Matthew Poole and continuators on Joshua 15:1

THis then was the lot of the tribe of the children of Judah by their families, even to the border of Edom ; the wilderness of Zin southward, was the uttermost part of the south-coast:

For the general understanding of this business, it must be known, 1. That this work of casting Lots was transacted with great seriousness and solemnity in Gods presence, with Prayer and Appeal to him for the decision of the matter. 2. That although an exact survey of this Land was not taken till Iosh. 18. 4, 5. yet there was, and must needs be a general Description of it, and a division thereof into nine parts and a half; which, as far as they could guess, were equal either in Quantity or in Quality. 3. That the Lot did not at this time so peremptorily and unchangeably determine each Tribe, that their Portion could neither be increased nor diminished; as is manifest, because after Iudahs Lot was fixed, Simeons Lot was taken out of it, Iosh. 19. 9. though after the Land was more distinctly known and surveyed, Iosh. 18. it is likely the Bounds were more certain and fixed. 4. That the Lot determined only in general what part or quarter of the Land belonged to each Tribe, but left the particulars to be determined by Ioshua and Eleazar, &c. For the manner of this Lottery, it is probably conceived, that there were two Urns or Pots, into one of which were put the names of all the Tribes, each in a distinct Paper, and into the other the names of each Portion described; then Eleazar, or some other person, drew out first the name of one of the Tribes out of one Pot, and then the name of one Portion out of the other Pot, and that Portion was appropriated to that Tribe; and so the rest. And with respect to these Pots in the bottom of which the Papers lay, these Lots are oft said to come up, or come forth.

Whose Lot came out first by Gods disposition, as a note of his Preeminency above his Brethren.

Which lay Southeast from Iudahs Portion.

Marginal references: Numb. 34. 3.; Numb. 33. 36.