Joshua 17

Yet brotherly love is not tenacious, but freely imparts what is superfluous, for the * saying, ‘‘What is that between me an indeed in all things be more happy, obey our God.— T°. Scott. Ne of those in want, thee?’ We should, did we more diligently before him. Machir is supposed to have been the only son of Manasseh, at least who lived to have children; and in some instances an only son is called the first-born. He was a man of war; probably he had distinguished himself whilst in Egypt, in the assault which the Philistines made upon the Ephraimites, and had defended his brethren. And as his Princes were supposed to inherit his valour, some of them had their inheritance east of Jordan, upon the frontiers, that they might defend them. Joshua was of the tribe of Ephraim, and his brethren might expect some special favour on that account.

Their inheritance perhaps was less valuable than that of Judah; and as they thought, only sufficient for one tribe, and they were two: a considerable part of their land was held by the ancient inhabitants; and they supposed that if the Lord blessed and increased them in future, as he had in times past, they should be much straitened for room. These formed the grounds and encouragements of their petition. But they evidently undervalued the portion which the Lord had assigned them by lot; and they coveted what belonged to others, while they neglected to get possession of their own land. As a great people they were better able to labour and to fight, to clear and cultivate the unimproved woodlands, and to dispossess the Canaanites.

And as the Lord had blessed them hitherto, they had the more encouragement to confide in his assistance: nor would Joshua show partiality to his kindred, any more than Moses had done. Joshua gently reproved the claimants for calling their portion “one lot,” and pointed out the improvement of which it was capable; and the extensive tracts of land, which might be cleared, and rescued from the Canaanites: and he assured them, that if they exerted their valour, power, and industry, in dependence on the Lord, the iron chariots and the strength of the Canaanites would prove no bar to their success and prosperity.—The mountain, or wood, here spoken of, had perhaps not before been expressly allotted to these tribes; yet it lay within or near the assigned limits.— T°. Scott.

Notes on the verses

Chap. XVII. Ver. 1. For Machir.—It is calculated, that if Machir was now alive, he must be nearly 200 years old, which is very possible; and that he was a superannuated warrior who was thus rewarded: most think, however, that these places were bestowed, in his honour, upon his children.

Ver. 5. Ten portions.—Hebrew, “lines,” or cords, referring to the instruments of measurement. [As there were six sons and five daughters, among whom this division was to be made, there should be eleven portions: but Zelophehad, son of Hepher, having left five daughters in his place, neither he nor Hepher is reckoned. The lot of Manasseh therefore were divided into ten parts; five for the five sons of Gilead, Abiezer, Helek, Asriel, Shechem, and Shemida: and five for the five daughters of Zelophehad, Mahlah, Noah, Hoglah, Mileah, and Tirzah.]—Bagster.

Ver. 7. Asher.—[Eusebius says, this was a town in his time not far from Neapolis towards Scythopolis or Bethshan; between which towns it is also placed by the old Jerusalem Itinerary.—Michmethah.—Situated, probably, east of Shechem; though its precise situation, as well as that of many others, cannot, at this distance of time, be ascertained. Many of these towns were small, and we may rationally conclude, slightly built; and consequently have perished more than two thousand years ago. It would therefore be useless to seek for such places now: though, in many instances, their ancient names have been preserved, and their sites identified. Several towns even in England, mentioned by Cæsar and other ancient writers, are no longer discernible: several have changed their names, and not a few their situation.]—Bagster.

Ver. 9. River Kanah,—{Or, brook of reeds. The brook Kanah seems to be what is now called Nahr el Kasab, which falls into the Mediterranean a few miles south of Cæsarea of Palestine, mentioned by the Hon. C. L. Irby and J. Mangles.—(Joshua 16:8).)—Bagster.

Ver. 11. Beth-shean.—[Beth-shean, the Scythopolis of the Greek and Roman writers, was situated in the plain of Jordan, west of that river, 120 furlongs (south) from Tiberias according to Josephus, and 600 furlongs (north) from Jerusalem. (2 Mac. xii. 29.) It was the largest city of the Decapolis, and the only one on that side of Jordan. It is now called Bisan, 8 hours or 24 miles from Tiberias; and described by Dr. Richardson, exclusive of its ruins, as ‘a collection of miserable hovels, containing 200 inhabitants.”

Ver. 12. Dor.—Dor, according to Eusebius, was situated on the Mediterranean, nine miles from Cæsarea Palestine towards Carmel. ‘The village of Tortura, 4 leagues north of Cesarea, is supposed to nearly occupy its site.’—Bagster.

Ver. 12. Could not drive out….. the Canaanites.—If they could not, it must have been because they did not, like Caleb, rely on divine assistance, but reconciled themselves to their dwelling with them, on paying tribute.

Ver. 14, 15. A great people.—Though they could not drive out the Canaanites from their present possessions, they were still anxious for more territory; but Joshua reasons with them on their own principle: “If ye be a great people, show your power; cut down the wood, clear the mountain, and drive out the Canaanites.

Show your greatness, (as if he said,) by your Chap. XVIII. Ver. 1. Shiloh.—(Shiloh was situated on a hill in the tribe of Ephraim, though near the borders of Benjamin; about fifteen miles north of Jerusalem, and according to Eusebius 12, or, according to Jerome, 10 miles (south) from Shechem or Nablous. It was but a little north from Beth-el and Ai: and near the road from Shechem to Jerusalem. (Judges xxi, 19.) In Jerome’s time, Shiloh was ruined; and nothing remarkable was extant, but the foundations of the altar of burnt-offerings which had been erected when the tabernacle there.]—Bagster.

Ver. 5. Judah shall abide in their coast on the south, &c.—Not that Judah but they were so situate occupied the south of Canaan, or Joseph the north; in respect to Shiloh, where Joshua now was; and Calmet supposes the meaning of Joshua to be, in reference to these commissioners: “Go, and examine the whole of the country which yet remains to be possessed; do not take into consideration the tribe of Judah, which is to the south of where we now are; nor the tribe of Ephraim, which is on the north; but carefully divide the remaining land, which is not occupied by these tribes, into seven equal parts.” This is the first act of surveying upon record, and perhaps of mapping, though the late Editor of Calmet suspects, that some plan of the kind might be adopted in the original partition. (The surveyors seem to have formed some kind of map of the country, as well as a description of it in writing. The Egyptians, from the situation of their fields, as annually overflowed by the Nile, acquired great skill in mensuration and land-surveying; and some of the Israelites had, no doubt, without a knowledge of which they could not properly have divided the land.)—Bagster.

Ver. 16. Jebusi.—Mount Zion, south of Jerusalem: was the ancient name of that city: ver. 28.]—Bagster.

Ver. 17. Geliloth.—{Geliloth is probably the same as Gilgal; though as the word may signify borders or limits, some think that it is probably not the proper name of a place;—“And went forth towards the borders which are over against the ascent to Adummim.” Others render roundings or the hills about Jordan.}—Bagster.

Ver. 19. South coast.—{The borders of this tribe on the north were the same as those of Ephraim on the south: and his southern boundaries the same as the northern borders of Judah; but drawn from west to east, instead of from east to west. (Ch. xv 1—12.; xvi.) As the inheritance of Benjamin did not extend to the Mediterranean sea, and no other sea or lake is known to have been in those parts, perhaps this expression, “compassed the corner of the sea southward,” (ver. 14.) should be rendered, “made a circuit on the side next the sea towards the south;” for it seems to connect the northern border in the preceding verses, with the southern which follows.}—Bagster.