_A.M. 2560. B.C. 1444._ The lot of Simeon, Joshua 19:1. Of Zebulun, Joshua 19:10. Of Issachar, Joshua 19:17. Of Asher, Joshua 19:24. Of Naphtali, Joshua 19:32. Of Dan, Joshua 19:40. The inheritance assigned to Joshua and his family, Joshua 19:49.... [ Continue Reading ]
_The second lot came forth to Simeon_ God disposed it so by an especial providence, Simeon being the eldest son of Jacob that was unprovided for. _Their inheritance was within the inheritance of Judah_ This also was ordered by God's providence, partly to fulfil that threatening that he would _divide... [ Continue Reading ]
_Toward the sea_ The lot of this tribe was washed by the midland sea on the west, and by the sea of Tiberias on the east, answering Jacob's prophecy, _Zebulun shall be a haven of ships;_ trading ships on the great sea, and fishing ships on the sea of Galilee. _Before Jokneam_ Supposed to be Kishon.... [ Continue Reading ]
_Beth-lehem_ Not that where Christ was born, which was in Judah, but another. _Twelve cities_ They are more numerous here, but the rest either were not cities, properly so called, or were not within this tribe, but only bordering upon it, and belonging to other tribes.... [ Continue Reading ]
_Jezreel_ The royal city, 1 Kings 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.... [ Continue Reading ]
_Carmel westward_ Or, _Carmel by the sea_, to distinguish it from Carmel in the tribe of Judah. This was a place of eminent fruitfulness, agreeably to the prophecy concerning Asher, Genesis 49:20.... [ Continue Reading ]
_Cabul_ A city so called. _Left hand_ That is, on the north, which, when men look toward the east, as is usual, is on their left hand.... [ Continue Reading ]
_Kanah_ Namely, Kanah the greater, in the Upper Galilee; not Kanah the less, which was in the Lower Galilee. _Zidon_ Called _great_ for its antiquity, and riches, and glory. The city either was not given to the Israelites, or at least was never possessed by them; not without a singular providence of... [ Continue Reading ]
_To Ramah_ From the north southward. _To the strong city of Tyre_ This translation is questionable; for we never read one word of the city of Tyre (unless it be here) until the days of David; though we often read of Sidon in the books of Moses; even in the prophecy of Jacob. It is highly probable so... [ Continue Reading ]
_The sixth lot came out_, &c. Here the younger son of Bilhah, the hand-maid of Rachel, is preferred before the elder, who was Dan, (Genesis 30:6; Genesis 30:8,) as Zebulun was before Issachar. Such was the method of Divine Providence in that nation, to convince them that they ought not to value them... [ Continue Reading ]
_And to Judah upon Jordan_ It was not near Judah, there being several tribes between them. Therefore the meaning is, this tribe had a communication with that of Judah, by means of the river Jordan. So the word _upon_, in our translation, ought to be interpreted. This river afforded them the convenie... [ Continue Reading ]
_The coast of Dan went out too little_ The words _too little_ are not in the Hebrew, where there is nothing that corresponds with them. The passage runs thus: _The coast of the children of Dan went out from them;_ that is, they were dispossessed of it in some parts, or kept out of them by the former... [ Continue Reading ]
_When they had made an end of dividing the land_ That is, after every tribe had had their respective portion assigned to them. _The children of Israel gave an inheritance to Joshua_ We cannot but admire the wonderful modesty of this great man, who received his portion last of all, and then, not by l... [ Continue Reading ]
_According to the word of the Lord, they gave him the city which he asked_ God indeed had ordered that he should have a portion, and that he himself should choose it; but he was content to stay for it till every one else was amply provided for. We do not expressly read of this command; but many part... [ Continue Reading ]
_These are the inheritances_, &c. Upon the whole of this division of the land, it deserves our remarking, that the lot fell to the several tribes just as Jacob and Moses had foretold. And this division served to keep up the distinction of tribes, which was to continue till the coming of the Messiah.... [ Continue Reading ]