Bible Commentary (1871–1879 Edition)
Lots of Simeon, etc. JOSHUA XIX, XX. The Citie.1 of Refuge Commavdei.
accurate survey of tlie country. "They went and passed through the land and described it by cities in seven parts in a book" (D. 9); dividing the land according to its value, and tlie worth of the cities which it contained, into seven ecjui. portions. This was no light task to undertake. It required learning and intelligence which they or their instructors had, in all probability, brought with them out of Kgypt. Accordingly, Josephus says that the survey W!is performed by men expert in geometry. And, in fact, the circ-imstiintial iiccount which is given of the boundaries of each trilie and its situation, well proves it to have been tiie work of no mean or incompetent hands.
Zebul an and Naphtali, and ran northwards as faras Cabin, with otlier towns, amongst which is mentioned {v. 28) "great Zidon," so called on account of itsbeiugcven then the flourishing metropolis of the I'hcenicians. Though included in the inheritance of Asher, this town was never possessed by tliem. (Judges 1. 31.) ao. and llien tlie coast tunietli to Ramah—now El-IIanua, which stood where the Leontes (Litany) ends its soutlunn course and flows westward, and to the strong city Tyre—tlie original city appears to have stood on the main land, and was well fortified. From Tyre the boundary ran to Ilosah, an inland town; and then passing the unconquered district of Achzib (Judges 1. 31), terminated at the sea-coast.
10. DivinEn nv Lot. 10. Joshua cast lots for tliem
III SJilloh before tUe Loitl—before the tabernacle, where the 1 li vijie presence was manifested, and which associated Willi tlulot llie idea of Divine sanction. 11. tJie lot of fSeiijaiuin cniue up—l. has been supposed that here were two urns or vessels, from wliicli the lots were drawn : one containing the names of tlie tribes, the other containing those of the seven portioi...-;; ami lhat the two were drawn out simultaneously. The coast of their lot cniuc forth between the clitlitrcii of .lutlah and the cliilclreii of Joseph—Thus the prophesy of Moses respecting the inheritance of l)en.jainin was remarkably accomplished.
32-39. Of NaphtaIvI. 3^39. the sixth lot came out to the children of Naphtali—Althougii tlie cities mentioned have not been discovered, it is evident, from Zaanannim, which is by Kedesh, i.e., on tlie nortii-west of Lake Merom (Judges 4. 11), that the boundary described
(),'. 34) ran from the south-west towards tlie north-east, up to the sources of the Jordan. Axnot3I-t.^^>or—on the east of Tabor towards the Jordan, for the border ran thence to Hukkok, touching upon that of Zebulun; and as the territory of Zelmlun did not extend as far as tlie Jordan, Aznotli-tabor and Ilukkok must have been border towns on the line which separated Naphtali from Issachar. to •Ixidah «ipon Jordan toward tlte sms-rising—The sixty
'.See on Deuteronom.v 3:!. 1'2.)
CHAPTER XIX.
cities, Ilavoth-Jair, wliich were on tiie eastern side of the Jordan, opposite Naphtali, were reckoned as belonging to .Tudah, because Jair, their possessor, was a descendant of Judah (1 Clironicles 2. 4-22). [Keil.]
Ver. l-n. TllK Lot OF Si.MKOX. 1. the secoml lot came foi-th to .Simeon—The next lot that was tirawn at Sliiloli, giving tlie triljeof Sinu'or, his inheritance witliin theter-
41)—IS. Of Dan. 40-46. the sevemtlx lot came out for tlie tribe of Dan— It lay on the west of Benjamin, and consisted of portions surrendered by Judah and f;phraini. Its boundaries are not stated, as the.v were easil.v <listinguishable from the relative position of Dan to the three adjoining tribes. 47. the children of Dan went np to tight against Leshem—Tlie Danites, finding their inheritance too small, meditated enlarging its boundaries ritor.v, wliich liad been assigned to that of Jndah. The knowledge of Canaan possessed b.v the Israelites, when tlie division of the land commenced, was but very genei-al, being di'rived from the rapid sweep tliey had made over it (hiring the course of conquest; and it was on tlie ground of that rough survey alone, that the distribution proceeded, by which Judah received an inheritance. Time showed that this territor.v was too large (y. 9), either for their numbers, however great, to occup.v, and their arms to defend, or too large In proportion to the allotments of the other tribes. Justice therefore required, what kind and brotherly feeling readily dictated, a modification of thei r possession, and a part of it was appropriate<l to Simeon. B}^ thus establishing it within the original domain of another tribe, the prophesy of Jacob in regard to Simeon was fulfilled (Genesis ^19. 7); for from its boundaries being not traced, there is reason to conclude that its people were divided and dispersed among those of Judah; and though one group of its cities named (2-0), give the idea of a compact district, as it is usually represented by mapmakers, the other group (7, 8) were situated, two in the south, and two elsewhere, with tracts of the country around them.
b,v the sword; and, having conquered Leshem (Laish), planted a colony there, calling the new settlement by the name of Dan (see on Judges IS).
49-r)l. The CminitEN of Israel give an Inheritance TO JOSHTJA. 49-31. According to the word of the Lord, tliey gave htm the city %vhic8i he aslked—It was most proper that the great leader should receive an inheritance suited to his dignit.y, and as a reward for his public services. But the gift was not left to the spontaneous feelings of a grateful people. It was conferred "accoiding to the word of the Lord"—probal)ly an unrecorded promise, similar to what had been made to Caleb
(ch. 14. 9). Timnath-serali—or Heres, on Mount Gaasli (Judges 2. 9). Joshua founded it, and was afterwards buried there (ch. 24. 30). 51. These are the inheritances —This verse is the formal close of the section which narrates the history of the land distribution ; and to stamp it with due importance, the names of the commissioners are repeated, as well as the spot where so memorable a transaction took place.
10-1(). Of Zkbi'I.un. 10-14. the third lot came up for Hie children of Zebnlmi—The boundaries of the possession assigned to them extended from the Lake of Cinneroth (Sea of Galilee) on the east, to the Mediterr.anean on the west; for although the.v do not seem at first to have touched on the western shore—a part of Manasseh running north into Asher (ch. 17. 10)—tliey afterwards did, according to the prediction of Moses. (Deuteronomy .33. 19.) The extent from north to south cannot be verv exactly traced ; the sites of many of the places through which the boundary line is drawn being unknown. Some of the cities were of note.
CHAPTEE XX.
Ver. 1-6. The Lord Commands the Cities of Refuge.
1. the Liord spake iinto .Joshua, Appoint out for you cities of refuge—(See Numbers 35. 9-28 ; Deuteronomy 19.
1-13.) The command here recorded was given on their going to occupy their allotted settlements. The sanctuaries were not temples or altars, as in other countries, but inhabited cities; and the design was not to screen criminals, but only to affbrd the homicide protection from the vengeance of the deceased's relatives, until It should have been ascertained whether tliedwith had resulted from accident and momentary passion, or from premeditated malice. The institution of the cities of
17-23. Of Ishaciiab. 17-20. the fonrth lot cnme ont to Issachar—Instead Of describing the boundaries of til is tribe, the inspired historian gives a list of its principal cities. These cities are all In the eastern part of the plain of Esdraelon.
Of Asher. 84-31. the fifth lot came out for the tribe of the children of Aslier—The western boun<iary is traced from north to south through the cities mentioned ; the site of which, however, is unknown. to Carmeland Shilior-ltbnatli—i.e., the black or muddy river; probably the Nahr Belka, below Dor (Tantoura); for that town belonged lO Asher (ch. 17. 10). Thence the boundary line tnrned eastward to Beth dagon, a town at the Junction of refuge, together with the rules prescribed for the guidance of those who sought an as.ylum within their walls, was an important provision, tending to secure the ends of justice as well as of mercy. 4. lie that doth flee unto one of thoae cities shall stand at the entering of tb*