-The lot of the tribes A. M. 2561. B. C. 1443. 48. Anno ante I. Olymp. 667. CHAP. XIX. sea, and Maralah, and reached to Au. Exod. Isr. Dabbasheth, and reached to the river that is before Jokneam; 12 And turned from Sarid eastward toward the sunrising unto the border of Chisloth-tabor, and then goeth 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 goeth out to Remmon-f methoar to Neah; 14 And the border compasseth it on the north, side to Hannathon: and the outgoings thereof are in the valley of Jiphthah-el: 15 And Kattath, and Nahallal, and Shimron, and Idalah, and Beth-lehem; twelve cities with their villages. 16 This is the inheritance of the children of Zebulun according to their families, these cities with their villages." 17 And the fourth lot came out to Issachar, for the children of Issachar according to their families. of Issachar and Asher. 18 And their border was toward Jezreel, Beth-dagon, and reacheth to Zebulan, and to and Chesulloth, and Shunem, e Chap. xii. 22. Probably so called froin some superstitious or impure worship set up there. Verse 13. Gittah-hepher] The same as Gath-hepher, the birth-place of the prophet Jonah. Verse 15. Shimron] See on chap. xii. the valley of Jiphthah-el toward the north Beth-lehem] The house of bread; a different place the Israelites were totally routed at Gilboa, and Saul from that in which our Lord was born. Verse 17. The fourth lot came out to Issachar] It is remarkable, that though Issachar was the eldest brother, yet the lot of Zebulun was drawn before his lot; and this is the order in which Jacob himself mentions them, Gen. xlix. 13, 14, though no reason appears, either here or in the place above, why this préference should be given to the younger; but that the apparently fortuitous lot should have distinguished them just as the prophetic Jacob did, is peculiarly remarkable. Known unto God are all his works from the beginning he has reasons for his conduct, which in many cases are too great. for any of his creatures to comprehend, but he works all things after the counsel of his own will, which is ever right and good; and in this case his influence may be as easily seen in the decision by the lot, as on the mind of the patriarch Jacob, when he predicted what should befall his children in the latter days, and his providence continued to ripen, and bring forward what his judgment had deemed right to be done. Verse 18. Jezreel] This city, according to Calmet, was situated in an open country, having the town of Legion on the west, Bethshan on the east, on the south the mountains of Gilboa, and on the north those of Hermon. and his sons Jonathan, Abinadab, and Malchi-shua, killed. 1 Sam. xxviii, 4; xxxi. I, &c. Verse 22. Beth-shemesh] The house or temple of the 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 country. Verse 26. Carmel] The vineyard of God; a place greatly celebrated in Scripture, and especially for the miracles of Elijah; see 1 Kings xviii. The mountain of Carmel was so very fruitful as to pass into a proverb. There was another Carmel in the tribe of Judah, (see chap. xv. 55,) but this, in the tribe of Asher, was situated about one hundred and twenty furlongs south from Ptolemais, on the edge of the Mediterranean Sea. Calmet observes that there was, in the time of Vespasian, a temple on this mountain, dedicated to a god of the same name. There was a convent, and a religious order known by the name of Carmelites, established on this mountain in honour of Elijah: the time of the foundation of this order is greatly disputed.. Some pretend that it was established by Elijah himself; while others, with more probability, fix it in A. D. 1180 or 1181, under the pontificate of Pope Alexander III. The lot of the A. M. 2561. B. C. 1443. side of Beth-emek, and Neiel, | the children of Asher according A. M. 2561. B. C. 1443. An. Exod. Isr. and goeth out to Cabul on the to their families, these cities with An. Exod. Isr. their villages. 48. left hand, Anno ante I. Olymp. 667. 28 And Hebron, and Rehob, and Hammon, and Kanah, even unto great Zidon; 29 And then the coast turneth to Ramah, and to the strong city h Tyre; and the coast turneth to Hosah; and the outgoings thereof are at the sea from the coast to Achzib: 30 Ummah also, and Aphek, and Rehob twenty and two cities with their villages. 31 This is the inheritance of the tribe of 8 Chap. xi. 8; Judg. i. 31.Heb. Tzor; 2 Sam. v. 11. the north of Cabul, for so the left hand, when referring to place, is understood among the Hebrews. : We must not confound this town of Cabul with the twenty cities given by Solomon to Hiram, with which he was displeased, and which in contempt he called the land of Cabul, the dirty or paltry land, 1 Kings ix. 11-13, there was evidently a town of this name, widely different from the land so called, long before the time of Solomon, and therefore this cannot be adduced as an argument that the book of Joshua was written after the days of David. The town in question is supposed to be the same which Josephus in his Life calls Xßovλw Choboulo, and which he says was situated by the sea-side, and nigh to' Ptolemais. De Bell. Jud., lib. iii., c. 4. Verse 28. Unto great Zidon] The city of Sidon and the Sidonians are celebrated from the remotest antiquity. They are frequently mentioned by Homer. See the note on chap. xi. 8. Verse 29. The strong city Tyre] I suspect this to be an improper translation. Perhaps the words of the original should be retained: And the coast turneth to Ramah and to the city, 13 mibtsar tsor. Our translators have here left the Hebrew, and followed the Septuagint and Vulgate, a fault of which they are sometimes guilty. The former render the place ws πόλεως οχυρώματος των Τυρίων, unto the fortified city of the Tyrians. The Vulgate is nearly the same ad civitatem munitissimam Tyrum, to the well-fortified city Tyre; but this must be incorrect, for the famous city of Tyre was not known till about A. M. 2760, about two hundred years after the days of Joshua. Homer, who frequently mentions Sidon and the Sidonians, never mentions Tyre; a proof that this afterwards very eminent city was not then known. Homer is allowed by some to have flourished in the time of Joshua, though, others make him contemporary with the Israelitish judges. 48. Anno ante 32 The sixth lot came out to I. Olymp. 667. the children of Naphtali, even for the children of Naphtali according to their families. 33 And their coast was from Heleph, from Allon to Zaanannim, and Adami, Nekeb, and Jabneel, unto Lakum; and the outgoings there of were at Jordan: 34 And then the coast turneth westward to Aznoth-tabor, and goeth out from thence to Hukkok, and reacheth to Zebulun on the i Gen. xxxviii. 5 ;' Judg. i. 31'; Mic. i. 14.- Deut. xxxiii. 23. seven hundred paces from the main land. In order to reduce this city, Alexander the Great was obliged to fill up the channel between it and the main land, and after all took it with much difficulty. It is generally supposed that a town on the main land, opposite to this fortified rock, went by the same name; one being called old Tyre, the other, new Tyre: 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 the channel between it and the new city. Of this city Isaiah, chap. xxiii., and Ezekiel, chap. xxvii. and xxviii., have given a very grand description, and also predicted its irreparable ruin, which prophecies have been most literally fulfilled: See more on the above places. Achzib] Called afterwards Ecdippe, and now called Zib; it is about nine miles' distance from Ptolemais, towards Tyre. Verse 30. Twenty and two cities] There are nearly thirty cities in the above enumeration instead of twenty-two, but probably several are mentioned that were but frontier towns, and that did not belong to this tribe, their border only passing 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 villages are named as well as the cities. Verse 34. And to Judah upon Jordan] It is certain that the tribe of Naphtali did not border on the east upon Judah, for there were several tribes betwixt them Some think that as these two tribes were bounded by Jordan on the east, they 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 of these. There is considerable difficulty in the text as it now stands; but if, with the Septuagint, we omit Judah, the difficulty vanishes, and the passage is plain: but this omission is supported by no MS. hitherto discovered. The word y Tsor or Tsar, which we translate or It is however very probable that some change has change into Tyre, signifies a rock or strong place; and taken place in the words of the text, 177'') as there were many rocks in the land of Judea, that ubihudah havyarden, "and by Judah upon Jordan." with a little art were formed into strong places of de- Houbigant, who terms them verba sine re ac sententia, fence, hence several places might have the name of “words without sense or meaning," proposes, instead Tsar or Tyre. The ancient and celebrated Tyre, so of them, to read 11 ubigdoth haiyarden, much spoken of both in sacred and profane history," and by the banks of Jordan;" a word which is useḍ was a rock or small island in the sea, about six or chap. iii. 15, and which here makes a very good sense. The lot of the tribe of Dan. A. M 2561. B. C. 1443. An. Exod. Ist. 48. -Anno ante I. Olymp. 667. upon CHAP. XIX. The portion of Joshua. " A. M. 2561. B, C. 1443. An. Exod. Isr. 47 And the coast of the chilsouth side, and reacheth to Asher on the west side, and to Judah dren of Dán went out too little Jordan toward the sun- for them: therefore the children of Dan went up to fight against Leshem, and took it, and smote it with the edge of the sword, and possessed it, and dwelt therein, and called Leshem, P Dan, after the name of Dan their father." rising. 35 And the fenced cities are Ziddim, Zer, and Hammath, Rakkath, and Chinnereth,. 36 And Adamah, and Ramah, and Hazor, 37 And Kedesh, and Edrei, and En-hazor, 38 And Iron, and Migdal-el, Hórem, and Beth-anath, and Beth-shemesh; nineteen cities with their villages. 39 This is the inheritance of the tribe of the children of Naphtali according to their families, the cities and their villages. 48 This is the inheritance of the tribe of the children of Dan according to their families, these eities with their villages. 49 When they had made an end of dividing the land for inheritance by their coasts, the children of Israel gave an inheritance to Joshua the son of Nun among them: 50 According to the word of the LORD they gave him the city which he asked, even a Tim 41 And the coast of their inheritance was nath- serah in Mount Ephraim: and he built Zorah, and Eshtaol, and Ir-shemesh, 42 And Shaalabbin, and Ajalon, and Jethlab, 43 And Elon, and. Thimnathah, and Ekron, 44. And Eltekeh, and-Gibbethon, and Baalath, 45 And Jehud, and Bene-berak, and Gathrimmon, the city, and dwelt therein. 51 These are the inheritances which Eleazar the priest, and Joshua the son of Nun, and the heads of the fathers of the tribes of the children of Israel, divided for an inheritance by lot in Shiloh before the LORD, at the u t 46 And Me-jarkon, and Rakkon, with the door of the tabernacle of the congregation. 1 Chron. vii. 24.- - Num. xxxiv. 17; chap. xiv. 1.xiv. 1; Num. xxiv. 17-29." Chap. xviii. 1, 10. make this sense apparent. Houbigant contends that an ancient copyist, meeting frequently with the words Verse 35. Chinnereth] See the note on chap. xi. 2. Verse 36. Hazor] See, the note on chap. xi., 1. Verse 38. Nineteen cities] But if these cities be vaiyetse haggebul, in the preceding history, separately enumerated they amount to twenty-three; this is probably occasioned by reckoning frontier cities belonging to other tribes, which are only mentioned here as the boundaries of the tribe. See on ver 30. Verse 41. Zorah, and Eshtaol] See the note on chap. xv. 33. became so familiarized to them that he wrote them here instead of a " vaiyaats haggebul, and the border of the children of Dan was STRAIT for them. It was on this account that they were obliged to go and fight against Leshem, and take and possess it, their former inheritance being too strait for their increasing population. And called Leshem, Dan] This city was situated near the origin of Jordan, at the utmost northern extremity of the promised land, as Beer-sheba was at that 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 signified the whole extent of the promised land. Some suppose that Leshem was the same with Casarea Philippi, but others with reason reject this opinion, It must be granted that the whole account given in this verse refers indisputably to a fact which did not take place Verse 45. Jehud, and Bene-berak] Or Jehud of till after the death of Joshua. It is another of the the children of Berak. Verse 46. Japho.] The place since called Joppa, lying on the Mediterranean, and the chief sea-port, in the possession of the twelve tribes. Verse 47. Went out too little for them] This is certainly the meaning of the passage; but our translators have been obliged to add the words too little to marginal or explicative notes which were added by some later hand. The whole account of this expedition of the Danites against Leshem is circumstantially given in chap. xviii. of the book of Judges, and to that chapter the reader is referred. Verse 50. Timnath-serah] Called Timnath-heres in Judg. ii. 9, where we find that the mountain on which Joshua is commanded to JOSHUA. appoint cities of refuge. it was built was called Gaash. It is generally allowed | mediate presence, as under his eye; hence there was to have been a barren spot in a barren country. Verse 51. At the door of the tabernacle]. All the inheritances were determined by lot, and this lot was cast before the Lord-every thing was done in his im no murmuring, each having received his inheritance as from the hand of God himself, though some of them thought they must have additional territory, because of the great increase of their families. 3 That the slayer that killeth any person unawares and 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 the 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. a Exodus xxi. 13; Num. xxxv. 6, I, 14; Deut. xix. 2, 9. Ruth iv. 1, 2.- .c Num. xxxv. 12. d Num. xxxv. 12, 25. NOTES ON CHAP. XX. Verse 2. Cities of refuge] An institution of this kind was essentially necessary wherever the patriarchal law relative to the right of redemption and the avenging of blood was in force; we have already seen that the nearest of kin to a deceased person had not only the right of redeeming an inheritance that had been forfeited or alienated, but had also authority to slay on the spot the person who had slain his relative. Now, as a man might casually kill another against whom he had no ill-will, and with whom he had no quarrel, and might have his life taken away by him who was called the avenger of blood, though he had not forfeited his 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 magistrates, who certainly had authority to deliver him up to the avenger, if they found, on examination, that he was not entitled to this protection. On this subject see the notes on Num. xxxv. 11 to the end. Verse 7. They appointed Kedesh in Galilee] The cities of refuge were distributed through the land at proper distances from each other, that they might be convenient to every part of the land; and it is said they were situated on eminences that they might be easily seen at a distance, the roads leading to them being broad, even, and always kept in good repair. In the concluding note on Num. xxxv. it has been A. M. 2561. B. C. 1443. An. Exod. Isr. The purpose of their institution, 3-6. Three cities three on the east side of Jordan, 8,9. | 5 And if the avenger of blood pursue after him, then they shall not deliver the slayer up into his hand; because he smote his neighbour unwittingly, and hated him not beforetime. 48. Anno ante I. Olymp..667. stated that these cities were a type of our blessed Lord, and that the apostle refers to them as such, Heb. vi. 17, 18. Hence their names have been considered as descriptive of some character or office of Christ. I shall give each and its signification, and leave the application to others. 1. p KEDESH, from kadash, to separate or set apart, because it implies the consecration of a person or thing to the worship or service of God alone; hence to make or be holy, and hence Kedesh, holiness, the full consecration of a person to God. 2. DO SHECHEM, from shacham, to be ready, forward, and diligent; hence Shechem, the shoulder, because of its readiness to bear burdens, prop up, sustain, &c., and from this ideal meaning it has the metaphorical one of GOVERNMENT. 3. chebron, HEBRON, from an chabar, to associate, join, conjoin, unite as friends; and hence chebron, fellowship, friendly association, or with the diminutive nun, the little fellowship or association. 1 4. BEZER, from balsar, to restrain, enclose, shut up, or encompass with a wall; and hence the goods or treasure thus secured, and hence a fortified place, a fortress. 5. лN RAMOTH, from DN raam, to be raised, made high or exalted, and hence Ramoth, high places, eminences. a galah, to remove, trans 6. 11 GOLAN, from Ch. xxi. 38. * Deut. iv., 43; chap. xxi. 36; 1 Chron. vi. 78.- Kedesh and Hebron were at the two extremities of the promised land; one was in Galilee, the other in the tribe of Judah, both in mountainous countries; and Shechem was in the tribe of Ephraim, nearly in the middle, between both. Bezer was on the east side of Jordan, in the plain, opposite to Jericho. Ramoth was about the midst of the country occupied by the two tribes and a half, about the middle of the mountains of Gilead. Golan was the capital of a district called Gaulonitis, in the land of Bashan, towards the southern extremity of the lot of Manasseh. Verse 9. For all the children of Israel, and for the stranger] As these typified the great provision which God was making for the salvation of both Jews and Gentiles, hence the stranger as well as the Israelite 0 Ver. 6. 1 Kings xxii. 3.-m Ch. xxi. 27.- Num. xxxv. 15. Until he stood before the congregation.] The judges and elders of the people, in trying civil and criminal causes, always sat; the persons who came for judgment, or who were tried, always stood; hence the expressions so frequent in Scripture, STANDING before the Lord, the judges, the elders, &c. Ir is worthy of remark that the cities of refuge were given to the Levites; see the following chapter. The sacrificial system alone afforded refuge; and while the suspected person was excluded from his family, &c., he had the advantage of being with those whose business it was to instruct the ignorant, and comfort the disconsolate. Thus he had the means constantly at hand, by a careful use of which he might grow wiser and better; secure the favour of his God, and a lot of blessedness in a better world. How wise, equal, and beneficent are all the institutions of God! CHAPTER XXI. The Levites apply to Eleazar, Joshua, and the elders, for the cities to dwell in which Moses had promised, 1,2. Their request is granted, 3. The priests receive thirteen cities out of the tribes of Judah, Simeon, and Benjamin, 4.. The Levites receive ten cities out of the tribes of Ephraim, Dan, and the half tribe of Manasseh, 5; and thirteen out of the other half tribe of Manasseh, and the tribes of Issachar, Asher, and Naphtali, 6. The children of Merari had twelve cities out of the tribes of Reuben, Gad, and Zebulun, 7. The names of the cities given out of the tribes of Judah and Simeon, 8-16. Those granted out of the tribe of Benjamin, 17-19. Out of Ephraim, 20-22. Those out of Dan, 23, 24. Those out of both the halves of the tribe of Manasseh, 25-27. Those out of the tribe of Issachar, 28, 29. Those out of Asher, 30, 31. Those out of Naphtali, 32. These were the cities of the Gershonites, 33. The cities of the Merarites, 34-40. The sum of the cities given to the Levites, forty-eight, 41, 42. The exact fulfilment of all God's promises, 43-45. A. M. 2561. B. C. 1443. An. Exod. Isr. 48. Anno ante I. Olymp. 667. A. M. 2561. 48. THEN came near the heads of unto the heads of the fathers of NOTES ON CHAP. XXI: 2 And they spake unto them at Anno ante that the different tribes were to furnish them with habitations; and this was according to a positive command of God, Num. xxxv. 2, &c. Finding now that each tribe had its inheritance appointed to it, 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. 81 b |