The lot — For the general understanding of this, it must be known That casting lots was transacted with great seriousness and solemnity, in God's presence, with prayer and appeal to him for the decision of the matter. That although exact survey of this land was not taken 'till Joshua 18:4, yet there... [ Continue Reading ]
The bay — Heb. the tongue: either a creek or arm of that sea; or a promontory, which by learned authors is sometimes called a tongue. Every sea is salt, but this had an extraordinary saltness, the effect of that fire and brimstone which destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah: the ruins of which lie buried at... [ Continue Reading ]
The end of Jordan — That is, the place where Jordan runs into the salt — sea.... [ Continue Reading ]
The stone of Bohan — A place so called, not from Bohan's dwelling there, (for the Reubenites had no portion on this side Jordan) but from some notable exploit which he did there, though it is not recorded in scripture.... [ Continue Reading ]
Went up — Properly; for the line went from Jordan and the salt sea, to the higher grounds nigh Jerusalem; and therefore the line is said to go down, Joshua 18:16, because there it takes a contrary course, and goes downward to Jordan and the sea. Valley of Hinnom — A very pleasant place, but afterwar... [ Continue Reading ]
Mount Seir — Not that of Edom, but another so called from some resemblance it had to it.... [ Continue Reading ]
He — Joshua. City of Arba — Or, Kirjath — arba. Not the city, which was the Levites, but the territory of it, Joshua 21:13.... [ Continue Reading ]
Drove thence — That is, from the said territory, from their caves and forts in it. These giants having either recovered their cities, or defended themselves in the mountains. Three sons of Anak — Either the same who are mentioned, Numbers 13:33, and so they were long — lived men, such as mainly were... [ Continue Reading ]
Debir — The same mentioned above, Joshua 15:7. The name was Kirjath — sepher — This clause seems to be added to distinguish this from the other Debir subdued by Joshua, Joshua 10:38.... [ Continue Reading ]
To wife — Which is to be understood with some conditions, as, if he were one who could marry her by God's law; and if she were willing; for though parents had a great power over their children, they could not force them to marry any person against their own wills. He might otherwise be an unfit and... [ Continue Reading ]
As she came — Or, as she went, namely, from her father's house to her husband's, as the manner was. She moved him — She persuaded her husband, either, That he would ask: or rather, That he would suffer her to ask, as she did. She lighted — That she might address herself to her father in an humble po... [ Continue Reading ]
A blessing — That is, a gift, as that word signifies, Genesis 33:11. A south land — That is, a dry land, much exposed to the south wind, which in those parts was very hot and drying, as coming from the deserts of Arabia. Springs of water — That is, a field, wherein are springs of water, which in tha... [ Continue Reading ]
Twenty nine — Here are thirty seven or thirty eight cities named before; how then are they only reckoned twenty nine? There were only twenty nine of them, which either, properly belonged to Judah; the rest fell to Simeon's lot; or Were cities properly so called, that is, walled cities, or such as ha... [ Continue Reading ]
The mountains — That is, in the higher grounds called mountains or hills, in comparison of the sea — coast.... [ Continue Reading ]
Ziph — Which gave its name to the neighbouring mountains, 1 Samuel 26:1.... [ Continue Reading ]
City of salt — So called either from the salt sea, which was near it; or from the salt which was made in, or about it.... [ Continue Reading ]
Inhabitants of Jerusalem — For though Jerusalem was in part taken by Joshua before this; yet the upper and stronger part of it, called Zion, was still kept by the Jebusites, even until David's time; and it seems from thence they descended to the lower town called Jerusalem, and took it so that the I... [ Continue Reading ]