Matthew Poole and continuators on Joshua 18

ANd the whole Congregation of the children of Israel assembled together at Shiloh, and set up the tabernacle of the congregation there , and the land was subdued before them.

By Gods appointment, as is manifest from Deut. 12. 5, &c. Ier. 7. 12. Hither it was removed from Gilgal, partly for the honour and conveniency of Ioshua, that he being of the Tribe of Ephraim, and seating himself there, might have the opportunity of consulting with God as oft as he desired and needed; and partly for the conveniency of all the Tribes, that being in the heart and center of them, they might more easily resort to it from all places. Here the Tabernacle continued for above 300 Years, even till Samuels days, 1 Sam. 1. 3.

Or, for, because these words contain a reason of the former action: the Particle and is oft used for for, as hath been shewed.

3 And Joshua said unto the children of Israel, How long are ye slack to go to possess the land which the LORD God of your fathers hath given you?

This slackness is supposed to arise, partly from their dissatisfaction in the portions already allotted, Iudahs being too large, as it appeared; and Iosephs too narrow, as they complained; partly from an opinion of the impossibility of making any regular and equal distribution of the Parts, till the Whole were better known, and more exactly Surveyed, which accordingly is here done; and partly, because being weary of War, and having sufficient plenty of all things in their present condition, they grew slothful and secure, and were unwilling to run into new Hazards and Wars, as they perceived by Ioshua's answer to the Tribe of Ioseph, Ios. 17. 15, &c. they were likely to do when they entred upon their several Possessions.

4 Give out from among you three men of each tribe : and I will send them, and they shall rise, and go thorow the land , and describe it according to the inheritance of them, and they shall come again to me.

Three, not One, for more exact observation both of the measure and quality of the several Portions, and for greater assurance and evidence of their care and faithfulness in giving in their Account.

Either One of each of these Tribes, who were yet unprovided for; or rather Two of all the Tribes, even of them who had already received their Portions; which was highly expedient, that in case it should appear that there was not a sufficiency for each of these Tribes who wanted their Portions, their Brethren might be more ready either to assist them in procuring more Land, or to part with some of their own Portion to them.

Which they might now safely do, because the Terror of the late War was yet upon the Canaanites, who were loath to rouse so near and potent an Enemy.

5 And they shall divide it into seven parts : Judah shall abide in their coast on the south , and the house of Joseph shall abide in their coast on the north .

Which were of equal extent or worth: for no Tribe was so great, but one of these parts in its full extent would abundantly suffice them; and there was no reason why the Portions should be greater or less according as the Tribes at present were more or fewer in number, because of the various changes which happened therein successively; it being usual for one Tribe to be more numerous than another in one Age, which was fewer in the next. And if the several Tribes had increased more, and not diminished their Numbers by their Sins, they might have sent forth Colonies, and taken any part of the Land, even as far as Euphrates, all which the Lord of the whole Earth had given them a Right to, which when they pleased they might take Possession of.

They shall not be disturbed in their Possession, but shall keep it▪ except some part of it shall be adjudged to another Tribe.

In respect of Iudah, not of the whole Land; for divers other Tribes were more Northern than they.

6 Ye shall therefore describe the land into seven parts, and bring the description hither to me: that I may cast lots for you here before the LORD our God.

i. e. Before the Ark or Tabernacle, that God may be Witness, and Judge, and Author of the Division, that each may be contented with his Lot, and that your several Possessions may be secured to you as things Sacred, and not to be a[illegible: 1+ letters]enated.

7 But the Levites have no part among you , for the priesthood of the LORD is their inheritance: and Gad and Reuben, and half the tribe of Manasseh have received their inheritance beyond Jordan on the east, which Moses the servant of the LORD gave them.

Therefore it shall be divided only into Seven parts, as I have said.

9 And the men went and passed through the land, and described it by cities , into seven parts in a book, and came again to Joshua to the host at Shiloh.

Or, according to the Cities, to which the several Parts or Territories belonged.

11 ¶ And the lot of the tribe of the children of Benjamin came up according to their families: and the coast of their lot came forth between the children of Judah, and the children of Joseph .

Wherein we see the wisdom of Divine Providence, this being the onely place in which that Prophecy Deut. 33. 12. could have been accomplished.

12 And their border on the north-side was from Jordan, and the border went up to the side of Jericho, on the North-side, and went up through the mountains westward, and the goings out thereof were at the wilderness of Beth-aven .

A place distinct from, but near unto Bethel, as may be gathered from Ios. 16. 1.

14 And the border was drawn thence, and compassed the corner of the sea southward: from the hill that lieth before Beth-horon southward: and the goings out thereof were at Kirjath-baal (which is Kirjath-jearim ) a city of the children of Judah: this was the west quarter.

The Israelites changed the name, to blot out the remembrance of Baal. Compare Ios. 15. 9. Numb. 32. 38.

15 And the south quarter , was from the end of Kirjath-jearim, and the border went out on the west, and went out to the well of waters of Nephtoah.

The same with the North-quarter of Iudah. See Ios. 15. 5, 6, 11.

16 And the border came down to the end of the mountain , that lieth before the valley of the son of Hinnom , and which is in the valley of the giants on the north , and descended to the valley of Hinnom to the side of Jebusi on the south, and descended to Enrogel,

i. e. The place where the Mountain ends, and the Valley begins.

i. e. In the prospect of that Valley; or, that reacheth to that Valley on the South.

Which extends to this other Valley on the North-side of it.

To that part where the Iebusites lived, which was in and near Ierusalem.

Marginal references: Chap. 15. 8.; Chap. 1[illegible: 1+ letters]. [illegible: 1+ letters] ▪

17 And was drawn from the north, and went forth to En-shemesh, and went forth toward Geliloth , which is over against the going up of Adummim, and descended to the stone of Bohan the son of Reuben,

Called also Gilgal, as appears from Ios. 15. 7. Iudg. 3. 19. but differing from that Gilgal by Iordan.

Marginal references: Chap. 15. 6.

18 And passed along toward the side over against Arabah northward, and went down unto Arabah.

Called Beth-arabah, Ios. 15. 6.

Marginal references: Or, the plain.

19 And the border passed along to the side of Beth-hoglah northward: and the outgoings of the border were at the north bay of the salt sea , at the south end of Jordan : this was the south coast.

Where an Arm of that Sea runs into the Land, which is opposed to the South-bay that was in the South-border of the Tribe of Iudah, Ios. 15. 2.

Where it enters into the salt Sea, which is here opposed to the North-end of it, or the Spring-head, which was in the North.

Marginal references: Heb. tongue

21 Now the cities of the tribe of the children of Benjamin, according to their families, were Jericho , and Beth-hoglah, and the valley of Keziz ,

For though the City was destroyed, the Territory remained, and some Houses probably were built and inhabited there, though it was not made a City with Walls and Gates, which was the only thing forbidden, Ios. 6. 26.

Or, Emec-keziz, the proper name of a City or great Town.

22 And † Beth▪ arabah, and Zemaraim , and Bet-hel,

Which either gave name to, or took name from that Mountain, 2 Chron. 13. 4.

Marginal references: ‡ Gr. Bethabara. Joh. 1. 28.

26 And Mizpeh , and Chephirali, and Mozah,

Near Ramah, in the same Mountain where Silo was. There were divers other Cities of that name.

28 And Zelah, Eleph, and Jebusi (which is Jerusalem ) Gibeath, and Kir-jath: fourteen cities with their villages. This is the inheritance of the children of Benjamin, according to their families.

So it seems this City did properly and primarily belong to Benjamin, although the Tribe of Iudah had also an Interest in it, either because some part of it was allotted to them, or because the Benjamites gave them a share in it, for the Assistance which either they had received, or did expect from that Potent Tribe, for the getting or defending of that, very Important Place. See more on Ios. 15. 63.

It is more than probable that all the Cities belonging to this Tribe are here named, because Anathoth and Almon are omitted [illegible: 1+ letters]ere, but expressed Ios. 21. 18.