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<TITLE>Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary on the Whole Bible [Joshua, Chapter XV].</TITLE>
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<center><h1>Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary
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on the Whole Bible</h1>
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[<A HREF="MHC00000.HTM">Table of Contents</A>]<BR>
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Matthew Henry<BR><I>Commentary on the Whole Bible</I> (1708)
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<!-- (Begin Body) -->
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<CENTER>
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<BR><FONT SIZE=+3><B>J O S H U A</B></FONT>
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<BR>
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<BR><FONT SIZE=+2>CHAP. XV.</FONT>
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<HR SIZE=1 WIDTH=50>
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</CENTER>
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<FONT SIZE=-1>
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<P>
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Though the land was not completely conquered, yet being (as was said in
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the close of the foregoing chapter) as rest from war for the present,
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and their armies all drawn out of the field to a general rendezvous at
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Gilgal, there they began to divide the land, though the work was
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afterwards perfected at Shiloh,
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Jos+18:1-10"><I>ch.</I> xviii. 1</A>,
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&c. In this chapter we have the lot of the tribe of Judah, which in
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this, as in other things, had the precedency.
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I. The borders or bounds of the inheritance of Judah,
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Jos+16:1-12">ver. 1-12</A>.
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II. The particular assignment of Hebron and the country thereabout to
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Caleb and his family,
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Jos+16:13-19">ver. 13-19</A>.
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III. The names of the several cities that fell within Judah's lot,
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Jos+16:20-63">ver. 20-63</A>.</P>
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</FONT>
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<A NAME="Jos15_1"> </A>
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<A NAME="Jos15_2"> </A>
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<A NAME="Jos15_3"> </A>
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<A NAME="Jos15_4"> </A>
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<A NAME="Jos15_5"> </A>
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<A NAME="Jos15_6"> </A>
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<A NAME="Jos15_7"> </A>
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<A NAME="Jos15_8"> </A>
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<A NAME="Jos15_9"> </A>
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<A NAME="Jos15_10"> </A>
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<A NAME="Jos15_11"> </A>
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<A NAME="Jos15_12"> </A>
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<A NAME="Sec1"> </A>
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<TABLE WIDTH="100%" BORDER=0>
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<TR><TD><FONT SIZE=+1><I>The Lot of Judah.</I></FONT></TD>
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<TD ALIGN=RIGHT><FONT SIZE=-1>B. C.</FONT> 1444.</TD></TR>
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<TR><TD COLSPAN=2><HR SIZE=1></TD></TR>
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</TABLE>
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<P>
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<FONT SIZE=+1>1 <I>This</I> then was the lot of the tribe of the children of Judah
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by their families; <I>even</I> to the border of Edom the wilderness of
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Zin southward <I>was</I> the uttermost part of the south coast.
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2 And their south border was from the shore of the salt sea,
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from the bay that looketh southward:
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3 And it went out to the south side to Maaleh-acrabbim, and
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passed along to Zin, and ascended up on the south side unto
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Kadesh-barnea, and passed along to Hezron, and went up to Adar,
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and fetched a compass to Karkaa:
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4 <I>From thence</I> it passed toward Azmon, and went out unto the
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river of Egypt; and the goings out of that coast were at the sea:
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this shall be your south coast.
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5 And the east border <I>was</I> the salt sea, <I>even</I> unto the end
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of Jordan. And <I>their</I> border in the north quarter <I>was</I> from the
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bay of the sea at the uttermost part of Jordan:
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6 And the border went up to Beth-hogla, and passed along by the
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north of Beth-arabah; and the border went up to the stone of Bohan
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the son of Reuben:
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7 And the border went up toward Debir from the valley of Achor,
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and so northward, looking toward Gilgal, that <I>is</I> before the
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going up to Adummim, which <I>is</I> on the south side of the river:
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and the border passed toward the waters of En-shemesh, and the
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goings out thereof were at En-rogel:
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8 And the border went up by the valley of the son of Hinnom
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unto the south side of the Jebusite; the same <I>is</I> Jerusalem: and
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the border went up to the top of the mountain that <I>lieth</I> before
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the valley of Hinnom westward, which <I>is</I> at the end of the
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valley of the giants northward:
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9 And the border was drawn from the top of the hill unto the
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fountain of the water of Nephtoah, and went out to the cities of
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mount Ephron; and the border was drawn to Baalah, which <I>is</I>
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Kirjath-jearim:
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10 And the border compassed from Baalah westward unto mount
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Seir, and passed along unto the side of mount Jearim, which <I>is</I>
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Chesalon, on the north side, and went down to Beth-shemesh, and
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passed on to Timnah:
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11 And the border went out unto the side of Ekron northward:
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and the border was drawn to Shicron, and passed along to mount
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Baalah, and went out unto Jabneel; and the goings out of the
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border were at the sea.
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12 And the west border <I>was</I> to the great sea, and the coast
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<I>thereof.</I> This <I>is</I> the coast of the children of Judah round
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about according to their families.
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</FONT></P>
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<P>
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Judah and Joseph were the two sons of Jacob on whom Reuben's forfeited
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birth-right devolved. Judah had the dominion entailed on him, and
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Joseph the double portion, and therefore these two tribes were first
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seated, Judah in the southern part of the land of Canaan and Joseph in
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the northern part, and on them the other seven did attend, and had
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their respective lots as appurtenances to these two; the lots of
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Benjamin, Simeon, and Dan, were appendant to Judah, and those of
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Issachar and Zebulun, Naphtali and Asher, to Joseph. These two were
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first set up to be provided for, it should seem, before there was such
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an exact survey of the land as we find afterwards,
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Jos+18:9"><I>ch.</I> xviii. 9</A>.
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It is probable that the most considerable parts of the northern and
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southern countries, and those that lay nearest to Gilgal, and which the
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people were best acquainted with, were first put into two portions, and
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the lot was cast upon them between these two principal tribes, of the
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one of which Joshua was, and of the other Caleb, who was the first
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commissioner in this writ of partition; and, by the decision of that
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lot, the southern country, of which we have an account in this chapter,
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fell to Judah, and the northern, of which we have an account in the two
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following chapters, to Joseph. And when this was done there was a more
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equal dividend (either in quantity or quality) of the remainder among
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the seven tribes. And this, probably, was intended in that general rule
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which was given concerning this partition
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(<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Nu+33:54">Num. xxxiii. 54</A>),
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<I>to the more you shall give the more inheritance, and to the fewer
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you shall give the less,</I> and <I>every man's inheritance shall be
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where his lot falleth;</I> that is, "You shall appoint two greater
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portions which shall be determined by lot to those more numerous tribes
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of Judah and Joseph, and then the rest shall be less portions to be
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allotted to the less numerous tribes." The former was done in Gilgal,
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the latter in Shiloh.</P>
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<P>
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In these verses, we have the borders of the lot of Judah, which, as the
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rest, is said to be <I>by their families,</I> that is, with an eye to
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the number of their families. And it intimates that Joshua and Eleazar,
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and the rest of the commissioners, when they had by lot given each
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tribe its portion, did afterwards (it is probable by lot likewise)
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subdivide those larger portions, and assign to each family its
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inheritance, and then to each household, which would be better done by
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this supreme authority, and be apt to give less disgust than if it had
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been left to the inferior magistrates of each tribe to make that
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distribution. The borders of this tribe are here largely fixed, yet not
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unalterably, for a good deal of that which lies within these bounds was
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afterwards assigned to the lots of Simeon and Dan.
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1. The eastern border was all, and only, the Salt Sea,
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Jos+15:5"><I>v.</I> 5</A>.
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Every sea is salt, but this was of an extraordinary and more than
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natural saltness, the effects of that fire and brimstone with which
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Sodom and Gomorrah were destroyed in Abraham's time, whose ruins lie
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buried in the bottom of this dead water, which never either was moved
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itself or had any living thing in it.
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2. The southern border was that of the land of Canaan in general, as
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will appear by comparing
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Jos+15:1-4,Nu+34;3-5"><I>v.</I> 1-4 with Num. xxxiv. 3-5</A>.
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So that this powerful and warlike tribe of Judah guarded the frontiers
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of the whole land, on that side which lay towards their old sworn
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enemies (though their two fathers were twin-brethren), the Edomites.
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Our Lord therefore, who <I>sprang out of Judah,</I> and whose <I>the
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kingdom is, shall judge the mount of Esau,</I>
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Ob+1:21">Obad. 21</A>.
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3. The northern border divided it from the lot of Benjamin. In this,
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mention is made of <I>the stone of Bohan</I> a Reubenite
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(<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Jos+15:6"><I>v.</I> 6</A>),
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who probably was a great commander of those forces of Reuben that came
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over Jordan, and died in the camp at Gilgal, and was buried not far off
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under this stone. The valley of Achor likewise lies upon this border
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(<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Jos+15:7"><I>v.</I> 7</A>),
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to remind the men of Judah of the trouble which Achan, one of their
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tribe, gave to the congregation of Israel, that they might not be too
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much lifted up with their services. This northern line touched closely
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upon Jerusalem
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(<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Jos+15:8"><I>v.</I> 8</A>),
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so closely as to include in the lot of this tribe Mount Zion and Mount
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Moriah, though the greater part of the city lay in the lot of Benjamin.
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4. The west border went near to the great sea at first
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(<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Jos+15:12"><I>v.</I> 12</A>),
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but afterwards the lot of the tribe of Dan took off a good part of
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Judah's lot on that side; for the lot was only to determine between
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Judah and Joseph, which should have the north and which the south, and
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not immovably to fix the border of either. Judah's inheritance had its
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boundaries determined. Though it was a powerful warlike tribe, and had
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a great interest in the other tribes, yet they must not therefore be
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left to their own choice, to enlarge their possessions at pleasure, but
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must live so as that their neighbours might live by them. Those that
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are placed high yet must not think to be <I>placed alone in the midst
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of the earth.</I></P>
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<A NAME="Jos15_13"> </A>
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<A NAME="Jos15_14"> </A>
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<A NAME="Jos15_15"> </A>
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<A NAME="Jos15_16"> </A>
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<A NAME="Jos15_17"> </A>
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<A NAME="Jos15_18"> </A>
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<A NAME="Jos15_19"> </A>
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<A NAME="Sec2"> </A>
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<TABLE WIDTH="100%" BORDER=0>
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<TR><TD><FONT SIZE=+1><I>Caleb's Inheritance.</I></FONT></TD>
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<TD ALIGN=RIGHT><FONT SIZE=-1>B. C.</FONT> 1444.</TD></TR>
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<TR><TD COLSPAN=2><HR SIZE=1></TD></TR>
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</TABLE>
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<P>
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<FONT SIZE=+1>13 And unto Caleb the son of Jephunneh he gave a part among the
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children of Judah, according to the commandment of the L<FONT SIZE=-1><B>ORD</B></FONT> to
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Joshua, <I>even</I> the city of Arba the father of Anak, which <I>city
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is</I> Hebron.
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14 And Caleb drove thence the three sons of Anak, Sheshai, and
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Ahiman, and Talmai, the children of Anak.
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15 And he went up thence to the inhabitants of Debir: and the
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name of Debir before <I>was</I> Kirjath-sepher.
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16 And Caleb said, He that smiteth Kirjath-sepher, and taketh
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it, to him will I give Achsah my daughter to wife.
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17 And Othniel the son of Kenaz, the brother of Caleb, took it:
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and he gave him Achsah his daughter to wife.
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18 And it came to pass, as she came <I>unto him,</I> that she moved
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him to ask of her father a field: and she lighted off <I>her</I> ass;
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and Caleb said unto her, What wouldest thou?
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19 Who answered, Give me a blessing; for thou hast given me a
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south land; give me also springs of water. And he gave her the
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upper springs, and the nether springs.
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</FONT></P>
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<P>
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The historian seems pleased with every occasion to make mention of
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Caleb and to do him honour, because he had honoured God in following
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him fully. Observe,</P>
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<P>
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I. The grant Joshua made him of the mountain of Hebron for his
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inheritance is here repeated
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(<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Jos+15:13"><I>v.</I> 13</A>),
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and it is said to be given him.
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1. <I>According to the commandment of the Lord to Joshua.</I> Though
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Caleb, in his petition, had made out a very good title to it by
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promise, yet, because God had ordered Joshua to divide the land by lot,
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he would not in this one single instance, no, not to gratify his old
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friend Caleb, do otherwise, without orders from God, whose oracle, it
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is probable, he consulted upon this occasion. In every doubtful case it
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is very desirable to know the mind of God, and to see the way of our
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duty plain.
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2. It is said to be a part <I>among the children of Judah;</I> though
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it was assigned him before the lot of that tribe came up, yet it
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proved, God so directing the lot, to be in the heart of that tribe,
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which was graciously ordered in kindness to him, that he might not be
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as one separated from his brethren and surrounded by those of other
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tribes.</P>
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<P>
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II. Caleb having obtained this grant, we are told,</P>
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<P>
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1. How he signalized his own valour in the conquest of Hebron
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(<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Jos+15:14"><I>v.</I> 14</A>):
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<I>He drove thence the three sons of Anak,</I> he and those that he
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engaged to assist him in this service. This is mentioned here to show
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that the confidence he had expressed of success in this affair, through
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the presence of God with him
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(<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Jos+14:12"><I>ch.</I> xiv. 12</A>),
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did not deceive him, but the event answered his expectation. It is not
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said that he <I>slew these giants,</I> but he <I>drove them thence,</I>
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which intimates that they retired upon his approach and fled before
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him; the strength and stature of their bodies could not keep up the
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courage of their minds, but with the countenances of lions they had the
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hearts of trembling hares. Thus does God often <I>cut off the spirit of
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princes</I>
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(<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Ps+76:12">Ps. lxxvi. 12</A>),
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<I>take away the heart of the chief of the people</I>
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(<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Job+12:24">Job xii. 24</A>),
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and so shame the confidence of the proud; and thus if we resist the
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devil, that roaring lion, though he fall not, yet he will flee.</P>
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<P>
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2. How he encouraged the valour of those about him in the conquest of
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Debir,
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Jos+15:15-19"><I>v.</I> 15</A>,
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&c. It seems, though Joshua had once made himself master
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of Debir
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(<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Jos+10:39"><I>ch.</I> x. 39</A>),
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yet the Canaanites had regained the possession in the absence of the
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army, so that the work had to be done a second time; and when Caleb had
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completed the reduction of Hebron, which was for himself and his own
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family, to show his zeal for the public good, as much as for his own
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private interest, he pushes on his conquest to Debir, and will not lay
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down his arms till he sees that city also effectually reduced, which
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lay but ten miles southward from Hebron, though he had not any
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particular concern in it, but the reducing of it would be to the
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general advantage of his tribe. Let us learn hence not to seek and mind
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our own things only, but to concern and engage ourselves for the
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welfare of the community we are members of; we are not born for
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ourselves, nor must we <I>live to ourselves.</I></P>
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<P>
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(1.) Notice is taken of the name of this city. It had been called
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<I>Kirjath-sepher, the city of a book,</I> and <I>Kirjath-sannah</I>
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(<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Jos+15:49"><I>v.</I> 49</A>),
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which some translate <I>the city of learning</I> (so the LXX.
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<B><I>Polis grammaton</I></B>), whence some conjecture that it had been
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a university among the Canaanites, like Athens in Greece, in which
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their youth were educated; or perhaps the books of their chronicles or
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records, or the antiquities of the nation, were laid up there; and, it
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may be, this was it that made Caleb so desirous to see Israel master of
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this city, that they might get acquainted with the ancient learning of
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the Canaanites.</P>
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<P>
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(2.) The proffer that Caleb made of his daughter, and a good portion
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with her, to any one that would undertake to reduce that city, and to
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command the forces that should be employed in that service,
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Jos+15:16"><I>v.</I> 16</A>.
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Thus Saul promised a daughter to him that would kill Goliath
|
|
|
|
(<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=1Sa+17:25">1 Sam. xvii. 25</A>),
|
|
|
|
neither of them intending to force his daughter to marry such as she
|
|
could not love, but both of them presuming upon their daughters'
|
|
obedience, and submission to their fathers' will, though it might be
|
|
contrary to their own humour or inclination. Caleb's family was not
|
|
long honourable and wealthy, but religious; he that himself <I>followed
|
|
the Lord fully</I> no doubt taught his children to do so, and therefore
|
|
it could not but be a desirable match to any young gentleman. Caleb,
|
|
in making the proposal, aims,
|
|
|
|
[1.] To do service to his country by the reducing of that important
|
|
place; and,
|
|
|
|
[2.] To marry a daughter well, to a man of learning, that would have a
|
|
particular affection for <I>the city of books,</I> and a man of war,
|
|
that would be likely to serve his country, and do worthily in his
|
|
generation. Could he but marry his child to a man of such a character,
|
|
he would think her well bestowed, whether the share in the lot of his
|
|
tribe were more or less.</P>
|
|
|
|
<P>
|
|
|
|
(3.) The place was bravely taken by Othniel, a nephew of Caleb, whom
|
|
probably Caleb had thoughts of when he made the proffer,
|
|
|
|
<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Jos+15:17"><I>v.</I> 17</A>.
|
|
|
|
This Othniel, who thus signalized himself when he was young, had long
|
|
after, in his advanced years, the honour to be both a deliverer and a
|
|
judge in Israel, the first single person that presided in their affairs
|
|
after Joshua's death. It is good for those who are setting out in the
|
|
world to begin betimes with that which is great and good, that,
|
|
excelling in service when they are young, they may excel in honour when
|
|
they grow old.</P>
|
|
|
|
<P>
|
|
|
|
(4.) Hereupon (all parties being agreed) Othniel married his
|
|
cousin-german Achsah, Caleb's daughter. It is probable that he had a
|
|
kindness for her before, which put him upon this bold undertaking to
|
|
obtain her. Love to his country, an ambition of honour, and a desire to
|
|
find favour with the princes of his people, might not have engaged him
|
|
in this great action, but his affection for Achsah did. This made it
|
|
intolerable to him to think that any one should do more to win her
|
|
favour than he would, and so inspired him with this generous fire. Thus
|
|
is love strong as death, and jealousy cruel as the grave.</P>
|
|
|
|
<P>
|
|
|
|
(5.) Because the historian is now upon the dividing of the land, he
|
|
gives us an account of Achsah's portion, which was in land, as more
|
|
valuable because enjoyed by virtue of the divine promise, though we may
|
|
suppose the conquerors of Canaan, who had had the spoil of so many rich
|
|
cities, were full of money too.
|
|
|
|
[1.] Some land she obtained by Caleb's free grant, which was allowed
|
|
while she married within her own tribe and family, as Zelophehad's
|
|
daughters did. He <I>gave her a south land,</I>
|
|
|
|
<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Jos+15:19"><I>v.</I> 19</A>.
|
|
|
|
Land indeed, but <I>a south land,</I> dry, and apt to be parched.
|
|
|
|
[2.] She obtained more upon her request; she would have had her husband
|
|
to ask for a field, probably some particular field, or champaign
|
|
ground, which belonged to Caleb's lot, and joined to that south land
|
|
which he had settled upon his daughter at marriage. She thought her
|
|
husband had the best interest in her father, who, no doubt, was
|
|
extremely pleased with his late glorious achievement, but he thought it
|
|
was more proper for her to ask, and she would be more likely to
|
|
prevail; accordingly she did, submitting to her husband's judgment,
|
|
though contrary to her own; and she managed the undertaking with great
|
|
address. <I>First,</I> She took the opportunity when her father brought
|
|
her home to the house of her husband, when the satisfaction of having
|
|
disposed of his daughter so well would make him think nothing too much
|
|
to do for her. <I>Secondly,</I> She <I>lighted off her ass,</I> in
|
|
token of respect and reverence to her father, whom she would honour
|
|
still, as much as before her marriage. She <I>cried</I> or
|
|
<I>sighed</I> from off her ass, so the LXX. and the vulgar Latin read
|
|
it; she expressed some grief and concern, that she might give her
|
|
father occasion to ask her what she wanted. <I>Thirdly,</I> She calls
|
|
it <I>a blessing,</I> because it would add much to the comfort of her
|
|
settlement; and she was sure that, since she married not only with her
|
|
father's consent, but in obedience to his command, he would not deny
|
|
her his blessing. <I>Fourthly,</I> She asks only for the <I>water,</I>
|
|
without which the ground she had would be of little use either for
|
|
tillage or pasture, but she means the field in which the springs of
|
|
water were. The modesty and reasonableness of her quest gave it a great
|
|
advantage. Earth without water would be like a tree without sap, or the
|
|
body of an animal without blood; therefore, when God <I>gathered the
|
|
waters into one place,</I> he wisely and graciously left some in every
|
|
place, that the earth might be enriched for the service of man. See
|
|
|
|
<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Ps+104:10-23">Ps. civ. 10</A>,
|
|
|
|
&c. Well, Achsah gained her point; her father gave her what she
|
|
asked, and perhaps more, for <I>he gave her the upper springs and the
|
|
nether springs,</I> two fields so called from the springs that were in
|
|
them, as we commonly distinguish between the higher field and the lower
|
|
field. Those who understand it but of one field, watered both with the
|
|
rain of heaven and the springs that issued out of the bowels of the
|
|
earth, give countenance to the allusion we commonly make to this, when
|
|
we pray for spiritual and heavenly blessings which relate to our souls
|
|
as blessings of the upper springs, and those which relate to the body
|
|
and the life that now is as blessings of the nether springs.</P>
|
|
|
|
<P>
|
|
|
|
From this story we learn,
|
|
|
|
1. That it is no breach of the tenth commandment moderately to desire
|
|
those comforts and conveniences of this life which we see attainable in
|
|
a fair and regular way.
|
|
|
|
2. That husbands and wives should mutually advise, and jointly agree,
|
|
about that which is for the common good of their family; and much more
|
|
should they concur in asking of their heavenly Father the best
|
|
blessings, those of the upper springs.
|
|
|
|
3. That parents must never think that lost which is bestowed upon their
|
|
children for their real advantage, but must be free in giving them
|
|
portions as well as maintenance, especially when they are dutiful.
|
|
Caleb had sons
|
|
|
|
(<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=1Ch+4:15">1 Chron. iv. 15</A>),
|
|
|
|
and yet gave thus liberally to his daughter. Those parents forget
|
|
themselves and their relation who grudge their children what is
|
|
convenient for them when they can conveniently part with it.</P>
|
|
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|
<A NAME="Jos15_20"> </A>
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<A NAME="Jos15_62"> </A>
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<A NAME="Jos15_63"> </A>
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<A NAME="Sec3"> </A>
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<TABLE WIDTH="100%" BORDER=0>
|
|
<TR><TD><FONT SIZE=+1><I>The Lot of Judah.</I></FONT></TD>
|
|
<TD ALIGN=RIGHT><FONT SIZE=-1>B. C.</FONT> 1444.</TD></TR>
|
|
<TR><TD COLSPAN=2><HR SIZE=1></TD></TR>
|
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</TABLE>
|
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|
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<P>
|
|
<FONT SIZE=+1>20 This <I>is</I> the inheritance of the tribe of the children of
|
|
Judah according to their families.
|
|
21 And the uttermost cities of the tribe of the children of
|
|
Judah toward the coast of Edom southward were Kabzeel, and Eder,
|
|
and Jagur,
|
|
22 And Kinah, and Dimonah, and Adadah,
|
|
23 And Kedesh, and Hazor, and Ithnan,
|
|
24 Ziph, and Telem, and Bealoth,
|
|
25 And Hazor, Hadattah, and Kerioth, <I>and</I> Hezron, which <I>is</I>
|
|
Hazor,
|
|
26 Amam, and Shema, and Moladah,
|
|
27 And Hazar-gaddah, and Heshmon, and Beth-palet,
|
|
28 And Hazar-shual, and Beer-sheba, and Bizjoth-jah,
|
|
29 Baalah, and Iim, and Azem,
|
|
30 And Eltolad, and Chesil, and Hormah,
|
|
31 And Ziklag, and Madmannah, and Sansannah,
|
|
32 And Lebaoth, and Shilhim, and Ain, and Rimmon: all the
|
|
cities <I>are</I> twenty and nine, with their villages:
|
|
33 <I>And</I> in the valley, Eshtaol, and Zoreah, and Ashnah,
|
|
34 And Zanoah, and En-gannim, Tappuah, and Enam,
|
|
35 Jarmuth, and Adullam, Socoh, and Azekah,
|
|
36 And Sharaim, and Adithaim, and Gederah, and Gederothaim;
|
|
fourteen cities with their villages:
|
|
37 Zenan, and Hadashah, and Migdal-gad,
|
|
38 And Dilean, and Mizpeh, and Joktheel,
|
|
39 Lachish, and Bozkath, and Eglon,
|
|
40 And Cabbon, and Lahmam, and Kithlish,
|
|
41 And Gederoth, Beth-dagon, and Naamah, and Makkedah; sixteen
|
|
cities with their villages:
|
|
42 Libnah, and Ether, and Ashan,
|
|
43 And Jiphtah, and Ashnah, and Nezib,
|
|
44 And Keilah, and Achzib, and Mareshah; nine cities with their
|
|
villages:
|
|
45 Ekron, with her towns and her villages:
|
|
46 From Ekron even unto the sea, all that <I>lay</I> near Ashdod,
|
|
with their villages:
|
|
47 Ashdod with her towns and her villages, Gaza with her towns
|
|
and her villages, unto the river of Egypt, and the great sea, and
|
|
the border <I>thereof:</I>
|
|
48 And in the mountains, Shamir, and Jattir, and Socoh,
|
|
49 And Dannah, and Kirjath-sannah, which <I>is</I> Debir,
|
|
50 And Anab, and Eshtemoh, and Anim,
|
|
51 And Goshen, and Holon, and Giloh; eleven cities with their
|
|
villages:
|
|
52 Arab, and Dumah, and Eshean,
|
|
53 And Janum, and Beth-tappuah, and Aphekah,
|
|
54 And Humtah, and Kirjath-arba, which <I>is</I> Hebron, and Zior;
|
|
nine cities with their villages:
|
|
55 Maon, Carmel, and Ziph, and Juttah,
|
|
56 And Jezreel, and Jokdeam, and Zanoah,
|
|
57 Cain, Gibeah, and Timnah; ten cities with their villages:
|
|
58 Halhul, Beth-zur, and Gedor,
|
|
59 And Maarath, and Beth-anoth, and Eltekon; six cities with
|
|
their villages:
|
|
60 Kirjath-baal, which <I>is</I> Kirjath-jearim, and Rabbah; two
|
|
cities with their villages:
|
|
61 In the wilderness, Beth-arabah, Middin, and Secacah,
|
|
62 And Nibshan, and the city of Salt, and En-gedi; six cities
|
|
with their villages.
|
|
63 As for the Jebusites the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the
|
|
children of Judah could not drive them out: but the Jebusites
|
|
dwell with the children of Judah at Jerusalem unto this day.
|
|
</FONT></P>
|
|
|
|
<P>
|
|
|
|
We have here a list of the several cities that fell within the lot of
|
|
the tribe of Judah, which are mentioned by name, that they might know
|
|
their own, and both keep it and keep to it, and might neither through
|
|
cowardice nor sloth lose the possession of what was their own.</P>
|
|
|
|
<P>
|
|
|
|
I. The cities are here named, and numbered in several classes, which
|
|
they then could account for the reason of better than we can now. Here
|
|
are,
|
|
|
|
1. Some that are said to be the uttermost cities <I>towards the coast
|
|
of Edom,</I>
|
|
|
|
<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Jos+15:21-32"><I>v.</I> 21-32</A>.
|
|
|
|
Here are thirty-eight named, and yet said to be <I>twenty-nine</I>
|
|
|
|
(<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Jos+15:32"><I>v.</I> 32</A>),
|
|
|
|
because nine of these were afterwards transferred to the lot of Simeon,
|
|
and are reckoned as belonging to that, as appears by comparing
|
|
|
|
<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Jos+19:2-9"><I>ch.</I> xix. 2</A>,
|
|
|
|
&c.; therefore those only are counted (though the rest are named) which
|
|
remained to Judah.
|
|
|
|
2. Others that are said to be <I>in the valley</I>
|
|
|
|
(<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Jos+15:33"><I>v.</I> 33</A>)
|
|
|
|
are counted to be fourteen, yet fifteen are named; but it is probable
|
|
that Gederah and Gederathaim were either two names or two parts of one
|
|
and the same city.
|
|
|
|
3. Then sixteen are named without any head of distinction,
|
|
|
|
<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Jos+15:37-41"><I>v.</I> 37-41</A>,
|
|
|
|
and nine more,
|
|
|
|
<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Jos+15:42-44"><I>v.</I> 42-44</A>.
|
|
|
|
4. Then the three Philistine-cities, Ekron, Ashdod, and Gaza,
|
|
|
|
<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Jos+15:45-47"><I>v.</I> 45-47</A>.
|
|
|
|
5. Cities <I>in the mountains,</I> eleven in all
|
|
|
|
(<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Jos+15:48-51"><I>v.</I> 48-51</A>),
|
|
|
|
nine more
|
|
|
|
(<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Jos+15:52-54"><I>v.</I> 52-54</A>),
|
|
|
|
ten more
|
|
|
|
(<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Jos+15:55-57"><I>v.</I> 55-57</A>),
|
|
|
|
six more
|
|
|
|
(<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Jos+15:58,59"><I>v.</I> 58, 59</A>),
|
|
|
|
then two
|
|
|
|
(<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Jos+15:60"><I>v.</I> 60</A>),
|
|
|
|
and six in the wilderness, a part of the country not so thick of
|
|
inhabitants as some others were.</P>
|
|
|
|
<P>
|
|
|
|
II. Now here,
|
|
|
|
1. We do not find Bethlehem, which was afterwards the city of David,
|
|
and was ennobled by the birth of our Lord Jesus in it. But that city,
|
|
which at the best was but <I>little among the thousands of Judah</I>
|
|
|
|
(<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Mic+5:2">Mic. v. 2</A>),
|
|
|
|
except that it was thus dignified, was now so little as not to be
|
|
accounted one of the cities, but perhaps was one of the villages not
|
|
named. Christ came to give honour to the places he was related to, not
|
|
to receive honour from them.
|
|
|
|
2. Jerusalem is said to continue in the hands of the Jebusites
|
|
|
|
(<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Jos+15:63"><I>v.</I> 63</A>),
|
|
|
|
<I>for the children of Judah could not drive them out,</I> through
|
|
their sluggishness, stupidity, and unbelief. Had they attempted it with
|
|
vigour and resolution, we have reason to think God would not have been
|
|
wanting to them to give them success; but they could not do it, because
|
|
they would not. Jerusalem was afterwards to be the holy city, the royal
|
|
city, the city of the great King, the brightest ornament of all the
|
|
land of Israel. God has designed it should be so. It may therefore be
|
|
justly looked upon as a punishment of their neglect to conquer other
|
|
cities which God had given them that they were so long kept out of
|
|
this.
|
|
|
|
3. Among the cities of Judah (in all 114) we meet with Libnah, which
|
|
in Joram's days revolted, and probably set up for a free independent
|
|
state
|
|
|
|
(<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=2Ki+8:22">2 Kings viii. 22</A>),
|
|
|
|
and Lachish, where king Amaziah was slain
|
|
|
|
(<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=1Ki+14:19">1 Kings xiv. 19</A>);
|
|
|
|
it led the dance in idolatry
|
|
|
|
(<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Mic+1:13">Mic. i. 13</A>);
|
|
|
|
it was the <I>beginning of sin to the daughter of Zion.</I> Giloh,
|
|
Ahithophel's town, is here mentioned, and Tekoa, of which the prophet
|
|
Amos was, and near which Jehoshaphat obtained that glorious victory,
|
|
|
|
<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=2Ch+20:20-30">2 Chron. xx. 20</A>,
|
|
|
|
&c., and Maresha, where Asa was a conqueror. Many of the cities of this
|
|
tribe occur in the history of David's troubles. Adullam, Ziph, Keilah,
|
|
Maon, Engedi, Ziklag, here reckoned in this tribe, were places near
|
|
which David had most of his haunts; for, though sometimes Saul drove
|
|
him out from the inheritance of the Lord, yet he kept as close to it as
|
|
he could. The wilderness of Judah he frequented much, and in it John
|
|
Baptist preached, and there the kingdom of heaven commenced,
|
|
|
|
<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Mt+3:1">Matt. iii. 1</A>.
|
|
|
|
The riches of this country no doubt answered Jacob's blessing of this
|
|
tribe, that he should <I>wash his garments in wine,</I>
|
|
|
|
<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Ge+49:11">Gen. xlix. 11</A>.
|
|
|
|
And, in general, <I>Judah, thou art he whom thy brethren shall
|
|
praise,</I> not envy.</P>
|
|
|
|
<!-- (End Body) -->
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<HR>
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<TABLE WIDTH="100%">
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<TR>
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<TD ALIGN="LEFT" VALIGN="TOP">
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Matthew Henry<BR><I>Commentary on the Whole Bible</I> (1708)
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