Joshua 18:13

And the border went over from thence towards Luz,.... From Bethaven, where the northern border ended, the western began, and went on to Luz: to the side of Luz, which is Bethel, southward; that is,

And their 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 wilderness of Bethaven.

Joshua 18:12 And their 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 wilderness of Bethaven. Joshua 18:13 And the border went over from thence toward Luz, to the side of Luz, which [is] Bethel, southward; and the border descended to Atarothadar, near the hill that [lieth] on the south side of the nether Bethhoron. Joshua 18:14 And the border was drawn [thence], and compassed the corner of the sea southward, from the hill that [lieth] before Bethhoron southward; and the goings out thereof were at Kirjathbaal, which [is] Kirjathjearim, a city of the children of Judah: this [was] the west quarter. Ver. 12-14. See the notes above on chap. 15,16.

THE OF .(11-28) The lot of the tribe of the children of Benjamin.—It can have been by no accident that their lot came forth “between Judah and Joseph.” No wiser method could have been devised to secure an united Israel than thus to make Benjamin the link between the two most powerful and naturally rival tribes. In the story of Joseph, the brethren are reconciled through the mutual affection of Judah and Joseph for Benjamin as their father’s youngest and best-loved son. The position thus given to Benjamin under Joshua was still further developed by circumstances. The tribe was almost exterminated in the time of the judges; the survivors were united in marriage with women of Ephraim and Manasseh (?). On the other hand, the city of Jerusalem, although assigned by Joshua to Benjamin, was first a joint possession of Judah and Benjamin (1 Chronicles 8:28; 1 Chronicles 8:32; Judges 1:8; Judges 1:21), then the royal city of the kings of the house of Judah. The selection of the first king of Israel from Benjamin, and the ultimate planting of the religious and political centre of all the tribes on the confines of Judah and Benjamin in Jerusalem, would have been two masterstrokes of policy if they had been schemes of man’s devising. They were really links in the long chain of God’s providential dealing with the chosen people. (12) And their border.—This is first described on the north side, where it coincided with the southern border of Ephraim. Conder draws it from El ‘Aujeh (sheet 15), five miles north of Jericho, towards Beth-el (Beitin), perhaps going along the Wβdy’ Aujeh, Beth-el lying within the territory of Benjamin (Joshua 18:22), and so on to Archi (Joshua 16:2), now Ain ‘Arik (near the top of sheet 17), and thence to Ataroth-addar (Ed-Dβrieh), near Beth-horon the nether (Beit- ϋr-et-Tahta). This line is from east to west. (14) And the border was drawn thence . . .—At this point it turns southward, and runs from the neighbourhood of Beth-horon to Kirjath-jearim (Khurbet ‘Erma, in sheet 17: very small, and not easily found). Corner of the sea.—Ph’ath Yβm, “the west side.” (15) And the south quarter.—Here the borderline again turns to the east, and runs to Ain Atβn (the waters of Nephtoah), near Bethlehem. Thence it turns to the north-east, and follows the line described above (Joshua 15:6-8) as the northern boundary of Judah. (17) The stone of Bohan the son of Reuben must have been near the Jordan. Is it possible that Bohan, the son of Reuben, did on his own account what was done for all Israel by the command of Joshua? (Joshua 4:8). (21) The cities of the tribe of . . . Benjamin.—The following are identified: viz., in Joshua 18:21, ‘Ain-es-Sultan,’ Ain Hajlah (sheet 18); Joshua 18:22, Khurbet es-Sϊmnrah, Beitin (sheet 18); Joshua 18:23, Fβtah (sheet 18), Taiyibeh (sheet 14); Joshua 18:24, Jeb ‘a (sheet 17). (22) Beth-el seems to have passed into the hands of Ephraim without question when the tribe of Benjamin was all but exterminated.

13. toward Luz] See above, ch. Joshua 16:2. The border next went to the south of the ridge of Bethel, and thence descended, in a northwesterly direction, toward Ataroth-adar. descended] We understand the appropriateness of this word when we remember that Bethel lay 3000 feet above the level of the Mediterranean Sea. Ataroth-adar] See above, ch. Joshua 16:5. near the hill] Or, over the mountain that lieth on the south side of the nether Beth-horon. Thus the north border of Benjamin, as far as lower Beth-horon, coincides with the southern border of Ephraim. Beth-horon] See above (a) Joshua 10:11; (b) Joshua 16:3-5. An upper and a lower Beth-horon are still recognised. The upper is now called Beit-’ûr El-Fôka, the lower Beit-’ûr El-Tahta. The pass between the two places was called the ascent and the descent of Beth-horon. Comp. 1Ma 3:15-24. “The ascent,” remarks Robinson, “is very rocky and rough; but the rock has been cut away in many places and the path formed into steps, shewing that this is an ancient road.” Bibl. Res. iii:58.

13. [Went over from thence — According to our note on Joshua 16:1, this border turned off north of Jericho, and ran up so as to take in Zemaraim, (Joshua 18:22;) thence it passed westward to Ophni,