Matthew Poole and continuators on Joshua 19

ANd the second lot came forth to Simeon, even for the Tribe of the Children of Simeon, according to their families: and their inheritance was within the inheritance of the children of Judah .

This was so ordered by Gods Providence, partly to fulfil that threatning that he would divide and scatter this Tribe in Israel, Gen. 49. 7. which was hereby done in part, because they had no distinct part of their own, but were as Inmates to Iudah; partly, because now upon the more exact survey of the Land, it appeared to Ioshua and Eleazar, and all the Princes and People, even to the Tribe of Iudah themselves, that the Part given to Iudah did far exceed the Proportion which either they needed and could occupy, or which the other Tribes could expect; and partly, because this was the least of the Tribes: as is evident from Numb. 26. 14. and therefore fittest to be put within another Tribe.

2 And they had in their inheritance Beersheba, and Sheba, and Moladah.

Or, or, 1. i. e. otherwise called: for that Beersheba and Sheba were one and the same City, is manifest both from v. 6. where all the Cities are reckoned to be but Thirteen: and from 1 Chron. 4. 28. where Simeons Cities are enumerated, and Sheba omitted as superfluous.

3 And Hazar-shual, and Balah , and Azem,

Called also Billah, 1 Chron. 4. 29. and Baalah, Ios. 15. 29. For let this be observed once for all, that the names of Persons or Places are frequently changed through length of time, or difference of Dialects, or study of brevity and easiness in Pronunciation, or new accidents, or other causes. Thus Eltolad and Bethul v. 4. are called Tolad and Bethuel, 1 Chron. 4. 29, 30. and for Beth-lebaoth, v. 6. is Beth-birei, 1 Chron. 4. 31.

6 And Beth-lebaoth, and Sharuhen: thirteen cities , and their villages.

Or, Towns, as some of them are called, 1 Chron. 4. 32. Nor are all Simeons Cities here numbred, for Elam is added, 1 Chron. 4. 32. unless that were built afterward.

10 ¶ And the third lot came up for the children of Zebulun , according to their families, and the border of their inheritance was unto Sarid.

Who is here put before Issachar his elder Brother, as he is also Gen. 49. 13, 14. Deut. 33. 18.

11 And their border went up toward the Sea , and Maralah, and reached to Dabbasheth, and reached to the river that is before Jokneam .

i. e. The Midland Sea, as on the other side it reached to the Sea of Galilee, and so those Prophecies concerning him, Gen. 49. 3. Deut. 33. 18. were abundantly fulfilled.

Supposed to be Kishon, Iudg. 4. 7. or Belus, or Pagis.

12 And turned from Sarid eastward, toward the sun-rising, unto the border of Chis[illegible: 1+ letters]oth-tabor, and then goeth out to Daberath , and goeth up to Japhia.

A City in Issachar, as appears from Ios. 21. 28.

15 And Kattath, and Nahallal, and Shimron, and Idalah, and Beth-lehem : twelve cities with their villages.

Not that where Christ was born, which was in Iudah, thence called Bethlehem Iudah, Matt. but another.

There are more numbred here, but the rest either were not Cities properly so called, having Villages under their jurisdiction; or were not within this Tribe, but onely bordering upon it, and belonging to other Tribes, which is evident of some of them, and may well be presumed of others.

18 And their border was toward Jezreel , and Chesulloth, and Shunem ,

The Royal City, 1 King. 21. 1. This Tribe, because it lay between Benjamin on the South, and Zebulun on the north, is not here described by its borders, which were the same with theirs; but by some of its Cities.

The Birthplace of Abishag, 1 King. 1. 3.

21 And Remeth, and En-gannim , and En-haddah, and Beth-pazzez.

A different place from that Engannim in the Tribe of Iudah, Ios. 15. 34.

25 And their border was Helkath, and Hali, and Beten, and Achshaph.

On the North-west side.

26 And Alammelech, and Amad, and Misheal, and reacheth to Carmel westward , and to Shihorlibnath;

Or, Carmel by the sea, to distinguish it from that Carmel in the Tribe of Iudah, 1 Sam. 25. 2. This was a place of eminent fruitfulness, Isa. 33. 9. and 35. 2. and 37. 24. agreeable to the Prophecy concerning Asher, Gen. 49. 20. Deut. 33. 24.

27 And turneth toward the sun-rising, to Beth-dagon, and reacheth to Zebulun, and to the valley of Jiphthah-el toward the northside of Bethemek, and Neiel, and goeth out to Cabul on the left hand .

Either 1. That Countrey called Cabul, wherein were 20 Cities, of which 1 King. 9. 13. But this is not probable, because that was not within, nor belonging to any particular Tribe; for then Solomon could not have alienated it from them, and given it unto Hiram, whereas this did belong to Asher; or 2. A certain City so called.

i. e. On the North, which, when men look towards the East, as is usual, is on their left hand.

28 And Hebron, and Rehob and Hammon, and Kanah , even unto great Zidon .

To wit, Kanah the greater, in the upper Galilee; not Kanah the less, which was in the lower Galilee.

Called great for its Antiquity, and Riches, and Glory. This City either was not given to the Israelites, but is only mentioned as their border; or at least was never possessed by them; not without a singular Providence of God, that they might not by the opportunity of so good a Port, be ingaged in much Commerce with other Nations; from which, together with Wealth, that great corrupter of Mankind, they might contract their Errors and Vices.

29 And then the coast turneth to Ramah, and to the strong city Tyre , and the coast turneth to Hosah; and the outgoings thereof are at the sea, from the coast to Achzib.

From the North Southward.

Exclusively, for this City was no part of the Land given them.

Marginal references: Heb. Tzo[illegible: 1+ letters].; Gen. 38. 5. Judg. 1. 31. [illegible: 1 word] ▪ [illegible: 1+ letters]. 14.

30 Umma also, and Aphek, and Rehob: twenty and two cities with their villages.

Here are more named, but some of them were not within this Tribe, but only bordering places.

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

Their Northern Border drawn from West to East, as appears, because when this Coast is described and brought to its end, the Coast is said to turn from the East Westward, v. 34.

i. e. The end of that Coast.

34 And then the coast turneth west-ward to Aznoth-tabor, 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 sun-rising.

This is unquestionably the Southern Border described from East to West.

Qu. How can this be, when there were divers Tribes between this and Iudah, all which reached to Iordan? Ans. He doth not say of Iudah, as he doth of Zebulun and Asher, that it reacheth to it; but, as it seems, purposely leaves out that word which he had used in both the former branches, lest it should be understood of a Local Reaching to it, or being Contiguous with it, which was not true; and that he might signifie, that he meant this Clause in another sense; to wit, that it did in some sort go or reach to, or converse with Iudah by Iordan. And so this may be here added, to shew the accomplishment of that famous and obscure Prophecy, That Napthali, though he should be planted in the utmost border of the Land, on the North-east, yet he should possess the riches of the West and South, Deut. 33. 23. i. e. of those Tribes which were at great distance from him Westward and Southward; and this he should do in way of Commerce with them by their famous River Iordan, which he did not onely touch in a small part, [illegible: 1+ letters]s some of the other Tribes did, but lay all along it for a good space together, even from the very Fountain unto the Sea of Genesareth. Some think that this is verified by that Royalty of this River, which they suppose God gave to the Tribe of Iudah, which extended as far as Napthali.

35 And the [illegible: 1+ letters]enced cities are Ziddim, Zer, and Hammath , Rakkath and Cinnereth .

Or, Hamath, of which see Numb. 34. 8. 1 King. 8. 65. 2 King. 23. 33.

Whence the Lake of Cinnereth or Genesareth received its Name.

38 And Iron, and Migdal-el, Horem, and Bethanath, and Beth-shemesh: nineteen cities with their villages.

See on v. 15, 22, 30.

41 And the coast of their inheritance was Zorah, and Eshtaol, and Ir-shemesh,

Which is here described onely by its Cities, not by its Borders, which are in part the same with Iudah's, and their Inheritance is in good part taken out of Iudah's too large Portion; as appears from divers of the Cities here mentioned, which are also reckoned as in Iudah's Portion.

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.

Heb. Went out from them, to wit, out of their hands or Possession; for so this Hebrew Word is used concerning those Lands, which in the year of Jubilee are said to go out, Levit. 25. 28, 30, 31, 33. i. e. out of the hands of the present Possessor, to the first and ancient Owner. And so peradventure this may signifie, that many of the Danites were forced by their powerful Neighbours the Philistins to relinquish their Coast, and their allotted Habitations: which put them upon the following course.

This was done after Ioshuah's death, as appears from Iudg. 18. and seems to be here inserted, partly that all the Chief Places where the Danites (dwelt) though far distant, might be mentioned together; and partly, to give an account of this strange accident, why they removed from their appointed Portion to so remote a Place; which may be this, That being much molested and terrified by their bad Neighbours, they thought fit to go to some place remote from them, which also they were in a manner constrained to do, because otherwise they must have taken some part of the Portions of other Tribes, whereas now going to the very utmost Northern Point of the Land, they took that which did not belong to, or at least, was not in the Possession of any other Tribe. See more on Iudg. 18.

Marginal references: Judg. 18. 29.

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.

i. e. They are said to give it, because the whole Land was given to Ioshua; and Eleazar and the Princes? as joynt Trustees, acting in the name, and for the good of the People: so that even Ioshua could take nothing without their gift.

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

As God Promised, or Commanded, either, First, formerly, as may be gathered from Ios. 14. 6. Where we read, That the Lord said something unto Moses concerning me Caleb, and thee Joshua; though onely what is said to Caleb be there expressed, the other not being to his purpose there: for Ioshua having shewed the same courage and faithfulness which Caleb did, did doubtless receive equal encouragement and comfort from God at that time. Or, Secondly, now at this time by Eleazar.

Called Timnath-heres, Iudg. 2. 9.

i. e. Repaired and enlarged it, in which sense Nebuchadnezzar is said to have built Babylon, Dan. 4. 30.

Marginal references: Chap. 24. 30.