_THE BORDERS OF THE TRIBE OF JUDAH ARE DESCRIBED: CALEB PROMISES THAT HE WILL GIVE HIS DAUGHTER TO WIFE TO THE MAN WHO SHALL TAKE KIRJATH-SEPHER: OTHNIEL SUCCEEDS: THE CITIES OF THE TRIBE OF JUDAH ARE ENUMERATED._ _Before Christ 1445._... [ Continue Reading ]
_VER._ 1. _THIS THEN WAS THE LOT OF THE TRIBE OF—JUDAH_— In one of the following Chapter s we see, that the first care of Joshua, Eleazar, and the princes appointed to divide the conquered country, was, to have a plan of the whole drawn out, and to divide it into nine parts and a half, as equally as... [ Continue Reading ]
_VER._ 6, 7. _AND THE BORDER WENT UP TO BETH-HOGLAH_— This border, issuing from the north point of the Dead sea, towards the west, was formed by a line which passed by _Beth-hoglah,_ a city in the tribe of Benjamin, above Beth-Arabah, whether we understand by it another city of this name in the same... [ Continue Reading ]
_VER._ 8. _AND THE BORDER WENT UP BY THE VALLEY OF THE SON OF HINNOM_— This valley, which lay to the east of Jerusalem, was so pleasant, and covered with so many groves, that the cruel worshippers of Moloch thought proper to place there the idol of their god, to whom they sacrificed their children.... [ Continue Reading ]
_VER._ 12. _AND THE WEST BORDER WAS TO THE GREAT SEA,_ &C.— On this side the tribe of Judah had no other limits than from the Mediterranean to the river of Egypt. Such was the portion which fell by lot to the tribe of Judah. But this portion having been found more extensive than was necessary, sever... [ Continue Reading ]
_VER._ 16, 17. _AND CALEB SAID,_ &C.— To encourage his troops to take _Debir,_ Caleb, at the head of the army, declared publicly, that he would give his daughter in marriage to whoever undertook and succeeded in storming that city. Among the Hebrews, fathers had an absolute power over the marriage o... [ Continue Reading ]
_VER._ 18. _AND—AS SHE CAME UNTO HIM—SHE MOVED HIM TO ASK OF HER FATHER A FIELD,_ &C.— As she was conducted from the house of her father to that of her husband, according to the custom of that time, persuaded that Caleb could refuse nothing to the generous warrior who had subdued for him Kirjath-sep... [ Continue Reading ]
_VER._ 32. _ALL THE CITIES ARE TWENTY AND NINE, WITH THEIR VILLAGES_— We reckon up in the text thirty-eight; but it may be said, that of this number there were but twenty-nine cities, and that the rest were villages. Of which opinion are many able commentators; or else, with most of the rabbis, it m... [ Continue Reading ]
_VER._ 63. _AS FOR THE JEBUSITES—THE CHILDREN OF JUDAH COULD NOT DRIVE THEM OUT_— The children of Judah remained in the city, and the Jebusites in the citadel, on mount Sion, till David forced the latter to quit the place, 2 Samuel 5:6. REFLECTIONS.—In Judah's lot alone lay a hundred and fourteen c... [ Continue Reading ]