1 And the second heritage came out for the tribe of Simeon by their families; and their heritage was in the middle of the heritage of the children of Judah.
2 And they had for their heritage Beer-sheba and Shema and Moladah
3 And Hazar-shual and Balah and Ezem
4 And Eltolad and Bethul and Hormah
5 And Ziklag and Beth-marcaboth and Hazar-susah
6 And Beth-lebaoth and Sharuhen; thirteen towns with their unwalled places;
7 Ain, Rimmon, and Ether and Ashan; four towns with their unwalled places;
8 And all the unwalled places round about these towns as far as Baalath-beer-ramah to the south. This is the heritage of the tribe of Simeon by their families.
9 The heritage of Simeon was taken out of Judah's stretch of land, for Judah's part was more than they had need of, so the heritage of the children of Simeon was inside their heritage.
10 And the third heritage came out for Zebulun by their families; the limit of their heritage was as far as Sarid;
11 And their limit goes up to the west to Maralah, stretching to Dabbesheth, and to the stream in front of Jokneam;
12 Then turning east from Sarid to the limit of Chisloth-tabor, it goes out to Daberath, and up to Japhia;
13 And from there it goes on east to Gath-hepher, to Eth-kazin; ending at Rimmon which goes as far as Neah;
14 And the line goes round it on the north to Hannathon, ending at the valley of Iphtah-el;
15 And Kattath and Nahalal and Shimron and Idalah and Beth-lehem; twelve towns with their unwalled places.
16 This is the heritage of the children of Zebulun by their families, these towns with their unwalled places.
17 For Issachar the fourth heritage came out, for the children of Issachar by their families;
18 And their limit was to Jezreel and Chesulloth and Shunem
19 And Hapharaim and Shion and Anaharath
20 And Rabbith and Kishion and Ebez
21 And Remeth and En-gannim and En-haddah and Beth-pazzez;
22 And their limit goes as far as Tabor and Shahazimah and Beth-shemesh, ending at Jordan; sixteen towns with their unwalled places.
23 This is the heritage of the tribe of the children of Issachar by their families, these towns with their unwalled places.
24 And the fifth heritage came out for the tribe of Asher by their families.
25 And their limit was Helkath and Hali and Beten and Achshaph
26 And Alammelech and Amad and Mishal, stretching to Carmel on the west and Shihor-libnath;
27 Turning to the east to Beth-dagon and stretching to Zebulun and the valley of Iphtah-el as far as Beth-emek and Neiel to the north; on the left it goes as far as Cabul
28 And Ebron and Rehob and Hammon and Kanah, to great Zidon;
29 And the limit goes round to Ramah and the walled town of Tyre and Hosah, ending at the sea by Heleb and Achzib;
30 And Ummah and Aphek and Rehob; twenty-two towns with their unwalled places.
31 This is the heritage of the tribe of the children of Asher by their families, these towns with their unwalled places.
32 For the children of Naphtali the sixth heritage came out, for the children of Naphtali by their families;
33 And their limit was from Heleph, from the oak-tree in Zaanannim, and Adami-hannekeb and Jabneel, as far as Lakkum, ending at Jordan;
34 And turning west to Aznoth-tabor, the limit goes out from there to Hukkok, stretching to Zebulun on the south, and Asher on the west, and Judah at Jordan on the east.
35 And the walled towns 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, Horem and Beth-anath and Beth-shemesh; nineteen towns with their unwalled places.
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible » Commentary on Joshua 19
Commentary on Joshua 19 Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
CHAPTER 19
Jos 19:1-9. The Lot of Simeon.
1. the second lot came forth to Simeon—The next lot that was drawn at Shiloh, gave the tribe of Simeon his inheritance within the territory, which had been assigned to that of Judah. The knowledge of Canaan possessed by the Israelites, when the division of the land commenced, was but very general, being derived from the rapid sweep they had made over it during the course of conquest; and it was on the ground of that rough survey alone that the distribution proceeded, by which Judah received an inheritance. Time showed that this territory was too large (Jos 19:9), either for their numbers, however great, to occupy and their arms to defend, or too large in proportion to the allotments of the other tribes. Justice therefore required (what kind and brotherly feeling readily dictated) a modification of their possession; and a part of it was appropriated to Simeon. By thus establishing it within the original domain of another tribe, the prophecy of Jacob in regard to Simeon was fulfilled (Ge 49:7); for from its boundaries being not traced, there is reason to conclude that its people were divided and dispersed among those of Judah; and though one group of its cities named (Jos 19:2-6), gives the idea of a compact district, as it is usually represented by map makers, the other group (Jos 19:7, 8) were situated, two in the south, and two elsewhere, with tracts of the country around them.
Jos 19:10-16. Of Zebulun.
10-14. the third lot came up for the children of Zebulun—The boundaries of the possession assigned to them extended from the Lake of Chinnereth (Sea of Galilee) on the east, to the Mediterranean on the west. Although they do not seem at first to have touched on the western shore—a part of Manasseh running north into Asher (Jos 17:10)—they afterwards did, according to the prediction of Moses (De 33:19). The extent from north to south cannot be very exactly traced; the sites of many of the places through which the boundary line is drawn being unknown. Some of the cities were of note.
Jos 19:17-23. Of Issachar.
17-20. the fourth lot came out to Issachar—Instead of describing the boundaries of this tribe, the inspired historian gives a list of its principal cities. These cities are all in the eastern part of the plain of Esdraelon.
Jos 19:24-31. Of Asher.
24-31. the fifth lot came out for the tribe of the children of Asher—The western boundary is traced from north to south through the cities mentioned; the site of them, however, is unknown.
26. to Carmel … and to Shihor-libnath—that is, the "black" or "muddy river"; probably the Nahr Belka, below Dor (Tantoura); for that town belonged to Asher (Jos 17:10). Thence the boundary line turned eastward to Beth-dagon, a town at the junction of Zebulun and Naphtali, and ran northwards as far as Cabul, with other towns, among which is mentioned (Jos 19:28) "great Zidon," so called on account of its being even then the flourishing metropolis of the Phœnicians. Though included in the inheritance of Asher, this town was never possessed by them (Jud 1:31).
29. and then the coast turneth to Ramah—now El-Hamra, which stood where the Leontes (Litany) ends its southern course and flows westward.
and to the strong city Tyre—The original city appears to have stood on the mainland, and was well-fortified. From Tyre the boundary ran to Hosah, an inland town; and then, passing the unconquered district of Achzib (Jud 1:31), terminated at the seacoast.
Jos 19:32-39. Of Naphtali.
32-39. the sixth lot came out to the children of Naphtali—Although the cities mentioned have not been discovered, it is evident, from Zaanannim, which is by Kedesh, that is, on the northwest of Lake Merom (Jud 4:11), that the boundary described (Jos 19:34) ran from the southwest towards the northeast, up to the sources of the Jordan.
34. Aznoth-tabor—on the east of Tabor towards the Jordan, for the border ran thence to Hukkok, touching upon that of Zebulun; and as the territory of Zebulun did not extend as far as the Jordan, Aznoth-tabor and Hukkok must have been border towns on the line which separated Naphtali from Issachar.
to Judah upon Jordan toward the sunrising—The sixty cities, Havoth-jair, which were on the eastern side of the Jordan, opposite Naphtali, were reckoned as belonging to Judah, because Jair, their possessor, was a descendant of Judah (1Ch 2:4-22) [Keil].
Jos 19:40-48. Of Dan.
40-46. the seventh lot came out for the tribe … Dan—It lay on the west of Benjamin and consisted of portions surrendered by Judah and Ephraim. Its boundaries are not stated, as they were easily distinguishable from the relative position of Dan to the three adjoining tribes.
47. the children of Dan went up to fight against Leshem—The Danites, finding their inheritance too small, decided to enlarge its boundaries by the sword; and, having conquered Leshem (Laish), they planted a colony there, calling the new settlement by the name of Dan (see on Jud 18:7).
Jos 19:49-51. The Children of Israel Give an Inheritance to Joshua.
50. According to the word of the Lord they gave him the city which he asked—It was most proper that the great leader should receive an inheritance suited to his dignity, and as a reward for his public services. But the gift was not left to the spontaneous feelings of a grateful people. It was conferred "according to the word of the Lord"—probably an unrecorded promise, similar to what had been made to Caleb (Jos 14:9).
Timnath-serah—or Heres, on Mount Gaash (Jud 2:9). Joshua founded it, and was afterwards buried there (Jos 24:30).
51. These are the inheritances—This verse is the formal close of the section which narrates the history of the land distribution; and to stamp it with due importance, the names of the commissioners are repeated, as well as the spot where so memorable a transaction took place.