Joshua 19
DOYLYJoshua 19:9
- — the part of the children of Judah was too much for them.] Those persons who were now sent to make a new survey of the whole land, found that those who had surveyed it formerly had not measured it exactly, but made one division, which fell to the tribe of Judah, too large in proportion to the rest. A portion accordingly was taken from them, and given to the tribe of Simeon. On this account the boundaries of the tribe of Simeon, on every side, are not described, as had been done with respect to the other tribes, because the boundaries of Judah’s possession had already been given, and the same cities, which, at chap. xv. 26—32, were allotted to the tribe of Judah, are in this chapter, ver.
Jesreel, and Chesulloth, and Shunem,
Joshua 19:13
13.—to the children of Aaron] Of the forty-eight Levitical cities, thirteen, ver. 13—19, were properly sacerdotal, being assigned to the sons of Aaron, to whom the priesthood was exclusively confined. Although the cities were all assigned by lot, yet it was directed by a special Providence, that the share which fell to the priests should be in the tribes nearest to the great city, which God intended should be the fixed place of His worship, to the end that the priests might be always ready to give their attendance. Bp. Patrick.
It is remarkable, that all the cities of the priests lay
Juttah with her suburbs, and Beth-shemesh with her suburbs; nine cities out of those two tribes.
Joshua 19:15
- — twelve cities] More than twelve have been named; therefore some of them are probably only mentioned as boundaries of the country. In the same manner, at ver. 30, the cities are said to be twenty-two, although more than twenty-two have been mentioned; and the same at ver. 18.
Joshua 19:26
- — Carmel westward,] or Carmel by the sea, to distinguish it from another Carmel in the tribe of Judah, near Hebron. Bp. Patrick.
Joshua 19:29
- — the strong city Tyre:] A strong and celebrated city, called by the Hebrews Teor or Zor, whence it is thought that the whole adjoining country had the name of Syria given it by the Greeks. Dr. Wells. Its Hebrew name Teor or Zor signifies a rock. Calmet.
The lot of Naphtali and Dan. Joshua’s inheritance. Before CHRIST 1444.
Joshua 19:34
- — to Judah upon Jordan] This cannot be meant of the tribe of Judah, which lay at a considerable distance from the border of Naphtali; it seems therefore most easy and natural to understand it of a place so named, lying on the river Jordan, which will account for its being called, by way of distinction, “Judah upon Jordan.” Dr. Wells.
Joshua 19:46
- — the border before Japho.] This place afterwards became celebrated under the name of Joppa, and continues to this day, retaining the name of Japha or Jaffa, which in Hebrew signifies fair or beautiful. Bp. Patrick. By comparing the cities just mentioned with those at Josh. xv. 33, it appears that many of those which were at first assigned to Judah, were afterwards allotted to Dan: hence it is reasonably supposed, that the inheritance of the tribe of Dan was within the inheritance of the tribe of Judah; this tribe is therefore, with universal agreement, placed by geographers in the western part of the portion at first allotted to the children of Judah. Dr. Wells.
Joshua 19:47
- — the coast of the children of Dan went out too little for them.] In the Hebrew the words run thus: The coast of the children of Dan went out from them;
that is, they were dispossessed of it in some parts by their powerful neighbours the Amorites, who forced them into the mountains. Bp. Patrick. The children of Dan therefore fought against, and took Leshem, a city not far from Jordan, called Laish in the book of Judges; in aftertimes Cesarea Philippi. They dwelt therein, or remained in undisturbed possession of it, and gave it the name of Dan; all this was done after Joshua’s death, and is related more largely in the book of Judges, chap. xviii. It is supposed that Ezra, or some other, thought good in aftertimes to insert this verse here, in order to complete the account of the Danites’ possessions. Bp. Patrick, Shuckford.
Joshua 19:50
- According to the word of the Lord] It hence appears, although it is no where else expressed, that the Lord granted to Joshua a peculiar privilege of choosing his portion, as He had done to Caleb. Dr. Wells.
Joshua 19:51
- — So they made an end of dividing the country.] It may generally be remarked, that, of the midland region to the north, which was allotted to the tribes of Ephraim, Issachar, and Naphtali, and the half of Manasseh, the lot of the sons of Joseph, especially that of Ephraim, was the richest and most considerable,
Eight and forty cities given by lot, out of the other tribes, Before CHRIST 1444.
Kohath had by lot out of the families of the tribe of Ephraim, and out of the tribe of Dan, and out of the half tribe of Manasseh, ten cities.