1._And these are the countries, _etc He now proceeds to the land of
Canaan, from which nine tribes and a half were to obtain their lots.
And he will immediately break off the thread of the narrative, as we
shall see. Yet the transition is seasonably made from that region
whose situation was differen... [ Continue Reading ]
4._They gave no part unto the Levites, _etc It is here repeated for
the third time with regard to the Levites, that they were not included
in the number, so as to have the portion of a tribe assigned to them;
but it is mentioned for a different purpose, for it is immediately
after added, that the so... [ Continue Reading ]
6._Then the children of Judah came, _etc Here the account which had
been begun as to the partition of the land is broken off to make way
for the insertion of a narrative, namely, that Caleb requested Mount
Hebron to be given to him as he had been promised by Moses. This
happened a long time before t... [ Continue Reading ]
7._Forty years old was I_, etc He seems to talk of his own virtue in
rather loftier terms than becomes a pious and modest man. But let us
remember that, seeing the thing was in itself invidious and liable to
many objections, it stood in need of special commendation as a means
of suppressing envy. He... [ Continue Reading ]
9._And Moses swear on that day, _etc Here, then, is one fruit of the
embassy honestly and faithfully performed — to gain possession of an
inheritance of which the whole people is deprived. For although long
life is justly accounted one of the mercies of God, the end proposed
by it is here added, viz... [ Continue Reading ]
13._And Joshua blessed him_, etc He prayed thus earnestly to show the
delight he felt. For it was expedient by way of example to extol his
valor, by which others might be incited to surmount all their fears.
For it was just as if he had gained an eminence from which he could
look down upon the giant... [ Continue Reading ]