CHAPTER XIII _Joshua being old, the Lord informs him of the land yet remaining_ _to be possessed_, 1. _Of the unconquered land among the Philistines_, 2, 3. _Among the Canaanites, Sidonians, and Amorites_, 4, 5. _The inhabitants of the hill country and the Sidonians to be_ _driven out_, 6. _T... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Joshua 13:2. _THE BORDERS OF THE PHILISTINES, AND ALL GESHURI_] The borders of the Philistines may mean the land which they possessed on the sea-coast, southwest of the land of Canaan. There were several places named _Geshuri_, but that spoken of here was probably the region on the south of Ca... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Joshua 13:3. _FROM SIHOR, WHICH IS BEFORE EGYPT_] Supposed by some to be the Pelusiac branch of the Nile, near to the Arabian Desert; called also the _river of Egypt_, Numbers 34:5; Jeremiah 2:18. On this subject an intelligent friend favours me with the following opinion: - "The river _Siho... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Joshua 13:4. _THE LAND OF THE CANAANITES_] This lay on the south of the country of the Philistines, towards the sea-coast. _MEARAH_] Supposed to be the city _Maratha_, on the Mediterranean Sea. - _Calmet_. Or the river _Majora_, which falls into the Mediterranean Sea, between Sidon and Berytu... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Joshua 13:5. _THE LAND OF THE GIBLITES_] This people dwelt beyond the precincts of the land of Canaan, on the east of Tyre and Sidon. See Ezekiel 27:9; Psalms 83:7; their capital was named _Gebal_. See _Dodd_. _ALL LEBANON_] Joshua 11:17.... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Joshua 13:6. _MISREPHOTH-MAIM_] Joshua 11:7. _THESE WILL I DRIVE OUT_] That is, if the Israelites continued to be obedient; but they did not, and therefore they never fully possessed the _whole_ of that land which, on this condition alone, God had promised them: the _Sidonians_ were never exp... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Joshua 13:7. _THE NINE TRIBES, AND THE HALF TRIBE OF MANASSEH_] The other half tribe of Manasseh, and the two tribes of Reuben and Gad, had got their inheritance on the other side of Jordan, in the land formerly belonging to Og king of Bashan, and Sihon king of the Amorites.... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Joshua 13:9. _FROM AROER_] Joshua 12:2.... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Joshua 13:11. _BORDER OF THE GESHURITES_] Joshua 12:5.... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Joshua 13:17. _BAMOTH-BAAL_] The high places of Baal, probably so called from altars erected on hills for the impure worship of this Canaanitish Priapus.... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Joshua 13:18. _JAHAZA_] A city near Medeba and Dibon. It was given to the Levites, 1 Chronicles 6:78. _KEDEMOTH_] Mentioned Deuteronomy 2:26; supposed to have been situated beyond the river _Arnon_. _MEPHAATH_] Situated on the frontiers of Moab, on the eastern part of the desert. It was give... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Joshua 13:19. _KIRJATHAIM_] This city, according to Eusebius, was nine miles distant from Medeba, towards the east. It passed from the Emim to the Moabites, from the Moabites to the Amorites, and from the Amorites to the Israelites, Genesis 14:6; Deuteronomy 2:20. Calmet supposes the Reubenite... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Joshua 13:20. _BETH-PEOR_] The _house_ or _temple of Peor_, situated at the foot of the mountain of the same name. See Numbers 25:3.... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Joshua 13:21. _THE PRINCES OF MIDIAN_] See the history of this war, Numbers 31:1, c. and from that place this and the following verse seem to be borrowed, for the introduction of the death of Balaam here seems quite irrelevant.... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Joshua 13:23. _THE CITIES AND THE VILLAGES_] By _villages_, חצרים chatserim, it is likely that _moveable villages_ or _tents_ are meant, such as are in use among the Bedouin Arabs; places where they were accustomed to feed and pen their cattle.... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Joshua 13:25. _HALF THE LAND ON THE CHILDREN OF AMMON_] This probably was land which had been taken from the Ammonites by Sihon, king of the Amorites, and which the Israelites possessed by right of conquest. For although the Israelites were forbidden to take the land of the Ammonites, Deuteron... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Joshua 13:26. _RAMATH-MIZPEH_] The same as _Ramoth-gilead_. It was one of the cities of refuge, Joshua 20:8; Deuteronomy 4:47. _MAHANAIM_] Or the _two camps_. Situated on the northern side of the brook Jabbok, celebrated for the vision of the two camps of angels which Jacob had there; see Gen... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Joshua 13:27. _BETH-ARAM_] This city was rebuilt by Herod, and called _Livias_, in honour of _Livia_, the wife of _Augustus_. Josephus calls it _Julias_, Julia being the name which the Greeks commonly give to _Livia_. - _Calmet_. _SUCCOTH_] A place between Jabbok and Jordan where Jacob pitche... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Joshua 13:29. _THE HALF TRIBE OF MANASSEH_] When the tribes of Reuben and Gad requested to have their settlement on the east side of Jordan, it does not appear that any part of the tribe of Manasseh requested to be settled in the same place. But as this tribe was numerous, and had much cattle,... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Joshua 13:30. _THE TOWNS OF JAIR_] These were sixty cities; they are mentioned afterwards, and in 1 Chronicles 2:21, c. They are the same with the _Havoth-jair_ mentioned Numbers 32:41. Jair was son of Segub, grandson of Esron or Hezron, and great-grandson of Machir by his grandmother's side,... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Joshua 13:32. _WHICH MOSES DID DISTRIBUTE_] Moses had settled every thing relative to these tribes before his death, having appointed them to possess the territories of Og king of Bashan, and Sihon king of the Amorites. For particulars on this chapter, the reader, if he judge it of consequenc... [ Continue Reading ]