstances are not marked. His deaeeodaots, being of a warlike iMnpid spirit, wen well qualified to defend a frontier oountry, wbidi would be aatunlly «xpoeed to invasion.
Verse 2. The rt&t ^ Hu Aildrm tif ManasMk} limt ia, his grand ehildrm; for it is contended, that Manaasih had no other son than Maehir: and these were very probably the children of Oilaad, the aoa of Maehir.
Bide of the river, and the outgoings of it were at the eea: „
10 Southward il was Ephraim's, and northward it iBos Manasseh's, and the sea is his border; and they met together id Asher on the north, and in lesachar on the east.
1 1 ( And Manaeseh had in Issachar and in Asher ^ Beth-slieaa 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, encn three coontries.
12 Tl Yet 1 the children of Manasseh could not drive out the inhabitaTtta of those cities; but the Canaanites would dwell in that land.
13 Yet it came to pass, when the children-of Israel were waxen strong, that they put the Canaanites to ^tribute} but did not utterly drive them out.
14 IT ' And the chUdren of Joseph spake unto Joshua, saying, Why hast thou given me but ■one lot and one portion to inherit, seeing I am "a great people, wraamuch as the Lobd hath blessed me hitherto? —
15 And Joshua answered them, If thou be a great people, then get thee up to the wood wuiUry, ana cut down for thyself there in the
See this case considered at largo in ibe notes on Numb, xxvii 1 — 7. and xxxvi. 1,
Verae 5. There fell ten porttotu to Mina$tA\ Tb« Hebrew word *^an ehebeUy, which we tranalale ■poriiona, ■ignifios literally, eorda, or cables; and intimates, that, by meona of a eora, cable, or what we call a chain, the land waa divided. We have but little account of the arts and Bciencei of the Hebrews; yet, from the sketches which we find in difierent porta of (he Old Teatament, it appears that tlieir nunda were, in many reapeeb^ well cultiTOted: nor eoald the diviaion, vhidi ii mentjoned in ihia book, hi^ve been made without such a measure of geographical knowledge, as we &id it difficult to grant them. Suppose, even in this caae, the land was not measured with the chain, irtiich, in aoroe caeca, would have been impraoticafalei because the ancient inhabitants still occupied the places which were allotted to certain tribes, or lamiliea; yet die •lluMini to this mode of measurement ritowa that it was well known among Ihem.
As there were sons and Jive daughters, among whom this division was to be made, there would be eleven portions; but i^lophehad, son of Hepher, having left five daughters in his place, neither he nor Hepher are reckoned. The lot of Manasaeh therefore was divided into tm parta; five for the five aona of GiUad, who were Abiezer, Helek, Aaiiel, Shechem. and Shemiinh; and five for the five dauo^ters of ZetoptuHad, viz. Mahlah, Noah, Hoglah, Mucah, and Yirzah. CAUirr.
Verse 9, Unto the river Kanak] Literally the river, or vailty of the reedt. Translated or the Vulgate, vatHf arundinetL The tribe of Hanasani appears to hinre beta bounded on the north by thia torrent or vatUjf, and oa the south by the Mediterranean sea.
Verse 10. They met together in Aaher, on the north.} The tribe of Asher extended from the Heditfrranean tea to mount Carmet, chap. xix. 26. and the tribe of Manasseh extended to Dor, and her towns, (see the following vome,) which were in the vicinity of Carmel; and thus it
S peart that these two tribes formed a junction at the editerranean sea. This may serve to remove tlie difficulties in thia verse — but still it doea appear that in several eases the tribes were intermingled; for Manatteh had •everttl lowos, both in Ituwshar and in Aeher, see ver. 11. In like manner, Judah bad towns in Dan aiid Simam; aad £Kineon had towns in Judah — and what is apdcen of the boundaries of the tribes, may be sometimes understood of those town* which certain tnbes had within the limtu of others. For, in several caaea, towna seem to be interchanged, or purchaaed, by mnraal oOTaent, so that in aoma inaiancea the poaeessioos were intermingled, without any confusion of the tribes or families.
Verse II. Beih-thean} Called afterwards SeythopolU, the city of the Scythian*, or Culhiita — (hose who were sent into different Samaritan cities by the kings of Aasyria.
Dor\ On the Mediterranean sea, about eight suits from Casam, on the roitd to Tm.
land of the Perizzites and of the ' giants, if mount Ephraim be too narrow for thee.
16 And the children of Joseph said, The hill is not enoush for tie: and all the Canaanites that dwell in the land of the valley have * chariots of iron, both they who are of Beth-shean and her towns.and they who are <" of the valley of JezreeL
17 And Joshua spake unto the house of Joseph, even to Ephraim and to Manaseeh, saying, Thou dft a great people, and hast great power: ttxHi shall not have one lot only:
16 But the mountain shall be thine; lor it i> a wood, and thou shall cut it down: and the outgoings of it shall be thine: for thou shalt drive out the Canaanites, though they have irm chariots, atvd though they be etroi^.
uunine tbe ljuidi fkud diriiieit into Hveo paru, vrtuch rfmildte dHtrtmad uHai (boil >M. 3— 7. TIm men fo md dp « cagMndid, md imum M)oihBa.8.T JaAu SHU lou for Uan, 10. Hm)« gf BataiBB, ImiiKu^, 11, lumtarn bonndaita, 13-14. la MkSbra lN«aiDk£lfi—la hi wMn bsa^ir.lS III eiiiiii,d-aa
AND the whole congregation of the *■ ^ *" children of Israel assembled toge* ther "at Shiloh.and t setuptfae taber-..r^lL nacle of the eoiwregation there. And the land was Bubdued before than. 2 And there remained among the childrra
En-dor} The xoell or fountain of Dor, the place where Saul went to eonsult the witch. 1 Sam. xxviiL 7, die
Verse IZ OnUd not drive out, &c] Tliey bad wiAer grace nor courage to go against their enemies; and chose rather to share their territories with those whom the justice of God had proscribed, than exert ibemselvea to expel them. But some commentators give a different turn to expression, kikI translate the passage thus. Buttluddidrat of Manaasek could not (resolve to) destroy thooe eitia, but the Caitaanila contented to dwU in llu land, Aad as they were willing to pay tribute, and the oth«n dxam to tolerate them on. those terms, they agreed to dwell together: but this pcying of trilmte seems not to have taken place till some time after — uAm the children ^ Jormd were tuaxen ttrong, &e.
Verse IS. ffthou be a great peoptt] Joahua takes diemst their own word; they said, ver. 14, that ihey were a great peo|rie— then, said he, ^tium be a great ptopU, or aecui; thou art a great people, go to Ae wood antrUry, md dear away for thyself Joshua would not reverse the decisiaB of the lotjbut as there waa much woodland country, be nve them permission to clear away as much tif it as they nmd necessary, to extend themselves ea fiir as tbey pleeaed.
Verse 16. TJte Mil i* not enough for lu) Tlic mouDtain of Oilboa being that which had mllen to them bf lot
Chariote qf iron} We cannot poaaeaa the plain country, because that is occupied by the Canaanites; and we cannot conquer tbem, because they have ehariolt of inm, that ia, very strong ebarioli, and armed with teywo, m ia generally BuptK»ed.
Verse 18. The ouigoingt qf U ihaU be Cftuu] Clear away the wood, occupv the mountain, and you altall sosa be wie to command all the valleys; and, possessing all the defiles of the country, you shall drive out the CanaantR^ though they have dUnoca of iron — your aituatitm wilt be advantageous, your numbers very reqiecti^le, and the hand of God will be upon ycxi for good.
1. Fbok the whole histcuy of the Iraelite^ we find that it was difficult lo please tliem: they had a dicatttflSed mind; and hence were rarely conteated. From iIm alws account we learn, dwt the children of Joee[rii were bmkIi inclined to quarrel with Joshua, because they had not aaeit a lot as ihey wished; though they could not be i^soraitt that their lot, aa that of the othera, had been detenaiaed by the espeoisj providence of God.
2. Joshua treata ihem with great finnneaa— he would nofattempt to alterihe ^tpointmn^ of Godt and be asrw no reason to re verae or change the grant already made. Th^ were both numeroua andalrong, and if they pot forth tbtat Btrength, under the direction of even the ordinary proTtdenoe of God, they had every reason lo ex poet aocreaa.
3. SUM^futneso ia natural to man — il requires mock tcaining to imluce him to labour for his daily bread: if God should niiaenloualy send it, be will mmder and oat it; and that iathawhols. StriMtomterimattimalraUga^ ia an ui^raeioiiB woid to many— ptsftss to trufi im
3 And Joshua said unto the children of Israel, ■ How lonsar^ ye sttick to go to posseBii the land, which theXosD God of your Tathers hath given you?
4 Give out from amoi^ you three men for each tribe: and I ^ill BeDdtbem, and they shall rise, and go through the land, and describe it according to the inheritance 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, atid ' the house of Joseph shall abide in their coast on the north.
6 Ye shfJl therefore describe the land into seven parts, and bring the description hither to me, 'thai 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 tribe of Manaeseh, have received their inheritance beyond Jordan on the east, which Moses the servant of the Lord gave them.
8 IT And the men arose and went away; and Joshaa charged them that went to describe the land, saying, Go and walk through the land, and describe it, and come agwn to me, that I may here cast tots lor yoa beibre 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 Shiioh.
10 1[ And Joshua cast lots for them in Shiioh befbre 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
Ood'i mercy, but labour rial to enter into that rett. — God will not revurws hw purpo*e, to meet their alotkfuintMs: tboy Kloae v^o overcome, shall sit vilh Jesua upon his throne. Reader, toie unto Uua ihenludtantuntr God, that Omu mavat bo Ma to atand in Me «rit day, ana having done iul-—ta stand. And remember, tbM be only who mdurea to the end, sh&ll be saved.
Verse 1. Itrael auembUd together at ^Uoh] This •ppears to have been a considerable town, about fifteen onJes from Jerusalem, in the tribe of Ephr&uo, and nearly tn the centre of the -whola land. To this place, both the eunp of Israel, wd the ark of the Lord, were removed from GKIgal, afier a rendenee thertf of teven fears. Here the'tabemacle remained one huodrcid and tlurCy years, As is generally supposed, being the most conveniently situated tor aeeess t« the different tribes, and for safety, the Israelites liaviBg DOsMnioo of die land on all sides: for it is here added, Ms toad tea* nbdued bifore thorn — the Canaanites were so completely subdued, that there was no longer any general reais lance to the Israelitish arms.
Terse 3. HowlonganyariadetOBotojto»»u»V\tiand^ We find an unaccountable baekwaniaess in this people, to «nter on the inheriianee which Ood had given them I Tbcj had ao long be«n supported fay mirade, without any exertions of their own, that they found it difficult to shake ribemselves from their inactivity. When it was necessary tbst all the people should go out to battle, they went with a measure of eonfldeiMe, expecting miraculous help from Ood, and cMifiding in their numbers — but when each tribe found it necessary to fight for itself in order to its eala- Uisbment, and the extension of its boners, it was discouraged, and chose rather a life of inglorious ease, than the neoession of an inheritance whida would eost it much lalMur to conquer.
Terse 4. Tnree mm Jor each tribe] Probably meaning.only three from eocfa of the MWn tribes, who had not yet leuwwJ dwir iidieriianoe. It is likely that these twentyone ines were aeeompanied by a militair guard, fin-witfaont this dier might have been essily oat off 1^ strag^ing parlies of the Caooanitet.
TTioy 4hail~~deaeribe It} It is likely they were persons well oeqnainted with geography and mensuration, witiiout wbieh, It would have been impossibls for them to have divided dw kod, in the mj trnmutj, on this oeeasian.
of Benjamin came tip according to their fami* lies: and the coast of their lot came forth be-* tween the children of Judah and the children of Joseph.
12 'And the border on the north side was from Jordan; and the border went up to the side of Jericho on the north side, and went up through the mountains westward and the goings out thereof were at the wildernees of Beth-aven.
13 And the border went over from thence toward Luz, to the side of Luz, '■which ia Beth-el, southward; and the border descended to Ataroth-adar, near the hill that lieih on the south side ' of the nether Beth-horon.
14 And the border was drawn thence, and compassed the corner of the sea southward, from the hill that lietk before Beth-horon southward; and the goinffs out thereof were at " Kirjath-baal, which ie Kirjath-jearim, a city of the children of Judah: this v>aa the west quarter.
15 And the south Quarter was from the end of Kirjath-jearim, ana the border went out on the west, and went out to * the well of waters of Nephtoah:
16 And the border came down to tlie end of the mountain that li^h before ' the valley of the son of Hinnom, and which is in the valley of the giants on the north, and descended to the valley of Hinnom, to the side of Jebusi on the eout^ and descended to ' En-rogel,
17 And was drawn from the north, and yreat forth to En-shemesh, and went forth toward Gfeliloth, which is over against the going up of Adummim, and descended to ^ the stone of Bo> han the eon of Reuben,
IS And passed along toward the ride over against ■ Arabah ^northward, and went down unto Arabah:
19 And the border passed along to the side of
Terse t. Judah ehall abide — on the aotUh, and the houae qf Joeeph — on the north] Joshua does not mean' that the tribe of Judah occupied the oouth, and the tribe of Ephraim and Manasseh the north of the proroised land — this was not the fact: butbeingnow at Shiioh, a eonsider* able way in the territory of Ephraim, and not far from that of Judaa,hespeakaof tnemin re\uitmtothe]daeein-whieh
Am was. Calmet considera him as thus addressing the deputies: "Ch> and examine the whole of the couuLry which remains yet to be possessed j 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 j but carefully divide Uie rB(Paining land, which ia not occupied by these tribes. Into seven equal parts. This makes a very good sCnse, and £rees the place from embcurrassment.
VeraeT. 7%eprie»lhoodqf the Lord ia their inheritance] We have already seen, that tbe priesu and Levites had the sacrifice^ (Alations, tithes, first-fruity redemption-money of the first*bam, wc. for their inhentanoe; they had no landed poseesnons in Israel { the Lwd was their portion.
Terse 9. And dtmrUted ff— in a hook\ "niis, as far as I can recollect, is the first act of turvs^'ng on record. These men and thetr work difTered widely from those who had searched the land in the time of Hoses: they went only to discover the nature of the country, and the state of its inhabitants! but thete went to lake an actual geograjAieal eurvey of it, in order to divide it among the tribes which had not yet received their portions. Ws may suppose that the country was exactlv described iri a bio/t, that a map, pointing out the »ee of the oountiy, accompanied with descripaons of each port
Terse 11. And the lot-^ Bettfamin came up] On the manner of casting the lot, see on chap. ziv. 2. ana Numb, xxxvi. 66. There were probably two um», ooc of which contained the names of the seven tribes, and the other that of the seven povtions; Tltey thereCne took.one name oat of the first via, and one portion out of the seoondf and Ham the portion was odjodged to that tribe.
Terse 12. TTu vnidmuat qf Belh-aten] Thia was the same as Belh-eli but this name was not given to it, till Jeroboam hod fixed one of his goMea cams there. lis firstnamesignifieatheAouM^Gml its second, Ifts Aohm
Beth-hoelah northward: and the outjgmiigB of the'border were at the north ibay ortbe Salt ■ea at the south end of Jordan: this was the couth coaet.
20 And Jordan waa the border of it on the east Bide. This was the inheritance of the children of Beajamin, by the coasta thereof found about, according to their familiea.
21 1| Now the cities of the tribe of the children of Benjamin according to their familieB were Jericho, and Beth-hoglahi and the valley of Keziz,
22 And Beth-arabah, and Zemaraim, and
24 And Chephar-haammonai, and Ophni, and Gaba; twelve cities with their villrigee:
28 And Zelah, Eleph, and ■'Jebuei, which w Jerusalem, Qibcath, dnd Kirjath; fourteen citieB with their viUa^eB. This t* the inheritance of the children of Bei^amin according to their iamilies.
An-E^to. A ND the second lot came forth to, »■*» J\. Simeon, even for the tribe of the I. CTj^m f^^jj-QD Qf Simeon according to their Ihmilies: " and their inheritance was within the inheritance of the children of Judah.
2 And 0 they had in their inheritaaee Beeraheba, Sheba, and Moladah, -
5 And Zigla^, and Beth-marctUiath, and War zar-Buea!i,
Verae 17. En-AemeaH] The fountain of the mm — a proof of the idalalroua natore of the aaeient iohabitaota of thii Und.
GeliloUil As the word ngnifies bordm or Umii*, it ia probably not the proptr name of a place. And wnt JbrA ttnearaOu bokdxbs tb/UA are over agobttt Uu aacemi to
Terse 19. The north bay of the Sait tea] Am the word jwV Uthon, signifiea the tongue, it may here refer to the soini of the Dead w Salt sea. Of theae ton^uu or pouU*, It had two, one on the north, and the other oq the toalh.
Verse 21. Nov Ike cttie*] Some of Qie»o «Mm have been maotiooed before, and deacribed I of «tbeia we know nolbiflg but the name.
Veraa 24. And Qaba^ Buppoaed t« be the same as Oibeah of SatU, a place fluaoue for baviotf given birth to die fint king of Israel — and io&mous for the ahooking act toward the Levite'a wife, mentioaed Judg. xiz. which waa the cause of a war, in which the tribe of Benjamin was nearly exterminated. Judg. xx.
Verae 25. Oi6eonl See b^ra, chop. x. Ttaa place ia fiuBona for the eonfeoeracy <if the five kion against Israel, and dieir mitaeulous defnt. Ramah, a plaoe ^xMt ux or ei^t miles north of Jenualeai. BterotK-xoelU, one of the four oitiea which belonged to^ the Oibeonites, who made peace with the laraelitea by atmti^m. See cnt^. ix.
Verae 26. And Mixpeh] This place ia oeleln-ated in the Sacred Writings. Hera the people were accustomed to ■aaemble often in the preaeitee of the Lord — aa in the delibwation concerning the nuniahment to be inflicted on tlie laao of CKbtah, for the wuae of tha Levite'a wife, Judg. zx. 1—3. Samiwl aaaandded tba *paof4a ben to «xbort dWIownawnaaftefrictotolm I awn.<iit ^6. In Aia ■UM pUaa S»Ml was Atom & ho Jdng, 1 Sank x. 17. It waa deemed a oOicred plaoe among the Iwaelitea t for we ttaA, from 1 Maecab. iu. 46. that we Jews aaaembled here to seek God, when their enemies were in poaaeaaioa of the
/erse 28. And Zela] TiuM was the burying place of SaaL Jonuhai^ and ina Cuoily of Kith. S«» 2 San. Mm. 14.
JAuoi, uAidk ia JenMoltm] We often meat with diit turn, tm it ia eridant diat ttWM lha aoeteat dsbm of
6 And Beth-lebaoth, and Shartihen *, thirteen cities and their villages:
7 Ain, Remmon, and Ethe^, and Ashaa; Ibar cities and their villngea:
8 And alt the villages that were round about theae cities to Baalath-beer, Ramath of the Bouth. This is the inheritance of the trBw of the children of Simeon according to their families.
9 Out of the portion of the children of Judab was the inheritance of the children of Simeon; for the part of the children of Judah was too much for them: f therefore the children of Simeon had their inheritance within the inheritance of them.
10 Y And the third lot came up for the chitdreD of Zebulun according to their families: and the border of their inheritance was unto Sarid:
11^ And their border went up toward the tea, and Maralah, and reached to Dabbasheth, and reached to the river that i« before Jtrfuieam;
12 And turned from Sarid eastward toward the Bunrising unto the border of Chisloth-tabor, and then ^o>eth out to Daberath, and goeth up to Japhia,
13 And from thence passeth on along on the east to Gittah-hepher. to Ittah-kazin, and goetk out to Remmon-nmetboar to Neah;
14 And the border compasseth it on the north aide to Hannathon: and the outgoings thereoT are in the valley of Jiphthab-el:
15 And Kattath, and NahaUal, and Shinron, and Idalah, and Beth-lehem: twelve cities with their villages.
16 This is the inheritance of the chSdren of Zebulun according to their families, these cities with their villages.
17 1) And the fourth lot came oat to Issachar, for the children of Iswichar aecordii^c ta their Iamilies.
Jerusalem^ which was also called SaUm; and waa prob»- bly the place in wbidi Heldiiced^ reigned in the daya of Abraham; though some ditnk a different plaee ia meant t top, that there was anotberplace of the same name, is evident from John iit. 23. This place, called Salim bj tbs evangelist ia said to be near to Enon, and there Jo&d kai^ tized, because there was raudi water in the plaee. Ibia^ however, must not faa oonfoonded widi the Saiem mentioned above; for dwt fbia waa a name of JeIUBalaR^ im evident from Pea). Ixxvi. 1, Z In Judah ie God Anotm t hit name ia great in S»rael. bi Salmm aUo ie hie taher^ node, and kU dwelling plaee in Zion. Hua Bust refer to Jerusalem, where the lemple was MtuMcd. Whether Jtime or Jebiui, had iu name from the Jefrwate^ or MnvU^ bora it, cannot be ascertained.
Terse I. Tlu aocond lot cameforA to iSSmeon] In ihaa appointment the providence of God i>ay capecialty remarked: forihe ini^toua conduct of Simeon and Levi in the massacre of the innocent Shecbcnaitea,GeD.xxxiv.Jacdi, ia the spirit of prophecy, foretold that they aheuld divided in Jacob, and nattered in brael. Gen. xlix. 7. And this waa most literally fulfilled, in the ""t kfe which God disposed of both these tribes afierwanl. Leri was acattered through all Palestine, not having reoMved any inherilance^tjr cities to dtecil iny in difierem parts of the land; and Simeon wastCspersed in Judah, with what could scarcely be said to be their ovn^ or ajMcufim* loL. See the pota on Gfen. xlix. 7.
VmaiS. £WMum!>iM&]TheAoiMeoreay^ekarMR. Probably a place where ibeir irar-chariota wii wmiiy were laid up.
yenefi. Bdli-IeftaaAl Ihe IlMst at et^ qf Of Smeaves. Probably so called from the nuinbwa oflhoaa aan—ls which bred there
Verve B. fioalaA-ftaer] The imB ^ A« mi'sfrmtai Probably so called from aome aupantUiotia or inqpnie mahip set up then.
18 And their border wftfl toward Jezreel, and Chesulloth, and Shanem,
32 And the coaat reficheth to Tabor, and Shabaaimah. and Beth-sbeoieeh; and the outgoinga <^ their border were at Jordan: sixteen cities with their villages.
23 This is the inheritance of the tribe of the children of Issacbar aceordiog to their farailiefi, the cities and their villages.
24 t And the fifth lot came out for the tribe of the children of Asher aeeordms to their femilieB.
25 And their border was Helkath, and Hali, and Beten, and Achshaph,
26 And Alammelech, and Amad, and Misheal; and reacheth to Carmel westward, and to Shihor-libnath;
27 Aodturneth toward the sunri&ing to Beth- 'da£on, and reacheth to Zcbulun, and to the valley of Jiphlhah-el toward the north side of Beth'
SeA-Ukein] Tbtt home of bread j a different plRoe from diuio which our Lord waa bom.
Tene 17. TTtc Ji/itrlh lot came onl to ImuAar] It ia nmarluUe, that uioug^ Iwachar waa the elder brother, yet the lot of Zebulun wa> drawn before his lot — and this ii the order in which' Jacob hiouelf mentions them, Gen. xlix. 13, 14. though no reason appears either here or id the place above, why this preference should be ^ven to the younger; but that the apparemly foriuiioua lot should have djstinguiahed (hem juat a* the prophetic Jacob did, is pecu. liiarly remArkaUe, Known unto God are all hia works fhna die begianing— He has reosona for his conduct which, in many casea, are too great for any of hit creaturea to comprehend: but he works all (hin^ after the counsel of his own will, which is ever right and ^ood; and in this case bis injluenee may be as easily seen in the eUeiaion by the ioi, as on the vtind at the ^triarch Jacob, when he predicted what should befall his children in the latter days — and his prmidmrt continued to ripen, and bring forward what tiin Judgment had deemed right to be done.
Verse 18. Jexreel\ This city, according to Calmet, waa situated in an open country, having the town of Lt^mt on the west; Beiiithan on the east; on the smidk the mountaii» of iSi&ioa, and on the north those of Herman.
iSftunem] lliis city was rendered famous by being the occasional abode of the prophet Elisha; and the place wherehs restored the son of a pious woman to life. 2 Kings iv. 34. It was the place where the Philistines were encamped m that ruinous day in vhidi the Israelites were totally routed M fflOoo, and Saul and bis sons Jonathan, AlnnadadjV^^^^i™"^'''!'^- 1 Sam. xxviEi. 4. xxzi. I, dbc.
Verse 22. Belli-ahemeth] The house or temple of the ■an — there were several cides or towns of this name in Palestine, an ample proof that the worship of this celestial luminaiy had eenerallTprevailed in thatidolatrtnis country.
Terse26. C&rme/]ttevineyardof Ood — aplacegreatly celebrated in SeriptureT-and especially for the miracles en Elijih, see 1 Kings rviii. The moumain at Oanml was •0 VCTT fniithl as to peun into a proverb. "Hwre waa another Carmel in the tribe of Judah, see chap. xv. 66. but this, ia the tribe of Ather. was situated about one hundred and twenty furlongs south from Ptolemaia, on die edge of the Mediterranean sea. Calmet observes that there was, in the time of Veapaaion, a temple on this mountain, dedi* cMed to a god of the same luune. "ntere was a convent, and a relifious order known by the itoine of CarmdiUa, astsUiahea on this mountain in honoor of Blijak i the time of the foundation of this order is greatly di^iuted. — 9ome ptetend that it was established w Blitah himself ( while others, vHh more jvobability, fix it in A. D. 1160 or U8t, aader the pontificate of Pope Alexander III.
Verse 27. To CabtU mtheUJt tuind\ That is, to the •Mr<ftof Cabul, for so the bAfiand^ when referring to }>^oc«, ii underatood among die Hebrews.
We must not confound this tomt of Cabui widiihe twenty •itles given by Solomon to Hiram, wiA which he waa disnfaasen, and which, in contempt, be ealled t/u land tff Ca- Wi, the dirty or paltry land, 1 Bangs ix. 11—13. there WW evidently a town en diis name, widely diffmnt fVom te Irnid so edied, long befbre the tiiqe of Stdocaon, and thwrfnn Aim eannot bv aiUuecd as an atfrgasMM thM ibe
emek, and Neiel, and goeth out to Cabul on tlie
28 And Hebron, and Rehob, and Hammon, and Kanah, • even unto great Zidon j
29 And then the coast turneth to Rnmah, and to the strong city t Tyre; and the coaat turneth to Hosah; and the outgoings thereof are at the sea from the coapt to " Achzib:
30 Ummah also, and Aphck, and Rehob: twenty and two cities with their villages.
31 This is the inheritance of the tribe of the cbildren of Aslier according to their families, these cities with their villages.
33 H The sixth lot came out to the children of Napbtali, even for the children of Napbtali according to their families.
33 And their coast was from Helenh, from Alloa to Zaanannira, and Adami, Nekeb, and Jabneel, unto Lakum, and the ou^oinga thereof were at Jordan:
34 And then * the coast turneth westward to Aznolh-tabor, and goelh out from thence to Hukkok, and reacheth to Zebulun on the south side, and reacheth to Asher on the west eide, and to Judah upon Jordan toward the sun-rising.
book of Joshua waa written after the daya of David. The town in question is euppoaed to be the same which Josephu% in hia Li^ calls XaffnXa, Oiabmdo, and urtiieh he son waa situated by the sea side, and nigh to Ptolemais. De Bell. Jud. lib. iii. c. 4.
Verse 2S. Unto great Zidon} The city of Sidon, and the iSwianiarw, are celebrated from the remotest anCiouity. — Thev are frequently mentioned by Homer.-— See tiie note on chap. xi. ver. 8.
Verse 29. TV ttrong ett}f TVre] I suspect thia to be an improper translation. Pmiaps the woids of the original dwuld be retained: uttcf the coast temeft to Ramah and to the city, ft M30 mibtaar Igor. Our translators have here lei^ the Hebrew, and followed the Septuagint and Vulgate! a fault of which they are sometimes guilty. The former render the place tu; nXtuf axvpia^arot rwr 'Vvfiav, unto thejjjrtified city of the Tyrian: TTie Vulgate ia nearly the same; ad dvitatem munUi»nmam "PyruTn, to the well-fbrtified city Tyre: but this must be incorrect; for the famous city of Tyre waa not known till about A. H. 2760, about two hundred years after the days of Joahiu. Homer, who frequently mentions Sidm uad the Sido^ nians, never meniions T\re; a proof that this afterward very eminent city waa not then known. Homer ia allowed by acme to have fiourished in the time of Joshua; diou^ others make him contemporary with the Israelitisb Judges.
The wOTd yt l»or, or uar, which we tronsUte, or change into Tyre, signifies a rock or ttrong place: and as dme were many rocke in the land of Juom. that, with a httle art, were formed tntn Btroog plsen of defence, henoe sereial places might liave the name of Tear or Tyre, The ancient and celebrated Tyre, so much spoken of; both in m* cred and prQ/ane history, was a rcKk or small island in the ■ea, about six or seven hundred paces from the main land. In OTder to reduce this city, Alexander the Great was obliged to fill up the diannel between it and the main land; and, after all, took it widi muoh difficulty. It is ranerallv sumiosed that a imra on the nwin kuu, tqipoails to this fbrdfied rock, went by die same namei one beiiw called Old Tyre, the other Neu 'I\re. It was out of the ruins of the old Trre, or that which was simated on the main land, that Atexander is said to have filled up the diannel between it and the new city. Of this ciqr, Isaiah, chap, xxiii. and Exek. chap, xxvii. and xxviii. have given a very grand description, and also predicted its irreparable ruin, vhidi propneeies have been most literally mlfiUed..See more on the above places.
Aehxib] Calledulerward£Mfam/,andnow called.^, it ia about nine roileadtatance firom Ptolemais, toward T^ra.
Verse 30. T^toenty and tteo citiee] There ore nearly thirty cities in the alxive enumeration, inatead of i-aenty' two, but probably several are mentioned that were but Avntier towns, and that did not belong to thia tribe, dteir border only pasnng by soeh cities; and on this account, though they are araiea, yet (hey do not enter into the «numeration in this place. Perh^a some of the viUagee are named, as well as the aiiiea.
Vtne 34. And to Judah upon Jordan] It is certain that the tribe of Nai^toli did not border on the east upon Judah, for there were several tribes between ihem. Some diink that as these two tribes wpre bewaded bv Joidanoo Di^d by^jCJOgie
35 And ihc fenced citiea are Ziddim, Zer, and Hammath, Rakkath, and Chinnercth,
38 And Iron, and Migdal-el, Horem, and Beth-anath, and Belh-sljemesh; nineteen ctticB with their villages.
39 This is the inheritance of the tribe of the children of Naphtali nccordinK to their families, the cities and their villaffce.
40 Tf And the seventh lot came out for the tribe of the children of Dan according to their &milie8.
41 And the coact of their inheritance was
46 And Me-jarkon, and Rakkon, with the border ' before ' Japho.
47 And ' the coast of the children of Dan went out too little for them: therefore the children of Dan went up to fi^ht against Leshem, and took it, and smote it wtth the edge of the sword, and possessed it, and dwelt therein, and called LeshemL* Dan, af\er the name of Dan their father.
48 This is the inheritance of the tribe of the children of Dan according to their families, these cities with their villages.
49 11 When they had made an end of dividing
the eait, they mi^t be considered aa in lonie sort conjoined, because of the easy pcutaage to each other by means of the river; but Mm lo^Iit be said of eevcral other tribes as well as of these. Iricre is considerable difficulty in the text as it now stands j but, if, with the St^uagint, we omit Judah, the difficulty Tanisfaea, and the passage is plain; but this omission is supported by no Ms. hitherto discovered. It is however very probable that some chan^ has taken place in the words of the text, iTi''n nTirr-a^ ubihudah hayardm, "and by Judah upon Jordan." Beubigtmt, who lerma them verba eini re ac aeTiteniia, words without senn or meaning, proposes, instead of Ihem, to read |'n'<n rvniyt ubegiddotk hayarden, " and \n the banks of Jordan," a word which ii used, diap. iii. 15. mod which here makes a very good sense.