XV. (1) THIS THEN WAS THE LOT. — Rather, _And the lot came to the tribe of Judah._ We might perhaps better begin this section with the last sentence of Joshua 14, and read thus: “And the land had rest from war; and the lot fell to the tribe of Judah (i.e., the tribe of Judah received its allotment)... [ Continue Reading ]
THEIR SOUTH BORDER. — The southern boundary of Judah is thus described by Conder (_Bible Handbook,_ p. 257): — “The south boundary of Judah is described from east to west, and became afterwards that of Simeon (see Joshua 19:1). Although the points mentioned along the border are not all certainly kno... [ Continue Reading ]
THIS SHALL BE YOUR SOUTH COAST. — This phrase does not seem to fit in with the language of the rest of the passage. But it is extremely like a reminiscence of the language of Moses in Numbers 34:3; Numbers 34:6; Numbers 34:9; Numbers 34:12. “This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth” wa... [ Continue Reading ]
THEIR BORDER IN THE NORTH QUARTER. — This can be followed with the Ordnance Survey of Palestine, and is described by Conder in the following way: — “It started from the Jordan mouth, but did not apparently follow the river, as Beth Arabah (unknown) and Beth Hogla (_’Ain Hajlah,_ about two miles west... [ Continue Reading ]
KIRJATH-JEARIM is by Conder identified as _’Arma_ (spelt _’Erma_ on the Ordnance map), four miles east of Beth-shemesh (_’Ain Shemes,_ or _Shems_)_. _... [ Continue Reading ]
MOUNT SEIR. — Of course, entirely distinct from the place in Edom, but not precisely identified. CHESALON is identified with _Kesla,_ two and a quarter miles due north of _Khurbet ’Erma,_ on sheet 17 Timnah is _Tibneh_ (on sheet 16).... [ Continue Reading ]
EKRON is _Akir_ (on sheet 16). Here we are in the Shephêlah, or plain of the sea-coast. JABNEEL is _Yebnah,_ west of Ekron, nearer the sea.... [ Continue Reading ]
(13-19) AND UNTO CALEB... This paragraph occurs also in Judges 1:10, with some slight variations. Which is its original place? In Judges it is connected with the continuation of the conquest of Canaan by the tribe of Judah _after Joshua’s death,_ and there we read they slew (literally, _smote_) Shes... [ Continue Reading ]
AND THE UTTERMOST CITIES. — The cities of the tribe of Judah are given under four heads: (_a_)_ towards Edom;_ (b)_ in the Shephêlah,_ or plain of the coast (Joshua 15:33, &c.); (c) _in the mountains_ (Joshua 15:48); (_d_)_ in the wilderness_ (Joshua 15:61). OF those in Joshua 15:21, the first twent... [ Continue Reading ]
IN THE VALLEY — _i.e.,_ the Shephêlah, or plain of the coast. Of the fourteen that follow in Joshua 15:33, Conder identifies ten. ESHTAOL, AND ZOREAH, were afterwards assigned _to_ Dan (Joshua 19:41).... [ Continue Reading ]
Of the sixteen towns in Joshua 15:37, Conder identifies seven.... [ Continue Reading ]
Of the nine towns in Joshua 15:42, Conder identifies five.... [ Continue Reading ]
Ekron was afterwards given to Dan (Joshua 19:43).... [ Continue Reading ]
Ekron, Ashdod, and Gaza are all identified. Observe that the Philistine territory is assigned to Judah here.... [ Continue Reading ]
(48-51) Nine of these eleven are identified.... [ Continue Reading ]
GOSHEN is thought by some to give a name to the land of Goshen in Joshua 10:41, but the place is insignificant, and not identified; and to take the land of Goshen as frontier or border land seems a very much more reasonable interpretation. GILOH — the home of Ahithophel the _Gilonite,_ David’s and... [ Continue Reading ]
Of this total of nine, six have been found.... [ Continue Reading ]
The four first and the four last of these are all found. Maon, Carmel, and Ziph became famous in David’s wanderings (see the story of Nabal, 1 Samuel 25); and the Ziphites have covered themselves with infamy by their repeated efforts to betray him to Saul, who sought his life (1 Samuel 23:19; 1 Samu... [ Continue Reading ]
Five of these six have been identified.... [ Continue Reading ]
KIRJATH-JEARIM has been already pointed out on the boundary-line of the tribe (Joshua 15:9). Rabbah is marked as _Rubba. _... [ Continue Reading ]
IN THE WILDERNESS — _i.e.,_ in the mountains near the Dead Sea three places have been identified — viz., Secacah (_Sikkkeh_)_,_ the City of Salt (_Tell el-Milh_)_,_ and En-gedi (_Ain Jidy_). (See 1 Samuel 24:1, &c.)... [ Continue Reading ]
COULD NOT DRIVE THEM OUT. — It is observable that the failure of the three great tribes of Judah and Joseph (Ephraim and Manasseh) to clear the inheritance assigned to them is specially noticed in the Book of Joshua — viz., Judah in this place, and Ephraim and Manasseh in Joshua 16:10; Joshua 17:11.... [ Continue Reading ]