Numbers 34

Numbers 34:1

JjLftD the Lord spake unto Moses, saying. In the same place, where they’were when he last spake to him; for they made no other removals till they marched for Canaan.

Numbers 34:2

Command the children of Israel.") Charge them to take notice of this. And say unto them, WJien ye come into the land of Ca* naan, this is the land that shall fall unto you for your in* Jieritance.] Having spoken to them concerning their dispossessing the Canaanites, and dividing their land among their tribes; it was fit to describe the bounds of their country, that they might know whom they were to destroy, and into whose possessions they were to enter. Even the land of Canaan, and the coasts thereof] The. land beyond Jordan; and the limits or bounds thereof. Ver. a. Then your south quarter shall be from thewiU derness of Zin.] Mentioned in the foregoing chapter, ver. 36.’ Along by the coast of Edam.]" Which bordered upon this wilderness, (chap. xx. 1. 14.) And your south border shall be the utmost coast of the Salt Sea.] From the very tongue of it, as it is expressed Josh. xv. 2. where it appears this was the portion of tho tribe of Judah. The Salt Sea is that which is called sometimes the Dead Sea, and in other authors, Lacus Asphaltites: (see Gen. xiv. 3.) The Hebrews call all great lakes by the name of seas; and this is called the Salt Sea, because the water of it is very salt, or, as some express it, bitter; and the Dead Sea, propter aqua immobilitatem, as Justin speaks, lib. xxxvi. because of the immoveableness of the water, which is never stirred by the greatest winds. (Sec Vossius de Orig. et Progr. Idolol. lib. ii. cap. 68.) Eastward.] Where the eastern and southern borders meet.-

Numbers 34:4

And your border. That is, this south border. Shall turn.] Not go on in a straight line; but bending towards the west. From the south to the ascent of Akrabbim.] Or, to Maale-Akrabbim,. a mountain on the south end of the Dead Sea, (Josh. xv. 3. Judg. i. 36.) so called, as Bo-’ chartus conjectures, from the vast multitude of scorpions Microsoft CHAP. XXXIV,] UPON &UMBER& found here: from which mountain also, it is probable, the region called Acrabatena, near to Idumsea, had its name, (1 Maccab. v. 3.) See Hierozeicon> par. ii. lib; iv. cap. 29. And pass on to Zin.] Either to a place cdlled Ziri, or part of the wilderness of Ziri; which lay on the south of tho land of Canaan, (chap. Xiii. 2l.) And the going forth thereof shall be from the south.’] That is, still on towards the south; as appears from what goes before, and follows after. To Kadesh-barnea.] From whence the spies wete Setit to search out the land; and are said expressly to have gone up by the south, chap. xiii. 22. 26. And shall go on to Hazar-Addar*] Or, to the tillage of Addar, as the Vulgar Latin renders it 5 which seenfs to be justified by Josh. xv. 3. Where it is simply called Addar. There is indeed a place called Hezfon joihed with it, which may be thought td be the Sanie With Hazaf J but so is another place also called Karkaa; both which toay as well be thought to be here omitted, for brevity’?! sake. And pass on to Action.’] A place lying dn the \vest ehd of the mount of Edom. Vet. 5. And the border shall fetch a cbtopdss.] Ther6 shall be a greater turn than that mentioned vet*. 4. bending still more westward. From Azmon unto the river of Egypt.’] By the river of Egypt is properly understood Nile; rind so Jonathan herd renders the Hebrew word Nahal (river) by Nilus: which may seem to have taken its riamo frotn the word Nahal; which the ancients did not pronounce a$ we now do, but called it NeeU as ^6 find in Epiphanlug • froiti whence Nilus was very easily made, as BochartiiS observed, Hierozoic. par. ii. lib. v. cap. 15. Btit if Nile be here meant, it must be the more northerly motith of it, whefe Pelusium stood. (See Gen. xv. 18.) And the goings out of it shall b& at tkt sea.] This border ended at the sea, called the Great Sea in the next verse. Vef, 6. And as for the western border > 1J6 shall hav6 even the Great Sea.] That is, tho Mediterranean, or Midland Sea, which lay on the west of Judea; and is called by the Hebrews the Great Sea, in comparison with the Lake of Genesaret and Asphaltites, Which they also called seas. For your border*] On the west, as it here follows. Tins shall be your western border.] From the river of Egypt as far as Zidon, which was a part of the promised land, as appears from Josh, xiii. 6. Judg. i. 31. All the cities, indeed, on tho shore of this sea were held by the Philistines and others, till the timo of David; but the Israelites had a right to. them. And tho famous Rabbi Juda understands these words, as if they should have the western ocean itself for their portion, as well as the land adjacent to it: for so he expounds these words, as if Moses had said, This shall be your western border; viz. the border of the sea, and tho isles near unto it. And the Jerusalem Targum more plainly,’* And let the Great Sea be your border; u e. the ocean, and the isles thereof, and the cities, and the ships with the ancient waters, that arc in the midst of it."" See Seldon; irt his Mare Clausum, lib. i. cap. 6. where ho alleges this as a j)roof, that men anciently thought they might have a dominion over the sea, as well as (ho land*

Numbers 34:7

And this shall be your northern border from the Great Sea. From the Mediterranean, which lay on the west; • Ye shall point out for you.] Mark out for your direction. Mount Hor.’) Not that mount where Aarbri died; for that was on the south 6f the land of Catta&n, towards Edom; but this was diametrically Ojjposifce, on tiie hbrtfi of it; and therefore must, in all likelihood, be some pari of Mount Libanus; which, with Antilibanhs (ihore towards the Great Sea), bounded the promised lahd on the north. But there were several parts of Mount Libanus which were called by several names; and probably 6he of them was called Hor, because of its eminence &f height above the rest. So the Vulgar translates it; tending, I suppose, th§ Hebrew, not Hor halitir, i. e. ttor the mountain, 6iit Har hahar, the mountain of inbutititin, i. e. thfe highest; mountain. The Jews generally by tiiis Mohht Hor undelv stahd Amanus, which is k part of Tdurus (aS Mr. Selden observes in the place befdtenamed), whleH thb Jehisaleih Targum calls more briefly Maritis.

Numbers 34:8

From Mount Hor ye shctll poiht tiiii ij&ur bofdeir to the entrance of Hamath. There were ttvd /llama&s; one called bf the Greeks Aritloehid, the other Elpijjhariia. The former called Hamath thfe. Gteat, Atiibis vi. 3. to distinguish it from the latter, which id the city that ik JllwRy^ meant, when we read the boiirids of Judea were tor the toltrance of Hamath northward; as here and thap. xiii. 21. For it is ciertdin, as Bochartus observes, they did ri6tr£acli to Antiochia, but came near to Epiphahia, (lib*, iv. I>Iiafe£. cap. 36.) And thisiriakes it prfcbablfe, that Hor, a^ 1 s?iid before, may be a promontdry of Libariiis; because in J^stf. xiii. 5. Hermon is joined vnth the entrance of Hamath, as Hor is here. Ndw Hermon Was certainly a part of Libanus: by some called Sirioh; by others Seirir,(l5eut.iu.9l) and by others Sion, (Deut. iv. 48.) Arid the going forth of the border shall be to Zedad.] Which in Ezekiel’s time was reckoned the riortherfi border (together with Hamath) from the threat Sea; just as it is here. (Ezek. xlvii. 15, 16.)

Numbers 34:9

And the border shall go on to Ziphrbh. An6ther town in those parts; of which I find no McHiidU anywhere else. And the goings out of it shall be at Hdzat-Endrt.J Here it ended; which was a £lace that retained its" riatfie till Ezckiel’s time, (chap, xlvii. 17.) David Ctytfdetis £eems to have given a full account 6f this northern berde? in a few words. It extended, saith he, from tire Mediterranean, by the mountains of Libanus, to the fountain of Jordan; in which tract are the towns of Hamath, Zedad (in the tribe of Naphtali), Ziphron (in the same tribe at the foot of Libanus), and Hazar-Enan, which He takes to signify a village at the fountain, viz. of Jordan.

Numbers 34:10

And ye shall point out your east border from Hazar-Enan. From the fountain; of Jordan, as \Va£ ^aicl before. To Shephdm.] A place not far from thence; for the river Jordan was certainly the eastern limits. •Ver* 11. And the coast.] The limits, or bourids. Shall go down from Shepham to Riblah.] A place, no. doubt, near to Jordan; with which river tho eastern limits go along. St. Jerome takes Riblah to be Antiochia;.but that was in Syria, to wliicK the promised land did n6t* reach; • Digitized oy Microsoft ®’[CHAP. XXXIV, On -the east side of Ain.] The Vulgar reads it,- the fountain of Daphne. And, indeed, Ain signifies a fountain; and both Jonathan and the Jerusalem Targum take Riblah Tor Daphne; as.they do Shepham beforcmentioned for’ Apainia. r But this is only a vain conceit of the Jews, who would extend their bounds “beyond what God gave them. For it is certain the land of Canaan never extended to these places, as Bochartus observes, lib. i. Canaan, cap. 16. And therefore Daphne (which was in the suburbs of Antiqchia) cannot be here meant, unless we understand another place, mentioned by Joscphus, (lib. iv. de Bello Judaico, cap. 1.) which lay.near the lake of Semechonites, through the.middle of which Jordan ran. And then Ain must signify another fountain of Jordan, for it had more than one. And thus David Chytranis explains this part of the verse, and the foregoing: The eastern bounds were the river Jordan, near to which were these places; Enan, which had its name. from the fountain of the river; and Shepham, not far from thence; Riblah, which was also near to Jordan, lying between the lake of Semechonites and Genesaret., And the border shall descend, and shall reach unto the side of the sea of Cinnereth eastward.*] To the east side of this sea or lake, which had its name from a city so called, [Josh. xix. 35. and a country, 1 Kings xv. 20. or else it gave them their names:, for David Chytraeus will have it called Cinnereth, from the Hebrew word cinnor, which signifies a harp, or lute, the lake being of that shape and figure, about four German miles long> and two and a half broad. It is called the sea of Galilee, or Tiberias, in the gospel.

Numbers 34:12

And the border. i. e. This eastern border.;.-,.* Shall go down to Jordan?] That is, to the river which was eminently so called, (and was on the cast; part of Canaan, Gen. xiii. 11.) for it was very small till it came to the -lake of Genesaret beforementioried.. From whence,.being augmented by several torrents and rivulets, it ran in a wider stream, till it fell into the Salt or Dead Sea. (See Bonfrcrius but of Joscphus, lib. iv. de Bello Judaico, cap. 1.) And its.goings out shall be at the Salt Sea.). There was the end of this border; where it mct.with the southern, as was observed above, (ver. 3.) This shall be your land, with the coasts thereof, round about.]] As was said before, (ver. 2.) therefore they were not to extend their right any further; this being the country he promised Abraham, when he bade him lift up his eyes, andlook from the place where he was, " northward, and southward, and eastward, and westward, and walk through the length of the land, and “breadth of it,” whichhe assures to bis posterity, Gen. xiii. 14 — 17. which now he lays out for them, with the exact limits of it, in all those four quarters.

Numbers 34:13

And Moses commanded the children of Israel, saying, This is the land which ye shall inherit by lot.~. He repeats it so often, that they might know what people they >verc to di$possess,nnd with whom they might make friendship; and not to extend their desires beyond the bounds of God’s graoious grant to them. By which they were placed in a very fertile and pleasant country, bounded, as appears by theforegoing description, on the south, (ver. 4, 5.) by great mountains, which sheltered them from th<? burning air pf the deserts of Arabia; on the west, by the Midland Sea, which sent to them refreshing breezes; and on the north, by Mount Libanos, which kept off the colder blasts from that quarter; and on the east, the delightful plains of Jordan, abounding with palm-trees, especially about Jericho, which yielded them a great revenue. Which the Lord’ commanded to give to the nine tribes, and to the half tribe.] Thishe had not said plainly before, though it was necessarily inferred, from his granting to two tribes and a half their inheritance beyond Jordan.

Numbers 34:14

For the tribe of the children of Reuben, according to the house of their fathers, and the tribe of the children of Gad, &c. have received their inheritance. Upon conditionthey performed their promise* to help the rest of their tribes to win theirinheritance in Canaan. So those words arc to be understood, I observed xxxii. 33. " Moses gave unto them the kingdom of Sihon,” &c.

Numbers 34:15

The two tribes and a half have received their inheritance on this side Jordan, &c. By the gift of God, as they themselves understood it, xxxii. 31. The bounds of which the Jerusalem Targum here undertakes to set down, and" makes them extend eastward as far as the great river Euphrates;’ having respect, I suppose, to Gen. xv. 18. and Exod. xxiii. 30. where he sets down the utmost bounds of the countries he intended to bestow upon them in future times (see there), but here only describes the limits of that land, which they were to enjoy in present possession; and was all that God granted to Abraham, when he brought him out of Chaldea, and made his first promise unto him, (Gen. xii. 1. 7. xiii. 14, 15. 17. xv.7.).

Numbers 34:16

And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying. Having told them what they should divide, it was proper to appoint some persons to take care to see the division made. Ver. 17- These are the names of the men which shall divide the land.] Though the land was to be divided by lot, yet it was fit there should be some persons to oversee the business, and take care there should be no fraud in.the drawing of them: and when they were drawn, to prevent all quarrels, by determining [what portion those who had tbo, much should give to those who had too little, (xxvi. 54, 55.) Eleazar the priest, and Joshua the son of Nun.] These were the principal persons concerned in this great affair; who were. so conscientious therein, that they did it in the presence of God, at the door of the tabernacle, (Josh, xviii. C. 8. 10. xix. 51.)

Numbers 34:18

And ye shall take one prince of every tribe, to divide the land by inheritance. They are called in the place last, named, thejieads of the fathers of the tribes of the children of Israel.

Numbers 34:19

The names of the men are these: Of the tribe of Judahy Caleb the son of Jephunneh. .! have nothing to observe upon this and the following verses, to the end of the chapter, but that the tribes are not mentioned in such order as they were at their first numbering, (i. 5, 6, &c.) or at their second, (xxvi, 5, &c.) yet great exactness and a particular direction of God may be noted in their placing here; for they arc set down according to their situation which they had afterward in the land of Canaan; as if Moses foresaw who should be next neighbours one to another. For Judah having his inheritance given him first, (Josh, xv.) Simeon, who is here next mentioned, was so near hiinin the land of Canaan, that he had a portion given him out of the lot of, Judah, which proved too large for that tribe, (Josh. xix. 9., Judg. if 3. 17.) Then Benjamin, who here follows,.in the