10 And the border H1366 compassed H5437 from Baalah H1173 westward H3220 unto mount H2022 Seir, H8165 and passed H5674 along unto the side H3802 of mount H2022 Jearim, H3297 which is Chesalon, H3693 on the north side, H6828 and went down H3381 to Bethshemesh, H1053 and passed on H5674 to Timnah: H8553
And Samson H8123 went down H3381 to Timnath, H8553 and saw H7200 a woman H802 in Timnath H8553 of the daughters H1323 of the Philistines. H6430
And in process H7235 of time H3117 the daughter H1323 of Shuah H7770 Judah's H3063 wife H802 died; H4191 and Judah H3063 was comforted, H5162 and went up H5927 unto his sheepshearers H1494 H6629 to Timnath, H8553 he and his friend H7453 Hirah H2437 the Adullamite. H5726 And it was told H5046 Tamar, H8559 saying, H559 Behold thy father in law H2524 goeth up H5927 to Timnath H8553 to shear H1494 his sheep. H6629
Then went H3381 Samson H8123 down, H3381 and his father H1 and his mother, H517 to Timnath, H8553 and came H935 to the vineyards H3754 of Timnath: H8553 and, behold, a young H3715 lion H738 roared H7580 against H7125 him.
And the kine H6510 took the straight H3474 way H1870 to the way H1870 of Bethshemesh, H1053 and went along H1980 the highway, H4546 H259 lowing H1600 as they went, H1980 and turned not aside H5493 to the right hand H3225 or to the left; H8040 and the lords H5633 of the Philistines H6430 went H1980 after H310 them unto the border H1366 of Bethshemesh. H1053 And they of Bethshemesh H1053 were reaping H7114 their wheat H2406 harvest H7105 in the valley: H6010 and they lifted up H5375 their eyes, H5869 and saw H7200 the ark, H727 and rejoiced H8055 to see H7200 it. And the cart H5699 came H935 into the field H7704 of Joshua, H3091 a Bethshemite, H1030 and stood H5975 there, where there was a great H1419 stone: H68 and they clave H1234 the wood H6086 of the cart, H5699 and offered H5927 the kine H6510 a burnt offering H5930 unto the LORD. H3068 And the Levites H3881 took down H3381 the ark H727 of the LORD, H3068 and the coffer H712 that was with it, wherein the jewels H3627 of gold H2091 were, and put H7760 them on the great H1419 stone: H68 and the men H582 of Bethshemesh H1053 offered H5927 burnt offerings H5930 and sacrificed H2076 sacrifices H2077 the same day H3117 unto the LORD. H3068 And when the five H2568 lords H5633 of the Philistines H6430 had seen H7200 it, they returned H7725 to Ekron H6138 the same day. H3117 And these are the golden H2091 emerods H2914 which the Philistines H6430 returned H7725 for a trespass offering H817 unto the LORD; H3068 for Ashdod H795 one, H259 for Gaza H5804 one, H259 for Askelon H831 one, H259 for Gath H1661 one, H259 for Ekron H6138 one; H259 And the golden H2091 mice, H5909 according to the number H4557 of all the cities H5892 of the Philistines H6430 belonging to the five H2568 lords, H5633 both of fenced H4013 cities, H5892 and of country H6521 villages, H3724 even unto the great H1419 stone of Abel, H59 whereon they set down H3240 the ark H727 of the LORD: H3068 which stone remaineth unto this day H3117 in the field H7704 of Joshua, H3091 the Bethshemite. H1030 And he smote H5221 the men H376 of Bethshemesh, H1053 because they had looked H7200 into the ark H727 of the LORD, H3068 even he smote H5221 of the people H5971 fifty H2572 thousand H505 and threescore and ten H7657 men: H582 and the people H5971 lamented, H56 because the LORD H3068 had smitten H5221 many of the people H5971 with a great H1419 slaughter. H4347 And the men H582 of Bethshemesh H1053 said, H559 Who is able H3201 to stand H5975 before H6440 this holy H6918 LORD H3068 God? H430 and to whom shall he go up H5927 from us? And they sent H7971 messengers H4397 to the inhabitants H3427 of Kirjathjearim, H7157 saying, H559 The Philistines H6430 have brought again H7725 the ark H727 of the LORD; H3068 come ye down, H3381 and fetch it up H5927 to you.
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible » Commentary on Joshua 15
Commentary on Joshua 15 Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
CHAPTER 15
Jos 15:1-12. Borders of the Lot of Judah.
1. This then was the lot of the tribe of the children of Judah—In what manner the lot was drawn on this occasion the sacred historian does not say; but it is probable that the method adopted was similar to that described in Jos 18:10. Though the general survey of the country had not been completed, some rough draft or delineation of the first conquered part must have been made, and satisfactory evidence obtained that it was large enough to furnish three cantons, before all the tribes cast lots for them; and they fell to Judah, Ephraim, and the half-tribe of Manasseh. The lot of Judah came first, in token of the pre-eminence of that tribe over all the others; and its destined superiority thus received the visible sanction of God. The territory, assigned to it as a possession, was large and extensive, being bounded on the south by the wilderness of Zin, and the southern extremity of the Salt Sea (Nu 34:3-5); on the east, by that sea, extending to the point where it receives the waters of the Jordan; on the north, by a line drawn nearly parallel to Jerusalem, across the country, from the northern extremity of the Salt Sea to the southern limits of the Philistine territory, and to the Mediterranean; and on the west this sea was its boundary, as far as Sihor (Wady El-Arish).
2. the bay—Hebrew, "tongue." It pushes its waters out in this form to a great distance [Robinson].
3. Maaleh-akrabbim—Hebrew, "the ascent of scorpions"; a pass in the "bald mountain" (see on Jos 11:17), probably much infested by these venomous reptiles.
5. the end—that is, the mouth of the Jordan.
6. Beth-hogla—now Ain Hajla, a fine spring of clear and sweet water, at the northern extremity of the Dead Sea, about two miles from the Jordan [Robinson].
Beth-arabah—"the house," or "place of solitude," in the desert of Judah (Jos 15:61).
stone of Bohan the son of Reuben—the sepulchral monument of a Reubenite leader, who had been distinguished for his bravery, and had fallen in the Canaanite war.
7. Achor—(see on Jos 7:26).
Adummim—a rising ground in the wilderness of Jericho, on the south of the little brook that flowed near Jericho (Jos 16:1).
En-shemesh—"the fountain of the sun"; "either the present well of the apostle, below Bethany, on the road to Jericho, or the fountain near to St. Saba" [Robinson].
En-rogel—"the fuller's fountain," on the southeast of Jerusalem, below the spot where the valleys of Jehoshaphat and Hinnom unite.
Jos 15:13-15. Caleb's Portion and Conquest.
13. unto Caleb he gave a part among the children of Judah—(See on Jos 14:6).
14. drove thence the three sons of Anak—rather three chiefs of the Anakim race. This exploit is recorded to the honor of Caleb, as the success of it was the reward of his trust in God.
15. Debir—"oracle." Its former name, Kirjath-sepher, signifies "city of the book," being probably a place where public registers were kept.
Jos 15:16-20. Othniel, for His Valor, Has Achsah to Wife.
16-20. He that smiteth Kirjath-sepher—This offer was made as an incentive to youthful bravery (see on 1Sa 17:25); and the prize was won by Othniel, Caleb's younger brother (Jud 1:13; 3:9). This was the occasion of drawing out the latent energies of him who was destined to be the first judge in Israel.
18, 19. as she came unto him—that is, when about to remove from her father's to her husband's house. She suddenly alighted from her travelling equipage—a mark of respect to her father, and a sign of making some request. She had urged Othniel to broach the matter, but he not wishing to do what appeared like evincing a grasping disposition, she resolved herself to speak out. Taking advantage of the parting scene when a parent's heart was likely to be tender, she begged (as her marriage portion consisted of a field which, having a southern exposure, was comparatively an arid and barren waste) he would add the adjoining one, which abounded in excellent springs. The request being reasonable, it was granted; and the story conveys this important lesson in religion, that if earthly parents are ready to bestow on their children that which is good, much more will our heavenly Father give every necessary blessing to them who ask Him.
Jos 15:21-63. Cities of Judah.
21-63. the uttermost cities of the tribe of the children of Judah—There is given a list of cities within the tribal territory of Judah, arranged in four divisions, corresponding to the districts of which it consisted—the cities in the southern part (Jos 15:21-32), those in the lowlands (Jos 15:33-47), those in the highlands (Jos 15:48-60), and those in the desert (Jos 15:61, 62). One gets the best idea of the relative situation of these cities by looking at the map.