Joshua 17

Joshua 17:18

18. But the mountain shall be thine;] Joshua consents to add “the mountain” to their portion, which, as it was settled by a Divine decree, they could not enlarge in any other way. “The outgoings” of this were to be their’s, meaning probably the passages to, from, and about it, and the places bordering on it. Bp. Hall. He concludes with an assurance, that, notwithstanding the great force and numbers of the enemies who now possessed it, they should be able, with God’s help, to drive them out. Bp. Patrick.

Chap. XVIII. ver. 1.—at Shiloh.] This place was situated in the south part of the tribe of Ephraim; according to some, it lay about two hours’ journey from Jerusalem. The ark, which was now removed to this place, continued there, not only during the remainder of Joshua’s life, but also during all the times of the judges of Israel, to the time of Samuel the prophet, and just before the death of Eli the priest, as appears from 1 Sam. iv. 3, &c. Some suppose, from what is said at Deut. xii. 10, 11, that the ark was placed here by the immediate di-

rection of God; but this seems rather to refer to Jerusalem, which is throughout Scripture mentioned, as the place where God caused “his name to dwell.” The real reason of the ark being placed in the tribe of Ephraim for so long a time, was probably no other than this, that Joshua himself belonged to this tribe; and as he was, during his life, the chief administrator of the government, it was proper that the tabernacle and ark should be in the same tribe. It is further to be remarked, that, together with the tabernacle and ark, the camp of the Israelites was now removed from Gilgal to Shiloh, that is, the camp of the seven remaining tribes; for it has appeared, that two tribes and a half had already received their inheritance. Dr. Wells. The whole period, during which the tabernacle remained at Shiloh, is thought to be 350 years. Bp. Patrick.