[which] is counted to the Canaanite: five lords of the Philistines; the Gazathites, and the Ashdothites, the Eshkalonites, 4 the Gittites, and the Ekronites; also the Avites: From the south, all the land of the Canaanites, and Mearah, that [is] beside the Sidonians, unto Aphek, to the borders of the Amo5 rites: And the land of the Giblites, and all Lebanon, toward the sun rising, from Baalgad under mount Hermon unto the 6 entering into Hamath. All the inhabitants of the hill country from Lebanon unto Misrephothmaim, [and] all the Sidonians, them will I drive out from before the children of Israel: only divide thou it by lot unto the Israelites for an inheritance, as 7 I have commanded thee. Now therefore divide this land for an inheritance unto the nine tribes, and the half tribe of Ma8 nasseh, With whom the Reubenites, and the Gadites have received their inheritance, which Moses gave them beyond Jordan eastward, [even] as Moses the servant of the LORD 9 gave them: From Aroer, that [is] upon the bank of the river Arnon, and the city that [is] in the midst of the river, and all 10 the plain of Medeba unto Dibon; And all the cities of Sihon

king of the Amorites, which reigned in Heshbon, unto the 11 border of the children of Ammon: And Gilead, and the bor

der of the Geshurites, and Maachathites, and all mount Her12 mon, and all Bashan unto Salcah; All the kingdom of Og in Bashan, which reigned in Ashtaroth and in Edrei, who remained of the remnant of the giants for these did Moses 13 smite, and cast them out. Nevertheless, the children of Is rael expelled not the Geshurites, nor the Maachathites: but the Geshurites and the Maachathites dwell among the Israel14 ites unto this day. Only unto the tribe of Levi he gave none inheritance; the sacrifices of the Lord God of Israel made by fire [are] their inheritance, as he said unto them.

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And Moses gave unto the tribe of the children of Reuben 16 [inheritance] according to their families. And their coast was from Aroer, that [is] on the bank of the river Arnon, and they that [is] in the midst of the river, and all the plain 17 by Medeba; Heshbon, and all her cities that [are] in the 18 plain; Dibon, and Bamothbaal, and Bethbaalmeon, And Ja19 haza, and Kedemoth, and Mephath, And Kirjathaim, and Sib20 mah, and Zarethshahar, in the mount of the valley, And Beth21 peor, and Ashdothpisgah, and Bethjeshimoth, And all the cities of the plain, and all the kingdom of Sihon king of the Amorites, which reigned in Heshbon, whom Moses smote with the princes of Midian, Evi, and Rekem, and Zur, and Hur, and Reba, [which were] dukes of Sihon, dwelling in the 22 country. Balaam also the son of Beor, the soothsayer, did the children of Israel slay with the sword among them that 23 were slain by them. And the border of the children of Reuben was Jordan, and the border [thereof.] This [was] the in

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heritance of the children of Reuben after their families, the cities and the villages thereof.

And Moses gave [inheritance] unto the tribe of Gad, [even] unto the children of Gad according to their families. 25 And their coast was Jazer, and all the cities of Gilead, and half the land of the children of Ammon, unto Aroer that [is] 26 before Rabbah; And from Heshbon unto Ramathmizpeh,

and Betonim; and from Mahanaim unto the border of Der 27 bir; And in the valley, Betharam, and Bethnimrah, and Succoth, and Zaphon, the rest of the kingdom of Sihon king of Heshbon, Jordan and [his] border, [even] unto the edge of the sea of Chinneroth on the other side Jordan eastward. 28 This [is] the inheritance of the children of Gad after their families, the cities and their villages.

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And Moses gave [inheritance] unto the half tribe of Ma. nasseh and [this] was [the possession] of the half tribe of 30 the children of Manasseh by their families. And their coast was from Mahanaim, all Bashan, all the kingdom of Og king of Bashan, and all the towns of Jair, which [are] in Bashan, 31 threescore cities: And half Gilead, and Ashteroth, and Edrei, cities of the kingdom of Og in Bashan, [were pertaining] unto the children of Machir the son of Manasseh, [even] to 32 the one half of the children of Machir by their families. These [are the countries] which Moses did distribute for inheritance in the plains of Moab, on the other side Jordan, by Jericho, 33 eastward. But unto the tribe of Levi Moses gave not [any] inheritance: the Lord God of Israel [was] their inheritance, as he said unto them.

CHAP. XIV.

We have in this chapter a general account of the manner in which the land was to be divided between the nine tribes and a half on this side Jordan; Caleb's claim of Hebron, and his request granted.

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ND these [are the countries] which the children of Israel inherited in the land of Canaan, which Eleazar the priest, and Joshua the son of Nun, and the heads of the fathers of the tribes of the children of Israel, distributed for inheritance unto them, according to the direction of Moses, 2 Numbers xxxiv. 17, 18, and the following verses. By lot [was] their inheritance, as the LORD commanded by the hand of Moses, for the nine tribes, and [for] the half tribe;

This was the best method of doing it, as it was acknowledging God's right to the Tand, and leaving it to his disposal; it was the way to prevent murmuring, and to make them content; and it would make it evident that the prophecies of Jacob and Moses, concerning the situation of the several tribes, were from God.

though Levi was excluded from any share in the division, yet 3 Joseph was divided into two. For Moses had given the inheritance of two tribes and an half tribe on the other side Jordan: but unto the Levites he gave none inheritance among 4 them. For the children of Joseph were two tribes, Manasseh and Ephraim: therefore they gave no part unto the Levites in the land, save cities to dwell [in,] with their suburbs 5 for their cattle, and for their substance. As the Lord commanded Moses, so the children of Israel did, and they divided the land. But before they began to cast lots, Caleb put in his claim.

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Then the children of Judah came unto Joshua in Gilgal, where the tabernacle was, and where the lots were to be cast with reverence and seriousness, as an appeal to God, the great proprietor of the land: and Caleb the son of Jephunneh the Kenezite, attended by the princes of Judah, to whose tribe he belonged, and who waited upon him with great respect, as the oldest man in all Israel, except Joshua ; and he said unto him, that is, to Joshua, Thou knowest the thing that the LORD said unto Moses the man of God, concerning me and thee in Ka7 deshbarnea, I appeal to thee for the truth of it. Forty years old [was] I when Moses the servant of the LORD sent me from Kadeshbarnea to espy out the land; and I brought him word again as [it was] in mine heart, what I thought of the 8 land, and of our going to possess it, Numb. xiii. 30. Nevertheless, my brethren that went up with me made the heart of the people melt, discouraged and dispirited them but I wholly 9 followed the LORD my God. And Moses sware on that day, saying, Surely the land, those parts about Hebron, whereon thy feet have trodden, shall be thine inheritance, and thy children's for ever, because thou hast wholly followed the LORD my 10 God. And now, behold, the LORD hath kept me alive, as he said, these forty and five years, 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. He celebrates the goodness of God in preserving him, in his escape from all the perils of the wilderness, when the carcasses of his brethren fell there; and to obviate a natural objection, that he was now too old for action, he adds, 11. As yet I [am as] strong this day as [I was] in the day that Moses sent me as my strength [was] then, even so [is] my strength now, for war, both to go out, and to come in; I am not only fit for counsel and advice, but for action; fit still to lead 12 and head an army. Now therefore give me this mountain, whereof the LORD spake in that day, the mountainous country where Hebron lay (see chap. xi. 21.) and which God promised to me; for thou heardest in that day how the Anakims [were] there, and [that] the cities [were] great [and] fenced. If so

be the LORD [will be] with me, then I shall be able to drive them out, as the LORD said. Though the enterprize be very difficult, yet through God's assistance (which I promise myself) 13 I doubt not but to effect it. And Joshua blessed him, and gave unto Caleb the son of Jephunneh Hebron for an inheritance; the country towns and villages thereabouts, for the city itself was given to the Levites, ch. xxi. 11, 12. Joshua approved his motion, commended his courage, granted his request, and prayed God to succeed him in his expedition, and give him a comfortable settlement there. Hebron had been taken before by Joshua; and some think the Canaanites and Anakims had got possession of it again, and that Caleb dislodged them when it was given him. 14 Hebron therefore became the inheritance of Caleb the son of

Jephunneh the Kenezite unto this day, because that he wholly 15 followed the Lord God of Israel. And the name of Hebron before [was] Kirjatharba; [which Arba was] a great man among the Anakims, he built and fortified it.* And after this the land had rest from war; which gave them time for divid ing it.

REFLECTIONS.

ET us acknowledge the hand of God in fixing the bounds of our habitation. He chooses our inheritance for us; not indeed in a miraculous way, but his providence overrules such events, and his hand is to be owned in our settlement. He determines for us far better than we should do for ourselves. Let us therefore refer ourselves to him, and praise him for a comfortable settlement in life. If the lines are fallen to us in pleasant places, let us bless God, who is the portion of our inheritance, and who maintaineth our right.

2. It is our wisdom and duty to follow the Lord fully, as that will afford us joy and comfort hereafter. It is our wisdom steadily to adhere to God and our duty, and to be upright before him. It is a delightful character to be resolutely good in a degenerate age; like Caleb, when all the spies but himself and another were of a different mind, and provoked God. Let us be willing to bear or resign any thing, for the testimony of a good conscience and the favour of God. It is particularly honourable to follow the Lord fully, when others forsake him; this will afford us pleas ing reflections hereafter; it will be our joy in the decline of life, that we followed God in our earliest days; and he will signalize us by special tokens of his favour; They shall be mine, saith the

* Here Sarah died, see Gen. xxiii. 2. The cave of Machpelah, where their ancestors were buried, was near this place; which some think led Caleb here when he came to spy out the land. Hebron was a city of refuge, and belonged to the Levites, see chap. xxi. 11, 12. but Caleb had all the country round about; and it would give him peculiar pleasure to have God's ministers dwell among his posterity. Here also David was anointed, and reigned seven years.

Lord, in that day when I make up my jewels. Let young persons remember this, choose the way of truth, and cleave to God's testimonies.

3. Let aged christians learn of this good old man, to see and adore the hand of God in preserving their lives, and continuing them in such comfortable circumstances even to very advanced years. Caleb speaks of it with an air of seriousness and gratitude, the Lord hath kept me alive. Our God hath kept us alive, preserved us from dangers, supplied us with necessaries and comforts, his visitation supports our spirits. Those who have lived longest have peculiar reason to acknowledge the care of a kind Providence; especially if, like Caleb, they have buried almost all those of their own age and standing. They should be thankful to God for his care and mercy; and remember they are not to sit down in indolence and inactivity. If God continues their understanding and capacity for service, it should be improved for his honour, and the benefit of posterity. It is their duty to serve God and their generation faithfully all their days; then they may be assured, as Caleb was, that God will be with them, that he will never leave nor forsake them, and that is sufficient encouragement against the greatest difficulties. They have his promise to depend upon, Isa. xlvi. 4. And even to your old age I am he; and even to hoar hairs will I carry you: I have made, and I will bear; even I will carry, and will deliver you.

CHAP. XV.

From hence to the end of the twenty first chapter is an account of the division of the land; in which there is nothing very important or instructive. We have here an account of the borders of the lot of Judah; Caleb's portion and conquest; Othniel's valour and reward; the request of Achsah; and the Jebusites not conquered.

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HIS] then was the lot of the tribe of the children of Judah by their families; [even] to the border of Edom the wilderness of Zin southward [was] the uttermost part of 2 the south coast. And their south border was from the shore 3 of the salt sea, from the bay that looketh southward: And it went out to the south side of Maalehacrabbim, and passed along to Zin, and ascended up on the south side unto Kadeshbarnea, and passed along to Hezron, and went up to Adar, 4 and fetched a compass from Karkaa : [From thence] it passed toward Azmon, and went out unto the river of Egypt and the goings out of that coast were at the sea: this shall 5 be your south coast. And the east border [was] the salt sea, VOL. II.

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