Chapter XXXII
Ver. 1^. The Reubenites and G.\dites sue fok an Inheritance. 1. The land of Jaier and the lanil of Gllead—A complete conquest had been made of the country east of the Jordan, comprising "the land of Jazer," which formed the southern <iistrict between the Arnon and Jabbok; "the land of Gilead," the middle region between the Jabbok and Jarmouk, or Hieromax, including Bashan, which lay on the north of that river. The whole of this region is now called the Belka. It has always been famous for Its rich and extensive pastures, and
it is still the favourite resort of the Bedouin sliepherds, who frequently contend for securing to their immense flocks the benefit of its luxuriant vegetation. In the camp of ancient Israel, Reuben and Gad were pre-eminently pastoral; and as these two tribes, being placed under the same standard, had frequent opportunities of conversing and arranging about their common concerns, they united in preferring a request that the transjordanic region, so well suited to the habits of a pastoral people, might be assigned to them. 6-19. Moses said imto the children of Gad and the clilldren of Reitben, Sliall
>'Oiir brethren go to war, and sliall ye sit here—Til el r language was ambiguous—and Moses, suspicious that this proposal was an act of unbelief—a scheme of selfpolicy and Indolence to escape the perils of w.arfare and live in ease and safety, addressed to them a reproachful and passionate remonstrance. Whether they had really meditated such a withdrawal from all share In the war of invasion, or the effect of their leader's expostulation was to drive them from their original purpose, they now. In answer to his impressive appeal, declared it to be their sincere Intention to co-operate with their brethren : but.
(v. 25); but a,s they also were a people addicted to pastoral pursuits, and possessed as Immense flocks as the other two, Moses Invited the half of them to remain, in consequence, probably, of finding that this region was more than sufficient for the pastoral wants of the others, ancl gave them the preference, as some have conjectured, for tlielr valorous conduct in the contests with tlie Amorltes
If so, mey ought to have been more explicit at first. 16. they came near—The narrative gives a picturesque deBcrlptlon of this scene. The suppliants had shrunk back, dreading froA the undisguised emotions of their leader, that their request would be refused. But, perceiving, from the tenor of his discourse, that his objection was grounded only on the supposition that they would not cross the Jordan to assist their brethren, they became em-
(cf. V. 39. with Joshua 17. 1). 34-30. tlie children of Gad built—(see on v. 18)—Dlb6n, Identified with Dheban, now in ruins, an hour's distance from the .\rnon (Mojeb). Atarotli (crowns)—there are several towns so called in Scripture, but this one in the tribe of Gad has not been iden-
tified. Aroer, now Arair, standing on a precipice on the nortli bank of the Arnon. 3.^. Atroth, Shophan, or Zaplion—(Joshua 13. 27.) Jaazer, near a famed fountain, Aln Hazier, the waters o{ whlcli finw into Wady .Seliaib, about 15 miles from Hesbon. Beth-uimrali, now Nlmrin ; Heslibon, now Heslian; Elealeli (the high), now Elaal
boldened to approach him with assurances of their goodwill. We wtU bnlld sheep-folds here for onr cattle, and cities for our little ones i.e., rebuild, repair. It would have been Impossible within two months to found new cities, or even to reconstruct those which had been razed to the ground. Those of the Amorltes were not absolutely demolished, and they probably consisted only of mud-built, or dry-stone walls. 17. and onr little ones shall dwell in the fenced cities, becanse of the InliabItants of the land—There was good policy in leaving a rJfllclent force to protect the conquered region, lest the enemy should attempt reprisals; and as only 40,0fX) of the
Kirjathaim (the douljle city); Nebo, now Neba, near tli« mountain of that name; Baal-meon, nowMyoun, In ruins, where was a temple of Baal (Joshua 13. 17; .leremlah 4>!.
2!) ; Shibmah, or Shebam (v. 2) ; near Ileshbon, famous for vines (Isaiali 16. 9, 10; Jeremiah 48. 32). tlielr name* being cliangcd—eitlier because it was the general custom of conqu(!rors to do so; or, ratlier, because from Ilie prohiljition to mention the names of other gods (Exodus 2 ;.
' Reubenites and the Gadltes, and a half of Manasseh, passed over the Jordan (Joshua 4. 13), tliere was left for the security of the new possessions 70,580 men, besides women and children under 20 years fcf. ch. 20. 17). We will go anned—i. e., all of us in a collective body, or as
13^, as Neiio and Baal were, it was expedient on the fir.si settlement of the Israelites to ol)literate all remembrance of those iilols. (See on Joshua 13. 17-2t).) 39. Gilead—now Jelud. 41. Havoth-Jair— i. f., tent-villages. Jair, who 117
Two and Forty Journeys of tlie l.iradites Is'UMBERS XXXIII. //;o»> Egypt to Situiu
capturp<l them, was a deseemlaut of Manasseh on the lliotber's side (1 Chroiiiclos 1. Lll, I'i). 41. IVobali—also a cUstinguished person counecteti with the eastern branch
at Ain-IIadcra (ch. 11. 35). Kadesh or Kadesh-barnea. is supposed to be the great valley of the Ghor, and the city Kadesh to have been situated on the border of this valley [Burckhakdt, Robinson]. But as there are no less than
01' this iribe. CHAPTER XXXIII.
eUjiiteen stations inserted between Hazeroth and Kadesh, and only eleven days were spent in performing that journey (Deuteronomy 1. 2), it is evident that the intermediate stations here recorded belong to another and totally difTerent visit to Kadesh. The first was when they left Sinai in the second month (ch. 1. 11; ch. 13. 20), and were in Kadesh in August (Deuteronomy 1. 45), and " abode ninny days" in it, and murmuring at the report of the spies, were commanded to return into the desert "by the way of tilt Red Sea." The arrival at Kadesh, mentioned in this catalogue, corresponds to liie scrond sojourn at that place, being the^r.vi month, or April'ich. 20. 1). Between the two visits there intervened a period of thirty-eight years, during which they wandered hither and tWther through all the region of El-Tili (wanderings), often returning to the same spots as the pastoral necessities of their flocks required ; and there is the strongest reason lot believing that the stations named between Hazeroth (v. 8), and Kadesh {v. 30), belong to the long interval of wander* ing. No certainty has yet been attained in ascertaining the locale of many of these stations, and there must have been more than what are recorded; for it is probable that those only are noted where they remained some time, where the tabernacle was pitched, and where Moses and
Ver. 1-15. Two and P'orty Journeys op the Israelites—FKOM Egypt to 8inai. 1. Tliese are tUe Jourueys of tSie cIiildrcM of Israel—This <liapter maybe said to form the winding-up of tlie liistory of the travels of the Israelites through the wilderness; for the three following chapters relate to matters connected with the cKciipatii/n and division of the pi'oniised land. As severe;! a|ipMroiildiscrepancifS will be discovered on comparing llie records here given of the journeyings from Sinai, wilh tlie detailed accounts of the events narrated in tlie book of Exodus, and the occasional notices of places that are found in that of Deuteronomy, it is probable that this itinerary comprises a list of the mo.H important stations only in their journeys—those where they formed prolonged encampments, and whence they dispersed their Tlocks and herds to pasture on the adjacent plains till the surrounding herbage was exhausted. The catalogue extends from their departure out of Egypt to their arrival on the plains of Jloab. went fortU ivitli tlieir armies
!. e., a vast multitude marshalled in separate companies, but regular order. 3. Moses wrote tlicir goings oiit accortliiig to tlieir journeys by tUe commandment of tlie Lord—The wisdom of tills Divine order is seen in the Iraijortance of the end to which it was subservient—viz., partljto establish the truth of the history, partly to preserve a memorial of Goil's marvellous interpositions on behalf of Israel, and partly to confirm their faith in the prospect of the difficult enterprise on which they were entering, the invasion of Canaan. 3. Rameses—generally identified with Herotipolis, now the modern Abu-Keisheid (see on Exodus 12. 37), which was probably the cap-
tjie elders encamped, the people being scattered for pasture in various directions. From Ezlon-geber, for in-
.stance, which stood at the head of the gulf of Akaba, to Kadesh, could not be much less than the whole length of the great valley of the Ghor, a distance of not less than
100 miles, whatever might be the exact situation of Kadesh ; and, of course, there must have been several intervening stations, though none are mentioned. The incidents and stages of the rest of the journey to the plains of Moab are sufliciently explicit from the preceding chapters. Rltlima—the place of the broom, a stAtiou possibly in some wady extending westward of the Glior (ch. 10. 40). Rlmmon-Parez, or Rimmon—a city of Jnda and Simeon (Joshua 15. 32), Libnah; so called from its white poplars (Joshua 10. 29), or, as some think, a white hill between Kadesh and Gaza (Joshua 10. 29), Rissah (Elarish), mount Shapher (Cassius), Moseroth, adjacent to mount Hor, in Wady Mousa. Ezlon-geber, near Akaba, a seaport on the western shore of the Elanitic gulf; Wilderness of Zin, on the east side of the peninsula of Sinai; Punon, in the rocky ravines of mount Hor, and famous for the mines and quarries in its vicinity, as well as for Its fruit trees, now Tafyle, on the border of Edom Abarim, a ridge of ragged hills, north-west of the Aruot. —the part called Nebo was one of its highest peaks—oppo-
ital of Goshen, and, by direction of Moses, the place of general rendezvous previous to their departure. 4. upon their gods—used either according to Scripture phraseology to denote their rulers, the first-born of the king and his prirfces, or the idolatrous objects of Egyptian worship. 5. pilcJitd in Siiccotlt— i. p., booths—a place of no note except as a temporary halting-place, at Birketol-tladji, the Pilgrim's Pool. [Calmet.] 0. Ctliam—edge, or border of all that part of Arabia I'etnea which lay contiguous to l^Sypt. J'l'"^ "'fis known by the general name of Shur. 7. Pi-hiUa-rotI», Raal-ZepUon, and MIgdol—(see on Kxodus IJ. 1-1.) 8. Marali—thought tobeAiii Ilowarali, both from its position and the time (three days) it would take them with their children and flocks to march from
tlie water of Ayun Musa to that spot. 9. £llm—supposed to be Wady Ghurundel (see on Exodus 15. 27.) 10. Ene.iniped by tlie Red Sea—The road from Wady Ghurundel leads into the interior, in consequence of a high continuous ridge which excludes all view of the sea. At the mouth of Wady-et-Tayibeh, after about three days' march, it opens again on a plain along the margin of the lied Sea. The minute accuracy of the Scripture narrative, In corresponding so exactly with the geographical filatures of this region, is remarkably shown in describing the Israelites as proceeding by the only practlcabio route that could be taken. This plain, where tliey encamped, was the Desert of Sin (see on K.xodus 10. 1.) 1^-14. DopltUali, Almsli, and Keplildlm—these three stations, in the great valleys of El Sheikh and Feirun, would be equivalent to four days' journey foisu(th a host. Ilephidim lE.xodus 17. 0), was In Horeb, tlie l)urnt region—a generic name for a hot, mountainous country. 15. IVilficrness of Slnal—The Wady Er-naheh.
site Jericho. (See on Deuteronomy 10. 6.) 50-53. A'c sliall drive out all tlte inhabitants of tlic land from before yon—not, however, by expulsion, but extermination (Deuteronomy 7. 1). destroy all titeir pictures—obelisks
for idolatrous worship (see on IjCviticus 26. 1). nnd destroy all tlieir molten images—by metonymy for all their groves and altars, and materials of worship on the topa of hills. 54. ye shall divide the land by lot—tlie p.artlcular locality of each tribe was to be determined In this manner, while a Unii was to be used in measnring the proportion (Joshna 18. 10; Psalm 16. 5, 61. 55. bnt If ye will not drive ont the Inhabitants of the land from before you—No associations were to be formed with the inhabitants; otherwise, " if let remain, they will be pi icks in your eyes, and thorns in your sides" i. e., they would prove troublesome and dangerous neighbours, enticing to Idolatry, and consequently depriving j'ou of the Divine favour and blessing. The negle<'t of the counsel ngat'ist union with the idolatrous inhabitants became fatal to them. This earnest admonition given to the Israelites in their peculiar circumstances conveys a salutary lessoi to us to allow no lurking habits of sin to remain In us. That spiritual enemy must be eradicated from our nature, otherwise it will be ruinous to our present peace auU future salvation.
10-50. From Sinai to Kaoesii and Plains of Moah. lfi-37. Klbrotli-IIallanvah (the graves of lust, see on ch. 11. i-Hl)—The route, on breaking up the encampment at Sinai, led down Wady Sheikh, then crossing .lebel-etTlh, which Intersected the peninsula, they descended into Wady Zaiaka, i)ilching successively at two brief, Ihongh memorable statio.is (Deuteronomy fl. 22), and encamjK'd at Ilazeroth (unwalled villages), supposed to bo 118
Borctei-t of the Land of Canaan. NUMBERS XXXIV, XXXV. The Blood Avcnyer.
CHAPTER XXXir.
the other tribes on I be concjuest of Canaan, they were to be distributed throughout the land in certain cities ap-
Ver. 1-29, The J!oiti>KKs oy thic I.an!) of Canaax.
projiriiitt^d to their use; and those cities were to be surrounded by e-ttensive sulmrbs. There is an apparent discrepancy betweeen ui. 4 and .5, with regard to the extent of these suburbs ; but the statements in the two x'crses refer to totally diflerent things—the one to the extent of the suburbs from the walls of the city, the other to the space of aUK) cubits from 'their e.xtremity. In point of
8. THis is tlie . . . laud of Canaan—Till' (Ic'liiils given in
this chapter mark tlic f{<''if'i"'il linumliiry cil vlie liihcritauce of Isri»«l west m' ion\\\\\. Tlic [sr^ielitcs never
actually possessed nil tlie territory com prised within these boundaries, evn when it was most ext<'nded by the conquest.s .of David and Solomon. 3-5. Yoiiriiouth qnarter—The line wliU-h lifiunded it on the soutli is tlie most difHcult to tnicp. Accordins; to the hest liildical geographers, the leading points liorc defined are as follows: The south-west angle of the southern honndaiy should be where the wilderness of Zin touches the border of Edom, so that tlie southern Ijoumlary slfould extend eastward froni the extremity of the Dead Sea, wind around the precipitous ridf;e of Akrab.hini 'scorpions , tliought to
fact, there w;\;i an extent of ground, amounting to 8l;t)U cu '>its, measured from the wall of the city. One thou.sand were most probably occupied with out-houses for the accommodation of shepherds and other .servants, with gardens, vineyards, oroliveyards. .Vnd these which were portioaed out to different families (I Chronicles 6. 00) might be sold by one Levite to another, but not to any individual of another tribe (Jeremiah .32.7.) The bther two thousand cubits remained a common for the pasturing of cattle (Leviticus 2'). .il) and, ccmsidering their num-
l>e the high and difiicnU. Pass of Safeh, which crosses the stream that flows from the soutli into the Jordan— i. ^>., the great valley of ; he Araliah, reachiud from tlie Dead to the Red Sea. river of Bgj-pt-the ancient brook Silior, the Rhlnocolura of the (Trcelvs,.a little to tlu' south of KlArish, where this waciy <iently descends Inwards the Mediterranean f.Iosluiu IS. o. ) 6. Ttwwestern borOer— There is no uncerlaiiily aliout this liouiidary. ;is if is universally allowed to l>e the Mediterranean, wliich is called "the great sea" in comparison with the small inland seas or lakes known to tlie Hebrews. 1-i>. N<>i-«!i border— The principal difficulty in understanding the description here arises from what oui*lransIators liavc called mount Hor. The Hebrew words, however, IIor-ha-Hor. pro(>erly signify "the mountain of the mountain ' — " the hi;;h double mountain,'" wliich, from the situation, can mean nothing else than the mountain Amana (Song 4. 8), a member of the great fjCbanon range (.Joshua 18. .5.) Entrance of Ilamatit—The northern plain between those mountain ranges, now the valley of Kalbeck (see on ch.
ber, that space would be fully required.
(>-(. Cjties ok REli'UOE. Tliere sitall be six cities for refuge ^vhlcli ye shall appoint for tlie manslaj er—The establishment of those privileged sanctuaries amongst ^the cities of the Levites is probably trsvceable to the idea,
that they would be the most suitable and impartial
ju;lf::es—that their presence and counsels might calm or restrain the stormy passions of the blood avenger—and
that, from their being invested with the sacred character, they might be tj'pes of Christ, in whom sinners find a refuge from the destroyer (see Deuteronomy 4. 4.'!; Joshua 20.
S). Tlie cities whicli ye sha ll giTe .sliall be of the po8«
ses-sioii of the children of Israel—The burden of furnishing those places for the residence and support of the Levitical order was to fall in equitable proportions upon the dill'erent tribes (.see ch. 88. .51; Joshua 20. 7).
9-84. The Bi.ooD Avenger. That the slayer may flee, whicli killeth any person at unawares—The practice of Goelism— (. e., of the nearest relation of an individual who was killed being bound to demand satisfaction from the author of his death, existed from a very remote antiquity (Genesis 4. 14 ; '27. 4.5). It seems to have been an established usage in the age ofMoses; and although in a rude and imperfect state of society, it is a natural and intelligible principle of criminal jurisprudence, it is liable to many great abuses ; the chief of the evils inseparable from it are, that the kinsman, who is bound in duty and honour to execute Justice, will often be precipitate-
13. 21-21.) Zedatl—identified as the present Sudu<l (E/.ekiel
17. 15.) Ziphron (sweet odour); Hazar-enan (village of foimtains); but the places are unknown. "An imaginary line from mount Cassius, on the coast along the northern base of liCbanon to the entering into the Dekaa (Valley of Ijtjbanon) at the Kamosa Ilermel," niusi be regarded as
the frontier that is meant. [Vax be Vej.de. | 10-ia. East border-This is very clearly defined. Shepliam and Riblah, which were in the valley of Lebanon, are mentioned as the boundary line, which commenced a little higher than the sources of the .Jordan. Ain is supposed to be the source of that river ; and thence the eastern boundary extended along the .Ionian, the sea of Chinnereth (Lake of Tiberias}—the Jordan ; and again terminated at the Dead Sea. The line being drawn on tlie east of the river anil the seas, included those waters within the territory of the western tribes. The two tribes and tlie half «ril>e have received their inlieritanee on tbis side .Tordan— The conquered territories of Sihon and Og, lying between the Arnon and mount Herinon, were allotted la them— that of Reuben in the most southerly part. Gad north of
little disposed, in the heat of passion, or under the im-
I>ul.se of revenge, to examine into the circumstances of the case, to di.scriminate between the premeditated purpose of the assassin and the misfortune of the unintentional homicide. Moreover, it had a tendency, not only to foster a vindictive spirit, but In case of the Goel being unsuccessful in finding his victim, to transmit animosi-
ties and feuds against his descendants from one generation to another. This is exemplified among the Arabs in the present day. Should an Arab of one tribe happen to
kill one of another tribe, there is " blood" between the
it, and the half Manasseh in the nortliermiiost portion. 16-29. names of llic men ivlio shall div ide lite land— This appointment by the Lord before the passage of the Jordan tended not only to animate the Israelites' faith in the certainty of the ctmquest, but to prevent all subsequent dispute and discontent, which might have been dangerous in presence of the natives. The nominees were ten princes for the nine and a half tribes, one of tliem beiilg selected from the western section of Manasseh, and all subordinate to the great military and ecclesiastical chiefs, Joshua and Eleazar. The nairies are mentioned in the exact order in which the tribes obtained i)o.s.session of the land, and according to brotherly connection.
tribes, and the stain can only be wiped off by the death of some individual of the tribe with which the offence originated. Sometimes the penalty is commuted by the p.ayment of a stipulated number of sheep or camels. But such an equivalent, though offered, is as often refused, and blood has to be repaid only by blood. This practice of Goelism obtained among the Hebrews to such an extent that it was not perhaps expedient to abolish it; and Moses, while sanctioning its continuance, was directed, by Divine authority, to make some special regulations, which tended both to prevent the unhappy consequences of sudden and personal vengeance, and, at the same time, to atiord an accused person time and means of proving his innocence. This was the humane and equitable end contemplated in the institution of cities of refuge. There were to be six of these legalized a.syla, three on the east of Jordan, both because the territory there was equal in length, though not in breadth, to Canaan, and because It might be more convenient for some to take refuge across the border. They were appointed for the benefit, not of