John Calvin on Joshua 19:32-48

The next lot mentioned is that of Naphtali, and it seems to correspond with the disposition and manners of that tribe. For Jacob had testified, Naphtali is a hind let loose; he gave goodly words. For this reason they seem to have been contiguous on one side to the children of Judah, and to have been surrounded on other sides by the enclosures of their brethren. The tribe of Naphtali, as marked out by Joshua, Eleazar, and the heads of the tribes, harmonizes well with the figurative description of it given by Jacob, for both in scenery and fertility it is one of the fairest in the Promised Land, but the locality assigned to it in the Commentary is singularly inaccurate. In the Latin it is said that the children of Naphtali “Videntur contigui ab una parte fuisse filiis Juda: alibi autem cincti coste ils estoyent contigus aux enfans de Juda; et d’autrepart qu’ils estoyent environnez du secours de leurs freres;” “It seems that on one side that they were surrounded by the help of their brethren.” The fact, however, is that Judah and Naphtali are at the opposite extremities of the country, and so far from being contiguous to each other, are widely separated by the intervention of no fewer than five tribes, which commencing on the frontiers of Judah, and proceeding northwards, are, in succession, Benjamin, Ephraim, Manasseh, Issachar, and Zebulun. Then, as it stretched from the shores of the lake of Gennesaret, north to the roots of Lebanon, it cannot well be said to have been surrounded on all sides by the enclosures of other tribes. It certainly had Zebulun on the south-west, and Asher on the west, but on the north and east, it formed the extreme frontiers of the Promised Land, and, of course, bounded with foreign and hostile settlements. — Ed. Indeed, in its being said that the tribe of Dan took Lesen, there seems to be a tacit comparison, because the children of Naphtali did not employ arms to force their way into their inheritance, but kept themselves quietly in a subdued territory, and thus enjoyed safety and tranquillity under the faith, and, as it were, protection of Judah and the other tribes. The capture of Lesen by the children of Dan, in accordance with the divine grant which they had received of it, did not take place till after the death of Joshua. But the fact which is more fully detailed in the book of Judges is here mentioned in passing, because praise was due to them for their boldness and activity in thus embracing the right which God had bestowed upon them, and so trusting in him as to go down bravely and defeat the enemy.

Joshua 19:32-51

32. The sixth lot came out to the children of Naphtali, even for the children of Naphtali according to their families.

32. Filiis Nephtali exivit sors sexta, filiis inquam, Nephtali, per familias suas.

33. And their coast was from Heleph, from Allon to Zaanannim, and Adami, Nekeb, and Jabneel, unto Lakum; and the outgoings thereof were at Jordan:

33. Fuitque terminus eorum ab Heleph, et ab Elon in Saanannim, et Adami, Neceb, et Jabneel, usque ad Lacum: suntque exitus ejus ad Jordanem.

34. And then the coast turns westward to Aznothtabor, and goeth out from thence to Hukkok, and reacheth to Zebulun on the south side, and reacheth to Asher on the west side, and to Judah upon Jordan toward the sunrising.

34. Postea revertitur terminus ad mare ad Aznoth-thabor: et progreditur illinc in Huccoc, et pervenit ad Zabulon a meridie, et ad Aser pervenit ab occidente, et ad Jehuda in Jordanem, ad ortum solis.

35. And the fenced cities are Ziddim, Zer, and Hammath, Rakkath, and Chinnereth,

35. Et urbes munitae, Siddim, Ser, et Hammath, Raccath, et Chinnereth.

36. And Adamah, and Ramah, and Hazor,

36. Et Adamah, et Ramah, et Hasor,

37. And Kedesh, and Edrei, and Enhazor,

37. Et Cedes, et Hedrei, et En-Hasor,

38. And Iron, and Migdalel, Horem, and Bethanath, and Bethshemesh; nineteen cities with their villages.

38. Et Iron, et Migdal-el, Horem, et Beth-anath, et Beth-semes: urbes novemdecim, et villae earum.

39. This is the inheritance of the tribe of the children of Naphtali according to their families, the cities and their villages.

39. Haec est haereditas tribus filiorum Nephtali per familias suas, urbes istae et villae earum.

40. And the seventh lot came out for the tribe of the children of Dan according to their families.

40. Tribui filiorum Dan per familias suas exivit sors septima.

41. And the coast of their inheritance was Zorah, and Eshtaol, and Irshemesh,

41. Fuitque terminus haereditatis eorum, Sorah, et Esthaol, et Itsemes,

42. And Shaalabbin, and Ajalon, and Jethlah,

42. Et Saalabbin, et Ajalon, et Ithlah,

43. And Elon, and Thimnathah, and Ekron,

43. Et Elon, et Thimnathah, et Ecron,

44. And Eltekeh, and Gibbethon, and Baalath,

44. Et Elthece, et Gibbethon, et Baalath,

45. And Jehud, and Beneberak, and Gathrimmon,

45. Et Jehud, et Bene-berak, et Gath-rimon,

46. And Mejarkon, and Rakkon, with the border before Japho.

46. Et Mehajarcon, et Raccon, cum termino contra Japho.

47. And the coast of the children of Dan went out too little for them: therefore the children of Dan went up to fight against Leshem, and took it, and smote it with the edge of the sword, and possessed it, and dwelt therein, and called Leshem, Dan, after the name of Dan their father.

47. Et exivit terminus filiorum Dan ab eis ascenderuntque filii Dan, et pugnaverunt cum Lesem, ceperuntque eam, ac percusserunt eam acie gladii, et haereditate acceperunt eam, habitaveruntque in ea: et vocaverunt Lesem Dan, secundum nomen Dan patris sui.

48. This is the inheritance of the tribe of the children of Dan according to their families, these cities with their villages.

48. Haec est haereditas tribus filiorum Dan per familias suas, civitates istae, et villae earum.

49. When they had made an end of dividing the land for inheritance by their coasts, the children of Israel gave an inheritance to Joshua the son of Nun among them:

49. Quum autem finem fecissent partiendi terram ut possiderent singuli terminos suos, dederunt filii Israel haereditatem ipsi Josue filio Nun in medio sui.

50. According to the word of the LORD they gave him the city which he asked, even Timnathserah in mount Ephraim: and he built the city, and dwelt therein.

50. Secundum sermonem Jehovae dederunt ei urbem quam petivit, Thimnath-serah in monte Ephraim, et edificavit urbem, habitavitque in ea.

51. These are the inheritances, which Eleazar the priest, and Joshua the son of Nun, and the heads of the fathers of the tribes of the children of Israel, divided for an inheritance by lot in Shiloh before the LORD, at the door of the tabernacle of the congregation. So they made an end of dividing the country.

51. Istae sunt haereditates quas tradiderunt possidendas Eleazar sacerdos, et Josue filius Nun, et principes patrum tribuum filiorum Israel per sortem in Silo coram Jehova ad ostiam tabernaculi conventionis, et finem fecerunt dividendi terram.